Pet Peeves - Things Sellers Say in Ads

[Nailer]

Here are mine. What are yours?

Problem with item, but easy to fix. I wonder if it's so easy to fix why the seller doesn't fix it.

Rare item, but there are other identical items for sale on the same site at the same time.

Dirty components, often accompanied with "please forgive dust." Why not take a few minutes and clean it?

Out-of-focus pictures and pictures that are so poorly lit you can not really see the component. Doesn't the seller look at the pictures before/after posting?

[Johncan]

Problem with item, but easy to fix. I wonder if it's so easy to fix why the seller doesn't fix it.

Because because they don't have the time or the energy.

[MAXZ28]

no local pickup bites...

[MarkNJ]

I actually just thought about the RARE thing yesterday, looking at some sx-1250's on a certain auction site.. There are 3 listed right now! How is that rare?!

Also, I agree about the local pick-up thing. I try to filter my searches to stuff in my general area. What's the use if they insist on shipping (read:damaging)?

[Retro Stereo]

My biggest pet peave would be:

"NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SHIPPING DAMAGE"

Well if the seller isn't, who the hell is???

So they toss a beautiful 50 pound stereo receiver into a thin, well used, old cardboard box with a few peanuts and then say: "NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SHIPPING DAMAGE"

Guess what, I've NEVER bought anything from someone who makes that statement, and it seems a good 25% actually say that! :no:



Retro

[dc270]

Not telling you that they will maybe ship in a week or so AFTER receiving your $$$- that just happened to me (again). I bought these bookshelf speakers Monday, paid promptly for them, waited a couple days and got no reply about the shipping- finally they tell me that they will be shipped NEXT Monday!!! WTF is that all about?
Then if I berate them on feed back I am slammed for be impatients or something....
Sorry to vent, but I really am pissed about kind of that crap.
DC

[SA-708]

People who don't bother to get the description right. I just saw a listing for "S ARM DIRECT DRIVE DJ TURNTABLE WITH HEADSHELL NIB" with a photo that clearly shows a straight arm.

And WTF is "MINTY"? It's either mint or it isn't; minty means it smells or tastes like peppermint or spearmint.

[TWantiques]

"Good condition for its age."

What does that tell a prospective buyer? Nothing IMO.

Terry

[meggy]

In reference to LP's: The ad tiltle contains "OP" or the year of the OP, then buried in the description is "this is a re-release of the OP", or something equally as idiotic.

[riverrat]

"Powers up no further testing done."

[bordeno]

People who don't bother to get the description right. I just saw a listing for "S ARM DIRECT DRIVE DJ TURNTABLE WITH HEADSHELL NIB" with a photo that clearly shows a straight arm.

And WTF is "MINTY"? It's either mint or it isn't; minty means it smells or tastes like peppermint or spearmint.


"Minty" is my favorite. What a joke. And the word "mint" is seldom used correctly, as it means new and unopened in box.

In stamps and coins, "mint" means untouched by human hands, in the condition as when first issued.

Not with vintage stereos, it seems.

[bordeno]

I'm sure the techs around here will chuckle at the likes of ...

"a couple of the lights are out, but that's an easy fix!"

:no:

[Nailer]

Most don't use mint right either. If something is mint it's like new, at least that's what my dictionary says.

[Retro Stereo]

Not telling you that they will maybe ship in a week or so AFTER receiving your $$$- that just happened to me (again). I bought these bookshelf speakers Monday, paid promptly for them, waited a couple days and got no reply about the shipping- finally they tell me that they will be shipped NEXT Monday!!! WTF is that all about?
Then if I berate them on feed back I am slammed for be impatients or something....
Sorry to vent, but I really am pissed about kind of that crap.
DC

Oh yeah, that reminds me, I just won an auction where the guy offers USPS priority, or, regular snail mail for $4 less. I opt for the priority and my package shows up a full two weeks after my PayPal payment via FedEx!!!

Talk about your WTF!!!





