Yeah, it does. Used to be, most of the crazies were on Craigslist, and not eBay. Well, they've drifted onto eBay now ..... so you get the good, the bad, and the ugly. Don't ask why .... just shake your head and keep on stepping.
As an eBay seller, I would not have cut you off. I would have told you, "That's cool, but if it sells in the meantime, it will be gone. Thanks."
My assumption is that he thought you might turn into trouble.
Matt
The other guy probably made a thread - 'Weird eBay buyer'.
it's pretty obvious he's an arrogant sell first, answer questions later type guy.
My thought too.
You want it for a lower price, you want to wait to buy it, and you want to verify some things through a 3rd party before committing to actually buying. .
If I were in his shoes, I'd just assume you're not a serious buyer and move on to the next guy.
Assuming there is a next guy.
I was just being honest. We discussed a lower price because he didn't have a "Make Offer" option, so I asked about the price and he agreed, but he still didn't give me a way to pay him the lower price, so in the interim I asked him about the drum and we discussed what it would be used for and how I'm waiting for a definitive answer on getting the correct wrap and he seemed ok with all of that for about two hours. Then he tells me I'm wasting his time and he'd rather sell it for his price to somebody willing to pay his price.
Does that sound normal to you?
Do you want the drum or not? It's ebay afterall not Craigslist or your local drum shop.
You asked for a better deal....he even gave you a better deal.
"Well...I would like to wait and see if my wrap guy......."
You what? Next...
He may have been a little short with you, I guess in some parts of the country even considered a little rude, but weird? Nah...
Personally, as a buyer I never talk money until I'm ready to buy something. If I'm still not sure if I even want something there's really no point in trying to deal. As a seller I'd expect the same, so I'd guess in this case it wasn't the questions per se, as much as the timing of them.
If you offered him a price and he accepted it, then to me, and people I have dealt with on selling and buying over the last 38 years, it's a done deal and you take it. No "well let me think about it" or "let me check if it will work".
If he offered a price, then its reasonable to ask to think about it. He also can sell it to the next guy while you are thinking about it. If you ask "Can I think about it two days?" and he accepts then he should honor that.
I would answer questions up to a point but it boils down to this: Money talks, and bull$h!t walks.
That’s one thing there: unless he changed his listing allowing me to buy it at the new price, I couldn’t buy it since we were both in a holding pattern while I waited for word from the covering guy.
He may have gotten a better deal and I told him that was cool if he did while I waited. If that was the case, he didn’t have to be rude. If I appeared to waffle, then it’s his prerogative to drop me, but his reason didn’t make sense to me.
I don't really understand how some of you guys could interpret bo as being rude. The seller included a make an offer option, bo made an offer. He had some questions that weren't provided in the description, the guy answered them. Bo said he had to make sure his wrap guy would accommodate him, in other words he had to make sure everything was in place and there were no complications before he made his purchase. If the guy had just backed out of the deal then I wouldn't think too much about it, but he used terminology like "wasting my time". If making a sale to a potential customer is a waste of time then that's on him
I guess I really don't understand the sales mentality. If I were the seller, I'd be happy someone was interested and more than willing to give him time to answer the questions he has, as long as he agrees that if someone else wants it, it may get sold. I was selling a cymbal through Reverb and was emailed that someone really wanted it, but he didn't have the cash. I responded by saying contact me when you get the cash and if it's still around, it's yours. He offered me less than I was asking, but I didn't see any reason to try to pressure him. I also said that if I got any other inquiries, I'd drop him an email in case he was still interested. .
I don't interpret Bo as being rude, just too friendly.
Its called business. Nobody cares what you're doing with the drum, what you're waiting for, how much the item will cost you in the end etc. etc. Its crap talk that's a waste of time... that stuff should be reserved for the DRUMMERWORLD General, or Off Topic Lounge sections. It was eBay, not a drum forum.
For something expensive and hard to move, like a house, a car or a full drum set sure.
For an orphaned tom? Take it or not.
Time is money. I have better things to do than spending a lot of time with someone who doesn't seem interested in buying something that is pretty straightforward.
I'm currently selling some drums. (Hey, Bo! I'm selling something you need to buy and re-sell!).
I'm selling them cheap. I'm not hard up for the cash. Just they take up room in my studio for drums I don't really need or plan to use any time soon. Someone will buy them, or they won't.
I run my own business. Yes, I'll spent all the time I need to on the phone with a potential paying customer. Yes, I go above and beyond with providing superior customer service. But some people who call me just want someone to talk to with no real need for my services. I can only do that for so long before it starts costing me money in lost productivity.
Yeah, that's the American way. The more it costs, the more the business person is likely to show interest in the customer. It's not about pride in one's work or caring about the customer--it's about cash. And it's all short-term. I've spent a lot of time in a country where they would give you the same outstanding service for the orphaned tom that they would give for the $5,000 DW kit. It's about providing service and thinking about others and having pride in what one does. And in the long run, I'll go back to the person who provides great service for the orphaned tom again and again. If I were Bo, the next time Orphaned Tom Guy put something up for sale, even if I wanted it there'd be no chance I'd even think about buying from him.
Parts of this thread have really reminded me of why I so dislike American business practices.
Over....the...top....
"American business practices"? Lol...
We're talking about a drum being sold on an internet YARD SALE... (And it's called "Buy it NOW" for a reason...)
How do we get to the whole "Americans suck" thing? And why is that even appropriate?