Interfering with peoples classified posts

[a69mopar]

I think this is my first Rant, well it's more of a pet peeve.   I'll keep my swearing out of it so i don't have to moderate it.

   I often see classified posts for items that I think may not gain buyers for several reasons including price.  Many of these prompt "concerned people" to create replies to tell the sellers what their item is really worth.  I think these posts are ignorant and prevent more people from offering items in the classified since the "concerned members" may post what they think the items are worth.  Who gives a darn what the asking price is on something, either PM the person if you think it's out of line or just sit back and chuckle to yourself.  If someone has a similar item they wish to sell for less, then list it.  The comparison pricing may actually help you.  If you want the item and it's priced higher than you want to pay, PM an offer of what you want to pay, maybe they'll accept, maybe they wont.   I like to peruse the classified section and have bought items, but never sold items there.  The more items listed the merrier to me.  If I want a Gamemaker board and know that they are currently going for $50 on eBay, but see one here from a member I trust for $60, maybe I'll contact them and either buy or offer $50, but I sure as anything won't post that they are going for $50 on ebay as a reply to their post.

  Hey this is a forum and people will do as they like since it's not in person, that's why this is a rant and not a rule.



Thanks for reading,
Wayne

[Yoeddy1]

Bravo Wayne!  I'm glad you posted this.  Thread crapping/hijacking is about the most uncool practice on any forum...especially when it comes to buying and selling.  Private messaging works wonders keeping the peace.

Thanks,
Jason

[CaptainHappy]

I think this is my first Rant, well it's more of a pet peeve.   I'll keep my swearing out of it so i don't have to moderate it.

   I often see classified posts for items that I think may not gain buyers for several reasons including price.  Many of these prompt "concerned people" to create replies to tell the sellers what their item is really worth.  I think these posts are ignorant and prevent more people from offering items in the classified since the "concerned members" may post what they think the items are worth.  Who gives a darn what the asking price is on something, either PM the person if you think it's out of line or just sit back and chuckle to yourself.  If someone has a similar item they wish to sell for less, then list it.  The comparison pricing may actually help you.  If you want the item and it's priced higher than you want to pay, PM an offer of what you want to pay, maybe they'll accept, maybe they wont.   I like to peruse the classified section and have bought items, but never sold items there.  The more items listed the merrier to me.  If I want a Gamemaker board and know that they are currently going for $50 on eBay, but see one here from a member I trust for $60, maybe I'll contact them and either buy or offer $50, but I sure as anything won't post that they are going for $50 on ebay as a reply to their post.

  Hey this is a forum and people will do as they like since it's not in person, that's why this is a rant and not a rule.



Thanks for reading,
Wayne

 

CaptainHappy

[poppo]

I have a feeling I know what thread may be in question.

FWIW, a while back I had asked the higher ups about another practice of people listing items for sale without any asking price but taking offers via PM. Basically making it a private auction. I felt that is what e-bay was for. But in the reply, I was told that there was no rule against that, AND that it was also ok to point out if someone was asking too much for something they were selling.

So I fail to see what the harm is in pointing out alternatives to people, especially if it is a new member who may not know better. If people want to offer something to someone in a WTB ad, they should send their price via PM. And if it was that thread that prompted this one, I would have made the exact same post whether there were any other replies or not.

[a69mopar]

I have a feeling I know what thread may be in question.

  It has nothing to do with any single specific post, so you don't know, well maybe you do now that I told you. 

FWIW, a while back I had asked the higher ups about another practice of people listing items for sale without any asking price but taking offers via PM. Basically making it a private auction. I felt that is what e-bay was for. But in the reply, I was told that there was no rule against that, AND that it was also ok to point out if someone was asking too much for something they were selling.

So I fail to see what the harm is in pointing out alternatives to people, especially if it is a new member who may not know better. If people want to offer something to someone in a WTB ad, they should send their price via PM. And if it was that thread that prompted this one, I would have made the exact same post whether there were any other replies or not.

 
I'm not sure that you read my post at all since this has nothing to do with that.  People posting items is great, no matter whether they show the price, solicit PMs for the price or take best offers.  Discouraging people from posting items by attacking the pricing of items in posts is what I posted above, please read it again.

As always, thanks for your post/opinion,
Wayne

[poppo]

Discouraging people from posting items by attacking the pricing of items in posts is what I posted above, please read it again.

But that is what was also addressed when I was talking to the higher ups about the other practice. Basically I was asking about the classifieds rules in general since I never saw any posted. I was told that no rules were needed because it is generally 'self policing' by people pointing out when items are over priced. So I interpreted that response as meaning it was almost encouraged to comment on pricing if it's out of line. I'm not saying I agree with that, but it was the reply I got.