Retro

[hammr7]

Not telling you that they will maybe ship in a week or so AFTER receiving your $$$- that just happened to me (again). I bought these bookshelf speakers Monday, paid promptly for them, waited a couple days and got no reply about the shipping- finally they tell me that they will be shipped NEXT Monday!!! WTF is that all about?
Then if I berate them on feed back I am slammed for be impatients or something....
Sorry to vent, but I really am pissed about kind of that crap.
DC

I agree completely with this one.

Its one thing to wait a few weeks on a really cheap sale where you know the seller is making nothing (you win 3 lbs of schematics for a buck, and the seller charges you exact media mail postage). But when you pay bigger bucks and get strung out for weeks or more, thats a totally different story.

I'm in that mode now, where after almost three weeks I can't even get a response out of the guy. His new feedback (since I paid) says he packs well but ships slow. But he's only 100 miles away. Even parcel post should only take 2 days. I'm trying to be a good guy, but if he won't even be polite enough to let me know what is going on I'll start the Paypal complaint process soon.

[Snade]

I've seen "stereo" misspelled several times in the subject of CL postings.

Creates some doubts.

[philcib]

Doesn't the seller look at the pictures before/after posting?


A clear picture would probably reveal problems, and then he can't scam you.

[SpeakerLabFan]

All of the above plus:

No picture, brand or model information - just something like "house speakers"

[BrassTeacher]

I'm sure the techs around here will chuckle at the likes of ...

"a couple of the lights are out, but that's an easy fix!"

:no:

Especially in vintage B&O equipment. Not always fun in old McIntosh or Marantz gear either . . .

[BrassTeacher]

"Minty" is my favorite. What a joke. And the word "mint" is seldom used correctly, as it means new and unopened in box.

In stamps and coins, "mint" means untouched by human hands, in the condition as when first issued.

Not with vintage stereos, it seems.

If I see the word "Minty", I automatically ignore it, no matter how much I would be otherwise interested! :D

[BrassTeacher]

My biggest pet peave would be:

"NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SHIPPING DAMAGE"

Well if the seller isn't, who the hell is???

So they toss a beautiful 50 pound stereo receiver into a thin, well used, old cardboard box with a few peanuts and then say: "NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SHIPPING DAMAGE"

Guess what, I've NEVER bought anything from someone who makes that statement, and it seems a good 25% actually say that! :no:



Retro

On the other hand, there was a pair of Magnepan MG IIIa speakers I had listed once, and listed as "local pickup only". Some guy across the country BEGS me to let him bid on them, and against my better judgement I did. I did make him agree first that if anything happened in shipping, he would have to deal with it.

He wins, I take them to UPS, and have UPS pack them, with instructions given by me. Somebody really mishandled the things on their trip, and broke a few wire bondings loose, and of course the tweeters were trashed.

He wanted to complain a bit about it, but I reminded him of our agreement, and gave him the phone # of the UPS store that did the packing. Luckily he lived close enough to Magneplanar that he could drive them there and have them refurbished.

from now on, things I sell are packed "Gorilla-proof". :D

[MAXZ28]

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/minty:D

[brutal]

It simply has to be,

"(speaker) domes are pushed in - does not affect sound at all."

I've seen some really trashed cone tweeters and MF and LF drivers with torn cones using the same description.

Arrgghh...

[similost]

"These bad boys go crazy loud!"

...when they are BPC speakers....

[Scuzzer]

My biggest pet peave would be:

"NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SHIPPING DAMAGE"

Well if the seller isn't, who the hell is???


I kind of like it when they put that in an ad. It just screams "I'm an idiot and I don't know what I'm doing". Any purchase using paypal automatically gives you protection against shipping damage whether insurance was purchased or not. Also, the buyer is never responsible for insurance, so if it's optional you don't have to buy it.

[Tripqzon]

Probably my biggest pet peeve is people that have poor communication skills.

I don't know how many times I've sold to or purchased from someone and it's like they suddenly dropped off they face of the earth. WTF!!

[jhal]

"Burning smell when turned on, otherwise works perfect!!"

:lmao::lmao::lmao: Actually saw that today on CL (for a vacuum).

[xoaphexox]

I sell on ebay semi-frequently and go through pains to take as many large photos as I can, yet often times I will see these auctions with 300x200 pixel images going for megabucks.

