Ethics are sliding by members!
My comment here is that member ethics are falling like a stone on audiogon.
I'm sad to say this because I've been an enthusiastic member for over 15 years.
I've met many terrific people on audiogon and the majority of the interactions andsales over the years have been pleasant, few curve balls.
Yet some of the stunts I've encountered in 2018 are extremely disappointingand downright unethical. I'll share JUST ONE here now.
When you list an product, lets say a pair of speakers, it attracts attention.You often get calls discussing the minutia of the product.People will take enormous amounts of your time to glean information aboutthe product you are selling, clearly with no interest in buying from you.
If the person is sincerely interested in buying, spendingsome time with them is kosher. We all know that audiogon sales are invariably atheavy discounts, not at MSRP.
On a recent listing I had half a dozen calls in several days for Magnepans listed at $4300 plus shipping, approx $200.
I fielded the same array of questions that was listed on the ad."What is the color? What condition? Do you have the manual? Do you have the boxes? How much do they weigh? Will you take Pay Pal? Will you take my personal check?"All of this was listed.
It used to be that people actually read your post, and if they called- they called to ask somethingother than what was in the post.
Then we go to-
Why are you selling them? What amp do you have? Which cartridge? Which speaker cables?Etc Etc
Again, for a sincerely interested buyer, you can go a bit down this road. For someone just looking to chat,which is frequently the case these days- no thanks. Chatter on forums. There are hundreds available.
Two of my first six callers did this discussion at significant time and said- I'll get back to you.
One fellow did it and offered $2000 including shipping.Another fellow wanted the opportunity for a home trial with option to return them.Hello!
Finally a doctor called and we went through the same 20 minute discussion.At the end of the 20 minutes he said he would buy them "if you pay the freight, or I don't have to pay taxif I pick them up."Being exhausted at about two hours of chat over several days on these speakers, I said "Uncle" and agreedto eat the sales tax if he visited to pick them up. He gave me his info and we ran the sale on his CC.
Among his questions were:"Are they in good shape?" Absolutely"Do they play fine?" Yes, of course. I wouldn't post defective speakers.My audiogon feedback is 100% over 15+ years.
He said given my feedback and patience with him, he trusted me and I should packthe speakers up, so when he visited (8 hour drive) he could grab them and drive offwithout wasting time- a one day round trip. Makes sense.
He gave me a date a week out where he would drive over to pick them up.
Over the next few days I had several more inquiries about these speakers.I told the callers- sorry- they are sold.Each one wanted to discuss the speakers regardless.
Being a fellow audiophile, I spent time with them to answer some questions.But really guys? The speakers have sold.
About five days after purchase the doc calls and says he might not have time to visit-can I ship them? I said yes. He wanted me to pay for the shipping. No. That's
a bridge too far. It adds not only to my cost, after we had a DONE DEAL, but ties me into the loop of any shipping problem.
I agreed to make the sale at HIS PRICE, under HIS CONDITIONS, that he was going topick the speakers up in the flesh. He wanted serial numbers which I provided.
Then he calls back the next day and wants to cancel the sale.After an hour of phone chatter and a done deal on the sale- he wants to renege on the sale.The speakers have been boxed up, no small chore on heavy Maggies.Every time you HANDLE heavy speakers you risk another nick or scratch.
When I say I'm not willing to cancel the sale, he gets hostile."Well I would have to audition them anyway." What does that have to do with our sale?HE TOLD ME to box them up!
Then he goes to-
"They aren't safe being shipped."First of all HE made the offer to come pick them up. That's what the sale was based on.This sale was done under his conditions.
Second, how do you think these speakers get around the country? Of course they are shipped.
Obviously picking them up in your van is safer than shipping. That was agreed upon at sale.
He was getting exceedingly more hostile.He even pulled the old, "My wife isn't on board with this."Sir, that is not my problem. I told him this isn't fair. I agreed to his price and conditions.I'm not happy about this. I need to think about it and will call you back.
Within a short time I realized I did not care to do business with an unethical jerk like this.I needed to cut this negative energy out of my life, so I credited his CC back and emailed him the credit.
I went to my notes and called two of the fellows who had called asking about the speakers- over a week ago now.
The first fellow said he had bought the same speakers from someone else on audiogon for $4800 because mine were gone.The second fellow said he would have bought them from me, but opted to buy some other speakers instead.
Thanks a lot doc. I get to start all over.
Another stunt I've seen this year- that I've never seen before- are peopleclicking the PURCHASE box- but never calling to follow up to make the purchase.
What they are doing is- clicking to TAKE YOUR PRODUCT OFF AUDIOGON- giving them a
better chance to sell theirs- by eliminating competition. This buys them close to a week as you try toconnect IN GOOD FAITH with them to finalize the sale- which will never happen.
In 15+ years of dealing through audiogon, I've never had experiences like the ones I've listed here.
It used to be that we were like avid members of a club. Now it's turning into Craig's List.
