Classified ads etiquette, tips and tricks

[DB is Here]

A legally binding contract needs three main elements: an offer, consideration, and acceptance. While the terms "offer" and "acceptance" are fairly straightforward -- an offer is made, and either rejected or accepted -- "consideration" refers to something of value (trade or cash) that is being gained through the contract.

You need all three in my mind.

So if someone needed extra time to "come see it" I'd have told them "I'm selling it to the first person that puts cash in my hand", so the "I'll take it" wouldn't cross the finish line for me and I'd make sure they understood that.

 

[oli700]

Thanks guys, I don't do a lot of selling and don't want anyone unhappy .

 

[Mikej]

So if someone needed extra time to "come see it" I'd have told them "I'm selling it to the first person that puts cash in my hand", so the "I'll take it" wouldn't cross the finish line for me and I'd make sure they understood that.

So your saying that if I, member in good standing, were to say I'll take that fine S&W M66 no dash, sight unseen, on my next day off, Saturday next, that you would leave your ad up without a SPF and sell to someone else in the meantime?

 

[Frank RW]

I thing I dislike is the seller that wants to make extra cash at your expense ie: U ask what would shipping be for what ever item it is your wanting to buy . and you get say 25.00 and the song and dance is well tape and bubble wrap isn't free but you can get free boxes from the post office so now you get to pay him for tape and bubble wrap.

In all fairness, the "free" boxes you get at the PO are limited in selection and require Priority service or greater postage.

Padding, bubble-wrap, etc. isn't cheap either. I tend to ship my items so they'll safely fall off a truck. Rarely do I have the materials needed just laying around to get a sold item to you as safely as we'd both like.

Next, my time is worth some money. It's a 15-mile trip to drop off the box, plus the wait in line, or schedule a pickup and hope they come by here while I'm home.

Gas costs money too. I only get about 15-miles-a-gallon, so that's another 3 bucks.

Then of course there's fees on collecting the money if not in-person. I won't take a check, or anything that requires me to wait for the mail, so PayPal is about the only choice there.

Me, I tend to include shipping in the price and avoid the debate.

 

[Frank RW]

... and sell to someone else in the meantime?

Not talking to me, but yeah, I would sell it to the first person that showed up with the cash.

I don't promise to anyone they'll get it just because they called "dibs".
We've all had buyers that really really wanted our item and eventually became a no-show.

So if someone comes to me and says "I'll take it, next Saturday.", I'd respond with something like, "If it's still available then, it's yours."

First come, first served, bird-in-hand, and all that...

 

[fredball]

In all fairness, the "free" boxes you get at the PO are limited in selection and require Priority service or greater postage.

Padding, bubble-wrap, etc. isn't cheap either. I tend to ship my items so they'll safely fall off a truck. Rarely do I have the materials needed just laying around to get a sold item to you as safely as we'd both like.

Next, my time is worth some money. It's a 15-mile trip to drop off the box, plus the wait in line, or schedule a pickup and hope they come by here while I'm home.

Gas costs money too. I only get about 15-miles-a-gallon, so that's another 3 bucks.

Then of course there's fees on collecting the money if not in-person. I won't take a check, or anything that requires me to wait for the mail, so PayPal is about the only choice there.

Me, I tend to include shipping in the price and avoid the debate.

Then don't agree to the price clearly you missed that part of my post
when you agree to sell and said price then add to the cost after you agreed to sell at offer that's B.S.
Then clearly post NO SHIPPING situation solved

 

[WAYNO]

I once had a rifle for sale here and marked local. A local gentleman PM and said "I would really like to meet you and have a look at the gun I am very interested" I agreed to meet in two days .

a day after that another gentleman from up by Portland PM and said " I would buy that gun if your come up my way".
I said " I wont be that way for a while but thanks I'll keep it in mind"

He PM's, "I am an FFL , you can send it ". I said "thanks" I asked for some details of how it would work. He tells me .
I tell him I have a guy that wants to look tomorrow and I would get a hold of him if the guy didn't want it .
The FFL guy says " I do believe I am the first one who said they would buy it "
All this was done over PM and there is no way he could know that but yes, he was the first to say he would buy, if I were there......which I stated local in the ad, and he never posed anything in the ad at all .

So the first guy buys the gun, he just wanted a personal look. I wriA the FFL guy back over PM and say thanks but the first guy bought it .
He writes back all butt hurt "that's not the way Northwest Firearms work , I said I would take it first " and he goes on about how this isn't an auction site but he is glad I sold it , everyone knew it was for family medical bills .
I don't think I was wrong, but I don't know all the "rules"......didn't feel right coming from an FFL holder with a business.
Did I do something wrong ?

Yes. "I'll take it" trumps I'd like to look at it. 10 tire kicking fence sitters and you're gonna turn down an actual buyer?

 

[Mikej]

"If it's still available then, it's yours."

First come, first served, bird-in-hand, and all that...

Good to know.

 

[Frank RW]

Good to know.

Me, I would assume that of just about anyone. Why wait a week, perhaps more, for "maybe" when a for-sure thing is in hand?