A great example is the Sansui QA-7000 with a couple tiny photos going for $735!! (previous high was ~$350)

Makes me wonder what I am doing wrong... judging from others auctions I need to write in 180 point font and alternate colors every other word!

[Tripqzon]

Small pictures really irritate me too. I also post large non-blurry photos so people can see exactly what they are getting. I hesitate greatly on auctions with small or poor photos. I will sometimes spend a couple of hours taking and retaking photos until I get the quality photos I want. Is it too much to ask for decent photos?

[Scuzzer]

I judging from others auctions I need to write in 180 point font and alternate colors every other word!

Now that really chaps me. A 5000 word ad with every font size/style/color hits the trash can as soon as I see it. Who are these people that think it somehow enhances their ad?

[similost]

"all of the rubber fell off the speakers, but they still sound good!"

:no:

[xoaphexox]

I will sometimes spend a couple of hours taking and retaking photos until I get the quality photos I want. Is it too much to ask for decent photos?

Me too! Have you heard of the EyeFi? Its a wireless memory card that sends the photos directly to your hard drive or online storage place. It is perfect for this!

[70salesguy]

"NO WAY TO TEST"

Give me a break!

It's a speaker or a receiver, how hard is it to test? :sigh:

It's not an Atlas 3 missile!

I think it translates to "Broken" or "Doesn't work".

[dc270]

Ya, then you look in their other auctions and they are selling the matching receiver or speaker to test it with!!
Now you KNOW it's a rip off!!!!!!!
DC

[dc270]

My other peave is that when they do take a photo it is way to dark to make out any details.....

[Dark Knight]

Thanks so much for this thread!

I have been glued to the auction house this past month hoping to obtain some long desired gear and I have experienced the range of posts in this thread. I have learned several things the "hard" way. First, I will only pay by PayPal. Otherwise there is no recourse for a sales gone bad. There is a revolt amongst sellers against PayPal and I understand why but it is our only safety net. I do not care how badly I want the gear; I will never again send a money order (no need to bore you with the details).

Second, only meticulous close up pictures will do. Any doubts at all, ask lots of questions. Or, exercise self-control and walk away. For example, standard pictures did not show a big dimple in one of the JBL L46 tweeters or the gnarled silver grill in front of it. Standard pictures did not reveal that the cloth grills and frames were pouched. There is also only one peg holding them in place. However, all that being said, they sound beautiful and I am happy with them. I just would not have bid to the degree that I did thinking they were in "mint" condition. But, in tiny photos they do look it. My first time – live and learn.

There is someone selling Yamaha CA 410s and is using a YouTube video to demonstrate that there is no "pot-noise" when turning the knobs. This is hugely cleaver.

DK

[Dark Knight]

I also want to thank you for these other things to watch out for.

DK

[jbrainey]

I am so tired of seeing the word "mint". :thumbsdn:

[jhal]

The video demonstration is a very good idea. Maybe a video of the camera panning around the item for sale, with good, bright lighting. Kind of like car buying, always look at the paint in the sunlight. :yes:

<resume normal thread>:D

[willyrover]

Speakers that sound "great".
Speakers that "pound".
Speakers that are "black" with NO OTHER DESCRIPTION

Things that "work great" except for "no sound".

Sellers that offer "free bonuses".

[Elfasto]

How about the one's that flat out lie about the condition of the item you/me are looking at, and receive the item 2 weeks later, the invoice marked "parts only".

[Urizen]

It powers up, but has not been tested.:dunno:

[sleddogman]

How about the one's that flat out lie about the condition of the item you/me are looking at, and receive the item 2 weeks later, the invoice marked "parts only".
I had a mail-order bride like that once...

[Bluesbassplayer]

My uncle, dad, etc died and he was huge audiophile; only bought the best equipment. He always babied his equipment. I don't know if this works or what it does, but it worked when he was alive.

[Bluesbassplayer]

I collect <McIntosh> <Stax> <you put the name in here> equipment for many years and this is the best example I have ever seen!

Ok --- why in the world are they selling it then?????

