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How long to wait for 'buyer' before moving on to next offer?


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Hi, 

 

Just wondering how long you should wait on a buyer for an item you are selling in the classifieds?  

 

Friday night a price was agreed and a time to pick up agreed 'around midday' Saturday.  

 

I wrote a message on Saturday morning with address and mobile number then....silence.  

 

I can see that the person was online on SNA Saturday morning at about 10am, but they hadn't read my message and another follow up message until about midnight last night ( 10 hours ago ) but didn't reply.

 

I know sometimes life can get busy and there are other priorities besides hi fi, so would hate to take up another offer only for the original buyer to come back with legitimate reasons for not contacting me.   

 

How long do you have to wait until you can move on with a clear conscience?  Any guidelines to this?  I imagine it would happen a fair bit.  Person agrees and then sleeps on it and changes mind, or something better comes along.  Funds needed for emergency - who knows???

 

Thanks. 

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Not long. People often have multiple negotiations at the same time in order make their preferred selection.

It works the same as applying for a job - they pick their preferred candidate but dont give resposnes to others until primary has confirmed! 

Id just send them a final message saying you are moving on and proceed forward

 

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9 minutes ago, Sime said:

First to pay imo. 

Yeah, I agree.  Money talks.  But what about in this instance...( not what has happened to me just curious about what people would do )...

 

Say you agree a price on Friday and the buyer agrees to pick up Sunday ( his first chance to be able to ).   

 

On Saturday you have a guy offer the same money and a pick up Saturday.  

 

Do you stick by the original agreement or take the new deal?

 

 

Edited by Somethingclever
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If they are serious, most people pay instantly, or at least in the same day.  If this hasn’t happened, I would message them once ( just in case they are old like me and their memory is crap ).  Then move on to the next offer 

 

imho

 

cheers

 

Bill  

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Goodaye all

 

We have had medical disasters in the family before so l tend to give people a day or so.

But in saying that it is common coutesy to let people know you are still interested but have been delayed.

 

l was buying car parts from the US years ago, couldnt get in contact for a few weeks.

Got a email from his son saying he died, money hadnt been paid so just said my condolenses.

Said when they had things soughted l was still interested in the parts.

 

regards Bruce

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well you offered an item for sale

it was accepted and conditions were agreed on (amount, pick up sat mid day)

mid day came and nothing

contract to sell at that price to that person is now void

 

sell to another person as the buyer wasted your time.

 

if buyer comes back price negotiated before is void.. needs to negotiate a new price unless you accept his no show. if so give him 24 hours  to pick up/pay. if no show give a negative rating.

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2 minutes ago, Stump said:

Use your phone to talk with the buyer..

 

Talk to someone on a mobile phone, Stump!!??  :o

 

This is not the 90s, man - you need to get with it!  :lol:

 

Mobiles today are used for messaging - and social media - synchronous comms (ie. talking) is so old hat.

 

Andy

 

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As the seller, you have the call on whom you sell to. You have given the buyer the courtesy of waiting beyond the agreed time. Buyer has been rude in not following through (and I suspect not a regular member here?). Time to move to next person...

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27 minutes ago, andyr said:

 

Talk to someone on a mobile phone, Stump!!??  :o

 

This is not the 90s, man - you need to get with it!  :lol:

 

Mobiles today are used for messaging - and social media - synchronous comms (ie. talking) is so old hat.

 

Andy

 

It works for me to cut out the scammers and loser time wasters..

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48 minutes ago, Snoopy8 said:

As the seller, you have the call on whom you sell to. You have given the buyer the courtesy of waiting beyond the agreed time. Buyer has been rude in not following through (and I suspect not a regular member here?). Time to move to next person...

Agreed. The decision is yours and yours only.

I made an offer (via SNA) to purchase an item some time ago and didn't check my messages until I got home from work. The buyer had moved on. SOLD!

On another occasion (also on SNA) I agreed to the sellers price and did not hear from them again.

