Signs and Symptoms of Non-Serious Buyers

Your prerogative, but if I'm driving more than 10 minutes from my house I want to hear the sound of your voice.

If you also want to tell me what you're wearing, that's totally up to you. [rofl]
Ill give my number out for the meet up, incase of issues etc.

I wont give my number out to negotiate items, though. I want all that in writing here so the deals clear.
 
Ive used the phone for so few negotiations thst I can't recall a single instance right now. I dont want to use the phone
You don't have to negotiate by phone. Usually by the time i got to phone that was done. The phone call closes the deal / sets up the meet.
 
You don't have to negotiate by phone. Usually by the time i got to phone that was done. The phone call closes the deal / sets up the meet.
If a seller wants it all they have to do is put it in the listing. All my listings say to contact me here on NES
 
Yes but when there are 8 offers you won't be haggling on price

Theres zero haggling on the price right now in the northeast. I had 2 offers substantially over asking price and the deal breaker was a minor inspection clause. As a seller I had an insane amount of leverage.

When I bought, I just threw a lot of money at it with zero contingencies. From what I understand the money was tied or very close with another buyer, but the lack of strings sealed the deal for us. I knew what I was getting into and I didnt have any time to waste. Worked out thankfully.
 
I hate to say it, but I've had a number of non-serious buyers making inquiries on a few ads I've posted here in the classified section and on GB over the past few months. I understand information is very important on making an informed decision about a high priced item....but sometimes there are questions that make no sense or are just asked for the sake of conversation. Here are a few warning signs I've learned over the past few months for folks that take up a ton of time and never really buy anything:

1) Does it come with a sling and case? Why doesn't it come with a sling? What did you do with the sling that came with the gun?
2) Take the bolt apart and show me pictures of it broken down. When did you replace your extractor spring? What type of cleaner did you use on the bolt?
3) Did you ever shoot 62 grain bullets instead of 55 grain through the barrel? Show me pictures of the barrel with your bore light form different angles.
4) Why does your parkerizing look more gray than black on your AR in your pictures?
5) Any conversation lasting more than 4 days seem to go no where.
6) Despite multiple pictures and statements about stocks being pinned and muzzle breaks being pinned and welded and stating that a gun is from the mid 2000's....Is this MA compliant? Is this pre-healy compliant?
7) Why is your price so high? I saw another price for $100 less than yours.

I'm sure there are other comments that could be added to the list. So when I get these questions, I"m less inclined to answer them
What I get from this post:

You probably don't provide pics of the rifling.
No pics of the chamber.
You probably only have 1 pic, in a room with sh*t lighting against a dark background.






















I am kidding.
 
“Why are you selling it?” This always annoyed me. I mean why does anyone sell. Anything? Because I want the cash more than I want the item.
In that case, have I got some some rusty sh¡t to sell you at a hamfest.

I concede that, with some exceptions, guns are durable goods.

But some used item that's a complex engineered system;
not off-the-shelf, not commodity? That can have hidden flaws?

Plenty of guys will sell you their problem and let the buyer beware.
One of the most frustrating NES threads in the last year
was the argument over how much refund (if any) someone was due
for buying a busted gun (IIRC).

The one constructive thing I learned in an all-day course on interviewing skills
(interviewer skills) was the power of the open-ended question.
Any LEO on NES will confirm this.

I once bought a used ATAS-120 antenna at a nice price, and it worked.
But in retrospect, I dodged a bullet because I neglected to ask if it still worked.

I've never bought or sold on NES (and almost never apply for karma).
If I do, God grant me the wisdom to research the sane questions to ask
before I open hailing frequencies. But a seller who doesn't want to tell me
whether they've "polished" a feed ramp [rolleyes] or a magazine [shocked] or a sear [angry]...?
Hell no.

They are asking you questions in order to talk themselves out of buying it.
Sometimes for the reason you're thinking; maybe sometimes for the reason I'm thinking.

Additionally it does drive me nuts and is a bad sign when I ask 4 questions and get an answer to 3. I really prefer Q&A via email since it usually is more convenient for everyone and don't mind calling; some people seem to want to communicate via email but lack the basic skills to make it go smoothly so it takes 4 communications instead of 1.
People cannot freaking read any more. It's like they don't understand that the sentence
with one of these things at the end: =>?<= means they're supposed to provide an answer.
Amirite?

One thing that is a big turn off to me is when people keep asking for your cell # to complete a transaction.
Best guess: Some people live off of texting these days.
Our oldest nephew not only won't answer his cell phone,
but the last time I tried the mailbox was F-U-L-L full.
You have to text him that he has an EMail for him to read it.

