Why post items for sale ?

james hitchcock

james hitchcock

Well-known member
Is it just me ? I find members posting items for sale and then when I inquire about said item I never receive a response. Why even post these items ? This has happened to me more than once. Am I the only one ?
 
Maybe it is a Ford Barn thing, I've done all right moving parts on the HAMB, maybe that is were the money is. Bob
 
This is not the first of even the second time this has come up about items for sale and no response to a perspective buyer.
 
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I haven't had any trouble with sellers responding, but I have had zero luck trying to sell anything. Maybe my prices are too high, or guys are just looking for a bargain, or when they figure in shipping the price is too high. :confused::confused::confused:
 
I've studied this phenomenon for a while and these are my conclusions:

1. 5% of the email responses never arrive at the other end; they get automatically deleted by over-aggressive spam filters. (So the seller doesn't know you responded to their ad.)

2. 5% of the email responses from the seller to the buyer get automatically deleted by over-aggressive spam filters. (So the seller is responding, but you never see his email.)

3. 10% of the people over 60 never check their email. Ever. They just don't live on email like young people do, and some have never actually checked their inbox.

4. 50% of people over 60 don't know how to respond to an email. This is no joke; many older people do not know what the 'Reply' button is for. They have never actually used it.

5. 25% of the people who receive emails do not believe a response is required. They may read your email, but not feel obligated to respond. Oh, that was nice... delete. It's not like a ringing phone that demands to be answered.

6. 95% of all email users do not delete old emails from their inbox. Inboxes gets so overloaded that users can no longer read or respond to every message.

7. 75% of the emails received are spam. If you get 20 -100 per day, you lose the determination to weed them out. People stop reading after the first 20 spams.

8. Oh yeah... one more. 25% of all forum users do not know what PM's are. They have never checked their private messages.

It's a miracle any business is transacted by email. Go old-school and make a phone call instead.
 
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NewShirt - Ray, you sure do have it down ! I appreciate your taking the time to better 'spell it out'. As an 'Old Timer' (72) I can relate very comfortably with your assessment.
 
HA HA HA Ray, I prefer emails to morons phoning me any hour of the day,,,,,when I am working or when I am drinking or when I am driving.

Emails can be responded to and answered anytime,

I detest ringing someone expecting a talk to person instant and having a machine answer and have to wait whenever they f##ing like to ring me back when it suits them or not..
 
More like 99% of emails are deleted by over aggressive spam filters (i have never sent a successful email) & the rest go unanswered because sold, not sure how to or paranoid "Why are they emailing me? What do they want from me? & why is their english weird with no punctuation" *unplugs the computer in case they watch you through the screen*.
 
I think it's just people's person choose. I'm hoping all the Barners motorvation are upright but people just seem to be very busy leaving behind the basics. I'm very thankful for the hand full of barners I've had dealing with that are just down rigth cool cats.
 
I feel it also boils down to common courtesy. It doesn't take that much effort if you're a seller to reply "sold" or as a buyer to say "I'm not interested any more". The internet can be "impersonal" and many take advantage of that fact.
 
I have had very good success with the Barn and response.
Guess I must be on a different site.............
 
I have seen a LOT of people responding to ads that are several years old and expecting a response. Granted the seller should have marked the items and sold but a little common sense goes a long way.
 
It happens everywhere......I get very frustrated with people posting on Craigslist and then going on vacation for a week. Or posting an ad on Friday and then leaving town for the weekend.
 
Well I certainly don't take time to answer an email offering half of what I am listing an item for……..
 
Just offer several ways to respond. I use PM, email, ph number. If I get no responses at all, not worth selling here (or anywhere else). Also, the one missed 'reason' from the above list IMO. There's been a developing trend in both online ads and at swap meets. Things are for sale because the seller is dead fu**in broke and truly needs the money so he's fair game for insulting lowball offers. It's been said to me in person, "Well, you need the money, right?" "Go **** yourself, NOT for sale now." is the answer.

All buyers? No, and we've actually done OK lately, but it's still out there. Sellers not responding? Not good business acumen. You're looking for that 1 person who needs what you have, but how do plan to reach them if you don't respond? When I don't get a response I move on, keep looking. Simple...
 
I try to respond to all of PM's sent about advertized parts for sale. That being said, over time I have missed afew here and there. My biggest thing is sending a PM to prople that have stuff they want and never hearing back only to see them ask again in a few days. Never have figured that one out. Rod
 
I recently listed a bunch of 33-34 parts ,my prices were too cheap and was over run with the jerks trying to buy all of the pieces so they can resell them for profit , I only responded to the guys trying to buy a part for projects they are working on.I still have a lot of parts but am reluctant to advertise because of all the vultures . the same guys with the flashlights crawling allover your truck while in line at the Swaps.
 
Im with James on this one.... I have sent PMs to sellers telling them I would take the item only to have no response at all. Neither seller posted an email address or phone #. Low ball offers are a way of life in the auto and parts biz and I think the seller should make an effort to respond especially if the buyer is accepting the sellers price.
 
You could say the same thing about newpaper ads. I call, leave a message and they never call back. If they do, I'm either 1) in the bathroom 2) eating my dinner. It's just a huge interuption. I love corresponding by email or internet forum PM's. I can check it when I want and send messsages when I want without disturbing anyone.

Also pictures speak a thousand words. How many times has a item been described as "nice" You get to the guys place and it's half burried out in the woods. I love to get pictures first to see if it's even worth while going to look at the item.

I sell most of my stuff on ebay with a paypal account. It's a little expensive, but I get my money right away and ship the item to the guy. No waiting around for him to show up, backing out of the deal and other misc BS.

I still do like shoping at flea markets, but have not set up at one in a long time, mainly due to the time involved.
 
Besides posting here on the forum, doing house work and playing with my model A's and parts, I never look at the mail. Deb sometimes looks at the mail but i'm too busy with other stuff. I figure if someone wants to get up with me, concering model A's or parts they send me a PM . I usually answer when I see the private message flashing at the upper right corner of the page. When I look at the swap site I see that a lot of the good people now post sold when the advertised item is sold. I think posting sold is a good thing and will save both parties time by not having to answer a bunch of Emails saying that the item is sold.
 
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