What's with phony buyers?

[garandman]

Anyone selling anything (even dealing with the public in general) accepts the fact you are gonna get tire kickers. I've sold plenty of guns / parts etc online both high dollar and petty cash items. And I've always gotten the "just lookin'" emails and questions, and I got no problem with that. Its just a fact of life.

But lately....

I've had two separate individuals jerk me around for 3-5 days, multiple emails, texts, phone conversations, sending additional pics as requested, getting all the specs for whatever I'm selling, haggling on price....seriously more than two hours time invested each in getting them all the info they want.

Then they disappear.

Worse, I did all this for a third buyer, then he called to meet, took a look at the gun and said "I'll get back to ya."

Do people get a rush of excitement out of collecting pictures, and PRETENDING to buy something?

Its seems to be worse than it ever has been over the last 20 years.

Seriously, people....if yer not serious about the purchase, don't waste a sellers time. Its STEALING the most precious commodity a person has - time / life.

I just know I would **** never **** do people the way I been gettin' done repeatedly over the last 3 months.

 

[Wrex]

I just went through three days of back and forth on an XD I'm selling for the guy to go "Oh I just wanted the magazine." If I had known that I wouldn't have let my post fall from the first five pages.

 

[FN in MT]

First we have the election last year, then the gun control scare fallout from Newtown in January...there are a ton of NEW shooters/hoarders/preppers now on the market. I think that's part of the issue.

I sold three AK's in February on GB and the amount of e mails, phone calls, etc....Amazed me. Several of them had zero idea what they were bidding on. The guy who bought one of the AK-47's ,a NIB Arsenal , later called back as it wouldn't take 5.45x39 ammo!
He didn't know that 47's took 7.62x39 ammo!

My long time hobby has been shooting and collecting S&W revolvers. The tire kickers are starting to show up in that market too. But not nearly as bad as with AR's/AK's and probably anything remotely Tactical.

 

[Jerrrrstanley]

Sell something on craigslist!! Scammers have burned me up the last few days. One guy called and called about an item I was selling and came and looked at it too. Like you I had over 3 hours invested in it. "I'll get back to you." Well he lied.
I did have one guy call me and cancle coming to look at something because I was farther away than what he thought. I thanked him a hundred times for not leaving me hanging because I had plans. He probably thought I was off my meds hahahaha.

 

[garandman]

The current one has said several times "I'll take it, lets meet Sunday." Calls Sunday "Let's meet Monday..." nothing today....

 

[Wrex]

It doesn't even matter how descriptive you are in a post. They only read the title and the contact info.

 

[Papa Zero Three]

Anyone selling anything (even dealing with the public in general) accepts the fact you are gonna get tire kickers. I've sold plenty of guns / parts etc online both high dollar and petty cash items. And I've always gotten the "just lookin'" emails and questions, and I got no problem with that. Its just a fact of life.

But lately....

I've had two separate individuals jerk me around for 3-5 days, multiple emails, texts, phone conversations, sending additional pics as requested, getting all the specs for whatever I'm selling, haggling on price....seriously more than two hours time invested each in getting them all the info they want.

Then they disappear.

Worse, I did all this for a third buyer, then he called to meet, took a look at the gun and said "I'll get back to ya."

Do people get a rush of excitement out of collecting pictures, and PRETENDING to buy something?

Its seems to be worse than it ever has been over the last 20 years.

Seriously, people....if yer not serious about the purchase, don't waste a sellers time. Its STEALING the most precious commodity a person has - time / life.

I just know I would **** never **** do people the way I been gettin' done repeatedly over the last 3 months.

I have to agree with you. BUT, on the other hand, I think some sellers bring this on themselves. I often see threads started here and on other forums where someone lists an item for sale and fails to post decent pictures of the item(if at all), accepted payment methods and or provide relevant information like caliber, SA or LA, etc. How is it you can text/email pictures to people but yet you can't post them to your own "for sale" post? The other one that gets me is the "OBO" remark in a post but the seller refuses to come down on the listed price( I'm not talking ridiculous lowball offers). If you are not willing to take less than you posted in your ad, do not add "obo" in the description. It's almost like they want to make it hard for the buyer to determine if it's what they are looking for/want.

So I think some sellers lack of attention to detail in their ad often time invites the type of buyers who ask a series of questions, only to not buy the item because it is now clear what the sellers is attempting to sell. The better the description of the item being sold and pictures are, the faster the item moves, you see it everyday here on SH where an item is up for sale any where from 30 mins to a few hours before it is sold. And then I've seen items that have been up for sale for months and bumped up by the seller for over 2 pages worth of bumps only to not sell. Either add more information to your ad if you are flooded with general questions and or re think your selling price if your item isn't moving.

 

[T2CH]

I agree with this ^^^^!

