My gripe with buying and selling over the net

[hellven]

I should get this off my chest. It doesn't feel good to be accused of being someone i'm not, especially not when that person has never met me.

I've been looking to buy a particular equipment for a year now. When a seller wanted to sell that particular equipment on soft forums, a fellow friend of mine contacted me and told me that someone is finally letting go.

i contacted the seller and quoted my price. he claims it's near brand new. i quoted him my best price, $400 subject to reduction upon inspection. My ideal price was $380, which i didn't tell him. i felt that was fair. apparently he didn't. he must have thought i would slash the price beyond what is reasonable in person.

he ultimately sold to someone else for $370. that was fine with me, there's always another one coming round someday.

but what i'm not happy about is his presumption of who i am over SMS. "I know what kind of buyer you are" sounds accusational of my integrity. Doesn't feel good, so here i am to make myself feel better. (In fact i DO feel better already).

So i thought i would open this up for discussion...

Price haggling is common practice, but whose loss is it when one party becomes too distrustful? I missed out on something i've been wanting for a long time, and the seller missed out on a higher price.

On one hand the seller is wary of buyers slashing prices, banking on the seller making a wasted trip if he doesn't let it go.

On the other hand buyers are wary of sellers overstating their claims of their item. I've had sellers claiming "brand-new" only to see the item chipped and with paint peeling and i made a wasted trip across the island to come home disappointed and empty-handed.

What could have been done to avoid this unnecessary loss at both ends?

 

[dir]

don't deal with assholes bro, not worth your time

edit: wait, why did you want to haggle the price even after agreeing on it?

 

[fgl]

bro Helven - my suggestion ...

1. have a rough "market price" idea whatt he product's resale value is and use it as an estimate guide. Ultimately its the sellers perogative who he wantsto sell to and for what price so you have to also tell yourself mentally how much you would go for beyond the resale price.

2. Ask for pix if possible (however even pix dot show all flaws etc)

3. try to meet in a central location convinient to both parties or if you need to test items etc - then meet at yours or the sellers' place to test product.

4. offer your best price based on the description, photos etc and dont bargain anymore at the deal point - sellers hate that. If the item is not as described or portrayed - then dont deal - take it as a lesson learnt.

yes buying & selling via the internet is cheaper and you can get some real good deals out there but one can also get in all sorts of sticky situations - part ofthe game I guess...

my 2 cents

 

[kdash]

i think on both sides there should not be any assumption or prejudice about what kind of buyer or seller the person is. to me it's good if both sides give and take, be more understanding, and even better if can make friends

a lot of sellers are very frustrated with lowballers or have had bad experiences of potential buyers backing out at the last minute etc. so they have a defensive attitude sometimes.

 

[RoRK]

It could be worse bro!

The seller already agreed to sell the gear to you BUTTTTTTTTTT then someone else, later, gives him a better price. Then the seller sells it to the other dude!

How lidat?

Soft oso gotch this kind of creepy ulat. Somemore gotch yah-yah one and gotch self-proclaimed guitar gawd. But go to competition? Play three-chord song. Wah ha ha ha. Like so farni sial! Some people gotch small all the nerve in the world and yet they donch know how to use it? Farni sial!

And then gotch this kinda creep can threaten to sue you if you quoting him ad verbatim for his creepy sayings. Farni and stupid sial!

Donch blame soft lah. The world gotch creepy peeps.

 

[kdash]

haha yup that's why i say it depends on the person. if the seller only wants to wait for the best price etc, he/she should specify it in the first place, so potential buyers will know. and once the deal is confirmed, don't sell it to someone else without the buyer's permission, that's basic business ethics.

 

[BonAparte]

... Somemore gotch yah-yah one and gotch self-proclaimed guitar gawd. But go to competition? Play three-chord song.

HAHAHA RoRK you super funny sia zz. Think having a general idea of the resale price and have pics of the item before buying it is really impt. yea.

 

[fgl]

hmmm Rork - looks like you kena gigit b4 by such "individuals"?

 

[RoRK]

That's why when you go shopping at stores you always look for goods that have a price tag - so that you know what the price is. If there is no price, you can be taken for a ride.

Online, there are even more scams because sellers take advantage of the fact that they can put a 'plastic' price there.

Even if a seller puts a price of $200 and you agree with him at $200 but someone else comes up later and the seller tells this interested buyer, "eh, sorry ah, I already agreed to sell it at $200 but if you can offer more I will 'try' to sell it to you"

Lidat can what. A scum is always a scum what. When a person is willing to go back on their word or make up then everything is up and open to be used as part of a game - the game to get the highest price regardless of ethics. In fact, there is no ethics!

