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if someone had something listed on the BST forum and said to PM if you wanted to see if picture of any of the stamps sets. You PM them and they respond within a minute or so that they will send a picture that afternoon. Then an hour or so later you see that they sold the stamp set that you asked for a picture of.
In the grand scheme of things it isn't a big deal, but I am finding myself a little annoyed about it, espically since they couldn't be bothered to even PM to say sorry someone wanted it on the spot without me needing to send them a picture.
yeah, I think a little courtesy would have been expected. Just say there is someone in the works, and if that doesn't pan out, they could PM you with details. That's what I would do. I would be a bit peeved too, I think.
Same thing happened to me regarding a BIA that was listed on BST. There had been no responses but mine and the person sent me a message saying it was sold to someone who responded before me. How rude.
Same thing happened to me regarding a BIA that was listed on BST. There had been no responses but mine and the person sent me a message saying it was sold to someone who responded before me. How rude.
Some people will just PM the seller and not post anything on the thread, so there could have been someone who PM's before you posted. I always send a PM when inquiring about something listed.
been there - had that done to me many times - I just chalk it up to it was not meant to be - but the courtesy of a response would have been the right thing to do.
I'd be annoyed!
My DH was selling one of his motorbikes - one guy was interested in coming to look but was going to arrange with a friend to come at some unspecified time. Meanwhile someone else rang and came out with cash and a horse-box to take it away, but I made sure DH got back to the other guy ASAP to let him know it was gone. A little courtesy goes a long way.
I do agree with the point a couple of people have made that often interested people PM the seller rather than posting on the thread, but I feel in that case the seller should edit the thread quickly to reflect that; and in your case, when she'd said she'd send you the picture later on, it's not clear that anybody else had contacted her first. In that case you'd think she'd have have told you it was gone, instead of saying she'd send the picture later.
Yes it's rude - fortunately I had sellers tell me there is a purchase in the works and they have either let me know it's gone or the sale fell through and am I still interested.
Anymore people just don't seem to have any manners - I could do a little rant about the guy who took cuts at the mustard stand at costco yesterday, but I won't hijack
Totally agree about it being rude and I'd be annoyed. Common courtesy isn't so common anymore. I will usually have no issues (maybe disappointed if it's something I really wanted and don't end up getting it) as long as I'm told up front what's going on.
In this case, it could have been a couple of scenarios. Someone may have contacted the seller first and the seller just didn't bother telling your that someone had already contacted you but the sale was not yet final. I'm hoping it was that case. If it's the following case, then the seller was extremely rude. The second case was that someone contacted the seller AFTER you but was willing to complete the transaction without any additional info or photos or anything, so the seller sold it to them because the seller didn't really want to do any additional work. Unfortunately I think a lot of people who sell online look at it as if it's a walk-in store where the customer can simply pickup and look over the item real-time. If you're in a box store, you pick up an item, put it back down and walk around to think about it, someone else simply walks up and decides they want the item and so the take it to the register. The "store owner" doesn't care which customer buys it as long as it gets sold.
Last edited by geogymnast82; 01-20-2011 at 04:26 AM..
I don't blame them for giving it to the first person who was ready to buy, but she should have sent you a quick reply that it was sold. I don't think it was over-the-top rude, though. After all, you didn't have a commitment to buy, you just wanted more information. Maybe she thought that updating the thread was good enough.
I do agree with the point a couple of people have made that often interested people PM the seller rather than posting on the thread, but I feel in that case the seller should edit the thread quickly to reflect that; and in your case, when she'd said she'd send you the picture later on, it's not clear that anybody else had contacted her first. In that case you'd think she'd have have told you it was gone, instead of saying she'd send the picture later.
I actually am pretty sure that I contacted her first about it. I think she just got a PM after she responded to me from someone else saying I'll take it with no questions asked. I think she could have at least responded to them, I have someone who might be interested I just need to send a picture and if she doesn't want it I'll let you know.
I really wanted the set too. It was PTI's first anniversay set and I just couldn't find what all the images looked like and just wanted to see before I paid.
Sellers on BST are just trying to unload stuff. They are not professional sellers with customer service concerns. OK, maybe some do have better ways of doing it, or even better manners. But I go there with the attitude that the seller *is* going to sell to the first person who comes along ready to buy.
If I'm not ready to make a firm offer and send some money, I expect the item to go to someone who is. I certainly don't go there thinking that a seller will refuse other serious offers, just because I sent them a request for more information first.
Yes, it would be common courtesy to let you know it's either pending sale or sold but I don't let this bother me when this happens to me. I figure the seller has the right to sell to whomever she/he wants and there is nothing i can do about it.
I've had 3 experiences with 3 different people where I was supposedly the first person, I said i wanted to buy and we were working out the details, and then I was told, 1) changed her mind, 2nd time ) they said their dtr sold to someone else, and the 3rd time) they just never got back to me - so I have given up on that section. I've never had it work out for me. So, if I am taking the time to search and pick out something, it just seems to work alot better on ebay. I didn't think it was right what they did to me, but there wasnt anything I could do about it, except stop looking there!
Same thing happened to me regarding a BIA that was listed on BST. There had been no responses but mine and the person sent me a message saying it was sold to someone who responded before me. How rude.
I had the exact thing happen with a stamp set. I just never will do anything with that person again. I see them on the Buy/Sell forum and I won't even read the post. Rude is just rude. I have to say that most of the people on this site are wonderful people. The good out weigh the bad or shall I say out weigh the rude.
