frustrated with 2nd hand buyers

[catchlights]

a few years ago,
I want sell off one of my AF-D lens,
after visual checking the lens is fine,
I put up an ad,

got a few responses,
I arrange to meet up with one of a buyer at place suggested by him,

this potential buyer after checking the lens,
pointed out a tiny fungus at one corner inside the lens,
I double check the lens, yes, I miss a spot,

He offer $100 discount for taking the lens,
I rejected the offer, I feel is my mistake to pass offer the lens as in good condition

I offer him I send the lens to Nikon for cleaning at my cost, but he will pay the price I advertised in my ad.
him can meet and pick up the lens at Nikon Service Center.

This buyer back out, that is fine with me.

I send the lens for cleaning, and put up for sale when I collected it back from Nikon.
The lens was remain the same offer price.

The same buyer text me, say interested to buy this lens from me, but since the lens already repair before, I should reduce the selling price, and also he is a uni student, already met up before, I should give him a better price instead.

He keep texting me, I just ignore him, finally I replied: Lens Sold.

 

[Oly5050]

Agree :thumbsup:

After a number of BnS deals, IMHO... Never feel happy over a series of confirmation calls/sms, when the money is still not in your pocket, funny things will still happen. As CS Tan had pointed out, let the buyer travels down to meet you (if you are selling). If you are kind enough to travel to meet potential buyer, don't complain if the deal is not sealed. Anyone has his/her own right not to buy sth, hehe... :devil:

Anyway, if you are selling sth at a price way below used market price, you can state first come first serve with details of place to meet and time.

Hear hear!!

 

[tomzcafe]

I was not frustrated until I felt cheated by the seller.

I have asked specifically about the shutter counts on the camera he was selling.
He replied me with a confirmation at XXX counts.

When the deal when through and I checked the shutter counts on the first image taken with the seller during the deal time, the EXIF file shows the the shutter counts is 3 times of what he stated.

I immediately informed the seller and he acknowledged.
While he offered me for a refund but he is now in hiding (with excuse of being in camp) and did not reply my sms anymore.

Checking further, he has actually tried to sell the camera earlier this year and stated the correct shutter counts. Apparently he got no response and therefore re-posted again recently with mis-stated number of the shutter counts.

This is when I felt I was cheated.

BTW, TS is not the seller.
But if the actual seller read this post, "Yes, I still want the refund that you have confirmed earlier"

 

[godaikyoko]

yeah... i saw a couple of deal at BnS... their price is even higher than new... low baller keep away? funny right?

And they stated "brand new" when you already using it for a week? oh .. come on... :dunno:

 

[boonsong]

The most conk up deal that I ever have selling a 1000D:

Buyer came over and sms me to deal at my BP, 550.
So I say fine, but shortly he say that he is buying for a friend and his friend back out or something, so now he offer only 500? Said that he is financially burdened... but I rejected.

Not long later, another guy contacted me and offer to buy at 550, meet at Orchard MRT. I did a background check on his contact number and..... tada.... he is the same person mentioned in the previous paragraph. Stupid me was desperate enough to meet him, giving him the benefit of the doubt.

What happened next was absolute nightmare.

After meeting at location, this guy dish out a pen light and start examining the exteriors for damage. This portion last a total of 10-15 minutes.

And then he started complaining that the wear and tear mark just above the lens mount (below the protruding portion where the "Canon" mark is stamped) is due to me dropping the lens. :bsmilie:

Again another 15 minutes have past

Most jialat of all, he put on his lens, switch to 28mm equivalent, put on manual mode, evaluative metering and then complain to me that the meter is "not steady" and the marker is jumping around when pointed to a busy staircase at Orchard MRT. :bsmilie:

:sweat: After 45 minutes, his pattern finally "come out":

"I afraid that Canon will not honor the warranty because you drop it. How about 500?"

I said no and he just walk off.

Seller wasted 20+ minutes travelling, 45+ minutes with an idiot, and another 20+ minutes back home in foul mood. This is why I feel that sellers should not travel out of his way to deal.