I totally appreciate anyone on NES who blades away from that as a violation of privacy.

Why would it be so difficult to use PM’s here? It’s 2021, not 1995, everybody has a smart phone, FB, Twitter, etc all converse using DM’s/PM’s/IM’s on a daily basis,
The Bride and I finally got flip phones in 2008, my first smartphone in 2012,
and we only stopped skinflinting and got text service in 2019.
I've never lusted after installing an NES-compatible forum app on my smartphone.

People used to put their AOL Instant Messenger ID on their EMail .sig,
and I'd be like, "sewer rat may taste like pumpkin pie, but I wouldn't know".
Tradesmen with Nextel PTT frightened and confused me.
Ask me in person about the first time I saw someone using a Bluetooth ear frob
and I didn't see their cell phone on their belt.
Your post made me look up "DM",
because I decided you didn't mean Dungeon Master.


There's tons of messaging media and some people will always be wedded
to a medium they use to the virtual exclusion of all others -
even media we don't know about.

It doesn't mean you have to adopt it to suck up to a buyer;
but know the signs of where they're coming from.

I once asked a NES Classifieds member a Question about his rifle for sale and I didn't even have a parlor in my house, was that bad?
You got off easy. Rifles shoot hell out parlors; especially the purpose-built rifles.
 
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I never beat people up over price. Either the person lists an item that I want at a price that I'm willing to pay, or I move on. If there's a rare item that I must have, then I'm likely to pay asking for it. I am guilty of asking 'i'm interested in x is it still for sale, cash in hand' but this also helps weed out bots and spam.
I post price is firm and offers will be ignored.

I like all the questions that are clearly spelled out in the ad. I just respond, read the ad.
 
Nothing wrong with someone asking if price is firm but when you say cash only and they try to throw in a Tom Brady jersey or their watch because they don’t have the funds, wtf do I want with your used crap. I’m probably not the only one that this happened to, he is a current member.
 
a lot of sellers are testing the water, asking super high prices and will sell only for the indicated amount. i can understand it in this climate, you know, their prerogative. nobody's twisting arms here to make contact.
 
My favorite Armlist experience was when some jackass felt his tricked out Glock 19 with lambo doors and a spoiler was worth trading for my SAR 1 AND Wasr 10/63. You think you've seen stupid? You probably haven't seen Armslist yet.
 
I hate to say it, but I've had a number of non-serious buyers making inquiries on a few ads I've posted here in the classified section and on GB over the past few months. I understand information is very important on making an informed decision about a high priced item....but sometimes there are questions that make no sense or are just asked for the sake of conversation. Here are a few warning signs I've learned over the past few months for folks that take up a ton of time and never really buy anything:

1) Does it come with a sling and case? Why doesn't it come with a sling? What did you do with the sling that came with the gun?
2) Take the bolt apart and show me pictures of it broken down. When did you replace your extractor spring? What type of cleaner did you use on the bolt?
3) Did you ever shoot 62 grain bullets instead of 55 grain through the barrel? Show me pictures of the barrel with your bore light form different angles.
4) Why does your parkerizing look more gray than black on your AR in your pictures?
5) Any conversation lasting more than 4 days seem to go no where.
6) Despite multiple pictures and statements about stocks being pinned and muzzle breaks being pinned and welded and stating that a gun is from the mid 2000's....Is this MA compliant? Is this pre-healy compliant?
7) Why is your price so high? I saw another price for $100 less than yours.

I'm sure there are other comments that could be added to the list. So when I get these questions, I"m less inclined to answer them
same as on ebay - those who will buy do not ask questions. a person who keeps asking shit will not buy anything.
you say - 'item is as described, pls do your own research'. not that rude, of course, but, something like that. :)
 
I really dislike giving out negative or neutral feedback to people here on NES. and it's a rare thing that I do. I just gave out one neutral and one negative. Both users did similar things, which was claim items and disappear. I've done a TON of deals on NES. If a person can't make it, fine, no problem. people have busy lives and I get it. But people cant blow off deals and hide somewhere. All I needed was an explanation saying "I cant buy it, sorry" and I would of moved on and not gave any feedback. But being kept on ice wasting my time is not ok. Times worth a lot of money.

At least the users here will know who they're dealing with. I'm not saying their bad people, but it's very inconsiderate behavior.
 