[markthefixer]

My biggest pet peave would be:

"NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SHIPPING DAMAGE"

Well if the seller isn't, who the hell is???

So they toss a beautiful 50 pound stereo receiver into a thin, well used, old cardboard box with a few peanuts and then say: "NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SHIPPING DAMAGE"

Guess what, I've NEVER bought anything from someone who makes that statement, and it seems a good 25% actually say that! :no:



Retro
Retro:
What do you think about this:

I am selling it "AS IS"; this means that I do not provide warranties or
returns so ...please, bid accordingly. While I will take great pains to
package this unit to survive the tender mercies of the harried, hurried and
harassed employees of the shipping company, once they have it I cannot
control how it is treated, because of that I accept NO responsibility for
any damage incurred during shipping.

It's my standard disclaimer, and so far (knock on wood) I have never has a damaged OUTGOING package...

Plus I photograph the box going together and packed (in case of claim)....

A buddy's latest message to me after I recently shipped him some stuff:
-----------------------
Yep, it's heeeeeeeeerrrrrrrreeeeeeee......

I have two things to say:

1: goddamnstyrofoam!!!!!

2: If I ever need a package shipped through hell, I know whom to call for
the packaging services...
--------------------------

[clydeselsor]

Record sellers who describe an album as sealed, and then show a picture of the record out of the sleeve!

[SA-708]

Does putting "L@@K" in an ad title really help sell the item?

[Nailer]

... What do you think about this:

I am selling it "AS IS"; this means that I do not provide warranties or
returns so ...please, bid accordingly. While I will take great pains to
package this unit to survive the tender mercies of the harried, hurried and
harassed employees of the shipping company, once they have it I cannot
control how it is treated, because of that I accept NO responsibility for
any damage incurred during shipping.
Although not Retro, I wouldn't bid on an auction with this type of disclaimer. Based on my interpretation of it's meaning I'd be screwed if the item arrived damaged or malfunctioning.:tears: In addition, I'd suspect that something was wrong with the item being sold.


The following is my take on a seller's responsibilities:

Having shipped audio and other toys since 1980 the only thing I've had damaged was a Melos GK-1, which I shipped with the OEM's packing and box. My fanatical packing may seem a bit anal to some buyers, but has benefits. As the seller, I'm responsible for delivering the item in the condition advertised. If it's damaged during shipping I'll submit and handle the insurance claim, and either provide a refund or get the item repaired back to advertised condition - buyer's choice. I think it's pure BS when sellers try and offload these responsibilities onto the buyer.

[McinBozak]

1. Mint Condition Except For.....2.minty Bin! It Worked Last Time It Was Used Years Ago. Well Everything Worked At Some Point.selling Power Amp No Tubes Works Perfect You Can See That This Amp Has Probably Not Played A Note In 30 Years. Wow I Promise To Never Use That Word. Or A Seller Who Everthing He Has Is A Solid 9.

[Scuzzer]

As the seller, I'm responsible for delivering the item in the condition advertised. If it's damaged during shipping I'll submit and handle the insurance claim, and either provide a refund or get the item repaired back to advertised condition - buyer's choice. I think it's pure BS when sellers try and offload these responsibilities onto the buyer.

If you accept a paypal payment for an item then you'll be accountable for getting it to the buyer in the stated condition regardless of any "not responsible for shipping" caviats you throw in your ad. It would seem to be a better business practice to state that you accept the responsibility in your ad instead of trying to fool a buyer into thinking it's up to them to fix substandard shipping. I applaud people like yourself who have thought this through and understand what's expected of them. I do not buy from people who think they can override the "terms of service" contract with paypal merely by using statements in an ad.

However, if you only take checks, M.O.'s, or wire funds then you are free to stipulate how you handle shipping damage.

[Cody B]

The thing I hate the most is when a seller, on CL mostly, says "taking best offers" or "any offer over XXX gets it"...

Also.. I love when a seller says "Well! on Ebay they go for...!" in a very offended manner. Which leads to my response of why the hell didn't they just sell it there in the first place instead of wasting 2 hours of my life.