So, say I'm gonna buy your gun in a week, and someone finds your ad 30 minutes later and offers the cash, you gonna really wait a week? (I'm not talking about friends and family, which might get that leeway.)

Not I. I don't have that much faith in humanity. I'm sure every one of us has had an irritating "no-show".

If you're local and want to buy something from me, you should be able pay and pickup soon, because the next person who can gets it.

But I tell people that. I don't make promises just because someone posted a reply of interest first. I don't do lay-a-way programs.

 

[Frank RW]

Then don't agree to the price clearly you missed that part of my post...

I got that part of the post just fine. My point to one of your points is that a box and packing and going to the post office isn't always cheap. Your comment implies as if it's free to box up that product and mail it to you.

But in spirit, yes, I agree, if you're going to charge for shipping, say so.

 

[OldBroad44]

As stated ad nauseum, good pics sell stuff.
And not those crappy cell phone pics of a rifle standing in the corner with poor lighting.
Have someone else's husband help you with your pics if you don't know how.
It's that important when selling on the Interwebz.

So if you don't know how to take a good photo you must be female? Hmmph. I've seen plenty of cra@ppy photos posted by males.

By the way, the glare you often see on guns in photos can be eliminated by using a circular polarizing filter.

 

[jbett98]

More then once, I've come late to the party on a desirable firearm with multiple "I'll take it" within minutes after the ad was posted.
I'll then politely PM the seller with a rock solid offer to buy his item once he gets tired of dealing with all the no shows, tire kickers, low ball offers, wait till next weeks payday and my favorite "Wife said no" excuses.
Being a long time member with a high positive feedback also helps swing the deal.

 

[DB is Here]

So your saying that if I, member in good standing, were to say I'll take that fine S&W M66 no dash, sight unseen, on my next day off, Saturday next, that you would leave your ad up without a SPF and sell to someone else in the meantime?

I'd advise the member in good standing that if I had someone bring cash before he/she could make it I would sell it. As long as it's disclosed up front I see no issue with it. Unless I knew them personally.

 

[DirectDrive]

So if you don't know how to take a good photo you must be female? Hmmph. I've seen plenty of cra@ppy photos posted by males.

By the way, the glare you often see on guns in photos can be eliminated by using a circular polarizing filter.

Most crappy cell phone in existence were taken and posted by males.
My "husband" remark was meant for them.

I like you OldBroad44 and I would never want to offend you.

 

[OldBroad44]

Most crappy cell phone in existence were taken and posted by males.
My "husband" remark was meant for them.

I like you OldBroad44 and I would never want to offend you.

I apparently misunderstood, Direct Drive. I like you too. But a bit of friendly verbal dust-up occassionally can be fun. No offense was taken.

I got a lot of enjoyment from your post. It sure was puzzling. It sounded like not only all bad photographers were women, but women who are either single or married to men who are lousy photographers too. Or were women who would rather learn from or spend time with other women's husbands than their own. It led to much speculation...and laughter. Is there a correlation between gender and bad photography? And if so in which direction? And if there appears to be such a correlation, is it real, or is it that one gender is more likely to think their bad photography is good and post bad photography? And what about all these women who only want to learn photography from other women's husbands? Is it, ahem, just learning photography that they would rather do with other women's husbands? Does creating bad photography correlate with other kinds of bad behavior? Behind every bad photo on NWFA is there a misbehaving man or woman?

After I finished laughing, I had to reply.

Carol

 

[The Heretic]

TL;DR

I.E., have not read 13 pages of posts, but my pet peeve about gun ads bears repeating; please list the caliber/chambering. Don't assume that every Glock/SIG/etc. is 9mm. They do also chamber and sell these guns in other calibers (especially true of SIGs who sells their 229, 226, and 224 in 9mm, .40 and .357)

 

[oli700]

Yes. "I'll take it" trumps I'd like to look at it. 10 tire kicking fence sitters and you're gonna turn down an actual buyer?

I get that for sure . But it wasnt ten guys it was one , I listed as local and the guy said he would take it said that if I was there where he was . Then he said I could send it to him . It interested me . I figured if I couldn't sell local then it might be an option . I should have just said thanks but no because somewhere in there he thought the shipping part was a good enough substitute for local pick up that I was somehow committed to sell it and ship it to him . All that and I never said anywhere I wanted to ship it . It was an option , it interested me .
But yeah if I had a bunch of maybe people wanting to see something and a guy standing there with money , I would go with the guy standing there with money . But this was not that .

 

[TB972]

I want to sell an item but having never sold an item through classifieds wanted to find out the best way to do so. I am mainly concerned about receiving payment and how best to ship the item should it need to be shipped. I searched through the forum but couldn't find anything on the topic.

 

[Mikej]

I want to sell an item but having never sold an item through classifieds wanted to find out the best way to do so. I am mainly concerned about receiving payment and how best to ship the item should it need to be shipped. I searched through the forum but couldn't find anything on the topic.

This is why feedback scores and post counts are important. Use your own good judgment in forming an opinion of a member interested in buying. Read their posts. Have payment sent to you before sending item.

 

[11Charlie]

You can also do local sales only and make the buyer drive to you or if your a nice guy meet them half way.