Forum Etiquette

[Lapua40X]

I recently engaged in a series of PMs with members who had expressed an interest in purchasing some shooting equipment. The communications flowed smoothly until a price was presented ... then all communications ceased. ???
Even PM requests asking if they were no longer interested went unanswered.
IMO, that's poor forum etiquette. If we lose interest in an offer to sell or purchase an item we should at least have the courtesy to notify the other party involved of our decision not to follow through with the transaction. Good manners are never out of style.

 

[cjmill87]

Huge +1 for that, just recently had the same experience. I'm not offended if you don't want it, just have the courtesy to say so.

 

[mmcu]

Unfortunately, I've had the same experience as well.....

 

[LarryDScott]

When a potential buyer says He will take it, he
should be committed to follow through. But
far to many change their mind and never have
any consideration for the seller, to contact him
and excuse himself from the transaction, Instead
they leave the seller hanging not knowing what to do.
This conduct is rude and inexcusable. LDS

 

[ShootDots]

If I am not mistaken, Forum Member "Thud" had the exact same observation / complaint. You have to remember this truism: When dealing with people, you get exactly what you are asking for: "dealing with people"! AND people have a tendency to be people. They SHOULD exhibit common courtesy, however, that trait seems to be vanishing in today's world!

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I have had this same issue, but the difference was that the potential buyer knew the price up front. He even said he would buy it, then never would respond. Still hasn't. Unfortunate, but no sweat coming off of my brow.

The problem I see with your situation is that you may have been trying to bee too much of a "salesman" and the buyer was foolish enough not to ask for a price first thing. A car salesman will tell you everything you need to know about a vehicle and how great it is, but won't tell you the price until you ask. A foolish buyer will waste a lot of time asking questions and test driving a vehicle then ask the price only to find out he cannot afford it. Everyone's time is wasted.

I think proper courtesy is to respond whether you want an item or not. But I also think proper courtesy is for the seller to list a price in a prompt manner to avoid situations like this. Nobody likes people that dont communicate well, but both parties have a fault here. Just my opinion.

 

[1shot]

I don't know if it's the age we live in or the generation of people we deal with. When I was a child, the words please, thank you, yes ma'am and no sir were mandatory (Unless you enjoyed a belt on the back side traveling 4,600 fps.) Someone else said it best by just contacting the other person and explaining why you can't make the purchase. I just backed out of a deal on a rifle that I REALLY wanted, but I know that due to an accident the medical and therapy bills will roll soon, and I don't want to be the one to kick myself in my own a$$ for making a luxury purchase knowing that I may have bills rolling in that will give me a stroke in addition to a severe concussion I already have. Sorry to get on my soap box, but no one can say I wasn't in contact through the transaction from beginning to end or why I'm backing out as described above.
OK, rant off,
If all the forum members raised there manners, we would all be better off.
Lloyd

 

[dragman]

It keeps getting worse out there, so many people kick tires and BS just too kick and don't really mean to buy or even be interested in in the first place. Mistakes happen but for god sakes communicate and be honest!

I told a guy "Ill take his brass" then not 5 minutes later my plans got changed for me so I didn't need his brass..... I bought it anyways.. because I said I would. if you can't still buy it or it's a really expensive then just say... I CAN'T or SORRY please move on to the next buyer.

 

[NorCalMikie]

I think a lot of folks will say "I'll take it" just because they don't want anybody else to get it first. If they can't be MAN enough to follow thru with the transaction, they better quit playing the game. If someone backs out of a deal, for a piss poor reason, it might not be a bad idea to leave them some bad feedback so everyone will know what a jerk they really are. If you say "I'll take it" and don't really want it, you opened your mouth so be a man about it and take it anyway. Not the sellers fault you have no class. What ever happened to a "handshake was your word"? :

 

[Charles]

its called integrity,the only thing that someone else cannot take away from you,you have to do it yourself. A simple answer. That is more than i Want to pay but thank you.

 

[people]

its called integrity,the only thing that someone else cannot take away from you,you have to do it yourself. A simple answer. That is more than i Want to pay but thank you.

Exactly.

These guys want to buy it for pennies on the dollar and sell for 120% of new.