[jeffn]

Cannot test but Stylus "looks" fine


or

"just spent $39 on new cart and stylus" ............... (oh great)

[dnewma04]

Not telling you that they will maybe ship in a week or so AFTER receiving your $$$- that just happened to me (again). I bought these bookshelf speakers Monday, paid promptly for them, waited a couple days and got no reply about the shipping- finally they tell me that they will be shipped NEXT Monday!!! WTF is that all about?
Then if I berate them on feed back I am slammed for be impatients or something....
Sorry to vent, but I really am pissed about kind of that crap.
DC


Many times sellers will specify how long it will take to ship, or make shipments in batches. that should be revealed up front, ideally. I've bought a few things with similar results and the auction did say it would take 5-10 business days to ship. As long as it's revealed up front or they remain in communication, I don't have an issue with this.

[dnewma04]

1. Mint Condition Except For.....2.minty Bin! It Worked Last Time It Was Used Years Ago. Well Everything Worked At Some Point.selling Power Amp No Tubes Works Perfect You Can See That This Amp Has Probably Not Played A Note In 30 Years. Wow I Promise To Never Use That Word. Or A Seller Who Everthing He Has Is A Solid 9.

Wow, How Do You Manage To Type With A Capital Letter At The Beginning Of Every Word? :D

[TWantiques]

Retro:
What do you think about this:

I am selling it "AS IS"; this means that I do not provide warranties or
returns so ...please, bid accordingly. While I will take great pains to
package this unit to survive the tender mercies of the harried, hurried and
harassed employees of the shipping company, once they have it I cannot
control how it is treated, because of that I accept NO responsibility for
any damage incurred during shipping.

It's my standard disclaimer, and so far (knock on wood) I have never has a damaged OUTGOING package...

Plus I photograph the box going together and packed (in case of claim)....



Mark, if I didn't know your reputation I would not bid/buy from you if that disclaimer was in your Ebay ad. As it is, if you were offering something that interested me I would probably write and ask for an exemption from your policy before bidding.

Terry

[AnalogDigit]

Don't have any tapes to test. How hard is it to find a cassette tape and find out if the deck works?

[xoaphexox]

Here is a great one: just plain old misinformation!

There is an auction for Yamaha NS-690II "Beryllium" speakers on the auction site as we speak. I sent a message to the seller asking which drivers were beryllium and his response was "tweeters/mids and woofers" !! :) Can you imagine how expensive beryllium woofers would be?!?!

[dnewma04]

Mark, if I didn't know your reputation I would not bid/buy from you if that disclaimer was in your Ebay ad. As it is, if you were offering something that interested me I would probably write and ask for an exemption from your policy before bidding.

Terry


I agree with Terry, you are probably losing a significant amount of potential bidders. Also, regardless of whatever disclaimer is added, if a bidder requests insurance and something happens to the package, it IS your responsibility as the seller/shipper to handle the situation. Most shipping companies won't even deal with the receiver.

[vinyl1]

Record sellers who describe an album as sealed, and then show a picture of the record out of the sleeve!

A Columbia from the 1960-66 era, in a sealed plastic inner sleeve? This would also include records on other labels pressed by Columbia and sold through the Columbia Record Club.

[AU20K]

Yeah, using clever catch words like "L@@K", "WOW!!!", "Minty" and "Rare" make me want to purchase expensive audio equipment sight unseen (not). They may as well just say; I'm looking for some dumb-ass to take this crap off my hands.

[rickr15]

"NO WAY TO TEST"

Give me a break!

It's a speaker or a receiver, how hard is it to test? :sigh:

It's not an Atlas 3 missile!

I think it translates to "Broken" or "Doesn't work".

These are the best.
The photo usually shows the amp sitting on top of a pair of speakers and has a bunch of audio equipment in the background.

[SpeakerLabFan]

"Thanks for looking at my ad" :wtf:

[Scuzzer]

Also, regardless of whatever disclaimer is added, if a bidder requests insurance and something happens to the package, it IS your responsibility as the seller/shipper to handle the situation.

