Buying Etiquette on the Forum

[Number5]

Dear members.

A suggestion...

There are usually number of items on the forum for sale. Can I suggest that especially when a new 'For Sale' post appears that anyone intending to buy the item from the selling member, add's either 'PM Sent' or " I'll have that", etc to the thread.

An item recently came up for sale in the morning and nobody else had shown any interest in it, so I added "PM sent" and contacted the seller privately the same afternoon. That evening I was informed that the item had already been sold to another member. Naturally I was disappointed as I thought having been the first to reply on the thread, I would have first refusal and the item was "in the bag". Furthermore if I declined the item (once a query had been clarified), surely the next person showing interest on the thread could expect second dibs...

The seller and I have since had a couple of PM's and I fully understand the situation with no hard feelings. However, the seller was put in a difficult position, as it can easily appear that he's taken a better offer (i.e.over the advertised price), or sold to a more local member who'd collect, etc, etc. despite me being willing to pay advertised price.

Therefore, if everyone who is interested in the item for sale actually posts "PM Sent" or "Question sent" or "Offer made via PM" on the thread, it allows everyone to know if the item is still for sale and publicly clarifies where you may be in the queue, should the first person not want it.

Just good etiquette I think ?

 

[RoyE]

+1. I thought this happens but unfortunately, apparently not.

 

[srhutch]

I agree, this would stop those doubts about higher offers etc. even if the mods don't push it as buyers and sellers we can at least try ourselves by posting on the thread accordingly.

 

[andysat]

Similar happened to me a few years ago on here regarding a set of alloys, I sent many questions asking about the set-in my eyes I was the only one interested with first 'dibs'-asked how he wanted paying only to be told he had sold them.

 

[Number5]

I'm glad you guys are in agreement and it's not just me then !

 

[mr wilks]

I recently agreed a deal with a forum fella on a item in the FS section then silence for 3 days :? then told he had accepted a better offer , naughty i thought & the one & only time i have come across it on this forum but not worth naming & flaming :wink: just bad etiquette but it happen's

 

[cj10jeeper]

I can empathise with timing issues of emails, PM's, post to forum, etc., but very hard to regulate and in 99.9% of the time it works fine.

IMHO opinion it up to the seller to choose who he sells to at what price and which offer he considers first, best, most convenient, be it PM, email or thread post.

Once your into deposit paid or agreement to sell/buy then it's different.

To reduce issues I'd pm and post at the same time to cover all angles.

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[Number5]

I can empathise with timing issues of emails, PM's, post to forum, etc., but very hard to regulate and in 99.9% of the time it works fine.

IMHO opinion it up to the seller to choose who he sells to at what price and which offer he considers first, best, most convenient, be it PM, email or thread post.

I think thats fine if the seller invites offers, but if it's advertised at a fixed price and you're happy to pay postage, surely it's first come first served ?

To reduce issues I'd pm and post at the same time to cover all angles.

In this instance I did post on the thread and PM'd immediately !

I'm not trying to set rules, just encourage good etiquette !

 

[ekimj10]

I think we are all in total agreement, maybe even to elaborate on the 'PM sent' post, such as 'query sent', 'offer made' etc could be useful. As you say it works fine for the majority of the time.

 

[z4pilot]

I don't think it helps that sometimes the pm system doesn't work properly. Several times I've sent pm`s only for them to sit in the outbox and go nowhere. There doesn't seem to be anyway to force a send/receive to happen. Pretty frustrating for the prospective buyer and difficult for the seller to determine who pm`d first.

 

[pvr]

PM in outbox means the recipient has not opened them, so the fault so to speak is not in the system but at the receiver who is not logging in.

Bit odd when selling though.

 

[DPG]

Same happened to me with a rear bumper so agree with what you are saying about the PM sent reply.

Like Phil says, it's up to the seller who he sells to. Not a first come first served

There are some members on here that have tried renegotiate the price once they have agreed to buy so I'd much rather sell to someone I know is reliable even if they didn't pm me first.

 

[ekimj10]

Took me a while once to realise that my PM folder was full, thus not allowing me to read an incoming PM. Thought it was a system fault. No excuse really and a lesson learn't.

 

[mr wilks]

Agree the seller can choose who he sells to & should not feel compelled with taking the first contact but once a deal agreed even if no funds have been exchanged then there should be no shirking on either seller or buyers part :wink:

 

[sw4nny]

I don't think it helps that sometimes the pm system doesn't work properly. Several times I've sent pm`s only for them to sit in the outbox and go nowhere. There doesn't seem to be anyway to force a send/receive to happen. Pretty frustrating for the prospective buyer and difficult for the seller to determine who pm`d first.

This has happened to me too ,I thought the seller had ignored my pm ,however the pm never reached them.

 

[inkey$]

I don't think it helps that sometimes the pm system doesn't work properly. Several times I've sent pm`s only for them to sit in the outbox and go nowhere. There doesn't seem to be anyway to force a send/receive to happen. Pretty frustrating for the prospective buyer and difficult for the seller to determine who pm`d first.

This has happened to me too ,I thought the seller had ignored my pm ,however the pm never reached them.

Forum members should still receive an email saying they have a message waiting, even if they havent logged in.

 

[aquazi]

Well i think this makes sense...

I recently pm'd a seller on here a minute after he posted asking a question and said i would take it.

Someone else replied to the post a couple of hours with pm sent... Next i know the seller said it was sold.

No way the other guy pm'd before me... But i didnt reply to the post with PM sent.

Ultimately i should have and will in future... And will never buy/ sell to that particular forum member :evil:


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