PS: Luckily the shutter went damaged and I was able to claim warranty repair for a new shutter assembly, and it was sold to a birder in a deal that last less than 10 minutes :thumbsup:

 

[Simon_84]

The same buyer text me, say interested to buy this lens from me, but since the lens already repair before, I should reduce the selling price, and also he is a uni student, already met up before, I should give him a better price instead.

He keep texting me, I just ignore him, finally I replied: Lens Sold.

uni student so what ?
i'm a bit sick of the student bulls*h*i*t, if no money to buy, might as well study hard for good grades next time can afford better equipment with a decent job.

so long as photography is just a hobby only, there is always next time in the future to develop this hobby.

 

[Simon_84]

T
Seller wasted 20+ minutes travelling, 45+ minutes with an idiot, and another 20+ minutes back home in foul mood. This is why I feel that sellers should not travel out of his way to deal.

next time deal at a place of your choice if you feel uncertain about a potential buyer, reduce the amount of time spent and cut the cost in traveling.

 

[ricleo]

uni student so what ?
i'm a bit sick of the student bulls*h*i*t, if no money to buy, might as well study hard for good grades next time can afford better equipment with a decent job.

hahahha very true!

we're not the smrt or some goverment agency who can afford to give "student concessionary prices"

 

[daredevil123]

I was not frustrated until I felt cheated by the seller.

I have asked specifically about the shutter counts on the camera he was selling.
He replied me with a confirmation at XXX counts.

When the deal when through and I checked the shutter counts on the first image taken with the seller during the deal time, the EXIF file shows the the shutter counts is 3 times of what he stated.

I immediately informed the seller and he acknowledged.
While he offered me for a refund but he is now in hiding (with excuse of being in camp) and did not reply my sms anymore.

Checking further, he has actually tried to sell the camera earlier this year and stated the correct shutter counts. Apparently he got no response and therefore re-posted again recently with mis-stated number of the shutter counts.

This is when I felt I was cheated.

BTW, TS is not the seller.
But if the actual seller read this post, "Yes, I still want the refund that you have confirmed earlier"

Always bring a laptop and a card reader to the place of the deal. Check on the spot before paying.

When I sold my D40x, a prosumer user was the buyer. He knew nuts about checking shutter counts and he also did not know how to check the camera and lens. I ran the entire checking process through with him. And did the shutter count check with a photo he shot himself at the spot with the laptop I brought along. Yes, the entire deal took around 30mins. But he walked away happy, and I walked away happy. And yes, I even gave him a quick run down on how to handle and use the camera.

Actually the camera was in very good shape with only 2000+ shutter count. The price must be good as I have 4 buyers in the waiting list. Even till this day I get calls and sms if the camera is still available when on the thread I already said it was sold. :think:

I've run into situations where I missed some spot of problem with the item I sold, and I also ran into people who are just nasty buyers. But one thing really helped me, is that I always set my base price and I give 3 deal locations for buyers to choose from (all convenient). That is how you sift out the buyers with real intent. Moral of the story is to be smart and also be flexible at times. Why? people do make mistakes sometimes, buyer or seller. We are all human. But do not rip people off, buying or selling.

And as for purchases on BnS I've only bought once. Paid the agreed price. Ended up TCSS for 30mins. It was a pleasant experience.

 

[andeelym]

Thanks for posting this. It was a fun read. There are indeed quite a number of funny buyers out there. But I have been quite fortunate in that those that I have transacted with are actually quite nice and reasonable people. Here are some of my more interesting experience :

1. The bargain-down-the-price-at-every-opportunity guy

This is the guy that will call you and ask for a lower price. U agree to a lowered price after some back and forth. At the meeting place, he will bargain on the price again to an even lower one even though he cannot find anything wrong with the item. These are the ones you gotta mark up your price. It appears that they are more interested in getting a successful bargain instead of looking at the price itself.


I guess that is why it can be tough in sales. And I can understand why salesman out there have to mark up their prices so much, to deal with people like that.

I have a friend who is such a person, I also cannot tahan him, I even suan him, cannot afford, then dun buy loh. But the thing is that he can afford, he just wanna sqeeze every drop of juice out.

