Classifieds & Seller Ethics

[jfserejo]

If you where selling a camera (or a lenses, ...) and the first person that show interest on the item, after you ask all his questions, send the photos he request, is taking a long while to decide and, in the mean time, appears one guy that tells you that if this first passes the item he keeps it. You wait a day, two days and the first guy wont make his mind... What would you do?

This is not happening but, when an ad is posted, it is probably going to... I'm curious about how do most people deal with the situation.

Best regards,
Joao

 

[Roberto]

If you where selling a camera (or a lenses, ...) and the first person that show interest on the item, after you ask all his questions, send the photos he request, is taking a long while to decide and, in the mean time, appears one guy that tells you that if this first passes the item he keeps it. You wait a day, two days and the first guy wont make his mind... What would you do?

This is not happening but, when an ad is posted, it is probably going to... I'm curious about how do most people deal with the situation.

Best regards,
Joao

I would give the first guy a deadline.. communicate the deadline to him and letting him know that someone else is interested.
Rob.

 

[foto_fool]

If you receive multiple expressions of interest, my advice is to make sure you answer them in the order you were contacted (check the timestamps on the messages) and give each offer a deadline. Transparency is key - make sure each offer knows what where they are in line and what each deadline is. The first offer needs to know that you are sticking to a deadline because there are offers behind - was it Johnson who noted that "the prospect of hanging at dawn focuses the mind wonderfully"? It is the only way to be fair to everyone, including yourself.

 

[Gumby]

You should sell to the first person who contacted you with real money in their hand. Waiting for someone who is "contemplating to buy" is often a waste of time.

Personally, I would contact the contemplator and let them know a real buyer showed up and that I'm sorry they weren't ready to buy when the item was still available.

 

[George S.]

Going back and forth with emails waiting for a reply will get you a headache and maybe no money. How long should you wait for a reply from "buyer" #1 who's thinking things over? What with time zone differences and all, 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours? I say sell it to the first person who offers you the money, only exception should be if you specfically agreed to wait a day to hear back from buyer #1.

Think of it as being a store owner. Customer #1 walks in and asks to see the Leica M7. You show it to him and he fondles it and says he needs time to think and walks out. ( Is he taking a walk, is he going for lunch, is he calling other shops, is he going to talk it over with his wife tonight, or is he just saying that and has no intention of coming back? ) Buyer #2 walks in an hour later and says -(pile of cash in hand)- "I'd like to buy the M7 you have in your showcase." I know what I and every other shop owner would do, don't you?

 

[Gumby]

... only exception should be if you specfically agreed to wait a day to hear back from buyer #1.

Which, IMHO, is not often in the sellers best interest. The longer a potential buyer "thinks it over", the lower the probability gets that they will actually buy. I'd only offer to "hold" an item if there was an bonifide offfer-counteroffer situation going on. Even then, "money talks; Bullsh*t walks".

 

[jfserejo]

I agree with that clarity and transparency is the key John. But George and Ed pointed a very pragmatic view also. Sometimes the attempt of being to zealous about priority will make the item stay at home... Well George's metaphor couldn't be better.

Thank you 🙂

 

[Pablito]

Along the lines of ethics, or even courtesy, It seems to me that all iquiries deserve at least a reply. Recently somebody posted a lens for sale that interested me. But he was new to RFF (no posts) and did not give any references or username on ebay or other forum where he had transacted business. So I asked for references and did not even get so much as a reply. I was the first to contact him I think, based on how many tiems the ad had been viewed...

 

[foto_fool]

I have been selling at retail in some capacity or another for close to 30 years. When someone walks in the door I know in about 10 seconds whether they are going to buy something or not - and I'm right about 95% of the time. The other 5% can be surprising: the guy who looked sure to buy who wastes 3 hours of my time and leaves never to be seen again, as well as the guy with the bad attitude who ends up dropping a couple thousand. I've learned to treat them all the same, and treat them well. Good customer experience equals good recommendations.

George and Ed are right - the first guy with the cash usually gets the goods - and should. But the difference between selling over the internet and selling face-to-face is that you can't read body language, and all the other cues to a potential buyer's intent, in an email.

IMO for an internet sale you should 1) clearly state how you will conduct the sale, 2) reply to all expressions of interest in the order recieved, 3) stick to your sales policy and treat every potential buyer the same.

 

[dazedgonebye]

A listing is an offer to sell, it includes terms of the sale (shipping, payment methods). If a buyer agrees to the terms as listed, he gets it.
If the buyer wants to change the terms, offers less, doesn't like my shipping, wants to send a check instead of paypal...he is making a counter offer.
If, while we are going back and forth, another buyer comes along and makes a full price offer at my terms, I will most likely tell the first buyer that I have a full price offer pending and give him the opportunity to buy as listed.
If his offer was a low-ball, I may not give him that courtesy.

Trying to negotiate price or terms carries a risk that you may lose the item to someone willing to pay full price.