Had a guy ask me the round count and overall condition of a rifle I have for sale. The round count was listed in the add and there were 5 pictures of the rifle, including two showing the only marks on the rifle. Then another asks if I would ship the lower separate from the upper to Cali. and then separate the BCG from the upper. Maybe that's standard practice, I have not a clue.
Have not heard another word from either.

 

[garandman]

I've got another ad, selling powders I've accumulated but never used.

The ad CLEARLY States my location, and the cost per 1 lb bottle.

I've gotten a half dozen IM's and posts in the thread, asking where I'm located, and what the cost for a bottle is.....

Seriously, people?

(I swear, I'm not making this stuff up.)

 

[texote]

Yea, i always ask if they're really serious before i take the time to send pictures.

I mean they know whether or not they can afford the item before they ask for pics, so why bother. "oh it's more than i want to spend, will you drop the price 50%"?

 

[catswithguns]

What's bad, if you are a serious buyer, then you automatically get lumped in with all the dick heads as listed herein.

 

[garandman]

What's bad, if you are a serious buyer, then you automatically get lumped in with all the dick heads as listed herein.

I try to treat everyone as serious.... knowing that 90%+ will turn out to be pogues.

 

[GunMax]

Craigs list can really be a pain in the rear. The people that shop on Craigs list are worse to deal with.

 

[Drifter™]

But lately....

I've had two separate individuals jerk me around for 3-5 days, multiple emails, texts, phone conversations, sending additional pics as requested, getting all the specs for whatever I'm selling, haggling on price....seriously more than two hours time invested each in getting them all the info they want.

Then they disappear.

I've sold a lot of stuff on the 'net. In my experience, the people that cost you the most time rarely turn out to be the buyer. I've learned to just say "no" when someone asks for oddball info and / or pics. If the item is represented correctly and priced fairly, someone will eventually buy it without being a burden.

 

[catswithguns]

I try to treat everyone as serious.... knowing that 90%+ will turn out to be pogues.

I had a friend who used to own a camera store. They would come in, look at an item, ask a lot of questions, then go to WalMart and buy it. He said they finally started carrying only high end stuff which put a stop to most of it.

The pitfalls of retail, I guess.

 

[garandman]

I've sold a lot of stuff on the 'net. In my experience, the people that cost you the most time rarely turn out to be the buyer. I've learned to just say "no" when someone asks for oddball info and / or pics. If the item is represented correctly and priced fairly, someone will eventually buy it without being a burden.

Wise words, there....

 

[garandman]

I had a friend who used to own a camera store. They would come in, look at an item, ask a lot of questions, then go to WalMart and buy it. He said they finally started carrying only high end stuff which put a stop to most of it.

The pitfalls of retail, I guess.

I guess that's why that Swiss pocketbook merchant just told Oprah (not knowing it was her) "You can't afford it..."

 

[Ttbingo]

I'm new to this forum but have been a long time on others (mostly handgun) and have noticed the same thing. I try not to do FTF unless it is for a firearm. You get two pm questions then you're off.

 

[2guard]

I think this thread jinxed me. I haven't had a problem with a buyer in a long time, but I put a loewe mauser on armslist for my brother, had a guy email me within an hour after posting it saying he would take it, just call him. I called him, he said he would take it at the asking price and we could meet the next day. I said no problem, was planning on driving 50+ miles to meet him. Called him today, and he said he couldn't meet today, maybe not this week, and just leave the ad up as not sold. I asked him, "do you want it, or not?" he said to go ahead and sell it to someone else.

why waste my time? If you don't have the cash, don think you will have the cash by the time we meet, or some other reason, just don't contact me about it. too many impulse buyers right now, and I think it is partially because of the recent scare. I don't mind sending more pictures via email or answering questions, but when I make an appointment time that takes me away from my business (small business owner here), it irritates me. I'm honest with the buyers about what I'm selling and I expect them to be honest with me about their level of interest.

When I buy, unless there is info not mentioned, I either email/call saying I will take it or if I am trying any negotiation on price, I tell them it is not worth it to me to pay that price. I never say the item they have listed isn't worth what they are asking, because that is their prerogative to set whatever price they want. I listed a savage bvss factory long action stock one time for $175 (if memory serves me correct) and I had a guy email and was downright rude telling me that the stock wasn't worth that, I would never sell it, and that brown's sold them for half the price I had listed. I emailed back asking if he meant brownells, and he said no, browns. Finally figured out he meant e. Arthur browns (whom didn't actually carry them, it was a factory stock). Anyway, he sent me about 8 emails telling me I didn't know what I was talking about and that he had been shooting and hunting for 40+ years. I was polite and just let him say whatever. The stock sold in a couple of days, and I kindly sent him an email to tell him it sold, and that if he was ever in middle Tennessee, email me and come shoot. Never heard from him again.

all kinds of people out there.

 

[Guest]

I try to take more than enough pictures and post more than enough information up front. It doesn't completely eliminate the problems described, but I usually reply with something like, "I have provided more than enough information and photos for any serious buyers to make an informed decision."