Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Keeeping your word in the hobby

OK I need to vent. Recently subjects came up about "people there with the money versus" "I'm on the way please hold it for me." If I know the person I will hold it, if not they better be very damn convincing as I've learned my lesson again and again. Many don't show! Also I had someone complain to me about a recent auction in that they tied the bidding on the item with someone in the audience, maybe even going a tad higher, but still lost the bid to someone that was right there. In this case I'm going to side with the auctioneer. You know not everyone always pays the auctioneer and you know the saying, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." What really prompted this was I had a "nice guy" beg me to get him "all the back issues of PCM Magazine" I could find. I told him that would take me an hour plus to dig through piles of back issues, sort them, etc., I'm a busy guy, and would do it only if he agreed to buy them. I asked for a credit card so I could have some security in doing this and he said he would call me the next day with his card. I've left 6 messages. The pile of mags is still sitting here, it's been three weeks and he is not calling back. I had another guy beg me not to sell a globe on my site, he wanted it, told me that three times! I held it for two plus days. Didn't even have the decency to call me back after I called him and SPOKE to him three times. Kept saying, I'll call you back don't sell it, I want it. Never again...Idiots!!! OK I feel better now! Scott B.

Just the part of selling that sucks

PM sent scott

Oh,btw those pcm's will sell in a heartbeat.

A mans word means a lot in our hobby... This hobby has a smaller group of people than one might think. One bad deal because of your word travels fast!

Yes true, your word is huge...

I think what you experienced are lessons most of us who sell on a regular basis learn pretty quick. There are people who are forthright and keep their word and there are people whose eyes are currently bigger than their pockets and those whose promises are fleeting.

As a regular seller I'll tell a prospect that they've got first option on something but only to the point of a specific day/place/time, after which it becomes first-come first-serve. If they don't come through then my conscience is clear.

I also have many people who say they want one thing or another, but unless they are a regular customer I don't go out of my way to secure that thing and just let it come as a matter of course. And even when I do buy something for a regular client I make sure of the amount they are willing to spend and still ensure that my investment in that is at a point where if they don't come through I can sell the item at a discount to move it out of my possession.

The biggest thing to remember when dealing with people in these matters is to be clear what you will and won't do and set limits that they are well aware of ahead of time. Beyond that on a personal level you have to not hold a grudge or ill will toward others as that is detrimental to yourself.

Human nature being what it is, setting these limits and not getting in a turmoil will serve you well in the long run.

PT

I sometimes get the feeling that some people enjoy window shopping for things they think are cool but cant afford, like if I cant own it at least I can waste a sellers time window shopping it. I have a 69 Mustang on craigslist here for sale and I get tons of emails but no one ever actually comes to see it.

Its the old saying money talks and B.S. walks...most of these buyers walk

Yup talk is cheap and money talks. Actually yells at most sellers!

Coinsides with the addiction concept; some guys just can't control themselves when an item is offered for sale.....maybe if they stall or lead the seller on they can get their next paycheck or borrow the money.......then reality sets in!

Just had this happen, a fellow wanted a Barber Chair I had for sale, he came with cash, and fell in love with another one I had. Said he didn't bring enough cash for both, but here is a deposit, I'll be back next Sunday with the rest to pick them up. Long story short, that was 6 weeks ago, and after a full host of excuses, all debunked by his active posting on face book, he finally came back today, mad at me, because he couldn't come up with the rest. So I let him have the one he originally came for, once he paid the $200 owing. It's so simple, say what you mean, and mean what you say.

That being said, selling real estate for the last 8 years had made me much harder than I once was, my tolerance has diminished LOL!

Scott I hear you,time is money. Its sad that people agree to buy and then don't follow through. What is really sad is as seller gets burnt time and time again it makes it hard for collectors that really live by "I'm only as good as my word" to do business. I guess paypal and other forms of quick payment is somewhat a blessing as some don't seem to get it.

Said this time and time again here. Something to do with the way a person was raised. Or the lack of raising one receives.

Scott, you are a quality guy and certainly didn't deserve such inconsiderate behavior.

Kevin

Hey thanks for the comments I guess I'm used to all this but it still annoys the heck out of me. Good thing is 98% of the rest out there are good people and that makes up for the knuckleheads! Scott B.