Even if the bidder doesn't request insurance, or doesn't pay for it, or it isn't offered, the seller is still responsible for shipping damage. Insurance is only there to protect the seller. If you receive something that's broken, not as described, or damaged in shipping, file a SNAD dispute and get your money back.

[gladiator335]

Even if the bidder doesn't request insurance, or doesn't pay for it, or it isn't offered, the seller is still responsible for shipping damage. Insurance is only there to protect the seller. If you receive something that's broken, not as described, or damaged in shipping, file a SNAD dispute and get your money back.

If I sell something not very expensive (let's say $40 receiver for example) I put "insurance is optional" into the description and then add it as an option to the invoice. Guess how many buyers actually include this insurance? Around 20%. So why should I pay for the insurance (unless it's UPS and it's included for a first $100) out of my pocket if buyer wants to take the risk? I'm trying to do my best to protect whatever I'm shipping from the damage. But things may go wrong no matter what. And I always take responsibility to file a claim and send the refund to the buyer in case of damage. But automatically accept responsibilities even if no shipping insurance is requested (even if it was suggested in an invoice)? I don't think so...

[Scuzzer]

But automatically accept responsibilities even if no shipping insurance is requested (even if it was suggested in an invoice)? I don't think so...

Because according to paypal, it's your responsibility. If something you ship is damaged the buyer can file a SNAD and get their money back, you get the broken remains. You should buy the insurance to protect your equity in the item. It would seem prudent to build it in to the price of doing business.

If you don't do business using paypal then you can set the rules anyway you want.

[gladiator335]

Hmmm.. Never paid attention to that. Thank you for the tip. Actually I'm thinking about dumping PayPal. I know I might lose some potential buyers, but with eBay now charging over 8% of the final price and PayPal fees? It hurts.

[stuwee]

1. Mint Condition Except For.....2.minty Bin! It Worked Last Time It Was Used Years Ago. Well Everything Worked At Some Point.selling Power Amp No Tubes Works Perfect You Can See That This Amp Has Probably Not Played A Note In 30 Years. Wow I Promise To Never Use That Word. Or A Seller Who Everthing He Has Is A Solid 9.

Cool, :whip: The headmistress said cap every word NOW! J H Chri+* sister! OOWW! S**T that hurts sister:tears:! OOWW Wack. John Belushi tumbling down the stairs in a school desk:thmbsp:

[Nailer]

Most shipping companies won't even deal with the receiver.

FedEx does with shipper's consent. At least they did a year back.

[merrylander]

If an item is damaged in transit it is up to the shipper to file the claim. The one receiving the item has to let the company examine the item and packing.

On another tack, WOW, L@@K Minty, and a few other childish wordings get me to ignore an auction quicker than a flash.

[Nailer]

If an item is damaged in transit it is up to the shipper to file the claim. The one receiving the item has to let the company examine the item and packing.

On another tack, WOW, L@@K Minty, and a few other childish wordings get me to ignore an auction quicker than a flash.

Both FedEx and UPS allow the recipient to file a damage claim. As the receiver of damaged goods I've done it with both.

What peeves me about L@@K is the unwanted items I get with a Kenwood L search.

[merrylander]

Well my UPS account says differently, and since I am the one to place the insurance value it has always been up to me t make the claim.

[Alaric]

PROLLY Does no one speak or spell English anymore???

[Nailer]

Well my UPS account says differently, and since I am the one to place the insurance value it has always been up to me t make the claim.

The claim is paid to the shipper, but can be initiated by the recipient. Have done it three times within the past year as a recipient- a streak of bad shipping karma for me. The last time was this past October. Maybe their policy has changed since then, which would be in line with the recent thread regarding UPS denying insurance.

[merrylander]

Only ever denied me once and that was because the buyer shipped to unit back to me and I repaired it and shipped it out again before they could look at it.

[Dark Knight]

It is quite clear that we all have been quite frustrated at one time or another with sellars on the auction house. But two other things have occurred to me in the interim.

