classifieds

[John Rosett]

i've listed a few items on the classifieds over the past couple of years, and some people that respond are very nice and easy to deal with.
however, the experience i usually have is someone contacts me and indicates that they are "very interested" in what i'm selling, and can i please send pictures. so i send pictures, and i never hear from them again. i always ask the person to email me to confirm that they recieved the pictures, but that rarely does any good.
with the amount of scammers and people that take photos of other peoples instruments and re-use them for evil, i think it's the nice thing to do to promptly confirm that the pictures were recieved, even if you're not interested in buying the item. it just seems like common courtesy to our fellow mando-nuts. it doesn't take that long to respond, and if you contact someone and ask for something, you should check your mail regularly.
so that's my rant. thanks for listening.
-john

[Coy Wylie]

Good points John. Courtesy should be expected and received. On the other hand, I was a little saddened to see the "Doctor of Mandolin" Diplomas in the classifieds. IMHO it cheaped the site a bit.

[John Rosett]

willard- i agree with you , but i wonder how many they sold(and how many would fess up to buying one?).
john

[David M.]

You know, I've also notice a lack of courtesy in LOTS of responses I get when I'm selling and inquiring about something that's for sale. It's bugged me for a while. Lack of response, rude, or short responses that me feel like not dealing w/that person at all. There are some courteous folks out there, but also some that set me off.

The word "thanks" at the end of an email takes about 1.5 seconds to type, so it shouldn't be a "too busy" thing.

[cbogle]

I agree, John. I would however like to point out that overall, the folks responding to ads here on the Cafe seem far more courteous than those on the UMGF. Just an opinion.

Steve

[Jonathan James]

I had a Cafe member respond with a full-price offer on a mando I was selling and to "send my phone number so we could work out the details." Well, he never responded to my several follow up mails and I told a couple other interested buyers it was 'on hold'. Lesson learned. I eventually sold it to someone else, but a rather rude experience among many other pleasant ones.

[Clamdigger]

I confess. I bought a "diploma" just as a conversation piece a year or so ago. As for pictures from, I recently put an mandolin on the classifieds. You are right. Some people want pictures of every part of the mandolin. They sound serious but then you never hear from them again. It did make me wonder what they want them for and what they did with them. As David M stated, they could at least acknowledge that they got them and say thanks. Clamdigger

[Tom C]

Personally, I would not wait for a reply because pics were sent. If the person decides it's not for them, 95% they will not reply. I would sell it to the first one who says they will buy it. Period. Just like buying a house or renting an apt, if you do not act, you will miss out.

[beachbum]

Back 6 months ago, I placed a post about what mandolin I should buy in my price range. I received some unsolicited emails from folks offering to sell me used mandolins that were in my price range. I asked for additional info and pics from both of them and never received any additional emails. The whole deal made me nervous since I hadn't solicited sellers in my post.

[John Rosett]

tom-
95% not replying is my point exactly. i figure that if i have enough time to ask someone to send pics or info, then i have enough time to be polite and acknowlege their response, esspecially if they have asked for a response from me. it just seems like a common courtesy in our little mandolin world.
john

[Mandobar]

selling through the classifieds has always proved frustrating. #unless of course you are dealing with a dealer. #i always post a link to pics now as it makes it easy, but i still get e-mails asking for more pics. #since i have such a thing for mandolins i rarely sell any.........in fact i had my pomeroy a5 in the classifieds and i just could not bring myself to part with it. #


http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[cutbait2]

my experience with the classifieds has always been very positive although I agree with John that a note indicating that you are no longer interested in an instrument would be polite.

[BenE]

selling through the classifieds has always proved frustrating. #unless of course you are dealing with a dealer. #i always post a link to pics now as it makes it easy, but i still get e-mails asking for more pics. #since i have such a thing for mandolins i rarely sell any.........in fact i had my pomeroy a5 in the classifieds and i just could not bring myself to part with it. #


As frustrating as it is being asked for additional pictures...some might find it frustrating to find out that Pomeroy being advertised is no longer available! #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Tom C]

I do not think it's an issue of being polite. There is no reason for that person to repsond after seeing the pics unless they are still interested. If somebody asked me to send them pics and I didn't respond, that would be inconsiderate -but my own loss. I see no reason to respond just to be acknowledged. I'd neverget any work done
if I asked somebody a question, then they gave me an answer, then I had to reply back saying I got their answer.

[neal]

CONFESSION: #I'm one of the guys that has asked for photos from 2 folks on the classifieds, Peter Mix had a really cool a style, I forget the name, but it had painted flame on the back, that I was considering. #He sent me the photos, I thanked him though, but never bought it. #And Thomas Flood, who has some real nice looking inexpensive stuff #that he re-works, but again never bought. #I did thank them for the photos. #

You're right, being jagged around is wrong, and one should be thanked for the photos and correspondence, it takes only a few seconds to attach photos from your computer and reply to an email, but it's a pain for special shots.

#When the prospective buyer/jagger makes you jump through hoops to get a shot of the mando and then fails responds with a thank you, or let's you know: thanks, but no thanks, yes, I would agree that it's rude. #And stringing along without any kind of an expaination is EXTREMELY rude, you expect that on Ebay, not here.

But on another note, when a really cool on comes up, like the GA, don't you just want to ask for a couple shots of the thing, after all, eye candy is eye candy. (but to be polite, you should let on to your intentions.)

[Mandobar]

ben,

i took the ad down as soon as i decided to keep it. in fact i am not sure i had more than one inquiry about it.

[BenE]

ben,

i took the ad down as soon as i decided to keep it. in fact i am not sure i had more than one inquiry about it.
Just figured I'd get in some good natured ribbing! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
Thanks for being a sport!

[John Flynn]

Here is my pet peeve on the classifieds: People who find "clever" ways to insert the names of other brands of mandos in thier adds, like "...sounds as good as a Gibson, Weber or Collings..." so that when people do searches for those brands, thier "brand X" add pops up. I would never buy from someone who did that, even if the deal were otherwise attractive.

[jim simpson]

I personally like to see a front shot along with the back. I see a lot of beautiful flamed backs but no front shot. Perhaps it's difficult to post both here? I would ask for more photos but don't want to be a tire kicker unless I am really in the market for another one. Who am I kidding? I am always in the market for another one!

[neal]

I know that this is about the MC classifieds, but it's so irritating when sellers on Ebay advertise their japanese mandos as "pre lawsuit" and that they're "built to the same specs as a gibson F5 (or worse yet, loar). These should sell on their own merit, not some urban legend.

[Mandobar]

hey, ben

i am the only female grandchild out of 17 grandchildren. #


i am also one of the youngest. #i can hold my own under a bit of "ribbing". #and that makes me a super good sport. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif