Unsincere seller in Canon B&S forum

[kangdi]

Want to warn other users

I smsed this guy RogerV saying Im interested in getting his 20-35mm lens.

Agreed upon a location and time to deal the lens. (Monday 7pm at city hall starbucks)

Later he smses that the lens has been sold, and he says that it is "normal procedure" for first come first serve and we did not have any agreement to deal the lens anyway.

SMS conversation is as follows (Im the one in the green bubbles)

Am I missing something or is this "rather normal" today where the first comes with the money gets the lens, even though a time and location have already been agreed upon with another user?

I was not even asking him something unreasonable to hold the lens for 1 week or 1 month. Just that I'm not free to deal today, so deal tomorrow after work.

I am sick and tired of users these days who confirm a time/location already then back out of the deal.

 

[esoeij]

I think he could have handled it better. But it's not unknown for sellers to sell to first buyer who can deal. Some state upfront that it's first come first serve.

On the flip side, there are also insincere buyers who don't honor the deal. That's why you see sellers who have to repost becos buyers fly kite.

At the end of the day, seller didn't try to cheat you or cause you to make a wasted trip. A minor misunderstanding perhaps over the perceived rules of dealing.

 

[kangdi]

I think he could have handled it better. But it's not unknown for sellers to sell to first buyer who can deal. Some state upfront that it's first come first serve.

A minor misunderstanding perhaps over the perceived rules of dealing.

Thank you, this is the point I am trying to raise.

The seller in this case claims it is "rather normal" for first person to hand over the money to get the lens.

However, I feel the norm is the first person to contact the seller and agree upon a time/location to deal is the one to get it.

I also have stated first come first served when selling my items before, but it is the first person to contact me and agree to take it at my asking price/agreeable price that gets it. Even though he/she might be able to deal only tomorrow, or 2 or 3 days later.

Else why even bother wasting my smses and bothering to set up an agreeable time/location to deal?

 

[esoeij]

I agree with the norm you described. But I'm just trying to say that not all sellers deal this way or think this way. Nothing wrong though as long as seller makes it clear upfront how he will conduct his sale.

 

[spree86]

This seems to be becoming a rather unhealthy trend here, used to see more integrity in B&S.

 

[JohnJon82]

Unhealthy trend spreading like fungus. Aeroplane buyers, aeroplane sellers - after few cases, got fedup, sell to whoever that come first. Recently reserved a bag for one buyer, come and cut the price on the spot. Before that he was talking he is pro photographer with 2 D3S, 70-200 2.8 VR etc. Then want to reduce the bag price by 20, balls straight away fall down to the ground... in the end cut 10, he was sneezing when inspecting the bag and hand all over the bag, I don't want take back the bag with his germs. Maybe one day I will become like TS's seller, whoever come and buy without reducing price get :bsmilie:

 

[s1221ljc]

Agreeing to meet to deal does not mean its a done deal. Seller has not given his word to reserve the item for you.

This kind of situation happens, especially if there are many offers for a "perceived" cheap irresistable deal. I mean if a buyer offers to come down immediately to your house with cash in hand, would you as seller able to resist? Sometimes its a grab & run thing.

I believe if a thing is not meant to be yours, its not yours. Mabye there's something wrong with the lens, thats why its so cheap, so you are spared the headache I personally take it that if I dont like the person I am dealing with, I wont like the item he has to offer too.

 

[surrephoto]

Someone did this to me yesterday. But end of the day if you cannot deal early enough with the buyer, he will feel that there is a chance you will fail to commit. Human nature.

 

[AnsQ]

hmm, next time when we contact a buyer we should ask very explicitly first: "Can you reserve the item for me? Or are you on a 'whoever-comes-with-the-cash' principle?"

but think on the bright side, at least he informed you early and you didn't have to make a wasted trip.

 

[catchlights]

Want to warn other users

I smsed this guy RogerV saying Im interested in getting his 20-35mm lens.

Agreed upon a location and time to deal the lens. (Monday 7pm at city hall starbucks)

Later he smses that the lens has been sold, and he says that it is "normal procedure" for first come first serve and we did not have any agreement to deal the lens anyway.

SMS conversation is as follows (Im the one in the green bubbles)

Am I missing something or is this "rather normal" today where the first comes with the money gets the lens, even though a time and location have already been agreed upon with another user?

I was not even asking him something unreasonable to hold the lens for 1 week or 1 month. Just that I'm not free to deal today, so deal tomorrow after work.

I am sick and tired of users these days who confirm a time/location already then back out of the deal.

Why need report to Clubsnap?

we can't and won't do anything about these. Caveat emptor

if you think this is a good deal, fast hand fast leg to seal the deal is your best bid, else you can't blame the seller or other buyers who act faster then you.


just move on.

 

[catchlights]

hmm, next time when we contact a buyer we should ask very explicitly first: "Can you reserve the item for me? Or are you on a 'whoever-comes-with-the-cash' principle?"

but think on the bright side, at least he informed you early and you didn't have to make a wasted trip.

I have my fair share of people who ask me to reserve the item I'm selling, wait for pay day lar, go borrow money from somebody first lar, waiting to book out lar, but most of them no sound no shadow later on, I tried contact them asking them are they still interested to deal or not, but then these people make it like I'm begging them to buy my stuffs.
from there on I state clear I WILL NOT RESERVE THE ITEM, you want you make it fast, else you can try your luck later.

