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My list of seller red flags

I’ve compiled a list of annoying things sellers do. If I see any of these red flags I will not buy from them. Ideally every seller should agree to not do any of these before they are allowed to sell online.

- Overpriced
- Don’t talk about any flaws
- Keep re-posting
- Use unrelated keywords in ad so ad comes up when you search for different brand
- Paranoid language like " Cash and Carry only", "No spammers", No Trades...
- Using all CAPS and !!! marks

- Used car salesman lingo like"only $xxx , a great deal, a steal , and the worse, RARE "
- Ad consists entirely of copy/pasted info. from manufacturer website
- Any textspeak
- Gimmicky pricing like $999 or $995 or the worse, random price like $927
- Saying price is "Firm"..

- Reducing price by insignificant amount to bump ad
- Tooting own horn, i.e describing how awesome their product is.. Comes across as desperate to me..
- Seller saying they will lose money or taking a big loss .. Not my problem..

- Selling several items in one ad and updating the ad to say "SOLD" on certain items.
12inch45rpm

Showing 3 responses by 4krowme

4krowme's avatar
4krowme
542 posts
 
Since I do not sell for profit, meaning, I sell to get the actual value the item, and not the perceived value, I stick to my guns as far as price. It could be tricky for someone out there trying to make an actual living. What I offer is simply done most of the time out of the love the project, and has been for over 5 years now. I really do understand the different aspects of negotiation, but offer the price that I choose (by actual cost to me) to begin with. 
 Too many times however, I am put off as a buyer when I see the phrase 'If you are reading this, you already know about this unit'. Absolutely not true in most cases for me. I want a detailed description of the actual unit and its capabilities. If known, a tale of the actual technology is also appreciated.
4krowme's avatar
4krowme
542 posts
 
  To get the units that I for upgrade and resale, I use eBay. So then, I am the one who has to pick between lies and price. The ads go out of their way to lie about the component in some cases. Fully tested/inspected means it was plugged in and the light came on. One seller even takes the lid off of the unit to show the craftsmanship inside. Since I work on these exact units, I can clearly see that absolutely nothing has been done.
>>>>>>Then there is the price. I get that the unit Might be in great shape for it's age. It may even come with the original manual and box, but that just doesn't make it good as new. The capacitors inside the unit in these cases are 30 years old to begin with, and I routinely see corrosion inside the RCA jacks from the back view.
 Fortunately for me, I am able restore these units regardless of electrical condition, but if I were buy/plug/play, it would easily be considered a ripoff.
4krowme's avatar
4krowme
542 posts
 
Jollygreenaudiophile2,

   You ring a bell with me when it comes to reselling good gear. Actually, there are quite a few of us that think this way. When I meet someone like yourself, it makes me smile. Your right on track in my book. I love to work on the gear that I do, and really appreciate customers that get a lot from that gear. We all probably have GiveN a piece of equipment that was hoped to bring some enjoyment to the person on the other end. I have done this with a younger crowd from time to time. They usually have never heard anything like it, and that is pretty cool to see the look on their faces when they listen for the first time.
 One of my present customers is surprised that I sent his unit out to a reputable tech to be repaired since I could not locate the problem myself. The way I see it is that when the problem is found, I will learn a bit more about this piece. It's just the way I choose to look at some things in life. Hell, I enjoy the whole restoration process anyway, so I am glad to share it with others.
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