quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

...So, I do like the idea of the first person who posts an unconditional "I'll take it," is the recognized buyer of the item. Without that protocol, there can be chaos and arguments.

So, imo, Edmond should have been the "winner" in that ad, and not someone else on some other board. But, as we found out, seller effed it up by violating the exclusive rule, plus having no clear terms spelled out.

You are absolutely correct. By that protocol, Edmond should have been the "winner," with me as back-up.

Something that is not apparent from the thread in question -- in an offline dialog, Edmond graciously told me that since I had expressed an interest before his "I'll take it" post, he would yield to me. Edmond is an Officer and A Gentleman (both are true), and he would have been the "winner" if the seller had followed the rules.

I'm in the cash on the barrelhead camp. Those of you who have viewed my classifieds may recall my standard disclaimer "The first firm I'll Take It posted in this thread takes precedence over all other offers or inquiries". By publicly posting your intent, you are signaling to the entire SIGforum community your bona fide commitment to purchase said item at the advertised price. At this point, it is further understood that the transaction will be completed per my stated terms of the ad. In my experience, this level of transparency has insulated both the buyer and myself from any potential accusations of shenanigans. In fact, I have not had to address any disputes arising from these terms.

IMO: The fewer rules the better.

Hell, some people have a hard enough time abiding by the few rules that do exist

As it currently stands sellers are free to conduct their sales in the manner they see fit.

Potential buyers are free to determine if they wish to participate. If they don't care for the manner in which a seller is conducting his or her sale, they're always free to keep walking.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
So, I do like the idea of the first person who posts an unconditional "I'll take it," is the recognized buyer of the item. Without that protocol, there can be chaos and arguments.

I understand the desire but I disagree with that being mandated as a forum rule. I've transacted many times, on this forum as well as others, where I send an initial "Email incoming" or "PM incoming" in the thread with the full intention of buying at the listed price, but I have a question or clarification or two. I state all that directly in the Email or PM. As wcb6092 mentioned, I also prefer to discuss things and close the deal privately.

I completely agree with Para and it being up to the sellers discretion, as long as both seller and buyer are forum users.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

quote:

Originally posted by Basher42:
I’ve always gone by the first public “I’ll take it” as the sign someone’s entered a deal with me. Anything prior to that is negotiating, but no commitment has yet been made. If someone’s discussing the sale with me in a PM or email and someone else comes along and posts “I’ll take it” without any other contact having been made, they still have first rights. I usually post this in the ad to avoid confusion, but it makes sense to me so there are no questions or disputes.

This is exactly what I do and spell it out right away in the ad, "First 'I'll take it' posted in this thread with a follow-up email confirmation to me wins. No exceptions." Even if you say you'll take it in email without saying it in the ad, but someone comes along and says it in the ad first, that second person wins. You have to follow the terms, or you might not get the item.

Problems typically arise when there are no clear terms posted at the outset, imo.

Perfect

I apologize as I recently requested photos of an item. In the photos that followed I informed the seller I would take them without posting on the forum that "I will take it".

PC

quote:

Originally posted by PCWyoming:
I apologize as I recently requested photos of an item. In the photos that followed I informed the seller I would take them without posting on the forum that "I will take it".

PC

Posting "I'll take it" in the ad, that's the individual seller's terms of sale, not a forum rule. So, apology not necessary, unless you violated his terms.

I agree with it being up to the seller’s discretion. I’ve sold items where the buyer emailed first saying they get paid later in the week and they’d buy on agreed date, while someone posted on the ad they’ll take it.

Then there’s been when I’ve jumped on items right away because the price was reasonable and posted I’ll take it, but someone emailed the seller to agree upon a deal and they took the deal. Either way I’m in agreement with the sellers choice as long as forum rules are followed.

“email sent” is the forum equivalent of FB marketplace “is this still available”

It signifies nothing, other than the poster’s hopes that it will dissuade others.

If you have entered into electronic conversations that result in a sale before another claim, time stamps will prove that out. Why post it publicly, unless you’re hoping it will shoo away other buyers?

And those same weak buyers will say that it’s just to alert the seller that they’ve sent an offer or a question to the seller. But guess where those type of thread notifications show up? Yeah, in their email, geniuses.

