I'm surprised that we have "Timewasters" on BassChat

[thebrig]

I'm happy to say that I have just sold a couple of basses on BC, but I am rather surprised how many timewasters there are, gassing over the '[b][i]for sale[/i][/b]' section.

Here is one message I had:
[b][i][font=arial, sans-serif]f*** it. I need it.[/font][/i][/b]
[b][i][size=4][font=arial, sans-serif]How do you want paying?[/font][/size][/i][/b]
[font=arial, sans-serif]I replied immediately, and told other potential buyers that it was sold, pending.[/font]
[b][i]He never came back to me.[/i][/b]

Another BC'er even went as far as arranging to meet to do a trade, I cancelled a prior arrangement I had, and sent him a message back saying that's fine, but again, [b][i]he never came back to me.[/i][/b]

I sent them both messages asking if they were still interested in the bass, and again, [b][i]NOTHING![/i][/b]

I know they have the right to change their mind, but to leave me thinking a sale/trade has been made, means I am telling other potential buyers, that the bass is sold pending, and therefore possibly losing a sale.

Anyone else experienced this?

I would like to say that the two sales I made were very pleasant, with great communication from the buyers.

[xilddx]

Yes, I've had a few like this, it's bloody annoying, my time is valuable and I do not like people wasting it. But every actual transaction I've had on BC has been excellent.

[LukeFRC]

My suggestion.... be more verbious in your PM's find out what music the fella plays, what he plays currently and so on. Not only is it nice chatting to folk and friendly but it also lets you work out the idiots from the non idiots.

[risingson]

I'm usually pretty good at figuring out who the timewasters are but unlike in your case I've not been so unlucky with people faffing me around. As a rule of thumb I'm much happier working with the members that have a good selling history and also a bit of a history on the forum, it's a good means of getting the measure of who you're dealing with.

Transactions of the past have been almost without fault, and for that I am eternally grateful to this forum. It's excellent.

[risingson]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1360003149' post='1963398']
My suggestion.... be more verbious in your PM's find out what music the fella plays, what he plays currently and so on. Not only is it nice chatting to folk and friendly but it also lets you work out the idiots from the non idiots.
[/quote]

That's a really good idea.

[Lord Sausage]

Yeah, every transaction i have done has been excellent, both buying and selling. However, I have had my time wasted on stuff. I'm trying to sell a 1x15 cab (peavey). I've had people say they are very interested,( as its only £50) then nothing. As well as time wasting it's also a lack of courtesy. Someone was interested in the cab nd asked for specs. I said i wasn't quite sure and i would fin out. i explained that it was stored at a friends and there was a back and forth chat. I even said i would take it too bits too find out the exact specs. His last message said it couldn't be 4 ohms. So i took it to bits. Found out it was 4 ohms. Sent him a message and nothing back. Not even a 'oh well, never mind, thanks'. Just a tad rude in my book.

[thebrig]

I usually do once they reply back, but if someone is asking me how I want paying, then in the first instance, I tell them, and when they come back to me, that is usually when I normally strike up a conversation with them.
That's how all my other transactions have been, whether buying or selling, and I have to say that everyone I have dealt with on here, have been absolutely great, until now of course.

[neepheid]

It's not sold until the money's in my account/pocket.

[LemonCello]

I made the mistake of holding my Markbass rig for a newbie for over a month, you live and learn!

As above tho, each 'actual' transaction I've made on here has been very straightforward and I've really enjoyed meeting the buyer/seller (usually in the good old motorway services!). They have all been top blokes!

[BottomE]

i ain't surprised given that it is a public forum.

So far i have been extremely fortunate with trades.

[GreeneKing]

I've had a fair few like this over the years. I put it down to giving in to GAS under the influence and realising they can't really afford it in the cold light of day.

[flyfisher]

I guess it's the traditional 'British reserve' that prevents people from leaving feedback about timewasters.

[TheGreek]

Unfortunately only too common...I had somebody come down to buy a bass, along with his girlfriend, I picked them up from the railway station, took them to my home, made them a coffee. He played the bass for an hour or so, "[i][u]Definitely[/u][/i]" wanted it. She went through my CDs and music books for suggestions for a birthday present for him before I gave them a lift back to the station.