 

[AnsQ]

I have my fair share of people who ask me to reserve the item I'm selling, wait for pay day lar, go borrow money from somebody first lar, waiting to book out lar, but most of them no sound no shadow later on, I tried contact them asking them are they still interested to deal or not, but then these people make it like I'm begging them to buy my stuffs.
from there on I state clear I WILL NOT RESERVE THE ITEM, you want you make it fast, else you can try your luck later.

too nice reerve items and got fly aeroplane by aeroplane buyers :cry:

 

[RogerV]

Hi, this is RogerV - the seller

I could have remained silent and shrugged this off, but I am honestly sorry that you feel so upset about this, so here my comments:

Kangdi, you were not the first one contacting me about the lens. I had already agreed to meet someone that very same afternoon to show the lens. You were one of several that I agreed to meet and show the lens the next day. I am sorry if you thought you were the first.

You said: "see you to deal the lens at SGD 100.00". To me that doesn't mean you confirm to buy the lens but you confirm your interest to look at it, possibly negotiate and maybe or maybe not buy the lens. I sent you another SMS (that you chose not to publish) in which I explained my understanding of the agreement and apologized to you.

This is a used lens and it shows some wear – shouldn’t be much of a surprise considering the price. I was upfront with that too and hence would understand if after looking at the lens one would decide to not purchase.

I had one other guy interested to buy an other lens from me and he asked if I would be reserving the lens for him to see today. I told him that I would not and would sell to the first one paying the money. He chose to see me that very same evening and he bought the lens.

I am all for honesty and openness when dealing with second hand equipment, but as other have said too, I have too many times encountered people confirming to buy something over sms or verbal and then never show up at the end. If I buy something online I am very well aware that I need to be the first one with money to close the deal.

Again sorry for all your disappointment and anger. Move on, shoot some great photos and spread love.

Cheers

RogerV

 

[chngpe01]

I have my fair share of people who ask me to reserve the item I'm selling, wait for pay day lar, go borrow money from somebody first lar, waiting to book out lar, but most of them no sound no shadow later on, I tried contact them asking them are they still interested to deal or not, but then these people make it like I'm begging them to buy my stuffs.
from there on I state clear I WILL NOT RESERVE THE ITEM, you want you make it fast, else you can try your luck later.

Yeap I learn this the hard way too, reserve the item for one month then fly kenna aeroplane. That's why I follow your style now, in fact the last item I sold (a few years back) the 70 - 200 VRI, I stated clearly no reserve, first come first serve. The buyer came to my place, 1 hr after my advert, at 11.30pm and pickup the lens.

The only thing I see, is that the seller should state clearly no reserve for item. Apart from that I don't see anything wrong as the seller has even informed you one day in advance that the item is sold.

 

[JohnJon82]

I have my fair share of people who ask me to reserve the item I'm selling, wait for pay day lar, go borrow money from somebody first lar, waiting to book out lar, but most of them no sound no shadow later on, I tried contact them asking them are they still interested to deal or not, but then these people make it like I'm begging them to buy my stuffs.
from there on I state clear I WILL NOT RESERVE THE ITEM, you want you make it fast, else you can try your luck later.

Now got buyer even ask to pay with installment... COD is so last year already :bsmilie:

 

[Errz]

Now got buyer even ask to pay with installment... COD is so last year already :bsmilie:

dont think anyone in the right mind will ok with installment from a stranger.

 

[G-man]

Now got buyer even ask to pay with installment... COD is so last year already :bsmilie:

Haha. Long time back I had one buyer offered to buy my Metz flash at use now pay 1 month later. I told him where to shove it. Siao!

 

[strikeback4]

The seller is in the wrong, if he is meeting 2 or more buyer, he should inform them, least some buyer travel from east to west or vice verse... And if item is sold to the 1st buyer, the 2nd person will feel that he is being play around...

I sold many things at BNS and often there are 2 or more ppl are interested in my item and so what I do is I will inform the 2nd person that there is another person who is viewing the item later and will update him again if the item is sold or not sold... At least the 2nd person will not feel like being a monkey and a fool...

 

[ICPIXELS]

TS, Take a chill pill, dont have to report on such a small issue, post people number and conservation online.

IMHO, to go as far as to remove part of the conversation to make us misunderstand the seller tells us a lot about the TS.

 

[avsquare]

I would agree that the seller may have handled better by declaring first come first serve basis.

For a seller, he wants to sell it as soon as possible. that would mean the first person that he can deal, and of course, same day deal or the next day or two would be prime. To be frank with all of you, the longer the deal is dragged, the more likely hood that it may be called off. There's a Chinese saying that say "if you want to mold the metal, you must do it while it's still hot". It's just from a sales perspective - seal the deal as fast as possible before the buyer's interest dies off.

Also, to a seller, generally speaking the most sincere buyer is one who eagerly contacts you and wants to deal with you the fastest possible time. I've sold many times on BnS before, I've many interested buyers who called me to ask if they can drive down to meet me and deal on the spot or not, or arrange to meet in 1-2hr's time. And these people happen to be the people who in the end, buy it from me.


Having said that, I would declare that it is a first come first serve basis - and I go by the first person who contacts me to confirm a deal. Deal means confirm buying, not view and decide later. Of cos when checking, if any defects that is not declared and found, and buyer wants to cancel deal, I am fine because I had a oversight.

If there's a person A who say want to view first, but a person B later say confirm will deal unless defect found, I will inform B I will confirm in a while and contact A and let A know about B. If A cannot confirm, I will reply B to confirm deal, and only re-open if B backs out.

As a seller, I find it hard to resist someone who offers me a much higher price (yes, I've encountered this) to steal the deal, or another person who offer to fly down to my house to deal. But I feel that once I say it's reserved for someone (of course I won't reserve for anyone that wants to deal later than 2 days), I will reserve it. It's important to maintain reputation. What I would suggest to seller is, judge the level of interest of your potential buyer yourself and only reserve and commit a date and time if you have decided to sell to this person.