First, I imagine that most of the sellers do not view the systems they sell with the same regard that an AK member would. In other words, it is just merchandise for them to move and make a profit. I believe that you can clearly tell when someone is is an audiophile selling gear they care about. When vintage systems are viewed as a commodity to move and make a dollar (hey people have to eat I understand) they really don't understand how important the gear is to "us" so they either take their time in shipping, don't pack it as carefully as they should or say stupid things in their advertisements. I ordered some units from a vintage dealer and I could tell at every step that they really cared about what they were doing (http://www.iavscanada.com/contact.htm). My unit arrive from the other side of Canada in great shape, fired up and worked at they described. I am so happy with that experience.

This past month I have regularly visited the AK classified or swap forums with the strong desire that someone would be selling something that I really wanted. I would trust an AK member to be accurate with their description and to have really taken care of what they were selling. I think that this is a reasonable assumption based on the posts that I have read here. However, there has been very little activity. It would be great if we could sell and or swap with each other. If the auction house is so frustrating, we should take better care of each other. My guess we love gear that we own and it is a rarity that we let it go. So, we are at the mercy of people who really don't care or know as much about the gear as an KA member.

Just some general thoughts.

DK

[dc270]

Good thoughts and comments here DK- I always look here prior to looking at Ebay or CL. There are some real good deals from time to time and the people, packing, etc is always top notch. I tend to find the better bargins on Ebay and CL more often than not, but if the differance is nominal I will buy here everytime.

The majority of sellers on CL & Ebay look into history, find their buy it now price and move on, not even concerned whether it works or not! Like quite a few of us AK people really know what "Bose" and a few other things are really worth. Ebay reminds of American Idol- who's hot with what name, etc. Sizzle but no bacon.....
DC

[Dark Knight]

Thank you. I have read people's collections that are posted on AK. I am learning that it is not unusual for an AK member to have several different sets of speakers, amplifiers, tuners, recievers, etc. I have no problem with that at all. I am guilty too. But, the moral of the story is that we have strong tendency to acquire gear, not sell it. And, I wish those forums were "way" more active, but that is just a selfish wish.

DK

[sleddogman]

Because according to paypal, it's your responsibility. If something you ship is damaged the buyer can file a SNAD and get their money back, you get the broken remains. You should buy the insurance to protect your equity in the item. It would seem prudent to build it in to the price of doing business.

If you don't do business using paypal then you can set the rules anyway you want.
True, which is why any item regardless of cost gets insured via USPS or FedEx, plus I've found the following helpful at the bottom of my listings, as buyers are the other side of the coin of responsibility.

== IMPORTANT NOTE ==
If the unit exhibits any signs of outward damage when delivered, BE SURE to take photos
of the outside carton and during the unpacking process. Save all the packing materials.
If necessary, contact me ASAP. FedEx will require the above if we need to file an insurance claim.

[roggom]

Oh, here is one right now, States the unit is in Excellent cosmetic condition. Yes with 30 years of dust on the fan and rusty screws. "Something is clicking in the fan". Any layman can use a screwdriver. If I expected a grand for a unit I would at least put a little effort into it. Isure hope this is not an AK'r. http://cgi.ebay.com/Marantz-Model-510M-Power-Amp-250wpc-Meters-Gain-RARE_W0QQitemZ260214384884QQihZ016QQcategoryZ50593 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Scuzzer]

== IMPORTANT NOTE ==
If the unit exhibits any signs of outward damage when delivered, BE SURE to take photos
of the outside carton and during the unpacking process. Save all the packing materials.
If necessary, contact me ASAP. FedEx will require the above if we need to file an insurance claim.

I've often wondered why ebay sellers (using paypal) don't explicitly state the any shipping damage claim would be made right, up to and including a refund of original price plus outbound shipping. If it was right there in plain english it would make you stand out from the crowd of "as is, no refund" sellers.

According to the rules you're on the hook anyway, why not use it as a sales tool?

[AU20K]

Another tactic I love from ebayers is: JC Pennys stereo for sale. Marantz, Sansui, Macintosh, Kenwood, Yamaha.

That always instills a load of trust in this seller.

[Windwalker]

Do you respond back(or report them) to CL ads that state something like
" ...I am selling it as a part of an estate and I will entertain all reasonable offers."

