Is this buyer being reasonable?

[Terence]

Many of you who follow my sales in the buy/sell threads will know that I always try to provide a level of transparency if I am carrying out an auction type sale. I usually put the buyer's name or id along with the bid as I update the sale thread. I find this helps keep everyone, who is interested in the sale, in the loop. Out of the whole of last year, I have had only 2 requests for anonymous bids. I respect the buyer's reason and have always done as requested.

I had a recent experience where a buyer emailed me his bid. There was no request for anonmynity so I updated the thread along with his first name. A day later, the same buyer emailed me to inform that he would like his bid cancelled as he was not aware that I was going to put up his name on the thread along with his bid. As I had put his name up "without informing him", he would now like to withdraw his interest in the item I was selling. Apparently his 3 letter first name is so unique that everyone would know it's him.

For any other reason, I would usually be happy to agree to the bid withdrawl. But I find this reason to be rather illogical. I accept bid cancellations willingly all the time, it's all part of the buying and selling process. I'm not sure if he changed his mind on the item and came up with this ridiculous reason or did he actually mean it?

Here's the item in question...

http://clubsnap.org/forums/showthread.php?t=109259

What do you think?

 

[jbma]

Personally I feel there is no harm in putting the bidder's name on the thread for the sake of transparency. What harm is there? The bidder should tell the seller that he would like to remain anonymous if he choose to.

BTW the link doesn't work.

 

[sykestang]

Well let me guess... the buyer be a regular seller in CS as well. And he must have multiple nicks in CS to do all this sales in which he would not like his first name to be make known as that other CS can regconise and trace him.

Frankly I still do not understand why one would need multiple nicks in CS. He must have some 'hanky panky' or 'mokey' intention behind and would afraid the he would be traced.

Believe you all know who I am right... I only stick to one nick and yes terrence, I understand how you feel cos the same thing does happen to me before. Just ignore them and 'blacklist' them the next time.

 

[Darren]

In all fairness, there is no mention in your thread that this is
a) an auction with bidding
b) that bidders names will be publicised

Although it may *your* standard mode of operation in an auction to release bidder details (albeit only first name), not everyone will be familiar (eg newbies) so definitely there is reason for the bidder to withdraw.

Is there any other reason why the bidder withdrew? Who knows....

It is definitely in yours (and everyone's) interest that EXACT procedures be spelt out in any sale/auction, whether the 1st or the 100th as this will leave NO room for ambiguity on the process.

 

[Terence]

Frankly I still do not understand why one would need multiple nicks in CS. He must have some 'hanky panky' or 'mokey' intention behind and would afraid the he would be traced.

The guy mentioned in his email that he was cancelling his bid because I listed his first name on the thread and he did not want to be known for acquiring Canon gear.

About the multiple. There was one time earlier this year when I registered a seperate nick with the intention of handling growing number of sales/buys with it. Oh my gosh, when I told buyers openly who I was they all accused me of hiding behind another nick instead of trading under my regular nick. Some people are just plain paranoid over the littlest of things.

 

[Terence]

In all fairness, there is no mention in your thread that this is
a) an auction with bidding
b) that bidders names will be publicised

Yep, I can buy that. I'd be listing that from now on. I used to list an extensive set of sale conditions in the past but I found that everything tends to get lost in the clutter. Guess I'd need to put the fine print back in.

And with regard to the bidding. I did mention that I was taking offers. An item with a RP is usually seen as an auction type sale.

 

[loupgarou]

Although it may *your* standard mode of operation in an auction to release bidder details (albeit only first name), not everyone will be familiar (eg newbies) so definitely there is reason for the bidder to withdraw.

Is there any other reason why the bidder withdrew? Who knows....

It is definitely in yours (and everyone's) interest that EXACT procedures be spelt out in any sale/auction, whether the 1st or the 100th as this will leave NO room for ambiguity on the process.

actually, this would be the exception, rather than the norm. so the onus is on the bidder to provide instructions and not the other way around. in fact, I dare say the norm is that anyone is free to do whatever they want with information that is publically acquired or freely given.

Its not like your name, your bid, the brand of toothpaste you use or the general vincinity of where you live or work is considered confidential information, if you want it to remain confidential, then you must be explicit in stating so.


--
For all you know, this guy could be buying and reselling and may already have a buyer somewhere else. so this "entrepot" trade of his could have been busted if his cost price (ie: his bid and his name) was known.