The following day he posted on here to see what else was available, before telling me that he couldn't afford to buy a new bass...just goes to show that even BC isn't immune to time-wasters and tyre-kickers.

[BetaFunk]

Yes i've been down this road.

I had someone who was keen on a bass i'm selling on BC and he asked what the postage was. He replied later saying that as it was short scale he wasn't sure if he could get on with it and that he lived to far to try it out then he would leave it.
That's fine. I thought it was really decent of him to reply. Nice bloke!

The other experiences were with a couple who that asked me how much postage would be. I replied it would be a £10 and didn't hear from them again. I thought that was a reasonable price and that if they had really wanted the bass a tenner wouldn't have put then off.
The other one who required i told them that i'd send it FREE but amazingly didn't get a reply either.

Funny old world isn't it?

[chrismuzz]

I feel awkward having to tell somebody I'm going to have to let them down. It's always a much softer blow than just leaving it, and polite too, so I always make sure to keep people informed. I can understand why people don't though, even if it kind of backfires!

Thankfully I've never actually encountered any time wasters on basschat yet, and practically all of the transactions I've had here have been an absolute pleasure.

[Cat Burrito]

[quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1360007308' post='1963514']
i ain't surprised given that it is a public forum.

So far i have been extremely fortunate with trades.
[/quote]
This.

I'm surprised we don't have more idiots to be honest so it's a credit to us all that most of us behave with such decency

[Big_Stu]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1360005937' post='1963474']
It's not sold until the money's in my account/pocket.[/quote]

This^

Tell them, OK you've registered an interest which is as much as they've done at that point, but until either the money is with you, or they've been to collect & pay then you're open to offers from elsewhere.

[SpaceChick]

[quote name='LemonCello' timestamp='1360006182' post='1963479']
I made the mistake of holding my Markbass rig for a newbie for over a month, you live and learn!

As above tho, each 'actual' transaction I've made on here has been very straightforward and I've really enjoyed meeting the buyer/seller (usually in the good old motorway services!). They have all been top blokes!
[/quote]

Ahem Lemoncello my dear friend.... I'm not a bloke..... But I had great fun playing what was your fretless tonight

I've made a few trouble free purchases! I also had issues with one guy.

And I'm ashamed to say I did agree to buy something and had to back out, but I did back out quickly (due to being given some free gear from a friend instead)

I would say, as a rule, this is a great place to "do business" but there are always exceptions.

[Gust0o]

I never consider anything sold until the money is in. Glass half empty, me

To be honest, people window shop. If we had a physical store we'd see this - people pointing, or picking items up. Or asking for items bring put behind the till and then disappearing into the crowds.

We don't. So we get PMs; snatches of conversations; questions - a lot of which, perhaps, come to nothing. It's far from binary.

It goes with the territory - and that territory is a pretty safe place to buy, sell and trade. I'm willing to accept small pain for that.

[jezzaboy]

Looking from it from the other sde.

I told a guy that I would buy the bass at the price he asked for it and asked how he was wanting paid. I never heard from him again. And the bass is still for sale. But at the end of the day it is up to him who he sells his bass too.

All my other sales/purchases have been great and doing the biz on here is far better than e bay or gumtree.

Edited February 4, 2013 by jezzaboy

[lojo]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1360002732' post='1963386']
Yes, I've had a few like this, it's bloody annoying, my time is valuable and I do not like people wasting it. But every actual transaction I've had on BC has been excellent.
[/quote]

This is pretty much my experience also

[hamfist]

I think as a percentage, we actually have fewer timewasters and idiots that most forums.
All my trades/sales/purchases on here have turned out very well. But, yes, there's bound to be a few bad apples sadly.

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1360002732' post='1963386']
Yes, I've had a few like this, it's bloody annoying, my time is valuable...
[/quote]

Alas, your TIM is no more valuable than anyone else's. No one has the TIM for this sort of thing...

There. I Said it. Someone had to.

[kevin_lindsay]

http://youtu.be/ZEf5VFKplzw

[Conan]

Compared with Ebay, Gumtree and the like, this site is relatively free from these types. But you do occasionally encounter them. Frustrating, yes - but it could be a lot worse! And it's usually the new members...