It's Craigs List, Not CraigsBay

And no real item description-WTF !! if you were selling a car would you post an ad that said "Car for sell, Red and runs"-Come on folks how hard is it to maybe tell us who makes it.

[AU20K]

I gave up trying to report them. By the time you get through 7 or 8 layers of eBay multiple choice questions, it just isn't worth it any more. I just move on

[tin_ear]

I agree with most of the foregoing. I am amazed by the number of people who are unable to operate a camera at all. These folks have no idea what 'macro' is and are apparently unable to operate the flash. It boggles my mind that someone will:
1. post a blurred or dark or washed-out jpeg that is completely unidentifiable....and then, even after posting and reviewing,
2. they find it acceptable!
3. post a picture taken with a junky cell phone
4. post a listing which uses "stock" photos and text stolen from the mfr's site with no other information! We are left to assume that his item must look brand new!
5. include: "email for model numbers"
6. or: "I'm listing this for a friend" followed by:
7. "I don't know anything about these so don't ask"
8. Another gem:"Not responsible for LOST shipments"!!!!! What the Hey does THAT mean? Think about that. This seller could claim that the buyer AGREED with this idea and should not even expect delivery! He could just keep your money and sell it again...just claim it was lost!


PEEVE ALERT!


On a different note: The idea of shipping insurance being foisted off on the buyer is one of my peeves. In my opinion, shipping damage is the sole responsibility of the shipper. There is no way the recipient can expect to be held liable for the shipper's choice of carrier/packing/methods, etc.
Shipping insurance is to protect the purchasor of the policy (always the shipper) and if the shipper chooses to not insure, the shipper does so at his discretion and peril.
The seller of an item is representing the condition/function according to his ad/listing and is required (by the bay or other listing agent) to provide what was advertised.
Why would I, as a buyer, pay the seller extra money to endemnify him?
Does the seller mean to say that "only if the carrier covers me, will I refund your money" ?

If the insurance won't pay the shipper or the shipper chose to take his chances and not insure...where does that leave a buyer who still hasn't received the goods promised?
Do you (as the seller in this case) just keep the guy's purchase money and say
"you didn't take the side-bet I offered you, so,tough $hit"?

Try this scenario: If the seller DOES pay the insurance amount to you...but then, you decide to just gamble on it, so you don't pay the carrier for insurance. Now, let's assume that the goods arrive safely. What next?
Do you send the buyer a refund of the insurance premium, or just pocket the funds and accept your role as extortionist?

How is the buyer to know if the above occurred?


I received a CX-995 DVD jukebox (huge/heavy) damaged and slightly protruding from the too-light and poorly-packed box. It was left on my porch (no sig req'd).
I took a lot of pics, emailed the seller (no insurance had been offered) and the seller told the carrier to come look. They came and looked and the next day the shipper sent a return label that I printed and taped on the box; I put it on the porch and it was picked up. The seller fully refunded my paypal as soon as the carrier picked it up. This is the way it should be.
I sincerely apologize for the long-winded rant.:boring:
This subject happens to tweak my settings.:sigh:
Thanks

[jhal]

Do you respond back(or report them) to CL ads that state something like
" ...I am selling it as a part of an estate and I will entertain all reasonable offers."

It's Craigs List, Not CraigsBay

And no real item description-WTF !! if you were selling a car would you post an ad that said "Car for sell, Red and runs"-Come on folks how hard is it to maybe tell us who makes it.

Yes, that is a big peeve for me. Selling something on CL?? AT LEAST PUT AN ASKING PRICE!! I don't even read ads that are "best" or "make offer". It's not that hard to open an Ebay account, if you are starry-eyed, and think this is going to pay your way to riches. All you need is a pulse and some sort of credit or debit card. You really don't even need that unless you want Paypal. If it's a big, bulky item, list it for local pick up only. It will sell if it is in demand.

I feel better now.:smoke:

[Windwalker]

I like this line too

"Like the title says, this unit is NEW and in its original box. I took it out to make sure it works (which it does) and returned it to its as-new packaging."

rrrrrrrrrrriiiiiight