Asking for PM offers in the "For Sale" section.

[deaver]

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='593436' date='Sep 8 2009, 11:22 PM']Personally, I don't bother reading offers ads because I assume the seller will probably want more than I'm willing to pay. There's logic for you... [/quote]

Skank, I can offer you the Deav-O-Meter the ultimate guide to non-specified bass pricing. No more shall you fret over such matters. PM me and I'll let you into my little secret.

[Hutton]

I prefer the seller to state what he or she is looking for. However, if they don't then a bit of homework will usually give you a fair idea of value which you can then PM. The seller either accepts it or not. I would doubt if a seller looking for an inflated price sells their goods especially in the current climate.

[stingrayfan]

It's difficult knowing what the market value is for stuff, if people don't put prices to things. Personally, I prefer it out in the open. If you're selling something, say what you want for it!

[cheddatom]

Some people have said "well I don't know what it's worth so i'd like offers to find out" - well that's balls. Just find out what it's worth on Ebay. How many PM offers do you want to receive before you decide to settle on one of them? I'd say it's a case of lazy sellers.

[waynepunkdude]

More of a case of wanting what they paid new for it.

[Clarky]

Its easy to find a market value for 90% or more of the basses for sale on BassChat (eBay, Gumtree, others). In these cases I agree a firm price should be stated, otherwise it looks uncommitted on the part of the seller (and frankly a bit spivvy). I can see the argument for PM offers if the bass in question is very difficult to value (due to scarcity, mods, damage etc) - but as stated that does not apply to the vast majority of basses for sale through this forum.

[Bigwan]

I have big problems with the way this is handled on basschat. I don't like the practice myself, and neither do many users, it's what ebay is for. However... maybe I should stop there. Lets just say there are double standards and some people get hammered for pointing it out (all be it in a rather unsubtle fashion). It seems to be happening more and more recently, especially since the 'scarbee' celinder debacle. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's the impression I get... (having typed that I'm going to be humming the mighty, mighty bosstones all day!)

Edited September 9, 2009 by Bigwan

[davidmpires]

If there's no price on the add, I'm very unlikely to PM anyone. Maybe i'm missing out on a great deal, maybe I'm not.
If I walk into a shop and don't see the price tag, I walk out (it happened recently at luton airport) I can't be asked to go and find a shop assistant and ask her the price. Same thing for sales here, price tag please.

Now what really annoys me, is: "feelers & how much is worth". You either want to sell it or you don't, you don't come up and ask me the price co's i'll tell you a price that's way lower than the actual price and then sell it with a profit

Edited September 9, 2009 by davidmpires

[farmer61]

[quote name='cheddatom' post='593591' date='Sep 9 2009, 08:59 AM']Some people have said "well I don't know what it's worth so i'd like offers to find out" - well that's balls. Just find out what it's worth on Ebay. How many PM offers do you want to receive before you decide to settle on one of them? I'd say it's a case of lazy sellers.[/quote]

+1 or just put a post out asking for peoples opinions before putting it in the for sale forum.

[Bassassin]

If a seller won't name their price it's usually because they know bloody well what they want is over the odds, & one way or another their sale is going to attract the wrong sort of attention because of it. The JV I mentioned was a prime example - the frankly absurd asking price was named on the thread by someone who'd PM'd, the seller had a hissy fit & the thread went to hell in the proverbial.

I think sales like this are simply based on the hope that someone out there will be stupid enough to pay wildly over the odds, & keeping the price a secret means that no-one can point this out. Or allude to it in a roundabout & non-incriminating way.

Like a good few other people have said, if a sale is conducted in this way then I'm simply not interested, no matter what the bass in question is.

J.

[Mr. Foxen]

If there is a price up, I'll pay some attention, if its asking for offers, I'll only shoot a madly lowball offer, and only if its something I specifically want. Plenty of stuff I didn't especially want but bought cause it was a bargain, then found a use for. People who don't state their price do my wallet and living space a favour.

