Classifieds Rant
 

I’m not a crazy rule-follower, but I would like to point out that I have had a number of people get a little sideways with me about gear I’ve listed in the classifieds section.

The scenario typically occurs when someone softly engages with me about an item. They may be asking questions, making an offer for a lower price, waiting on payday, etc. I use the word “softly” because at this point nobody has made a firm commitment. Then someone swoops in and posts the all-powerful “I’ll take it.” At this point, we have a commitment, and the item is sold, pending funds.

Hey, it’s happened to me. I’ve been a little wishy-washy about an item-even a guitar-and someone pulls the trigger before I do. I’m bummed for a minute, but that’s the way it goes sometimes -and that’s the risk you take when you start kicking the tires.

That does not then give the green light to the forum member who lost out on the item (the tire-kicker) to begin taking up my PM storage (and time) with a bunch of presumptive accusations along the lines of “oh I see, you sold to the guy with cheaper shipping,” “I thought we were working a deal,” “I thought you were a person with character,” etc. etc.

I realize I am a little more susceptible to this because I typically like to give a good deal on my gear. Really, I’m just ready for things to leave when it’s time for them to move on and don’t want to bump stuff to the top of the thread for weeks.

Anyway, here are a few requests and standards I like to live by regarding the classifieds section:

-first firm commitment takes it
-commitments in the post itself take precedent over private-message commitments (what are we being private about?)
-if we are in dialogue about an item, we are in no way committed to one another
-an offer of a lower price is not a commitment
-everyone has a reasonable time to respond to a PM (within 24 hours might be a good rule of thumb)
-once a commitment is given, it may be a few days before I can get it packed and shipped (this especially applies to guitars-trust me, you want it packed well)
-once I have provided you with a tracking number, it’s between you and the carrier-reach out to them first
-once the sale is final, please disengage. If you’d like to be next in line, please post it in the listing

The overwhelming majority of my transactions are awesome, and if there were a feedback system mine would be 99% positive. It’s the 1% that really stick out. I do appreciate the AGF for providing a platform where the level of trust is a bit higher than, say, Craigslist (which I also use). I also appreciate that there’s a little “skin in the game” with the Charter-Member requirement. It’a all good! There are just a few unspoken rules that occasionally need to be spoken.

Feel free to add to the “unofficial rule”/“etiquette” list as you see fit.

Drew

I no longer sell anything online due to too many flakes so I definitely agree with your post. Just because you sent me an email with questions does not mean we have a commitment! First with the cash takes it.

But my favorites are the jerks who say I'll take it then ghost. Stop wasting my time!

I like the "testers" who post items for sale, then ghost.

It also helps to also mark items "sold" in the listing title, as this is a waste of time for both parties.

I agree with most of the OP's points, but add:

1. "I'll take it" people are sometimes looky-loos who are shutting down competition while they gather information before they bail out (after costing the seller some buyer eyes). "I'll take it" means you're committing to buy without 1 more question, without 1 more picture, and at the price asked.

2. "once I have provided you with a tracking number, it’s between you and the carrier-reach out to them first" - That may be the way you want things to be, but the legal reality is that, as seller, you have the responsibility to get the item to the buyer, not just to the shipper, unless you specifically word your buy/sell agreement to reflect that. If things go missing en route, or are damaged, that's on the seller, not the buyer.

Agreed 100%

clks02 and ChrisN, I can agree with that.

The moderators seem to be quicker than I am with closing a thread with a sold item, but yes, that’s a great addition.

ChrisN, all I can do is take people at their word when they say “I’ll take it.” That’s why I would rather the commitment be made in the post rather than in a PM.

Regarding the sale of an item, yes, I will always make it right. I’m really referring to tracking. People have to do their own tracking.

Drew

Interesting, but you are taking an approach that does not line up with contract law. An ad is a marketing invite, not an open offer.

-first firm commitment takes it

*No, first to come to agreement on terms, then payment of consideration takes it. There is ZERO obligation to any first in time

-commitments in the post itself take precedent over private-message
commitments (what are we being private about?)

*Why? actually yes, a contract is between two people, not the world that may see you ad. IMHO, there should be A LOT more private discussion on the AGF Classifieds, especially less public comment from those with no intention to purchase start making public questions.

-if we are in dialogue about an item, we are in no way committed to one another

*Absolutely correct.

-an offer of a lower price is not a commitment

*Well, until accepted, an offer is one's commitment to buy. A counter offer is a rejection of that offer and replaced with a new one

-everyone has a reasonable time to respond to a PM (within 24 hours might be a good rule of thumb)

*I agree - I've had folks get mad after not responding with minutes...MINUTES! Even after giving them email/etc to reach me faster

-once a commitment is given, it may be a few days before I can get it packed and shipped (this especially applies to guitars-trust me, you want it packed well)

*This is part of the deal you make - it is one of several terms of the final accepted offer

-once I have provided you with a tracking number, it’s between you and the carrier-reach out to them first

*Correct also - the guitar changes title once the guitar is paid for. LOTS of folks do not realize this. You have a reasonable duty to keep the guitar safe until handed off, then responsibility passes completely after you fulfilled any contractual duties on packing/shipping, etc...

-once the sale is final, please disengage. If you’d like to be next in line, please post it in the listing

*Well, yes, though making friends who enjoy the same guitar/tastes is always nice, but I think I know what you mean as far as people who text/message constantly while guitar is en route, or tells you they are (unnecessarily) "letting the box rest for 48 hours before I open it" (so what? It is your guitar)

My rule is the first person to send the payment is the buyer and I usually state that in my listing. I will also tell the same thing to anyone discussing a purchase with me. "Hey I know you're interested, but the first person to pay for the item is the one that gets it." So far that has kept the transactions on the up and up and I haven't had any complaints.

I disagree that the seller should have 2-3 days to ship. Don't list it until you know you can ship it (box on hand, etc). A sale should ship the next day at the latest.

That's my rule as well. I've had enough potential buyers make "firm" verbal commitments, minus the payment, never to be heard from again until after the item sells to someone else. And then they become indignant...

No. You will not "take" anything.

First person who posts verifiable funds to my PayPal account gets the merch.

Yeah, I don't get too upset about it. Whoever agrees, and pays first, gets it unless I expressly agree to put something on hold. If I do, I usually update the thread to say "pending."

You're probably right, but that's simply for the benefit of all the other members whose guitars have not sold or aren't pending payment. It's not fair to those members if the seller of a sold guitar gets 4 or 5 congratulatory bumps when other sellers have to wait 24 hours. So, if we close a pending thread of yours and the sale falls through, it's no problem. Just PM any one of us and we'll open up the thread again. We'll even bump it up for you. You can find us all in bright, red letters at the bottom right of all subforums like this page.

Same here. Until money shows up in my PayPal account, the item is still for sale. I make that clear to everyone. I appreciate you might need time to get more funds or sell your guitar first but if in the meantime I get a solid offer then I'll take it. And yes, when I get multiple offers, I'll go with closer shipping. These days I find I sell one AGF the last anyway. I post items simultaneously on several sites and lately it's FB, then Reverb, then UMGF, and then last is AGF.

It's your guitar and you can sell it to whomever you like. End of story. You're not a storefront. There are no rules protecting people's feelings, especially those of tirekickers.