How do sellers operate on clubsnap? i feel so cheated...


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hotchoco1ate

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Jan 27, 2010
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Ive been buying a few items from Csers the last few weeks and i realised something. currently i was advertising on buying item A.
this one guy pm me and tell me about the price. i tried to lower it and he agreed saying i was keen. However this lowered price wasnt the sellers original intended price.

i wanted to deal there and then and offered to drive from the east to the west to get the item from him on the spot cos it was urgent. Unfortunately he said that the item A wasnt with him at the time.

So i told him its okay tell me when u get the item. Then after about 4 hours he sms me saying that someone offer him a higher price via email.

i mean if he advertised he was selling and i offered a lower price than he intended maybe doing that was right.

but we agreed on the lower price already but he continues to find a buyer that offers him higher.

is that a right thing to do here on CS or am i just being sour he got a better deal than i gave him?

thanks for ur time =D

PS: partly i wanted to deal there and then is because i somehow was afraid something like that will happen...
 

Ive been buying a few items from Csers the last few weeks and i realised something. currently i was advertising on buying item A.
this one guy pm me and tell me about the price. i tried to lower it and he agreed saying i was keen. However this lowered price wasnt the sellers original intended price.

i wanted to deal there and then and offered to drive from the east to the west to get the item from him on the spot cos it was urgent. Unfortunately he said that the item A wasnt with him at the time.

So i told him its okay tell me when u get the item. Then after about 4 hours he sms me saying that someone offer him a higher price via email.

i mean if he advertised he was selling and i offered a lower price than he intended maybe doing that was right.

but we agreed on the lower price already but he continues to find a buyer that offers him higher.

is that a right thing to do here on CS or am i just being sour he got a better deal than i gave him?

thanks for ur time =D

PS: partly i wanted to deal there and then is because i somehow was afraid something like that will happen...

its very normal and he didn't do anything wrong. i would have done the same thing. important thing is that he told you in within a relative short period of time and not jerk you around.
 

It's up to the honor of the seller. This has nothing to do with CS.
 

its very normal and he didn't do anything wrong. i would have done the same thing. important thing is that he told you in within a relative short period of time and not jerk you around.

That's horrible. He gave his word, a verbal agreement (or written if via SMS) then backed out. It shows poor character and low integrity on the part of the seller.
 

personal words and their worth. u are worth as much as your own words.
 

i don't see anything wrong. The seller is not looking for quick sale and he does not have the item with him. Did he mention anything about reserving the lens for you?

what i normally do is to reply "please reserve the XXX for me, thanks" after exchanging a few sms.
 

I have experienced this before.

There are sure some rotten eggs around.

Anyway, just avoid them in future.
 

It doesn't sound like there was any intention to deceive.

He received a higher offer and went for it. That said, some sellers do believe more in the first come, first served priciple and would have sold you the item, regardless of what another (later) buyer offered for it.
 

Ive been buying a few items from Csers the last few weeks and i realised something. currently i was advertising on buying item A.
this one guy pm me and tell me about the price. i tried to lower it and he agreed saying i was keen. However this lowered price wasnt the sellers original intended price.

i wanted to deal there and then and offered to drive from the east to the west to get the item from him on the spot cos it was urgent. Unfortunately he said that the item A wasnt with him at the time.

So i told him its okay tell me when u get the item. Then after about 4 hours he sms me saying that someone offer him a higher price via email.

i mean if he advertised he was selling and i offered a lower price than he intended maybe doing that was right.

but we agreed on the lower price already but he continues to find a buyer that offers him higher.

is that a right thing to do here on CS or am i just being sour he got a better deal than i gave him?

thanks for ur time =D

PS: partly i wanted to deal there and then is because i somehow was afraid something like that will happen...

depend how he advertise... i always state very clearly first cash first sell... no reserve, no promise.. come pick up first with the cash get the deals... discuss further no meaning... :p
and so far so good i get cash fast even abit lower amt...
 

My opinion is there is no clear right or wrong here. The seller could have done better by telling you that he doesn't have the item and will arrange with you again, but clarify that if in the meantime someone comes in with higher bid he will let you know. So it depends on what exactly he agreed with you. Looking on the bright side he was at least honest and gives you a chance to up your offer in case you have a real urgent need and am willing to pay for it. One way to turn you down was to tell you "Oops i dropped the item and spoiled it, would you still like to buy it?", and you would be the one canceling the order.

Think of the converse, if in the time that you are waiting for the seller to confirm, someone else comes in selling the same item (same condition etc) at 10% of the price. Most buyers will in this case inform the seller of this price change, and if he cannot match that, buy from the other guy. Somehow it doesn't sound too wrong to do this too, for at least you give him enough notice about this. Of course, unless he is already on his way traveling from west to east to pick up or deliver the item due to your request, then it would not be nice.

