Ricky 4000 Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 2 hours ago, fretmeister said: Bit of both. Excessive questions can mean a buyer who hasn't done any work, but it can also easily mean a poorly drafted advert. What annoys me more is that if I have to ask a question about an item, the person selling then doesn't have the good sense to update the advert with that info for others. Cut and pasting the specs into an advert takes 5 seconds and saves the seller a huge amount of time because 99% of the questions have then been answered. So on balance I'm in the 'the advertiser is to blame for not including all the info' camp. And don't get me started on the "If you are looking at this you know what it is..." type advert. Flogging's too good for them. The bit in bold - If you wanted the item yourself, why would you want your competitors to be better informed? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, Osiris said: Realistically it's more like 20 seconds on Google if you're using sensible search terms But as someone pointed out earlier there are those who won't - or can't be bothered - to look, they're the ones that annoy me, especially if I've already gone to the trouble of putting that information into my ad that they haven't bothered to read. I have actually backed out of a couple of sales like that over the years as I won't - or can't be bothered - to deal with people like that. How long is it before you get a snotty message back saying something along the lines of "it's got a chip in the paint" to which you're obliged to point out that that was clearly started in the ad had they taken a few seconds to read it. I'd rather lose the sale than my sanity. Completely agree that if the buyer can't be bothered to read the information in your ad that is definitely frustrating. There's clearly a skill in getting a balance between reproducing the manual in full, in your ad, and keeping your potential buyer interested. Tbf most BC'ers are pretty clued up / already know what they're after and are more interested in condition (a decent pic is always welcome!) and price. Edited July 17, 2019 by Al Krow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldslapper Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 2 hours ago, fretmeister said: .... Flogging's too good for them. Isn’t that the point of a sales ad? 🥳 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzie Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 Maybe some people have more money than sense - why would you not properly research an item before buying in this era where information is readily available. @stewblack you are completely correct that you tube vids can help, but listen through decent speakers to get a proper flavour, if it’s a fuzz/distortion pedal educate yourself about RAT vs muff vs silicone vs germanium and then make a call. Sometimes it’s like someone is buying a fully electric car from you and asks you what the Diesel emissions data for the car is..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzmanb Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 Why I hate selling stuff ,had strings of questions then nothing .90% have no intention of buying I do my research then look for something ,if I find it its done in a couple of messages 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 (edited) - Edited March 3, 2022 by Jus Lukin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammybee Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 Myself and Mrs B sell a lot of stuff online (not on Basschat) - probably 10-15 sales a day on eBay/Amazon. In our experience 99% of people who hit the ask the seller a question button are either [1] not going to buy, [2] or do buy and cause you grief further down the road. If I had my way, I'd instantly block people that ask questions from buying from me, but Mrs B is far more reasonable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted July 17, 2019 Author Share Posted July 17, 2019 6 hours ago, Al Krow said: Yeah, soz about doing all of that. But you never really did properly explain the point of FRFR to me very well, nor what happened to the whole 510A series and why we now only seem to have 310As and 710As... 😁 Eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 (edited) 10 minutes ago, warwickhunt said: Eh? Ignore me Mr Hunt, I was just being facetious! I guess my experience of selling and buying has been the opposite to what a few folk on this thread have been implying, but that is all I have to go on. I've sold and bought a LOT of bass gear over the the past couple of years, and frankly I can't be positive enough about my fellow BC'ers who have been a pleasure to deal with and hugely trustworthy. But I appreciate that's not what this thread is about, so I'd probably best take my positive slant elsewhere! Edited July 17, 2019 by Al Krow 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinnyman Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 Given the number of rip-off merchants out there, I like to ask a couple of questions just to see if the seller really has the item for sale and that they know basic facts about it. But that's a world away from some of the idiot examples quoted here.... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJpullchord Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 Not everyone has time for research innit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 (edited) I was told that I was asking too much for my Geddy Lee Jazz bass because it was "really old". That's the first time I've ever heard of someone being put off a bass, especially a Fender, because of its age, it's usually a case of older = better/vintage/rare for most people So everyone trying to flog their 60s Precisions at the moment, they're all overpriced cos they're really, really old Edited July 17, 2019 by Delberthot 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzie Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 7 minutes ago, DJpullchord said: Not everyone has time for research innit. Trudat - but dey seem 2 ‘av time to arsk questionz Dey cud ansa demselves dough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krispn Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 I’d agree time spent looking on google is about the same time asking a question on a forum with a more immediate answer. If you’re into an item and want more info there’s likely a review on yt or a written review. If after the initial search you need to be told what you want to hear contact the seller and suffer the hyperbole 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 Yeah agree with a lot of the points on here. Let's put them into practice... