CS Selling Forums - A Distinct Disconnect from Reality

[timechaser]

I began my DSLR journey a week or so back, and spent a lot of time researching stuff before I made the plunge. The research of course involved visiting countless shops and calling them up asking for prices. I was offered all sort - being told that the camera I am trying to buy is out of stock in Singapore (Sim Lim Square, IT Trading Co, Level 1 - offered me the cam body only for $1,500 for EOS 500d) to the fact that the camera was being discontinued and I should wait (Another gem in Sim-Lim, forget the name. My reaction - huh?).

The same thing for lenses (I was hunting at various times for a 24-105 f/4L, 55-250 and finally the Sigma 18-200). I finally managed to buy a really pristine lens with 8 months warranty left from a fellow forumer.

My research however revealed that either CS forumers are totally disconnected from reality - not too uncommon around me in general - or they are out to scam.

Here's a sale in the forum at the moment: http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=557947. This piece-of-work is selling the Sigma 18-200 OS out of warranty and is asking for $600. He of course might have bought this lens for $6,000 at some point in the past but the bitter truth is that JO is selling this lens for $550 (have an e-quote from them to this effect). What sense in this twisted world does this ad make?

Dont people posting have any sense? Moral or otherwise?

It is not the job of moderators to maintain this (or every other thread) but can we at least have a feature to reply in the threads? There are at least a dozen where I would question the owner's sanity given the price he/she put up.

And before embarking on a tirade that the person might have made the mistake - think of this: doesn't he/she have the duty to check what the current price is rather than base their selling price on what "they" paid for the lens?

/End of my rant for today...

 

[night86mare]

it is a free market,

i will only say that, if got coconut want to get chopped in CS B&S, then it is just as likely they will get chopped at sim lim shops or the usual suspect chopper shops.

if a person does not do research, no one can save him. the best case scenario is he gets chopped once, realises it, then learns the lesson by paying tuition fee. the worst case scenario is of course, then he remains blissfully oblivious and continues getting chopped. that's his money and his choice.

btw, usually if people try to charge too high in B&S, they get no response, then after a while they lower their price. the market corrects itself, no reason why the cs admin or mods should want to do it, since there is no clearcut reason for them to do so to babysit or act as a nanny to lazy people.

 

[Wzierbovsky]

To say that posters in buy/sell have no sense, moral or otherwise, is pretty harsh. Occasionally, the unusual asking prices could be simply the result of an oversight, i.e. failure to check the lens for today's prices, even if the lens was indeed more costlier when first purchased. And an oversight is a long shot away from intending to cheat.

And the reply feature was removed some time ago from the Buy/Sell forums. Long story, much discussion and feedback - but the end result was a tighter, neaty and far less chaotic Buy/Sell forum.

 

[evermind]

it is a free market,

i will only say that, if got coconut want to get chopped in CS B&S, then it is just as likely they will get chopped at sim lim shops or the usual suspect chopper shops.

if a person does not do research, no one can save him. the best case scenario is he gets chopped once, realises it, then learns the lesson by paying tuition fee. the worst case scenario is of course, then he remains blissfully oblivious and continues getting chopped. that's his money and his choice.

btw, usually if people try to charge too high in B&S, they get no response, then after a while they lower their price. the market corrects itself, no reason why the cs admin or mods should want to do it, since there is no clearcut reason for them to do so to babysit or act as a nanny to lazy people.

I agree with night86mare here. some sellers (chopper) dun understand depreciation and some buyers(chopped) feel that pre-owned equipments should appreciate in value. Therefore they trade with each other. But the more normal type would usually compare the prices before making the bid for pre-owned equipment. Some would find that buying from retailers are more worthwhile, and some would still prefer pre-owned stuff (most likely because of the freebies thrown in).

IMO photography hobbyist are generally a rather "wealthy" bunch of people, given how much they would spend on equipment. Chopping and getting chopped is like an everyday issue to some of them. :dunno:

There's nothing we can do if some due to oversight, gets chopped by the choppers. We as the "less wealthy" ones can only hope for the best that no one gets chopped and for the chopper to reduce his/her price to a more realistic one.

 

[catchlights]

if you are kind enough, you can always PM the seller about the price is too high, if you think can't be bother, than why don't just skip that thread?

 

[catchlights]

anyway, even there is a post reply feature, you are not encourage to post something like "XXX shop selling same new lens at $XXX, why your selling price for a used lens so high?" or "XXX is selling same used lens only $XXX."

this is consider thread crashing.

 

[Nikonnew]

I agree with Catchlights, if for some reason, the seller overpriced his stuff, then a convenient PM will help, not everybody is in touch with the market. but again, who are we to say that they overpriced, you put your own value to whatever you are selling. If the potential buyers think it is over priced, just skip the sale.

there are plenty of irrational behaviour of sellers and buyers in forums, not just in CS, such a list could go on and on. :dunno:

 

[Calahan]

I also started browsing the CS forum recently but my views are quite different from TS. Many BnS forummers do offer reasnonable prices for their products. As most of you have said wemust do our own research. In ideal economic sense, the market will correct itself. Its a free market, the buyer can buy at the offered price or propose a better price. One can bargain with reasoning to support the proposed reduced price.

Just my 2 cents worth. Hope I did not offend any one.

 

[Stoppable]

I have bought quite a few items from B&S section with its current rule that only TS is able to post.
The prices were reasonable as long as my expectations were reasonable. There will always be a few offers that are unreasonable, probably by mistake or a failure to check. Sometimes seller check our price guide but there are times when the price there is outdated as well.