Check your PM in a few so maybe everyone is on the same page.

[cowboygames]

We can still make fun of REALLY overpriced stuff we find on ebay and craigslist though, right? Heck, I got stepped on for the post on the CR2354 batteries the other day. Thought it was a good deal found out it wasn't so much. Although in my defense, when I was origionally looking for those, there weren't any hints about mouser or whomever. I think someone recommended happ, but that was it and they were too expensive.

[brichter]

We can still make fun of REALLY overpriced stuff we find on ebay and craigslist though, right? 

We have a separate section for that, though... and man are there some funny posts there! 

[slotsteve]

I  fill that if you reallly wamt to sell something  you should post a price here  , there only a handfull of people in this group that have too much free time, most of us don,t have the time to chase a seller that don,t post a price or is fishing, if the posted price is too high then we can email each other and try to maske a deal , also I  think post where the item is for sale from state  ect  would help, shipping is going up every day, Remember just because you see it for sale on ebay for 2200 don,t mean its worth  that ,We bought a old seebreg juke  6 months ago , soon as i saw it I knew I wanted it ,When I asked the price 1st thing they did was show me a print out from ebay for 3700, at that point i started to leave, they were in shock, asked why  i told them if they wanted ebay price or even 1/2 of it they should restore it and get it running, they left the room  came back asked for a offer , i said 500, they came back at 700  , i bought it for 600, 5 years ago it was worth 4500 to 6000 today , maybe 1500 , also they told me they got it for 100 after we made the deal so there still are a few people than don,t beleave ebay ,  pawn guy,s or the pickers
g
Great day all
Steve

[Bettor Slots]

But that is what was also addressed when I was talking to the higher ups about the other practice. Basically I was asking about the classifieds rules in general since I never saw any posted. I was told that no rules were needed because it is generally 'self policing' by people pointing out when items are over priced. So I interpreted that response as meaning it was almost encouraged to comment on pricing if it's out of line. I'm not saying I agree with that, but it was the reply I got.

There is no sense in over complicating what Wayne is saying here, which by the way I agree with 100%.  What he's talking about is basic ethics and common sense.  The inability of some of the members of this site from butting their noses in where it had no place being in the first place is beyond me as well.  The concept is simple...A person may list something for sale and list it with a fixed price if they so desire.  They may also list it with no price and say "talking offers" and then you PM them.  It's a simple concept fellas.

EBay or FleaBay does not dictate market price.  Instead it is often the place where sellers offload items that are not properly tested or known to be bad.  You are buying cheap and you are also buying at a risk as often the ads on there clarify it with "as-is untested"..."you buy it you bought it".  Sometimes it works out for you and sometimes it does not.

The price of an item is always what someone is willing to pay.  Some people buy and willing to pay the price based on several factors.

1)  Location.  Some things are heavy and cost a fortune to ship and if you can drive a few hours to pick it up versus paying a couple few hundred in freight then maybe it's worth paying the price.

2)  Reputation.  Some things are bought from a certain person or vendor based on the fact they know they are buying a good part or machine that is going to be backed up and warranted if something goes wrong in the near future.  You don't get this on Ebay often.

3)  Support.  Not everyone knows everything about the part or machine they are buying and therefore buy from someone that they know will spend a few minutes or hours on the phone with them helping them out.  You definitely don't get this on a Ebay purchase.


Bottom line here...if I had to summarize what Wayne is saying in one sentence, and most of you should have learned this when you were 5 years old but some apparently did not......"If you don't have something positive to say about someone's classified ad, then shut the hell up and move on".

[idesign]

......"If you don't have something positive to say about someone's classified ad, then shut the hell up and move on".

Well said Jim.....

[poppo]

I can see both sides of this. On one hand if someone posts something that is over priced, those who know it is, won't buy it. But what about that new person who did a google and found it and then paid more than they should have. Should we just say 'Oh well, he just got suckerd, and it's not my problem', or should we be watching out for each other, especially for the new members who may not know better? What I learned at 5 years old was to not to look the other way when I see someone being wronged.

[Yoeddy1]

Poppo, I can see what you're saying about "someone being wronged."  If it's a friend or family member, I would absolutely help out where I could, and sending a private FYI message is totally the right thing to do.  For somebody that I don't know, I bow out and watch things happen how they are going to happen.  I have a very strong opinion when it comes to "caveat emptor."  The last deal that I put together was strictly between the the seller and myself.  There were a few NLG'ers that were aware of the sale, but when it came down to dollars and negotiation it was handled 100% in private.  Some may have thought I was out of my mind for what what I had paid, some may have thought I got a steal, and others may have thought it was right in line with fair market value.  The bottom line is that if the buyer and seller both walk away from the deal feeling good, the dollars don't matter.  Both the buyer and seller need to do their homework and pull the trigger when it's right.  Sometimes too much public information around financial matters can cause more bad than good.  Sort of a religion and politics type of thing in my opinion.

