Can People Not Read?
 

What is it with people asking specific information about an item you have for sale, when that information is CLEARLY in the goddamn ad?

Whats included? - What it says is included in the ad.

Whats wrong with the item? - Nothing is "wrong" with the item. Look at the fricken description....IN THE AD.

IF the gun is broken, or has issues, or has ears, or smells like anything less than VICTORY, I post it in my ad.

STOP ASKING STUPID QUESTIONS.

READ PEOPLE!

TLDR. I like the ones who ask a million questions, low ball you and when you accept the lowball they never reply again.

I find a polite, but firm, fuck off assists in these situations

Exactly what Kaiu said, in my case
I wouldn't have a hard time believing a lot of them are also because people don't read though, because a lot don't, we have proof of this on a daily basis. I use to read everything twice or thrice, but heck, I recently posted a question myself without reading/searching first. It happens to all.

That being said, I think that it's also to make a first contact with seller as fast as possible, because some stuff tends to move so fast on the classifieds that by the time you read the ad carefully, another guy jumped on it and you lost the opportunity. Might be a factor there

TL;DR What's wrong with people asking questions? What do they want to know?










.... :)

I don't think any messages put forth here are going to reach the audience of people who cannot read....just saying...LOL

No not unless there are some pretty pictures and lots of bright colours to catch the attention of the simple minded.

Cue Permel and his ponies in 3...2...1...

Permal would appear to be on vacation right now. In light of his absence, I bring you these.


http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ll...mjvko1_400.png
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__...pony_S2E17.png
http://images5.fanpop.com/image/phot...82-707-483.png

http://knitinc.files.wordpress.com/2.../hulk-rage.jpg
don't kill me...

lol I get that a lot. I just link back to the sale thread

This.

I've been burned before, and almost been burned - questions to clarify potential issues are a wise method of saving your money and/or avoiding grief. If you don't want to spend 5 minutes answering potentially redundant questions in order to reassure the potential buyer, then don't expect the buyer to even consider buying your potential POS.

Asking questions is also a good way of judging whether a person is trustworthy to buy a gun off of - if the person is evasive in answering questions, or otherwise says something that indicates that things may not be what they seem, then this is a buyers aid when it comes to making a judgement on whether to put down the cash for a purchase, or not.

The amount of mis-represented guns on the for-sale forum, frankly, makes me gun-shy (pun intended). I'd rather much prefer to respond to relatively local advertised guns, and make a purchase in person once that gun is verified in-hand as sound and as advertised, then roll the remote-purchase and ship dice on some of the over-priced, potentially held together with JB-Weld and a prayer battlefield rejects that often come up in the classified's here.

To the OP. I just took a quick peek at your sales thread that you have. In all fairness you should take a closer look at the gun your trying to sell. Not to criticize but there really isnt as much info presented as you may have thought. Also, consider the asking price of your gun. When your trying to sell a gun for that much moola your bound to get tonnes of clarification questions.

Another thing is that quite often there is A LOT of blatant misrepresentation in the classifieds lately. Just today someone bumped their add claiming a heavy weight gun is full metal. You will always get tire kickers, low ballers, and flakers. Its part of selling on the classifieds.

If you were dropping 500+ on a toy gun wouldnt you ask some questions just to double check?

I sure as hell do. Hell I ask questions for a $50 item let alone a $500 gun.

I guess what im trying to say is that people will ask questions no matter what. Consider it a form of risk protection. If you were to say buy a used car wouldnt you ask a butt load of questions? I sure would. Going back to my contract law classes, if a buyer doesnt ask, and there is something wrong with an item (like a car) then the seller has no responsibility as they were never asked. But by simply asking "is anything broken thats not in the ad" and you say "no". Well then a buyer has just mitigated a big risk, because you as a seller has a duty to be honest and truthful. Quite often I have seen sellers lie, and because of that I have been able to get some money back when I have been burned in the past.

I personally like a buyer asking questions, because I do it myself as well. When I do post on the buy and sell, I always make sure I state that they are free to ask questions via pm. It also develops somewhat of a connection/relationship between both parties. Heck, i've had quite a good laugh at few folks that were inquiring and such. I guess it all depends on how we communicate and build rapport.

due diligence.