In the end i feel most of us act in our best interest without intent to cheat or play people out. Even if you buy a first hand item from the shops and make an order beforehand, they can still sometimes renegaded on the arrangement if someone comes in with urgent need and a much better offer, if they feel the price of dissatisfying one customer is worth it.

Ultimately, the item is not yours until you have paid for it and have it in your hands. It helps to have the right expectations when dealing in the BnS. :)
 

We all cannot judge who is right or wrong in this case unless we have both sides of the story. But the thing is, this is such a small matter really. It is not as much "cheating" as you insinuated since you never lose money on the deal, just wasted a little time in smsing.

Also in the end, in this kind of BnS, 2nd hand open market. It is usually when money exchange hands then the deal is sealed. Even if you meet the seller and see the thing, you still can also say the thing is not up to your expectation and walk away without buying. No sure deal for either party.

My advice? MOVE ON.
 

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/shrug.

Depends on how you look at it really. For me it hinges on two main questions:

[1] Did he lie about not having the lens with him (implying that he lied about wanting to trade with you)?

[2] Did he place a new ad or make a new effort to sell his lens in the time between meeting you, and finding a higher bid?

If the answer to both is no, then I feel it's fair enough, if not necessarily particularly "honourable". Imagine yourself in the shoes of the seller if the answer to both those questions is no:

I meet with the buyer. In good faith I agree to a lower price than what I was looking for, but I genuinely do not have the lens to trade now. Three hours later someone else contacts me from my original ad, and says he'll take the lens for a higher price... I haven't tried to make more money, but it's been offered, and theoretically the lens is still available. Kind of.

Having said that, I have done the "honourable" thing before myself, so... shrug. I tried to sell my SB-80DX on CS here in late November, and probably put too low a value on it. Within an hour I had about four requests to view the flash, and I told the people who responded 2, 3 and 4 that someone had already asked to view the flash. Someone then offered me *more* than what I was asking for, but I said, I've already set up a viewing for the first guy, but if he doesn't take it then you're next in line. In the end the first guy happily paid my asking price, and I didn't even try to say, someone's offered me more would you be willing to match that? In my case I guess a sale hadn't even been agreed, merely a viewing appointment set up.

I guess at the end of the it's down to the individual. There are far worse things happening all the time I expect.
 

The main reason why members are turning to the B&S to buy is either to save some money (or to get a good deal) OR to buy something that is hard to find.

The reasons for members selling their items here are either to get rid of the items or to cut losses to the minimum.

Sometimes one can get very good deal from such deals because some sellers are very generous and "gentleman" but there are times when either the buyer OR the seller, a few dollars difference are important and as such they "behave" strangely.

As long as one can understand such things are happening here, one will not be complaining about any deal, as it is always a willing buyer/willing seller contract.

As long as money and goods are not transacted, it is not a done deal.
You win some, you lose some :dunno: No need to complain.
 

its very normal and he didn't do anything wrong. i would have done the same thing. important thing is that he told you in within a relative short period of time and not jerk you around.
yes it is very common and YES he did something wrong... but then this is sg, people dont honour the word
 

That's horrible. He gave his word, a verbal agreement (or written if via SMS) then backed out. It shows poor character and low integrity on the part of the seller.

the problem is the seller already agreed with the lower price that he offered.

Agree = Deal.

that's ok. One simple item could show his personality. worth it. and he will do the same thing in the future and feel nothing wrong with it.
 

It's up to the honor of the seller. This has nothing to do with CS.


Totally agree....

The problem is with the seller.... CS is mainly the place where Buyer & Seller make their deal.
 

To TS, sorry about your plight, but the fact is, douchebags are everywhere, not just CS!

Make note of the douchebag, and if you feel like sharing, let us know has CS nick, and move on. Nothing you can do here.

Like many have said, it's up to the individual whether the person wants to act like a douchebag. Sad but true, there are many people out there who would happily act like a pr!ck for $10 more, just imagine what they'd do for $100 more (bend over?)

Be at peace, move on, and I'm sure the same item will come back floating on BnS.
 

Indeed it's not correct after the agreement. But, is the buyer confirm on buying without viewing? What if the buyer backout after viewing? The seller usually will maximise it chance to sell and earn more.

It's good for the seller to inform buyer early, rather than fly the buyer kite.
 

There are both buyers and sellers who do things like this... nothing to do with CS. Some sellers back out because someone offered them a higher price. Some buyers back out because they found the same thing at a lower price. There are a lot of stories about such things...

However, remember not do do to others what you do not like others to do to you. My belief is that a person's word is binding, and to the extent the person keeps his word shows the character of the person.

Recently, my fren was selling a bag to a young gentleman. When we met him, he said that he was going to buy 2 of the same bags but different colors because when he PM the 2 sellers that he agreed on their price, the 2 sellers replied him at the same time, so he decided to keep his word and buy both... now this is rare nowadays... and kudos to him :thumbsup:

When you B&S long enough, you would meet all kinds of people. After awhile, you just let the bad experiences go, and make friends with those you find have integrity in their dealings. ;)
 

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