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 2 responses by simao

I used to have a "second system" at my office-- until my wife found out about her.

In all seriousness, though, I do remember an ad here on Audiogon several years ago for a set of avant-garde trios, and I distinctly remember part of the copy: "these are big toys for the big boys".

I guess I wasn’t a big boy, and even if I did want to spend the money on Avantgardes, that kind of smug unctiousness turned me off that seller immediately