Yeah, I'm going to have to agree with Jordan here.

To the OP, you have not included any note of the gun's functional nor cosmetic condition (at least on the SIG). Although you have posted photos - this is not sufficient on its own to show the gun's cosmetic (and definitely not functional) condition.

If the questions really bother you as a seller, then include full disclosure on all known issues (cosmetic and functional) - and if there aren't any problems whatsoever, then state as such (gun is 100% functional, and there are no cosmetic flaws of any kind). If that is not possible (for whatever reason), then you should be prepared to answer questions without complaining. I've seen sellers who even state the smallest nick of cosmetic damage (that normally wouldn't be noticed at all).

WTF do you mean lately. There's a reason I haven't touched the classifieds in 2+ years.

Otherwise I agree with the other posters. I didn't look at blackthorne's FS specifically, but many have very few or very poor pictures, somewhat vague descriptions, etc.

I've ALWAYS confirmed via PM everything about a sale before buying, and likewise I've always communicated it to a buyer if they didn't asks. Covers everyone's ass in case of a trade dispute.

No, people cannot read.

+1

What are people talking about?

Make your ads idiot proof. Lots of pictures first and then a full detailed description. Most people don't include everything they should so they get inundated with stupid questions from a bunch of potential buyers then have problems selling their items. It helps minimize the stupid questions but your always going to get a few regardless so I can understand the OP.

http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile...684_8947_n.jpg
you put a picture in and no one reads whats there. especially if there are multiple paragraphs and stuff like info.
Even the few that read what you wrote look for confirmation,
The BAN ME thread is proof of that.
Everyone gets their new watch camera car whatever and they immediately play with it. No one reads the instructions. I know a guy who has built a reputation as the go to how to guru. and makes a tidy living at it too, just cuz he reads the instructions, on everything, tech manuals, operators guides, all cover to cover.

Have fun start a new thread with a pic of a shiny toy with a ton of goodies and then the well worded text below for a bag of dog shit.(no pic) Reply to PM's with "my ad comes with everything described" shipped for $25. I only have five coming in the next week!"
Sell some shit stop answering stoopid questions. ;)

Wouldn't poop be a prohibited / dangerous good under most shipping companies? Might be a pain in the ass to mail that stuff.

The irony here is I'm not willing to read UPS or Canada Post's website to clarify this information before I make the above statement.

If I'm about to drop several hundred bucks, buying something from someone I've never met, and never will meet... Someone who tends to ask for things like "money up front", someone who really offers me no insurance that I will get what I pay for, and no recourse should the offer go wrong...

I'm going to ask as many questions as I wish.

If you're selling something for $500, and you have to take five minutes to answer some questions and clarify some issues, and generally prove you're not a thief.. Well, that's $6000 an hour.

If you have to answer 20 such PMs... That's STILL $300 an hour.

If you're the kind of guy that loses his sh!t because someone wants clarification... Well, you don't get my cash.

Put yourself in the buyers shoes... Would you buy a car from some guy across the country, who uses a fake name, and provides one pic of said car?

Besides... Too many people sell stuff in the classifieds like they're selling antique paintings.

I have no way of confirming that you've installed the worlds greatest combination of parts, nor can I confirm that you did the job correctly. You bought it, got it home, opened it... It's USED. It is no longer "new", more power to you if you can charge twice what it's worth, but it wont be from me.

I work hard for my money... I'm going to ask questions. Lots of questions. I will ask questions to satisfy every curiosity I have. I'm not only asking them to find out about the gun, I'm asking to find out about the seller. You want my money? Work for it.

Here's an idea guys (I do like the form though). Keep track of the PM questions and post the Q&A as part of the ad when you bump it.Then you remember that framework of common questions for your next ad.

Just because you can read does not make you literate.

unfortunately, the complaints made in the thread about people asking dumbass questions which have been answered in original posts will fall upon deaf ears. As those people do not read (or understand) in the first place.

Inquiries about more detailed or related information about questions already or partially answered fine, but showing a picture of a black gun and asking if the gun is black is beyond retarded.