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 15 hours ago, Ricky 4000 said: The bit in bold - If you wanted the item yourself, why would you want your competitors to be better informed? Noting to do with competitors - from a seller perspective it's just thick. If 1 person wants that info, there's a good chance someone else does too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 (edited) 7 hours ago, Al Krow said: Yeah agree with a lot of the points on here. Let's put them into practice... You haven't even weighed it you lazy goit! Edited July 18, 2019 by fretmeister 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 1 hour ago, fretmeister said: You haven't even weighed it you lazy goit! Fixed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 I get this in my day job too. Send a quote, customer immediately replies with “is it stainless steel as requested?” Yes, as per the first line in the quote spec. flipping read!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 18 hours ago, Ricky 4000 said: One man's poor advert can be another man's bargain! I once knew a guy who made a living from buying misspelt or miss listed items on fleabay, then selling them on. I suppose the modern algorithms have mostly put that idea out of business by now.. And about 10 years ago there was a brief fad for listing items with deliberate typos to give over-eager buyers the opportunity to think they'd spotted a bargain because the seller had made 'stupid mistakes'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 49 minutes ago, Happy Jack said: And about 10 years ago there was a brief fad for listing items with deliberate typos to give over-eager buyers the opportunity to think they'd spotted a bargain because the seller had made 'stupid mistakes'. ha! Although I managed to buy a brand new, unfitted set of Lollar Blackface strat pickups for about £65 (RRP is about £280) because they had been badly described! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted July 21, 2019 Share Posted July 21, 2019 Try manning the phones on a Saturday in a retail shop - the questions you get are often hilarious and you have to try desperately hard not to laugh. To be fair - the opening line of ‘I’ve been on Basschat and. . .’ would often lead to some of worst informed questions of the lot. Usually people who had ‘researched’ things in great detail but hadn’t really played much (or at all) and clearly didn’t know what they were talking about. This was often especially true when it came to gigging gear. People would say a certain feature on an amp or cab was an absolute necessity and if you asked, politely, why, they would come up with some nonsensical or crazily technical reasons that made no sense out in the real world of a gigging musician. I will always remember one guy insisting that the minimum requirement for a pub gig was an 8x10 cab and he wanted to know why we didn’t stock such an ‘everyday’ item. Strangely he didn’t have a gig at the time. . . You just had to smile, remain calm, and try to be as helpful as possible and explain about how something might work on a stage. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftybassman392 Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 I tend to take the view that if I'm selling something then by definition I'm asking somebody to part with their hard-earned. Getting dumb questions from numpties along the way is par for the course IMHO. The only time I got a bit shirty was when an american would-be buyer of my 35-year-old Wal Custom kept wanting me to lower the price because it looked as if it had been used, and insisted that he was doing me a favour making the stupid offer he was. That apart, I just deal with it. TBH I always find it hard to understand the rants we sometimes get on here on this type of subject. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted July 22, 2019 Author Share Posted July 22, 2019 4 minutes ago, leftybassman392 said: TBH I always find it hard to understand the rants we sometimes get on here on this type of subject. I've had my time wasters over the years and there used to be some cracking bassists to deal with who knew what they wanted and what they were doing. However, the last 5 years or so there seems to be more and more people who just click on a link/page/ad and start firing questions that the slightest bit of research or prior knowledge would have informed. I might ask specifics about something (weight/dings/truss rod or fret condition) but basic stuff that a £1000+ purchase would cover such as how many pups on a bass that ONLY ever came with 2 is beyond me. I've just made an eBay purchase and didn't ask a single question as I knew all about the item (research) and the condition was described... I compare my approach to the kind of people who frankly ask questions that have me scratching my head. Is it a reflection on society in general where people will post on Facebook asking when the next bus is from A to B or what day does the bin man come around? It would seem to be the norm to ask someone else to do your research rather than do your own work! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 (edited) 10 hours ago, molan said: Try manning the phones on a Saturday in a retail shop - the questions you get are often hilarious and you have to try desperately hard not to laugh. I know the type you mean - not wishing to detrail the thread, but donkeys ago I manned the phones part-time at a driving school. I never bit my tongue harder than when a guy phoned up one morning to ask if we had "a stimulator." "I'm sorry sir, a what?" (Thinks: I think you've confused us with the shop at the other end of the high street...) "A stimulator. You know, one of them computers you can practice on before you go in a real car." I politely explained that we didn't have a driving simulator, and asked whether he was still interested in booking any lessons. But throughout the conversation, he insisted on bring up the "stimulators" again and again, saying that the bigger companies had "stimulators" he could use, and how we should get ourselves a "stimulator", while I politely explained that simulators were quite expensive, and our office space was very limited. I hope he managed to find the stimulation he was after. Edited July 22, 2019 by EliasMooseblaster 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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