Ghost Buyers in our classifieds

[Member 53328]

He asked YOU to bring something YOU had for sale for him to look at it?

Why couldn't HE come to you? I mean, that seems more usual and customary.

There are few members here that I have had interactions with while selling that request you bring the item to their set "area" and when I have agreed with a follow up that you're going to pay for my gas to get there they get an attitude like I did them a disservice.

They are also the members that will continually try and low ball you while expecting you to come to them.

As far as the OP…. I don't think of anything set in stone or sold until the cash is in my hand. For the most part I'm pretty good at reading people and will do my best to weed out the flakes.

If someone inquires and I never hear back then who cares. I'm not going to continually message them. Asking if they are still interested or want the item. That just makes one look needy, weak and pathetic (IMO). With that being said if someone says "I'll take it" and then go incognito on me I'll send one single message asking if they want it or I'm selling it to the next person. Normally that window lasts for about 12 hours max and it's in to the next.

It's the internet. A free forum. With no vetting. My standards and expectations stay extremely low for a reason.

 

[Ranger515]

Recently I had a seller on the forum try to change one of the items in the sale after he received my check In the mail. He said he was going to include a regular 320 grip instead of the Wilson Combat grip. Eff that. I cancelled the check immediately. Not planning to leave neutral feedback because he would just do the same. Frustrating.

Because he didn't have any prior feedback, before we agreed to terms I asked if he could provide some assurance via another method, and he said he owned a gun shop in Cathlemet and was on other gun forums.

Its ironic that sending a check is more risky than electronic payment these days.

FWIW, its always good policy to consider the next best alternative of the other party during a sale. And remember some people want to save a dollar but as I get older I want to save time.

 

[NobullSKS]

Yes

 

[Luvmegrandkids]

I agree but out of respect don't you tell the seller that it won't work out for what ever reason? This was not a general question for specs. It was a flat out offer and I agreed and the buyer stops answering PMs.

Armslist refugees……..

 

[Flopsweat]

Flakes, low ballers and no shows are all too common, even in person. I've even had a person agree to a price before hand, meet up and say they had to go to the bank to get the money. And ghosted me.

I tend to assume that if the deal isn't happening "right now" it probably isn't happening at all unless I have good reason to believe otherwise such as prior deals or long excellent feedback

Heck, I even had a guy agree to buy my XDS and when he showed up he said "I thought it would be bigger"... Like dude, it's a 5 round .45 with a 3" barrel. What did you think the "S" stood for, "Supersize"??

Several years ago, I found an ad for an ATV I was interested in. I made arrangements to meet the guy a couple of hours away, halfway between our cities and brought a trailer with me. Quick test ride and brief inspection, short negotiation and we shake hands. I reach in my pocket and instantly get a mental image of an envelope with several thousand dollars in it, sitting not in my pocket, but on my coffee table at home. I called my bank and they directed me to a "sister branch" where I could make a withdrawal. Except that I ran them out of cash. So I go hit an ATM, max that out and toss in the couple hundred bucks I had in my wallet to just hit the sale price. I think I had maybe $20 left over. Our quick transaction turned into a couple of hours and the seller never even looked upset. That poor guy had the patience of Job.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I make sure to preemptively put everyone in their place by saying "Will only respond to PM's, not messages in this ad".
And then I ignore everyone.



Lulz, not really

 

[rdb241]

Armslist refugees……..

I never did any biz on that web site. To me that was the Craigslist of the gun cumminity. Way too many scamers for me. Fortunatly I have never had a problem buying and selling with out Armslist.

 

[Knobgoblin]

I crushed on armslist. Here , not so much. It's a Portland centric pool of sellers I guess

 

[Flopsweat]

Ghost Riders In The Sky - sung by Marty Robbins

yewtu.be

 

[GWS]

Has anybody had this happen to them? Somebody inquires about an item. Seller replies and the buyer says I'll get back to you and vanashes never to be heard from again.

Yes, all the time, but I don't get worked up about PMs/replies until they say "I'll take it!"

 

[The Heretic]

I have asked questions, then done more research, then decided maybe the item isn't for me.

Same for people asking me questions.

*shrug*

 

[Bobbygun]

I crushed on armslist. Here , not so much. It's a Portland centric pool of sellers I guess

I agree on both counts.

Never had any problems with deals on armslist. The flakes and idiots were easy to spot.

I would definitely be more active buying and selling if I lived in the Portland area. I see plenty of good (sometimes great) deals that just aren't worth the drive, especially with background checks being iffy.

I do have higher expectations for people with solid feedback on this site but would probably take a chance on someone with little to no feedback. If someone had more negative than positive feedback, I would pass. Saying "I'll take it." then ghosting might generate less than positive feedback from me. If someone showed up and decided what I was selling wasn't what they wanted, I'd likely just move along.

 

[rdb241]

Yes, all the time, but I don't get worked up about PMs/replies until they say "I'll take it!"

Isn't an offer the very same as "I'll take it"?

 

[rdb241]

I crushed on armslist. Here , not so much. It's a Portland centric pool of sellers I guess

There is a lot of us here in Western WA and Eastern WA as well

 

[rdb241]

I have asked questions, then done more research, then decided maybe the item isn't for me.

Same for people asking me questions.

*shrug*

But did you commit or make an offer first?

 

[The Heretic]

But did you commit or make an offer first?

Not if I just asked questions. I think once IIRC I did make an offer then backed out after thinking about it.

 

[Jay Walk]

FULL RETAIL, transfer at BFE Firearms only.
Fee is on the buyer.

 

[Yarome]

Isn't an offer the very same as "I'll take it"?

It is in my book. That''s their half of the handshake. But I realize the difference in generations. Mine.... a man's word is his bond and the money and property exchange is just a proceedural second. Younger folk.... "it's not a deal until money has changed hands".

You also see the same difference in after sale service. I prefer shipping over F2F and the "handshake generation" seems more prone to "make things right" if their end of the deal leaves a little to be desired. Either something missing or innocently misrepresented their item.... they'll work with you to make it right. The other side of the coin... once they have your money... if you didn't catch on to an issue (typically that they withheld) before you paid... that's YOUR problem.

More of a "me me me" mentality that seems to run over into feedback too... even here. I'm typically a buyer and always leave feedback, but less than half of sellers leave feedback after they have theirs... and my money.

It's just the world we seem to live in these days. "As long as I get mine... I can't be bothered about yours".

Nothing you can do about it though. Just take it in stride and move on. Life's too short.

 

[orygun]

Yeah, I've had a couple. Say they want it then disappear. I don't reach back out as it seems to be a waste of energy.

 

[rdb241]

FULL RETAIL, transfer at BFE Firearms only.
Fee is on the buyer.

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