Thanks,
Jason

[a69mopar]

I can see both sides of this. On one hand if someone posts something that is over priced, those who know it is, won't buy it. But what about that new person who did a google and found it and then paid more than they should have. Should we just say 'Oh well, he just got suckerd, and it's not my problem', or should we be watching out for each other, especially for the new members who may not know better? What I learned at 5 years old was to not to look the other way when I see someone being wronged.

Wow, you really think that the people buying items on here are 5 year olds.  Being wronged, suckered?  If I needed a board for an S-Plus and someone had one tested working, you're going to tell me the value of it?  I don't think so.  You may see $10 boards on eBay and think that's what they should go for, but I would be happy paying much more especially since I have to pay to ship it here.  I only want to buy one and pay shipping once, not 3 times to find a good one...   You'd be surprised how many people purchase older clear chips from eBay for cheap, only to find that they don't cover the newer mains in their machine.  But that eBay pricing is what most guage as the going price.

  I give much more credit to internet buyers and know that most search around to find what they need.  As I said earlier, if you have the same item to sell them cheaper, rather than interfering with the ad, why not just post your own same item for the price you think it's worth.  But of course, you likely wont sell it for that, that's just the price you want to pay.  If an item is available cheaper, then why wouldn't it show in the Google search, probably because there aren't any others for sale out there, until you list yours of course.  You don't like when people don't put a price in their ads, but think it's ok to post in their ad threads telling them that what they have isn't worth what they're asking? Both sides, yes.

anything in this post that seems like a question, really isn't.  I'm not looking for your answers to those, just hoping you ask yourself those questions.
I don't post anything for sale in the classifieds here and have no intention of starting, since i'm not a parts person, but I do appreciate those that do post and just plain don't like the interference in their ads. I almost think the threads should be locked when posted.

Thanks,
Wayne
P.S. Jeff, I now agree...     are we having fun yet..

[slotdeals]

Good job Wayne about time some one said something about the subject.

[poppo]

Wow, you really think that the people buying items on here are 5 year olds.  Being wronged, suckered?  

You obviously did not read what I wrote.   I said that if someone were to post something that was clearly over priced and nobody said anything, a new member may think it's a good deal because they don't know better and end up getting screwed. All because nobody spoke up. And it's not always possible to send the person a PM if they never post in the thread. Maybe you are ok with that, but I don't like seeing people getting a raw deal.

As I said earlier, if you have the same item to sell them cheaper, rather than interfering with the ad, why not just post your own same item for the price you think it's worth.  But of course, you likely wont sell it for that, that's just the price you want to pay.  

Actually I have given quite a few things away for free, rather than see the person spend more than they needed to. All I ever hope for is that they will someday help someone else out.

Maybe I just have different values. <shrug>

[PWRSTROKE]

I read and "perused" this entire thread.  Very interesting.  Some of the responses I think may be due to the influence of-- . I do not get as much time here as in the past but do enjoy it when I do.  I myself have made alot of people very happy and a few angry over the years,  Still in all I have received the same in exchange over the years here.  ~B.  As my wife would say-----"Chillax"----- .

[PWRSTROKE]

Well,  As something completly off this subject  I posted this last reply here and seen I had 69 messages since last clear out on my pm's.  Another time today the "69" came up,  Then again on "something else-- ".   Omen-- .  Guess today was just a 69 day--------- .   Just plain silly on my part --but it's true--- .  B.

[jay]

I support Waynes position. I even get a bit jilted when someone points out a Craigs list post for an overpriced S+ or other older model. I really believe that its the sellers progitive to list the price as whatever they want and let the market determine if it sells or gets re-listed at a lower price. If the forum is ebay and someone chooses to pay 3K for an old machine its not like he/she is not armed with 200 other adds for similar machines at competitive prices. Its up to the individual to pay what they are comfortable paying.

I for one have received excellent support from our active vendors and if they can't turn a buck then our supply (at any price) will quickly dry up. Most of us are not in the business of buying container loads at auction from Casinos, or risking thousands of our dollars so some jack-ass can cherry pick, but thats what they do. So if that obscure Mikon board is $75.00 to me and it may very well be true that the machine it came out of only cost the dealer $50 at wholesale. I don't feel ripped off as I know he/she is sitting on a ton of other parts that are not moving, costing the dealer rental space, costing them interest on the money they have invested.