Para, will you be moving this to the top of the classifieds?

quote:

Originally posted by bionic218:
And those same weak buyers will say that it’s just to alert the seller that they’ve sent an offer or a question to the seller. But guess where those type of thread notifications show up? Yeah, in their email, geniuses.

Yeah, and sometimes in their "junk" folder, if they've spam filtering, where they'll miss it. That's one reason to backup an email with a forum post. The other reason is so the seller knows the email contact is legitimate, and not somebody claiming to be such-and-such a member.

quote:

Originally posted by 400m:
Para, will you be moving this to the top of the classifieds?

A shortcut to this topic has been created in Classifieds.

Classifieds is now being pruned on a regular basis, to discourage the low-life thief "farmers" who scan old ads for pigeons. Keeping this thread outside of Classifieds ensures that it won't get pruned.

quote:

Originally posted by bionic218:
“email sent” is the forum equivalent of FB marketplace “is this still available”

It signifies nothing, other than the poster’s hopes that it will dissuade others.

If you have entered into electronic conversations that result in a sale before another claim, time stamps will prove that out. Why post it publicly, unless you’re hoping it will shoo away other buyers?

And those same weak buyers will say that it’s just to alert the seller that they’ve sent an offer or a question to the seller. But guess where those type of thread notifications show up? Yeah, in their email, geniuses.

If I put "email sent" in a classified add, for me, it would be for:
Location.
FTF deal, if possible.
Method of payment.
Method of shipping, UPS, Fed EX, USPS, etc.

Certain shippers iffy at best around here, I like to post in the add that I'm contacting them so that it is a forum member. Some questions I have don't really need to be posted in the add. It would be nice if the seller would put them in the add, but that is ok. I don't post it to discourage any one else from buying.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by bionic218:
And those same weak buyers will say that it’s just to alert the seller that they’ve sent an offer or a question to the seller.

The other reason is so the seller knows the email contact is legitimate, and not somebody claiming to be such-and-such a member.

After all that's gone on in SF Classifieds and all the times mods have posted about this, I can't believe this still needs explaining.

You email a member, then post "Email sent" in his thread so member can compare the address in the email he received against the one in the SF profile. If they match, then he knows it's a from a legitimate member. This has been recommended SOP for a long time.

Q, your elocution is a Lipizzaner stallion compared to my humble swayback plough horse.

Would you allow this unworthy, fluent-disadvantaged person to use, with proper quotation marks: "First 'I'll take it' posted in this thread with a follow-up email confirmation to me wins. No exceptions."

Please?

.

^^^ It's not trademarked. So, you are welcome to use, and abuse, it.

Para,
I read through all the chicken scratch. I don’t have any questions. Just an expression of gratitude and a comment. First, the expression of gratitude: Thank you for all that you do to make this forum such a great place!!!
The comment: i am amazed and impressed by your patience and wisdom. I think that by not overdoing the ruled you create a more free environment for folks to act like adults. It seems like most of the time folks do. And there’s always Sundays for those who don’t.

quote:

Classifieds is now being pruned on a regular basis, to discourage the low-life thief "farmers" who scan old ads for pigeons. Keeping this thread outside of Classifieds ensures that it won't get pruned.

At the risk of embarrassment Para, I didn’t understand this.

My observation, para, your house your rules and, when I was selling my GTO a couple years ago, you left it my discretion to have a parallel post which was greatly appreciated for the latitude. (TBH, I did not parallel post.)

My opinion; if the first "I'll take it" doesn't send me an email within a couple hours of posting "I'll take it" and/or does not drag out the "negotiations" with obtuse, redundant, asinine, etc. questions and comments, I will sell to them if the transaction occurs within a reasonable timeline.

If someone were to email me on the side they want to buy it but no post here, I might gently remind them to respect the other members here and post a "per my email, I'll take it" kind of post.

The rules, and the reasons for those rules, are very clear to me. So I follow them.

I had a buyer one time get upset with me because he told me 'that he already bought a money order.' I had mentioned to him, in emails AND a phone call, to type those three simple words in the thread. He didn't, and someone else did, before he could mail this supposed money order.

Read the rules. And don't be a dick. Pretty simple.