Buying/Selling protocol

[Frank Beck]

Nothing new here; I'm sure this issue has been regurgitated many times over.

I bloviated all over a parts seller's thread this morning. I have since deleted it because it was an inappropriate place to post general comments, which were in no way directed at that particular seller. I posted out of frustration. It was literary diarrhea for sure.



However, let there be no mistake that my comments below are aimed squarely at those guilty of slimy practices.

It has been my experience that a seller posting here will reply to a buyer after a commitment is made to purchase an item. Either to work out payment details or to acknowledge that another buyer has dibs. This process can take 2 minutes or 2 days but I think all would agree acknowledgment and acceptance/decline has to take place at some point. Obviously a seller has the luxury to sell to whomever he wants but if a buyer publicly commits to the item at the given price and is the first to respond, that seems to be protocol for a done deal.

I have on far too many occasions had situations where there was no communication from the seller after I was lightening quick with the buzzer. Behind the scenes a buyer who was not first in line has offered more money. This sliminess is not just from a buyer but seller as well; it takes two to dance. If you post a price have the decency to honor that price and the integrity to acknowledge who was actually first in line. If you want to have an auction, put it on eBay.

It is happening more frequently to me in the sale of cars. I'll tell a prospect that a tentative deal has already been made and he'll offer me more money to unwind the deal. I will clarify "So you want me to go back on my word so that I can get more money?" He will stutter and say... "well... yah... I guess, if you want to put it that way." After I ask if this is how he would want his mother treated if she were the first buyer and I insinuate that only a piece of crap would do something like this the conversation abruptly ends.

What happened to The Golden Rule?

[bob tilton]

Or, what has happened to integrity?

[oscillon]

It's the second golden rule.

Rule: Get as much gold as you can.

[Frank Beck]

No. The second Golden Rule is:

Those with the Gold, Rule.

[beh911]

I assume this is in response to what appears to be the ad for that underpriced supposedly NOS 69S pump.

I can see both sides of it.

If the seller doesn't know what something is worth and offers up a price only to get people offering him more over private message, that makes sense to me, assuming it wasn't an intentional tactic on seller's part.

On the other hand, your "marking the thread" with an "I'll take it" turned me off of the item as it told me you were going to buy it. But how many "I'll take it" do we see turn into buyer backing out after they can't get the terms they wanted with the "I'll take it" yellow snow?

No affiliation, just saying I can see both sides

[gsjohnson]

I completely agree. If I agree to sell an item or a car and someone comes along and makes an offer for more, I will honor it. Those that don't are low ball slime as far as I'm concerned. An agreement among men should be honored. You only have your family and your integrity when you go...

[SD Swede]

Hi, my name is Pete and I'm a "slimer"
That said...I only feel a slight bit better. Having previously slimed a long time, honest and credible member, all while "the new guy", I have experienced the shame of knowing I'll now probably end up down below instead of racing thru high clouds. Quickly, I listed an item for sale in 3 places, one being the bay with a BIN price (it was the same as my asking in the 2 other places. After having gone to bed, about 11 pm local, I took one last glance at my phone and saw a new message. Member wanted the item, said he would pay the next day. I responded, cool, and fell immediately asleep dreaming about what to buy next (for that amount, maybe a few lug nuts). I got up the next morning and checked out the computer. Literally, in the middle of the night (mine at least) an ebayer hit the BIN button and sent payment via paypal into my account. My immediate thought, "This is bad, very bad..." The member, understandably, was very upset with me. I was honest, threw myself on the sword, and did the very best I could to apologize and ask, in every way I knew how, for forgiveness. The item did not sell for any more money, but I don't think the member believes this based on the comments. So, yes, in hindsight I should gotten out of bed and ended the ebay ad but it never occurred to me, while sleepy and a little drunk, this could go so wrong. To this day, I still feel bad about it (probably obvious). Moral: Its easier than you think to slime...trying to, or not.

More on point, "Highjacking"
It's is the term I think of when having listed an item and someone responds with the standard "I'll take it" and then literally disappears. No payment...no communication...nothing! What sets the standard for the amount of time this is allowed to carry on? In our "quick on the trigger" high speed web world everyone knows it literally would take an additional 30 seconds to get the payment sent? Do you allow an hour...2 hours...a day...2 days, all the while other buyers are passing since someone said "dibs!" It's like your own "layaway" plan. Don't have the funds to buy til payday, so I'll "secure" it for myself publicly???
This probably has been complained about before too and I add it only as a potential source/cause, but not an excuse, for sliming like a ghostbuster.

Through my professional life I have found that on both sides of every single discussion (or violent confrontations in my case) everyone is always a little bit right and everyone is a little bit wrong.....so on and on it goes. Only through policing ourselves, calling each other out (with intelligence and humility) we keep enjoying our forum without tearing each others heads off, with words of course, and make a buck or two from old crap sitting around the garage.

[37yrold911]

If a seller doesn't know what something is worth, where can they post to find out? I was criticized over asking what a front bumper was worth and would like to find out how to find out about some rear bumpers and headlights.

[72targa]

If a seller doesn't know what something is worth, where can they post to find out? I was criticized over asking what a front bumper was worth and would like to find out how to find out about some rear bumpers and headlights.

Price inquiries are typically placed in General Info as a pre-cursor to listing a For Sale ad...

[Jim Breazeale]

If a seller doesn't know what something is worth, where can they post to find out? I was criticized over asking what a front bumper was worth and would like to find out how to find out about some rear bumpers and headlights.

How about the sellers that don't have a clue what they have but know that, what ever it is, it is "rare" and "extremely valuable"?

Ciao

Jim