Yeah, it is frustrating not being able to get something at a price we want, but being a second hand buyer, we have to be patient.

 

[Shen siung]

To say that posters in buy/sell have no sense, moral or otherwise, is pretty harsh. Occasionally, the unusual asking prices could be simply the result of an oversight, i.e. failure to check the lens for today's prices, even if the lens was indeed more costlier when first purchased. And an oversight is a long shot away from intending to cheat.

And the reply feature was removed some time ago from the Buy/Sell forums. Long story, much discussion and feedback - but the end result was a tighter, neaty and far less chaotic Buy/Sell forum.

Yes agree on this. Some people just feel a price reduction of 10% is reasonable even after end of warranty. Some demand for 30%. Some did not check the current price thus offer higher...

 

[AbangR]

it is a free market,

i will only say that, if got coconut want to get chopped in CS B&S, then it is just as likely they will get chopped at sim lim shops or the usual suspect chopper shops.

if a person does not do research, no one can save him. the best case scenario is he gets chopped once, realises it, then learns the lesson by paying tuition fee. the worst case scenario is of course, then he remains blissfully oblivious and continues getting chopped. that's his money and his choice.

btw, usually if people try to charge too high in B&S, they get no response, then after a while they lower their price. the market corrects itself, no reason why the cs admin or mods should want to do it, since there is no clearcut reason for them to do so to babysit or act as a nanny to lazy people.

but I thought that's why we have a community like Clubsnap, to avoid getting chopped

 

[Wzierbovsky]

Every community has its share of helpful, unhelpful, honest, dishonest and also ignorant persons. Clubsnap is no different. The only difference between this and (maybe) other forums lies in that there are more helpful and honest persons than there are those who're not.

If you're looking for a community where there are no ignorant / dishonest persons, then your chances of finding such will be in a closed and private community where everyone knows each other in person. And even that's no guarantee.

 

[bengchiat]

all this whine withput cheese.

doubt the TS & his supportors has a chance of buying a house,
else they will rant till the cow goes home n still go on ranting.

pls,
if price high don't buy n move on.
if too low, would u top up automatically?

also, who is to say what's high n what's low?
u, i won't agree.
me, u won't agree.
then how?

its a free world,
learn to live with it.

jude

 

[bengchiat]

Every community has its share of helpful, unhelpful, honest, dishonest and also ignorant persons. Clubsnap is no different. The only difference between this and (maybe) other forums lies in that there are more helpful and honest persons than there are those who're not.

If you're looking for a community where there are no ignorant / dishonest persons, then your chances of finding such will be in a closed and private community where everyone knows each other in person. And even that's no guarantee.

would u like to clarify how u classify dishonest n ignorant?

is it i m ignorant, u r dishonest?
u r weird but i m eccentric?

what happened in BnS is human nature at work.
buyers want lower n sellers want highe price.

jude

 

[night86mare]

but I thought that's why we have a community like Clubsnap, to avoid getting chopped

how does the first half, lead to the second half?

a community can only look out for each other, and encourage each other to exercise due restraint.

let's just put it this way, what do you expect anyone in this community to do?

 

[catchlights]

how does the first half, lead to the second half?

a community can only look out for each other, and encourage each other to exercise due restraint.

let's just put it this way, what do you expect anyone in this community to do?

New code of honor for CS members.

I swear I will spoon-feed fellow members in newbie corners,
protect and praise fellow members in portrait and poses,
and will not chop them in BnS

 

[chan0458]

My research however revealed that either CS forumers are totally disconnected from reality - not too uncommon around me in general - or they are out to scam.

Dont people posting have any sense? Moral or otherwise?

It is not the job of moderators to maintain this...

And before embarking on a.... duty to check what the current price is rather than base their selling price on what "they" paid for the lens?

/End of my rant for today...

Hey smarty pants, ever heard of the term "caveat emptor" :dunno:? It applies here too! I don't see why sellers and moderators alike need to do all this extra and i might add unnecessary, in order for bozos like you to have good deal. If they should, i think you should be made to pay a nominal fee for their service...

It's a free market and every member is entitled to list their merchandise at a price they like and it is really the onus of the buyer to look out for him/herself that they don't get cheated. look for other threads offering the same thing to discover the price range, you can even start a new thread to ask senior members to help. The people here are more than willing to assist you.:thumbsup:

This unpleasant experience aside, start clicking and reaping the joys of capturing great moments on you DSLR and postin them here(CS C&C forums) if you wish..

 

[Nikonnew]

Hey smarty pants, ever heard of the term "caveat emptor" :dunno:? It applies here too! I don't see why sellers and moderators alike need to do all this extra and i might add unnecessary, in order for bozos like you to have good deal. If they should, i think you should be made to pay a nominal fee for their service...

It's a free market and every member is entitled to list their merchandise at a price they like and it is really the onus of the buyer to look out for him/herself that they don't get cheated. look for other threads offering the same thing to discover the price range, you can even start a new thread to ask senior members to help. The people here are more than willing to assist you.:thumbsup:

This unpleasant experience aside, start clicking and reaping the joys of capturing great moments on you DSLR and postin them here(CS C&C forums) if you wish..

Seriously, you dont have to call anyone names....

 

[AbangR]

how does the first half, lead to the second half?

a community can only look out for each other, and encourage each other to exercise due restraint.

let's just put it this way, what do you expect anyone in this community to do?

That's my point. As a community, we can "look out for each other".
I, for one, am a proponent for a reply ability in the BnS.
It is generally better for all of us to be transparent and open.

 

[AbangR]

how does the first half, lead to the second half?
/QUOTE]

sorry, I meant to quote Evermind's reply to your post.