 

[memo43]

Although not nee to the forum I have a low post count. I've had the same happen to me as well. It hurts the most when others get it done where I almost obligated to refund or make up for others mistakes. I try to be the best seller, buyer.
I don't remember the forum members name that was looking for brass and I had a few bags laying around. I sold them to him for pennies. Heck I hadn't even gotten his check before he got the brass. Heck I think I've even given away brass just because I wasn't going to use it.
I live by the moto "treat others the way you want to be treated"

Memo

 

[OIF/OEF]

This just happened with me tonight. Ill be honest I messed up and misread the round count of a barrel. I made an offer that the guy accepted. I went back to triple check things and backed out. All of this transpired in less than 5 minutes. Once I noticed my mistake I immediately sent him a PM saying I very much apologize and was no longer interested. Again no more than 5 minutes had passed from offer to retraction and I feel like an A&&HOLE.


Very Respectfully

 

[Ledd Slinger]

It keeps getting worse out there, so many people kick tires and BS just too kick and don't really mean to buy or even be interested in in the first place. Mistakes happen but for god sakes communicate and be honest!

I told a guy "Ill take his brass" then not 5 minutes later my plans got changed for me so I didn't need his brass..... I bought it anyways.. because I said I would. if you can't still buy it or it's a really expensive then just say... I CAN'T or SORRY please move on to the next buyer.

I remember once on here I told a member I would buy his once fired brass, then not 1/2 hour later I saw the same type of once fired brass online for quite a bit cheaper than his price ....I still bought the brass because I told the seller I would. The difference was like $20. I think thought my word and honor was worth that But some folks don't give a damn about honesty, honor, or integrity anymore. It really is ashame.

I think it's ok for someone to back out of a deal. Sometimes plans or finances change. But like the OP said...COMMUNICATE!

 

[MagnumManiac]

I hear all of you.
On another forum, I used to supply difficult parts for people at COST plus shipping, the shipping rates at the time from the US to Australia were constantly changing, I would inform them that once I KNEW what the shipping would be in AUS dollars, I would PM them the FULL PRICE.
Mostly people would accept the additional charges, some wouldn't, but they would mostly come back to me because they couldn't get it elsewhere.
Anyway, on several occasions, guys would say they wanted the part (s) and get me to order it, this would take a couple of weeks max to come in, I would notify them of it's arrival, no answer, no money, no contact, nothing.
This would drive me mad, then I would have to advertise the parts to recoup my money, very aggravating to say the least.

Cheers.

 

[hogpatrol]

Totally agree with everyone's sentiments on the subject, if I could chime in on something similar. The for sale section for scopes, I'm on the hunt for a certain type of zeiss scope, so do a search for make model etc etc to speed the process up, time after time the ads still there with a lot of posts saying " pm sent" sold pending funds. I must have gone through 20 ads before I found one, you bloody beauty I think to myself, it's the make the model, a good price, so i send the guy an email asking if he ships to Australia, zero response either on the post, or privately, so I thinks to myself the guy could be on holiday, he could be offshore, away on duty, I don't know, so benefit of the doubt on this one. My two points I want to make, if you sell something successfully,delete the post, so blokes like me can view live and up to date adverts for goods and if someone's asks a question of the item your selling, respond in a timely manner, if your advertising, then It's a fair chance ya wanna flog it 😊

Derek, I feel your pain but I think us U.S. citizens would be in legal hot water shipping a scope to you.

 

[M14AMU]

Friend of mine had a hunting camp and when I entered it the first time I observed a large drawing inside a nice frame of a cardboard box and in viewing it there was the image of a little man, all drawn up with knees to his chest with only half his body and head showing. Captioned underneath were the words:

PEOPLE ARE NO DAMN GOOD!

 

[joshb]

I own a couple guns because of beer goggles. Got home from work, tossed a few back after dinner and got on the internet. Woke up the next morning regretting the "I'll take it", but I bought them. A mans word should mean something. I have since given up drinking, though. Too expensive.😜 hey, Derek: come on up!

 

[40X Guy]

joshb and Derek.. you guys cracked me up with your posts! Been there and done that by buying stuff that I may not buy middle of day while working but 8PM comes along and "I'll take it" seems to be my favorite words to type on here! 8)

Frank