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 stereo5

I agree! I will add “vintage” to something that is 20 years old. IMHO, vintage should be from the Golden Era, not something made in 2000. Another turn off is “email or call for price“. If I have to go through the time of playing phone tag or waiting for an answer via email, I won’t bother. Another is someone charging “PayPal or Credit Card fees”. That is illegal on Audiogon, yet many members get away with it.
In the case of someone selling McIntosh without the original carton, that is a definite nope. No matter how much bubble wrap one uses, the glass front panel will definitely break during shipping. Lastly, is someone who is too lazy to write any description, just posts a picture and price. No thank you, I detest laziness.
I did a trade once, never again.  Got burned on a Dynavecter MC  Cartridge.  I took it in trade plus cash for an amp I sold.  When I went to install the cartridge a couple of months later, I found the suspension had completely collapsed and the cantilever was cocked to the left a bit.  I had looked at it when I first got it but never took it off the mounting plate.   So now it is $$$ only.