 

[fgl]

wELL u GOT apoint bro Rork - thats why I always maintain my online selling condition as first come first served at my advertised price and if i'm buying something I ask for meet up straight away at the agreed price (via PM of course)

makes matters less complicated for all ...

I myself kena burned before too - but wat to do ..?

 

[trowaclown]

Hmmm. When selling, I like ken's approach of "fixed prices non-nego take it or leave it I don't care".

When buying, it's a good idea to get the rough price and go down with cash on you. Then cash and carry on the spot.

If anything smells fishy while communicating/meeting up, then hit the eject button and bail out!

 

[RoRK]

Haha BON KOH - yah RoRK found out, after some sleuthing! You oso gotch farni - thank goodness.

No lah RoRK kenna humtum by this type of creep here before - nothing to do with gear.

However, there is a new, separate, issue that I've gotten myself into, rather silly of me to trust YOUNG PEOPLE! Again not to blame Soft but I did meet this person via Soft.

I was promised this and that but then when it came time to deliver, this donch have and that donch have and it looks like I'm going to get something that I was afraid I was going to get - from the word go. It's always best to put your requirements down on paper and that includes price - and by paper I mean, even a post at Soft to prove your point(s) later.

 

[edder]

My rule of thumb if I do buy and sell.

When I buy, if the seller says the price is fixed and non negotiable. I'll take it as fixed and non negotiable. Respect the seller. If I wanna view and decide, I'll let him know. If he says its negotiable, then I'll ask him for his best price. Don't waste his time, don't waste mine. Viewing also will be at the seller's convenience.

When I sell, its absolutely non negotiable. I don't have time those for die die want discount even if it is $2. Or those who have agreed on the price and when about to pay still insist on discount. Viewing will be absolutely at my convenience. Time is money. Don't waste my time which is money.

Also when buying and selling, I'm not out to look for new friends. If we click and we can chat fine, thats cool. But if we can't, spare me the small talk.

Humans can be one of the hardest things to deal with.

 

[THOA]

Also when buying and selling, I'm not out to look for new friends. If we click and we can chat fine, thats cool. But if we can't, spare me the small talk.

Makes me feel that I've been too friendly in some of my previous deals with peeps here... :?

 

[Godspeed64]

Somemore gotch yah-yah one and gotch self-proclaimed guitar gawd. But go to competition? Play three-chord song.

EH THREE CHORD GOT DIFFICULT OKAY? :mrgreen::mrgreen:

Tricky sial.. Slide here slide there.. Makes me feel like a punk gawd..

Hahahahaha.. Hope you notice the sarcasm and don't take it too seriously..

 

[RoRK]

EH THREE CHORD GOT DIFFICULT OKAY? :mrgreen::mrgreen:

Tricky sial.. Slide here slide there.. Makes me feel like a punk gawd..

Bro, as long as gotch no chain email, I donch take things seriously here.

 

[kerplunk182]

I've experienced some good and bad buyers on soft.I clearly remember my 2nd tme dealing with a softie whose nick i can't remember. But i do remember that he lowballed me on the spot. But at that time i didn't want to waste my time and make a wasted trip so i just dealed. And also cause i paiseh to say no, :\
i don't really like small talks either cause i'm shy when i first meet someone and it'll be kinda awkward. Makes it even more awkward when someone tries to strike a conversation by saying /i didnt know you were a girl'. Faints.

 

[kdash]

Makes me feel that I've been too friendly in some of my previous deals with peeps here... :?

there's no hard and fast rule here, what works for one may not work for another. it's ok if you are friendly, it's also ok if you don't want to be too friendly. no need for small talk either, but if the 2 of you can click, then why not.

 

[hellven]

As fate would have it, something unbelievable happened.


My friend again notified me that someone else is selling the same piece of rare equipment on soft.com buy/sell. this time the seller stated his price of 350, cheaper than the previous seller and also near brand new condition.


whats crazy is that this time, he stays 5 mins away by motorcycle from my place. from seeing the ad till getting the goods took a record time of only 45mins.


so i got myself the same equipment at the same condition but cheaper than the previous seller, didn't get accused, travelled only 5 mins, didn't have to haggle, and buyer and seller are both happy campers.


If this isn't a lesson in blessings in disguise, i don't know what is.


creepy... but i'm still smiling.

 

[guitarsan]

Some buyers have this funny mentality or idea......


Price is non-negotiable = Never mind, can still bargain a bit one

Price is firm = Are you sure? How firm is really firm?

Price is slightly negotiable = err...30% discount?

Price is negotiable = Yippee! It's lowballing time!