 

If it was me (as the seller), I'd organise a contingency customer and allow the original purchase offer a day or two to reply or get through their crisis (or explain, at least). If you can contact by phone, then that will expedite the process (being respectful that this is NOT the 90s).

Advise the contingency customer that they are next reserve, and you will have an answer for them in X hours/days etc.

 

Try to be polite to all parties. Me, I never sell anything!

 

(self note: reply to the person whose equipment that I offered to audition)

Edited by Uncle Seth
self note added, for completeness, spelling too
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At the point they didn’t show up and had been online since the message asking why, I’d be writing something like this:

 

“As I haven’t heard from you, I’m going to open the product back up for sale. If you still want it, just let me know.”

 

And then relist/open up to second in line.

 

S*** happens in life, but a message can be writing in under a minute if life’s gone to hell...

Edited by furtherpale
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I'd like to think as a purchaser once an agreement has been made it will be kept.  I think it is reasonable to give some leeway for circumstances to delay.  I would be upset if an agreement was voided and I missed out because the seller didn't have patience. 

 

It think several days grace at a minimum, after a week and no response to messages then you could accept other offers.  And send the original purchaser notification that due to no contact in over a week you have moved on.  As a seller also collect a list of backup buyers that you can call on.  I've been a genuine buyer for several items, but only as a backup if the original sale didn't go through because I didn't get in early enough.  The sellers have always responded that they will keep me in mind, and have let me know when the sale concluded with someone else.  Good customer service.

 

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8 minutes ago, audiofeline said:

I'd like to think as a purchaser once an agreement has been made it will be kept.  I think it is reasonable to give some leeway for circumstances to delay.  I would be upset if an agreement was voided and I missed out because the seller didn't have patience. 

 

It think several days grace at a minimum, after a week and no response to messages then you could accept other offers.  And send the original purchaser notification that due to no contact in over a week you have moved on.  As a seller also collect a list of backup buyers that you can call on.  I've been a genuine buyer for several items, but only as a backup if the original sale didn't go through because I didn't get in early enough.  The sellers have always responded that they will keep me in mind, and have let me know when the sale concluded with someone else.  Good customer service.

 


You’re a more patient/generous man than me! If someone says they will buy something from me and then ceases all communication entirely, and I have other interested buyers, they’ll get polite follow-up messages and a few days leeway at the maximum from me. I’ve lost too many sales due to inconsiderate time wasters!

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2 hours ago, Somethingclever said:

Buyer came back to me this morning and had a family emergency and will no longer be purchasing. All good, onto the next offer!

Family emergency yet found the time to be on SNA and NOT reply to you? Don’t waste any more time on them.

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As a frequent buyer/seller here at SNA, I've always been upfront when I'll make payment. When terms have been agreed upon, I'll consider it bought/sold. 

 

I have only been guzumped once after terms were agreed upon, my replay was "not cool man" and moved on. 

 

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I once sold a minty pair of speakers to someone here for a very good price and it took him nearly 12 months of paying me in dribs and drabs of a couple of hundred bucks a month It wasn't until I threatened to buy them back for what he had paid so far that the remaining amount was paid...... Yes, I have mug tattooed on my forehead.

  Cash talks. Glad it's all sorted for you. 

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Guest Muon N'
2 minutes ago, TOPSHELF said:

I once sold a minty pair of speakers to someone here for a very good price and it took him nearly 12 months of paying me in dribs and drabs of a couple of hundred bucks a month It wasn't until I threatened to buy them back for what he had paid so far that the remaining amount was paid...... Yes, I have mug tattooed on my forehead.

  Cash talks. Glad it's all sorted for you. 

That just sux, had a buyer do that with some furniture once, boy dose it get old fast!

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1 minute ago, Muon N' said:

That just sux, had a buyer do that with some furniture once, boy dose it get old fast!

To be honest it was a burgeoning relationship with a like minded audio enthusiast, not speaking to him any more is just as sad......

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