Technology & Social Media "Hi, I’m wondering if this is still available?"

Discussion in 'Living Room' started by Pumpkin, 29th Jul, 2018.

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  1. Pumpkin

    Pumpkin Well-Known Member

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    Watch-out, rant coming!

    To those of you who buy and sell in Gumtree, Facebook and eBay a lot like me, you probably know that the Platforms Developer are very considerate: They have included some quick questions for those who are too lazy to type. Things like "Hello, are you negotiable on the price?", "When is best time to collect" - which are fine by me.

    But what I really cannot stand is this one :"Hi, I’m wondering if this is still available?". Obviously it should be available if you can still see the post, because sellers are supposed to mark "sold" after the item is sold. Of course sometimes people forget to mark.... So I would generally write like this "If the item is available, I would like to offer $xx and can pick up tomorrow arvo ...".

    What is most annoying is some people has set-up alert and this is evident by what happened today. Within 2 minutes after I posted an item for sale, I received TWO messages. You reckon they know that the item must be available after 2 mintutes? No, both sent this one liner "Hi, I’m wondering if this is still available?"

    In some way I dont mind answering because I want to sell. But after this first question, it takes another 5 to cut the deal, or sometimes no reply at all. The auto-message is too easy to use so people just click without much effort.

    The worst part is I contacted Gumtree last year but they refuse to remove this one.

    So in case you have sent me that one-liner, sorry you wont be getting a reply!

    Rant over!
     
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  2. Lizzie

    Lizzie Well-Known Member

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    I always ask if still available - sometimes things sell so quick, literally 30 seconds before I make my enquiry that the seller hasn't had time to mark it as sold ... especially if it's a hot ticket item ... but I usually chuck in "if not, I'd like to offer ..." at the same time
     
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  3. beachgurl

    beachgurl Well-Known Member

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    I always ask that question. It's usually followed by " I have someone lined up to get it in 3 days but still keeping it available in case they don't show...". It's the exception that people remove their stuff straight after selling.
     
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  4. Pumpkin

    Pumpkin Well-Known Member

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    [QUOTE="Lizzie, post: 605441, member: 1990"but I usually chuck in "if not, I'd like to offer ..." at the same time[/QUOTE]
    Yes, that "chuck-in" is good and show that you are serious.
    Those who sent me a one-liner, ie a standardardised response, are the ones that made me cringe!
     
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  5. Pumpkin

    Pumpkin Well-Known Member

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    This is good practice. Wish I get that.


    Hmm, I always mark straight after. Not that hard nowadays with mobile. If people can click and send a standardised response all the time, they should be able to mark 'sold'. I myself have been selling for years and always do that. Sometimes I even put in heading "Pending pick-up"

    Ah well, the world around us.....

    BTW, I still getting this question today :rolleyes:
     
  6. LVR

    LVR Well-Known Member

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    I call Gumtree; "Scumtree". It is absolutely full of "trash and treasure" types who want to offer you 4c for anything you are selling, and/or never turn up. The site is a nightmare. Ebay isn't a lot better for that either.
     
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  7. Lizzie

    Lizzie Well-Known Member

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    A few years back I was selling a saddle - and literally had 20-25 requests and offers within 30 minutes ... hard to keep track of who and when and had to wait for the money to arrive in the paypal account before marking it as sold.
     
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  8. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    I've been selling things for years on eBay but find them too expensive these days, so use Gumtree a fair bit. I insist on getting a mobile number so I have more than "Joe" if I'm giving out my address.

    I don't give it out until close to pick up time, to minimise the risk, but it isn't foolproof.

    I find Facebook pages best for moving things quickly. I don't always list on Marketplace, because that is the worst of all, very anonymous. I insist on a mobile for that site.

    There are frustrations with them all.
     
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  9. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    Also, I never put my number in the Gumtree adverts. That allows me time to sort through things. I've often listed a dozen things and calls would do my head in.
     
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  10. inertia

    inertia Well-Known Member

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    I hate the ones on facebook that comment "sold" without actually communicating with the seller. If I'm selling something, I'll decide who gets it when there are multiple offers. If someone says they will buy it, but cant pick up for 5 days, I'll try and sell to someone who can pick up earlier. Its not sold until *I* say it is - which is generally when there is money in my bank!

    cheers,
    Inertia.
     
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  11. LVR

    LVR Well-Known Member

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    Yes; I only allow them to respond vial email or messenger.
     
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  12. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    Generally, the FB groups have rules, and the first to comment "sold" is the buyer. The groups I'm in do not allow auctions, nor lack of pricing, nor multiple offers. And anyone found to be messaging the seller direct without marking the page itself will be removed from the group. So marking something "sold" or "sold pending confirming measurements" or similar is upheld and those flouting the rules are counselled and/or removed from the group.

    Also, after making something "sold" you have four hours to make contact before the seller can move to the next in line, and I think they allow two days to collect. Each group will have its own rules, and generally the groups I'm in do police the rules.

    So as a seller, if someone marks my listing "sold" I am honour bound to sell to that person. And if I list on several groups I make sure I add "advertised elsewhere" so that if three people each mark it sold, the first one gets it.

    Of course someone can break the rules, but they are usually barred from the group for doing so, which means it generally works well.
     
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  13. inertia

    inertia Well-Known Member

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    yeah, by any measure of logic I find that to be a silly approach and fail to understand how it became a thing. You frequently see issues where someone has claimed the "sold" but then tried to barter on price, give the seller the runaround, etc.

    Cheers,
    Inertia.
     
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  14. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    This is where rules that are enforced become important. And why I prefer local groups over the general marketplace, which can be fairly dodgy. I've had people who want to buy, get my address and never turn up. But I take screen shots these days. I try to avoid marketplace as a seller, but have got some cracker deals on it.
     
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  15. Pumpkin

    Pumpkin Well-Known Member

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    Yesterday I added a line to my Ad and it seems to work. But might be due to time factor too. I'm starting to get weary of those who responds too quickly. .

    My new line says" If you read this, it means is available". We'll see...
     
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  16. Barny

    Barny Well-Known Member

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    Is the following a scam...person a is interested and you can email them back at ........
    Now these come directly to my email but Gumtree doesn’t indicate any messages or that contact has been made. I don’t respond as I’m sure if they were genuinely interested they would message or call directly.
     
  17. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    I'm sure that is a scam.
     
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  18. Pumpkin

    Pumpkin Well-Known Member

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    If you were to email him/ her, what would you say? "Hi, i heard you are interested and you've asked me to email you"?
    Doesn't make sense...
     
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  19. LVR

    LVR Well-Known Member

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    Gotta be a scam. Why would they.not simply ask about your XYZ product that you are selling?
    Of course; if you are a bit bored, have the time, and could be bothered - it'd be a lot of fun to play their game for a while. ;)
     
  20. Perthguy

    Perthguy Well-Known Member

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    So, is this still available?
     
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