[official disclaimer: I reserve the right to do anything I choose with whatever information I so acquire from however the means]

how's that sound for a disclaimer then? ie: don't want people to know then don't do it at all

 

[philshots]

You are not alone with such experience; I know last min withdrawal is very disappointing. I once put up some RAM online for sale with condition well specified - price, length of use, brand, etc. I took for granted that those who responded were real buyers. But I was wrong. When I met them, after looking at my goods, they gave some excuses and ended up not buying. Well, that was the most ridiculous thing to me! We met up at a specified location and still it didn't work out ... isn't that a waste of my time and effort?

As much as I hate this kind of people, I'm afraid thats the risk you have to take - even if they provide you with number to cotact, it still does not mean it will be a definite sale.

 

[loupgarou]

We met up at a specified location and still it didn't work out ... isn't that a waste of my time and effort?

thus its advisable that buyer should meet at sellers convenience rather than other way around, unless its confirm sale with deposit in hand already.

 

[Terence]

[official disclaimer: I reserve the right to do anything I choose with whatever information I so acquire from however the means]

LOL :sweatsm: :thumbsup:

I'd put that up on my future threads and if any disputes arise, I'd ask the buyers to call you ya? Haha, funny...

 

[ndroo]

there is this headache sometimes when selling online. some will PM and not place their offer/bid in the thread, and some will want you not disclose his/her bid. all i can guess is, in case he/she wants to sell it off later, there will be some clowns going 'oh, so this is the ABC item you bought from Mr. X for $100. how come now selling $100 too?' ...

it's not easy but sometimes i like to gauge an interested buyer through their PM/SMS to me. then if all goes well, i'd rather sell it to him/her, even if there is another offer of a better price coming in after that.

so far i've not had any problem with any buyer except for once case where the buyer called and asked for a refund, an hour later ... reasong being 'this is not the color of the bag i want' ... :bigeyes: :sweat:

 

[Terence]

As much as I hate this kind of people, I'm afraid thats the risk you have to take - even if they provide you with number to cotact, it still does not mean it will be a definite sale.

I understand there are all sorts of risk involved with the buying/selling process and I gladly accept them. Sales are never final until the dough switches hands. I always try to describe my items as accurately as I can to avoid any misunderstandings and I always oblige requests for photos of the items. I've had a few instances where some fault were found only upon inspection of the item and I gladly let the buyer decide how to proceed... either to cancel the sale, buy at a reduced price or any other mutually agreeable solution.

 

[rncw]

if the buyer wish to remain anonymous, the buyer should inform.

even after bidding, the buyer has the rights to cancel the bid (for whatever reasons)

 

[nightwolf75]

so far i've not had any problem with any buyer except for once case where the buyer called and asked for a refund, an hour later ... reasong being 'this is not the color of the bag i want' ... :bigeyes: :sweat:

heehee... i once swapped my 28-135mm IS USM lens with another CSer for a tamron 28-70mm. 1 hr later, he called back asking for his lens becos he claimed my lens cannot focus properly and got weird mechanical noises... ermm... its an IS lens, like there are gyros inside?? anyway, i swap back and sold it to my fren without any complaints from him. heck, i shot the entire photomarathon last yr with the lens, and my fren for the entire red cross anniversary dinner after dat. all pics turn out good. my fren even had his published. go figure...

i can vouch for terence's items and honesty in dealing. he's one guy i know who dun pull a fast one. cool lah, terence. i'm sure there are other admirers of ur 300mm. :lovegrin:

 

[eng_keow]

Juz to add to the discussion, I thot that I will bring up the other side of the coin. I have incidentally bought a couple of things from Terence and I agree that he is above board in his dealings and if he says that his equipments is MINT, it is mint. :thumbsup:

As a buyer, I would like to get the best for my money. Though a person has a good reputation, I would still like to see how much my dollar can stretch. That is not being cheapskate, I hope. As there are sometimes the same equipment on sale for about the same price, I would like to compare the 2 before I let go of my money which is quite a sum sometimes. I dont mind going to the appointed place to view the equipment first so as not to inconvenience the seller. Even when you buy equipment first hand, dont you shop around a few shops to get the best price/deal before you purchase? Do you think that this is reasonable?

 

[sehsuan]

retracting a bid just because a user's nickname was revealed, sounds really silly to me.

but heck, there are people all over the world who make the funniest reasons and excuses.