I never beat people up over price. Either the person lists an item that I want at a price that I'm willing to pay, or I move on. If there's a rare item that I must have, then I'm likely to pay asking for it. I am guilty of asking 'i'm interested in x is it still for sale, cash in hand' but this also helps weed out bots and spam.
P
Im always interested in barrel condition and a history of what ammo might have passed through it. If the gun normally came with accessories and the buyer knows they are going to ask.
Me I have no idea where the useless slings went that came with my SKS, mak90 and the small stuff like the cleaning kits.
Just answer questions best tou can you just bail on the buyer before time is wasted
Oops, sorry, damn phone sucks. Nothing to see here.
 
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I hate to say it, but I've had a number of non-serious buyers making inquiries on a few ads I've posted here in the classified section and on GB over the past few months. I understand information is very important on making an informed decision about a high priced item....but sometimes there are questions that make no sense or are just asked for the sake of conversation. Here are a few warning signs I've learned over the past few months for folks that take up a ton of time and never really buy anything:


6) Despite multiple pictures and statements about stocks being pinned and muzzle breaks being pinned and welded and stating that a gun is from the mid 2000's....Is this MA compliant? Is this pre-healy compliant?
People from MA can't read. I've posted firearms and magazines (WITH a location) and noted "not-MA compliant" and still get questions about 1) where am I? and 2) is it MA compliant?
 
“Why are you selling it?” This always annoyed me. I mean why does anyone sell. Anything? Because I want the cash more than I want the item.
As dumb as this question sounds there have been numerous times I've seen/heard an answer that can have a huge impact on buyer's decision. - In your case ...if you want the cash more than the item. You haven't really answered the question yet.
 
There's certain things I'll haggle over. A place and a time for it kind of thing. I have one customer that always wants to haggle. Always trying to make he feels like he won something. He straight up asked for $2000 off a $20k job, where about $19k was parts. No, I'm not doing this job at a loss for you. Now I just mark up all his hardware 300% and act like he's taking the shirt off my back when he gets his way.
Indian
 
Well the key words were ‘known to me as a regular poster’ vs some guy with zero cred so far that wants to exchange #’s after one post. Sorry but no, I really don’t want to give out my phone number to you. If that’s a loss than so be it.

Why would it be so difficult to use PM’s here? It’s 2021, not 1995, everybody has a smart phone, FB, Twitter, etc all converse using DM’s/PM’s/IM’s on a daily basis, and if you can’t find a particular vehicle in a parking lot that’s kind of saying something by itself IMO.

I read/write NES and my emails on my laptop. I don't use facebook, I don't use twitter. I use signal and text messaging on my cell phone. If I'm going to drive an hour to meet you, I'd want to exchange phone numbers so that we could text if necessary.

I'm shooting a match tomorrow morning down in Brunswick, (about an hour south of here). Before the match I'm meeting a guy from a reloader's group to trade ammo. He's driving up from Jacksonville. I have his name, a description of his vehicle and a cell phone number - he has the same for me. We've got a window of time during which we expect to meet at a specific location. If something goes wrong, (accident on highway, whatever), the cell numbers are needed to communicate.
 
There's certain things I'll haggle over. A place and a time for it kind of thing. I have one customer that always wants to haggle. Always trying to make he feels like he won something. He straight up asked for $2000 off a $20k job, where about $19k was parts. No, I'm not doing this job at a loss for you. Now I just mark up all his hardware 300% and act like he's taking the shirt off my back when he gets his way.

You are a better man then I- If they’re c***s like that I just walk away. Years ago I used to entertain people like that and it’s mostly more grief than it’s worth.
 
You are a better man then I- If they’re c***s like that I just walk away. Years ago I used to entertain people like that and it’s mostly more grief than it’s worth.

I have a history of taking customers and projects that nobody else wants. He's a good guy, a DDS that owns 3 practices. I really don't mind people trying to save some money, esp in today's day and age. What really pisses me off is if people call all the time for every little thing. I try and keep customers that can properly submit trouble reports and vet their own questions. This guy has his employees call Patterson if there's a problem with their dental software, and call dell if there's a problem with the PC. OFC I'd help if he asked, but he's smart enough to know that I cost 10x what his employees do.

What really causes me grief is if I'm on the road and someone calls demanding my immediate appearance for an emergency that's not really an emergency 'everythings broken you need to get here right now!' 'i tried resetting the cable modem nothings working' and I get there and there's a cable missing from the cabinet, and then the customer gets all pissy when they see a bill for $500. That happening once can blow out my schedule for a week. And people wonder why my emergency rate is 2.5x.
 
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