I personally bought second hand items before, and I will buy at the agreed price. Usually I will only ask once, "can lower abit more?". If cannot, I wouldn't proceed to bargain and will pay for it and leave.

 

[gazkw]

im quite lucky i've done a lot of deals without much hassle...

although i am most annoyed with one particular buyer - keep telling me 'i'm a genuine buyer' but he keep trying to bid down the price. i thought to myself, if you're really genuine, you will just hit the price i already reduced to.

ask a whole lot of questions and every sms say he's genuine blah blah. in the end, he said he back out.

not so much frustrated that he backed out but annoying with his continued statements of saying he's genuine.

 

[redmonsoon]

AND THEN there are those 'BUYERS' who're actually out to make a quick buck immediately by reselling your gear..

Although its not 'wrong' per se, these 'professionals' are downright unethical.

Worse still if u gave them discounts for student or whatever reasons..:sticktong

I really hope this thread serves as a warning to potential buyer/sellers..

 

[azul123]

So many bad encounters... I considered damn lucky, so far always meet nice guys/gals buying my stuff, maybe I chin chai type.

../azul123

 

[hongsien]

So many bad encounters... I considered damn lucky, so far always meet nice guys/gals buying my stuff, maybe I chin chai type.

../azul123

Or your prices too low one :bsmilie::bsmilie::bsmilie:

 

[azul123]

Or your prices too low one :bsmilie::bsmilie::bsmilie:

Or they see me very fierce looking and straight away accept my price and dare not bargain. :sweatsm:

../azul123

 

[Valjean]

I've bought and sold a couple of items on CS (less than 10 only). So far everyone has been a gentlemen. Good prices and no dishonest dealing (e.g. hidden faults).

 

[stonefish35]

I think my friend's strategy is good. Fixed the transcation location near to his place's mrt. If the buyer is sincere, they will be willing to make the effort to travel.

This will weed out those pple just testing water. And if the buyer tries to lowball on the spot, then its a no deal for me. The person will just be wasting his time n $$.

Having said that, I once had a not so nice experience recently when trying to sell a bag that i seldom use. Buyer msg me, set up meetup near my place. End up buyer says feel bag padding not good enough for him, not big enough. I mean , isn't the buyer suppose to have done all the research on the item before arranging for a meetup ? Was supposed to head for a shoot after the meeting. End up, had to go home to put down the bag, as carrying an extra bag will hinder my shoot during the event. Lucky it was near my place. Still end up calling for a cab as I was running late for my appointment .

 

[tjana]

i've dealt both as a buyer and seller. the times i bought, no problem at all. items in the described condition, still functioning well till today. i thought the asking price also decent, so didn't bargain. all very quick deals.

recently i sold 2 items. 1 was no problem. the other item, wahpiang.. first wannabe buyer bargained, which was ok. then sounded very desperate (on sms), said he needed the item to replace the same that he borrowed from friend and lost. in the end i agreed to sell to him for a few dollars less than other potential buyers, cos a bit pitiful. after that discuss where to meet and when. guy say here cannot there cannot, oh i never been to that place, cannot too late etc etc. (never been to novena mrt?? puhleease...)

in the end we agreed to meet near my workplace during lunchtime... already bending over backwards cos my work not like can leave anyhow like that. after that 1 hour before agreed time, he say cannot, evening can? i said ok. then evening again said cannot, other day can? by this time i got quite irritated already, i mean c'mon man... so told him if on the agreed day still cannot then cancel. in the end... guess what... he asked yet to postpone. so i cancel lor.

moral of the story: if the buyer sounds like a kid, he probably is. don't deal with kids.

 

[sridhar94]

9817 7681 - Justerine

Extremely horrible buyer. Do not ever make deals with him. Made me enumerate everything in the box and said deal was on for today at 6, then suddenly cancel at 12 midnight. Very irritating.

 

[catchlights]

this is how I do now,

as seller, I provide as much details as possible in my WTS thread,
I only meet buyer at my place, at my convenient time.
I fixed my price, not too high, slightly lower than what I found from similar items which others also selling.
I don't reserve item for people, unless they willing to make a deposit
and those able to meet and deal early will get the item.

usually I sold the items within one or two days, some even only take a few hours.