How many people want to buy off of Ebay from an unknown selling part number xj72-p untested - the seller doesn't know  what they are selling, and don't have a spare to back it up. THe contrary is true as the dealers on this site certainly know what they are selling and will make good on defective parts etc. I have no problem with them turning a profit and the spoilers who say thats too expensive thinking they are saving someone are really doing the community a dis-service in the long run.

The capitalist system says .......Let the market decide.

I certainly do not like misleading offers. I can remember a particular Craigs List offering of a Bally as the only one of its kind. We all knew this not to be true and had a good laugh but that is not what this rant is about.

[PWRSTROKE]

As Jay-Jay would have said back in the day-------DYNO-MITE--------------,  Could not find a tnt icon here so,    .  Everyone grub up and get ready for the work week,  For those of us that have to work.  I see the board Daily of the regulars on here that have retired or have the time to dedicate.   I may join them in about --------------- ,  B.

[cowboygames]

Jay, it is absolutely anyones perogitive and free choice to sell whatever they own for whatever they can get. It's become almost a tradition on the craiglist and ebay topics here to point out some of the more ridiculous stuff along with what are beleived to be truly good deals. I buy a LOT of stuff from vendors on this site and a few on ebay. I pay what they're asking and don't try to bargain for better deal. Very seldom do I do auction stuff anymore. If it's fair to them and fair to me then we do business.When I buy something, I shop around first and compare price and source for what I feel is the best value. After I buy it I don't keep shopping to see if I got screwed. Let's not forget to be thankful, above all, that we have this site and opportunity to help each other and occassionally piss each other off. It's sure better than the alternative

I support Waynes position. I even get a bit jilted when someone points out a Craigs list post for an overpriced S+ or other older model. I really believe that its the sellers progitive to list the price as whatever they want and let the market determine if it sells or gets re-listed at a lower price. If the forum is ebay and someone chooses to pay 3K for an old machine its not like he/she is not armed with 200 other adds for similar machines at competitive prices. Its up to the individual to pay what they are comfortable paying.

I for one have received excellent support from our active vendors and if they can't turn a buck then our supply (at any price) will quickly dry up. Most of us are not in the business of buying container loads at auction from Casinos, or risking thousands of our dollars so some jack-ass can cherry pick, but thats what they do. So if that obscure Mikon board is $75.00 to me and it may very well be true that the machine it came out of only cost the dealer $50 at wholesale. I don't feel ripped off as I know he/she is sitting on a ton of other parts that are not moving, costing the dealer rental space, costing them interest on the money they have invested.

How many people want to buy off of Ebay from an unknown selling part number xj72-p untested - the seller doesn't know  what they are selling, and don't have a spare to back it up. THe contrary is true as the dealers on this site certainly know what they are selling and will make good on defective parts etc. I have no problem with them turning a profit and the spoilers who say thats too expensive thinking they are saving someone are really doing the community a dis-service in the long run.

The capitalist system says .......Let the market decide.

I certainly do not like misleading offers. I can remember a particular Craigs List offering of a Bally as the only one of its kind. We all knew this not to be true and had a good laugh but that is not what this rant is about.

[knagl]

"If you don't have something positive to say about someone's classified ad, then shut the hell up and move on".

That's generally been my personal policy.  I've only commented on classified ads to say, "that's a great deal" or, "that's a really nice looking kit."  If I think the person with the listing is out of their mind on a price, I just move on.

[reho33]

Now I feel guilty as I have "piled on" when comments were made about an item not thinking about it from the other persons perspective. So "I'm Sorry" if I stepped on toes and from now on will keep silent if I cannot make a positive contribution to a thread. Some people pay Retail for items but those with greater knowledge do pay Wholesale or better, it's human nature to want a bargain. You do get what you pay for in life................

[jay]

I agree that its everyones nature to want a deal and I dont think anyone is saying "don't barter".
but that is a far cry from camping onto a thread and offering feed back like
"Where do you get off offering prices like that...." which does not add value and discourages people from offering up product.

** This is an example only I am not accusing anyone of actually saying this ...

[Brianzz]

While I do agree with most here, I feel if you let the outrageously priced classifieds stand without comment, the classified section will become the slot machine version of craigslist or ebay with absurd pricing. Personally I've laughed hysterically at some of the prices posted here, but like PT Barnum never admitted to saying.. there's one born every minute... if you can sell an S+ kit to someone on this for $500, run as fast as you can to the bank.