Nothing is more infuriating to me than to have someone tell me they will take something and then blow me off. I know there can be legit reasons that sometimes arise that make it impossible to finish a deal as planned but the very least you can do is to complete the deal in a timely manner as promised and tell me what the problem was! I would rather you fess up and say that you overbought or something came up that was more important and you just don't have the money than to just ignore me. When you say "I'll take it", that's what it means. I'm am too trusting most of the time but I will only get burned once by the same person. It's a good feeling when you extend the trust to someone and they honor their side of the deal. I enjoy helping folks get what they want in our hobby, lots of guys have helped me the same way. Like you say Scott, its the 2% or less of the jerks that ruin our day sometimes but how to know exactly who is a two percenter will always be impossible......I knew if I started responding to this post I would write too much...off my soapbox now....GB

I know how you feel but that applies to all aspects of life. I do plumbing work and I could not tell you how many times I have herd someone was going to do the job but never showed up . I have always been a person of my word and if I tell you I will be some where at a certain time you can set your watch by it. I am not sure why it is so hard to tell the truth but alot of people have a hard time doing it.

Scott-Theres a-holes everywhere. But, I believe there are still many more good people than bad. I'm going to send you a PM about the mags.

Easier to Stomp a $5 qt into a $3 qt!

What about the other way around - I say, I take it, seller say OK, you got it and the next day - sorry I sold it locally at a better deal...I guess I was so far away that the word didn't count.

This is very true!!!

I was selling some slot cars and sets at a show in Highland Indiana yesterday from 6AM to 3PM.
Brought 25 sets and 200 cars.
Sold a lot,but not as much as I was hoping for.
At the end of the show,with maybe 10 guys left in the room as I was packing up to leave,a "kid"..(actually a respectable looking grown man about 50,but you'll see why I call him a kid),walks over to me and starts opening up one of my complete sets.Sees the price tag and says WOW!..I had this very set as a kid.he then rifles through it and is manhandling as if it is coming home with him.
Asks will I take $75 less then the price tag I put on it.
I say yes,just to make a sale and to not have to bring it back home,I will accept your offer.
I then proceed to rearrange the set the way I had it.
This respectable looking "kid",says "GREAT!..let me go get my wallet.Are you going to be here awhile?"
I say yes,I have to make 3 trips to my truck during packing up.
He says,"GREAT!..we have a deal.I'll be right back.We shake hands.
I then proceed to make the first of 3 trips to my truck,while I watch him walk across the room and reach for his coat as it looks like he has to go to his car outside.
Each time I come back in to get another load,I don't see this "kid" anymore.
After being fully packed.I come back inside,and sit at the very table I was selling at and we made the deal at.
There are now 5 people left in the room.All vendors packing up to leave.
This "kid" is nowhere to be seen.
I waited 30 minutes after this,only to never see him again.

Now I can understand he might not have as much money as he thought,or even may have changed his mind completely,but if that was the case,have the balls to come back in & say that to my face.
I woke up on my only day off @ 5AM,and was packing to come home @ 3PM from being hammered with low ball prices & tire kickers all day long,and for this 50 year old "kid",whom I took as to be as professional as by his word as I,to treat me like that really made me want to re-think my initial instincts of people as of late.

Last week at the show a guy asked me about three baseball pin backs I had for sale. I said 50 each. He asked how much if I took all three. I was busy going in circles and blurted out 65 bucks. I instantly thought to myself did I just say that? I just dropped from 150 to 65 in seconds. Comes with age {your mind goes haywire on a whim} The guy says I will be right back I have to go to the ATM. OK,
I was glad he did not come back for that kicker deal.

I have rented apartments for 3o years and have learned to act upon what people do, not what they say. I always give lots of leeway, but all that really maters is what do. If they don't do what they say, you move on.

I had an item someone asked me about. Made an agreement. Spent time looking for the item,taking pictures, e-mails back and forth. Addressed, labeled, stamped , ready to go in the mail. After a few days waiting for payment threw pay pal,I receive an apology. Fine, after several more days and no payment, I say deals off. Time to move on. It takes about three minutes to do pay pal. Again just as well I would have lost money on the deal anyway, was just trying to be accommodating.

isn't it great when someone asks for tons of pictures and then disappears without so much as a no thanks.

I had a member on here (won't mention names) ask for pictures of every single oil can I had with prices, after dozens of pictures and emails said to me, nice stuff but I'm going to pass.