I'd be annoyed! I had a doozy happen one time on that thread. I had posted in the ISO something I really needed... badly! But it wasn't something I could put an order through for that ONE SMALL thing to the company for. A gal replied and said she had it and to PM her. During the day (while I was at work), someone else wrote on my ISO that if me, the original poster didn't want it, she did want it. I get home from work, log in right away, and PM the lady that said she had it. She wrote me back (quickly) and said she had sold it to the other girl! WHAT????????????? I was FURIOUS! And of course, I had NO other posts regarding it and never got the item. I thought it was rude of BOTH of them.
I'd be annoyed! I had a doozy happen one time on that thread. I had posted in the ISO something I really needed... badly! But it wasn't something I could put an order through for that ONE SMALL thing to the company for. A gal replied and said she had it and to PM her. During the day (while I was at work), someone else wrote on my ISO that if me, the original poster didn't want it, she did want it. I get home from work, log in right away, and PM the lady that said she had it. She wrote me back (quickly) and said she had sold it to the other girl! WHAT????????????? I was FURIOUS! And of course, I had NO other posts regarding it and never got the item. I thought it was rude of BOTH of them.
That actually annoys me more! I can't stand when people do that on the ISO's! Sorry you got burned. :(
I honestly don't see a problem with it. By requesting a photo you have made no commitment or obligation to purchase. I didn't realize there was etiquette to it. I do freecycle and it is "first come, first serve" as long as they make the commitment to pick up the items. From what I understand a photo was simply requested. Nothing more. If I receive a commitment to purchase I mention that it is "pending" on the thread, the "sold" when the transaction is complete.
I honestly don't see a problem with it. By requesting a photo you have made no commitment or obligation to purchase. I didn't realize there was etiquette to it. I do freecycle and it is "first come, first serve" as long as they make the commitment to pick up the items. From what I understand a photo was simply requested. Nothing more. If I receive a commitment to purchase I mention that it is "pending" on the thread, the "sold" when the transaction is complete.
I completely agree. If someone wants a photo of it but I get someone who says they will buy it just based on my description of the conditiion (I always state the condition of the stamps in my lisiting) and discusses the payment arrangements I will edit my original listing as "pending." I will not mark my listing as "pending" if someone is simply requesting a photo. If I don't have to go through the extra work of taking a photo and getting it to that requester and someone else wants it sight unseen, why would i want to go through the extra work?
Same thing happened to me regarding a BIA that was listed on BST. There had been no responses but mine and the person sent me a message saying it was sold to someone who responded before me. How rude.
They probably sent the seller a private message. Why would they lie if you were first?
I've sold quite a few things on BST and the times that I've NOT sold the item to the first person to respond, it has been because they:
- Couldn't pay until payday
- Would only pay with a check when I stated I would only accept Paypal
- Tried to bargain for a lower price when someone else would pay asking price
- Wanted a picture or more information when someone else was ready to pay
- Would require international shipping, which would mean a trip to the P.O. for me
- Had some other requests that made the selling process more difficult for me
Another scenario is Buyer A only wants to buy the popular stamp set, while Buyer B will buy 3 other harder to sell items along with that stamp set. I would go with B, to increase my odds of selling ALL of my items and save myself shipping hassle.
When you're on BST, you just want to sell your stuff with minimal time and hassle.
If you have your heart set on something, you need to act quickly and be prepared to meet the seller's requirements for payment, otherwise you run the risk of losing out.
Because when I sent the PM I asked if the set was still available could she send me a picture and she had responded saying that she would that afternoon, which lead me to believe that it was still available.
I've sold quite a few things on BST and the times that I've NOT sold the item to the first person to respond, it has been because they:
- Couldn't pay until payday
- Would only pay with a check when I stated I would only accept Paypal
- Tried to bargain for a lower price when someone else would pay asking price
- Wanted a picture or more information when someone else was ready to pay
- Would require international shipping, which would mean a trip to the P.O. for me
- Had some other requests that made the selling process more difficult for me
Another scenario is Buyer A only wants to buy the popular stamp set, while Buyer B will buy 3 other harder to sell items along with that stamp set. I would go with B, to increase my odds of selling ALL of my items and save myself shipping hassle.
When you're on BST, you just want to sell your stuff with minimal time and hassle.
If you have your heart set on something, you need to act quickly and be prepared to meet the seller's requirements for payment, otherwise you run the risk of losing out.
As a BST mod, I was surprised at all the discussion on this. This post is right on target (IMO). In BST, hopefully everyone is courteous, but you win some and you lose some. The only way to be absolutely sure to get an item is to use the Buy it Now option in eBay, since we don't have that option
I would add to the list of scenerios: Member B has a gallery and lots of posts in the forums, Member A is new and has only a few posts. I would more likely sell to the person invested in the site if I got their requests on the same day.
I've sold quite a few things on BST and the times that I've NOT sold the item to the first person to respond, it has been because they:
- Couldn't pay until payday
- Would only pay with a check when I stated I would only accept Paypal
- Tried to bargain for a lower price when someone else would pay asking price
- Wanted a picture or more information when someone else was ready to pay
- Would require international shipping, which would mean a trip to the P.O. for me
- Had some other requests that made the selling process more difficult for me
Another scenario is Buyer A only wants to buy the popular stamp set, while Buyer B will buy 3 other harder to sell items along with that stamp set. I would go with B, to increase my odds of selling ALL of my items and save myself shipping hassle.
When you're on BST, you just want to sell your stuff with minimal time and hassle.
If you have your heart set on something, you need to act quickly and be prepared to meet the seller's requirements for payment, otherwise you run the risk of losing out.
Agreed - just send me the money and it's yours......the people on these forums are not usually in the business of selling stamps. They are just trying to unload -FIRST COME FIRST SERVE!
Sorry to hurt your feelings by selling to the first person paying, but you are not out any money - just a bit of your pride
Would you be annoyed