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='Bassassin' post='593851' date='Sep 9 2009, 01:55 PM']If a seller won't name their price it's usually because they know bloody well what they want is over the odds,[/quote]

I always assume that too. If a seller posts a price that I think is too high then at least you know what he thinks it's worth, you can either ignore the ad or PM an offer, but if the price can't even be published then I figure it must be like one of those posh shops where they don't display prices because such vulgarity would offend the delicate eyes of the rich idiots who shop there.

[Bassassin]

"If you need to ask the price - you can't afford it" -

J.

[iamapirate]

I just think that people put 'PM'd' to rack up their post count!

[cheddatom]

having said all this, we're obviously coping with it OK so there's no need for any change.

[stevebasshead]

I don't mind the practice, it keeps my GAS in check...I can't be bothered to PM asking for or offering a price if one isn't shown in the original posting, whereas I would if it was something I was def. interested in. And even then I'd bloody well do some research first to make sure I wasn't overpaying - that's [u]my[/u] responsibility, not the sellers.

[dave_bass5]

Personally i think its counter productive doing it via PM's.
why not put it in the thread. that way people can see what's been offered and offer more if they want it.

Im not bothered by people doing it this way though. As already said, if there isn't a price ill move on unless its something im really after, in which case ill post the offer in the thread, then its up to the OP to take it or leave it.

[Guest johnzgerman]

i can't see what the problem is personally, if someones interested then make an offer, if they are not then don't-simples

[JTUK]

[quote name='rjb' post='593193' date='Sep 8 2009, 07:29 PM']Was just wondering about what seems to be a recent trend towards asking for PM offers in the "For Sale" section.

I can certainly understand sellers wanting to get the maximum possible for their gear, but doesn't this practice risk turning the the "For Sale" section into more of a "Sealed-bid Auctions" area?

I have no particular axe to grind, but I'd love to hear everyone's views....[/quote]


I agree with this...I much prefer an open price....

Behind the scenes deals seem tacky to me....

[WarPig]

I dont know if this has been said but every advert should have:

Price (inc. P+P)
Location
Pics
And Description

As standard.

[ped]

Well it looks like such adverts divide opinion at best, probably narrowing the audience and leading ultimately to an unsuccessful sale. I think it's a bit of a grey area which should be clarified a bit one way or another, so we will have a chat about it. I am inclined to leave it be because to be honest the marketplace is a bonus and not really what we are about so having lots of rules and regulations there takes our focus away form other things. Let's see what happens. Cheers for bringing it up and discussing it.

ped

[Captain Rumble]

It smacks of something underhanded or in a word Ebay

[stevebasshead]

*Gentle sigh* Life is easy, people make it complicated.

The only [b]rule [/b]that needs to be in place is "[b]Be honest [/b]in your dealings while making use of this website". I don't see that sellers can be under [b]any obligation [/b]to pander to the whims and vagaries of potential customers preferences for the format of an advert or the manner in which the seller wishes to conduct their sale. As Ped rightly says above, there's a divide of opinion expressed throughout this thread which pretty much precludes any further rules without coming down in favour of any one side or the other.

If anything all that's needed is a handy guide as to how to maximise your sale's exposure and minimise the more obvious queries from potential customers, but just that - a guide. Otherwise [i]every [/i]for sale posting will have to be examined by a Mod to ensure it has adhered to any rules (at this point I'll refer you, dear reader, to my first sentence in this posting )

If sellers want to limit their potential audience, [i]or simply prefer conducting their sale a particular way[/i], then us potential customers shouldn't be dictating how they go about it. Their likelihood of a sale and the final price will stand or fall by the seller's decision.

Edited September 9, 2009 by stevebasshead

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='cheddatom' post='593885' date='Sep 9 2009, 02:18 PM']having said all this, we're obviously coping with it OK so there's no need for any change.[/quote]

+1.

Mind you, I was going to sell a bass on here recently but I had no idea of it's value.

Rather than go the offers route, I just stuck it on eBay.

[Bassassin]

I think it's worth discussing - if for no other reason than it's becoming a talking-point - but I really don't think it's enough of an issue to require new regulations. No-one's getting ripped off & realistically it's only likely to be sellers who choose this method who will lose out.

J.