Amazing to me that there was not one can he liked enough to buy, I guess I wasn't leaving enough meat on the bone or something

the best one i have heard lately is, after a member here gave me his word over the phone and i still wanted more, so he gave his word on his mothers life.lol...needless to say i accepted this, then when i returned from my trip he says "what, i have a right to change my mind" LOL....then i see it a couple weeks later on ebay for twice the money....

Maybe mom passed away ?? I doubt it.

All good stories and thoughts. Sometimes we change our mind, run out of money, something comes up...But at least have the decency to tell that to the person you made an agreement with they will probably understand. It's not that hard to do! Scott B.

That seems to be the common denominator.
No follow up communication by one party,once a commitment is verbalized,which cements a feeling of guilt to me.

Since this is turned into kind of a character / communication rant I will add mine. People who are just too ignorant, lazy, arrogant or apathetic to respond to PM's or emails ask me a question, make a comment, send me something I will extend you the courtesy of a reply, may not be much but a reply none the less. Did a deal with a gentleman, sent me pictures of projects he supposedly completed, big explanation about how this item I had would round out his collection of this company, and just had to have it. Long story short did not particularly care whether I did the deal or not but thought I would go ahead since it would be doing this guy a big favor and help him out. Agreed on payment Sent the item and never heard from him again no hey it made it, Thanks, I appreciate it, nothing. If I hadn't sent it with a tracking number I wouldn't have had a clue whether he received it or not. A simple thank you would have gone a long ways. Or if it wasn't what he thought it was and wasn’t happy and wanted to undo the deal it would have been fine with me. Guess what will freeze over before I deal with him again.

I am old school....Keep your word, Treat others like you want to be treated, and be honest about the stuff you sell.

I'm 47 and the decline that I have witnessed in the moral fiber that people are made of these days; during my life time is appalling.

The way I see people treat themselves, their own families is enough to make me shake my head in disbelief. If, that's how they threat their loved ones...how can one expect them to treat others any better? The absolute disregard for others, a lack of conscience, compassion and concern is difficult to understand for me. I don't know how as a society or as a civilization we can turn this around.

I think, it's fair to say it will continue to get worse.

I used to collect antique fishing lures. A woman inquired about a lure I had for sale, and made herself out to be a collector who needed this certain lure for her collection. She seemed nice enough, and I agreed to take $125, which was less than my asking price and below market value. I told her I would send the lure for inspection, and she could pay me if she liked it, or send it back. About a week later, after not yet receiving payment, my lure was on ebay for $200! Apparently she had no money to pay me until she sold it at a profit. I contacted her and asked her to end the auction, since she didn't own the lure yet, and to send it back. I think she was embarrassed that she got caught, because she did end the auction and sent it back.

Having been around the flea market and antique shows for some 35 years, I have seen considerable change. From being able to take checks in the early nineties to having to scrutinize cash nowadays. Last year after being beat down by a buyer at Dixie Gas, I was surprised when the guy said," OK what are going to give me?" Taken aback I said " What are you talking about?" He says, " Im not buying it unless you give me something." So I reach in my pocket and pull out my hand with my middle finger pointing at him and say, " How about this?" . He still didn't get it and couldn't understand why I wouldnt sell to,him.

I like that , right on. Bet he figured it out later. Some people are just plain arrogant A Holes ! Most probably don't realize it and that is why they don't change !

It Does get their Attention when ya STOMP a can they were wanting to buy! Just be sure can is empty!

This is hilarious.

That is really low , the fishing lure thing.

I had friend that use to come to the flea market to sell. People would try to beat him down on the price and he would get peed. He would take the item and smash it or throw it in the woods in front of the person to show his distaste. He had the rep of being crazy.

I had a good repor with him and got many good deals from him. I would tell him to take things with a grain of salt, don't get peed. If you do they have had their entertainment for the day and they are happy. Smashing things really gets them excited and your just out the item. He does not set up at the flea anymore. Could not handle it.

no reason to ever get mad a person because of them making an offer, there is no way of knowing how much 'wiggle' room a seller has in their prices. I can't count the number of items (lots) that I have missed out on because I didn't make an offer because I thought it would be insulting.

Heck, it just happened at the last Peotone show... Greg had a sign that was marked $575, I looked at it and thought I would be willing to give $300. I didnt even make the offer because I didn't want to come across as insulting. Talked to him an hour later and he had sold it to someone for $300.

With that said though, there is a certain kind of 'class' & respect to be shown when making offers.

Dale my side hurts lol!!!!