[mstorie]

I have lost out on so many deals around here because the items in question sell 5 minutes after they get posted. In every single case it's because things are "sold pending funds". And in almost every case, it takes the seller a day or so to receive said funds. I have bought and sold on plenty of forums outside of Head-Fi, and this is the only forum I've been on where everyone sells things on "good faith". It can be quite frustrating actually, as I know what I want and have the funds to pay for the item's I'm looking to buy. I don't live tethered to my PC. I'm always in line behind folks who don't have the money. Is that just the norm around here now?

 

[Noobmachine]

I've had this happen to me more than once and I know how irritating it can be, but as someone who has sold quite a bit of gear I kind of am guilty of doing just that. It's more of a first come first serve basis kind of thing, if you have the cash but happen to not PM fast enough or sit around thinking too long waiting to make a decision someone else will snatch up that opportunity. That said I do get frustrated at people who say that they are "preparing the cash" or "gathering money", in the mean time other people who have inquired have to take a backseat to them, and in the end those "gathering their money" don't follow through with payment :/

 

[mstorie]

Thanks for the response. I've been on here 6 years and I don't remember it always being like this. You highlighted another problem. It's bad enough that gear is "locked up" by folks without the funds to pay for them. But it's almost worse to be told something is "pending" by a seller, and then move on to buy something else, only to to have the seller come back a couple of days later to tell you that the original buyer backed out. By this time, my funds have often gone to pay for my "alternate item", because, as a buyer, its not fair for me to ask another seller to wait around for a few days, while I wait for my preferred item to possibly fall through.
 
This kind of "wait for me to get you the funds" attitude really ruins the buying experience for everyone. I don't see this type of behavior on any other forum or web site. I've done over $10K in deals on TheGearPage in the last year, and only once have I had someone not produce the funds shortly after a PM. At least on Ebay, the seller can force you to pay on 'but it now' etc. None of this, "I need to rob Peter in order to pay Paul" mentality. I just don't enjoy browsing the FS forums. I can't tell if stuff is actually sold, and I have to wait many hours for sellers to respond to PM's, but I can see they've been online. So, I know they got my PM, but they are just working out some other "deal" before responding to me (and in turn keeping me waiting even longer). Very frustrating.
 
If a buyer doesn't have the funds when they PM you, it's NOT sold.... period... i.e. its still available for someone else to buy. The 'tire kickers' and 'poor students' need to find another hobby.

 

[Noobmachine]

I feel your pain, same here, usually when I sell an item I get a PM, and as soon as I respond and get a response, I get payment, no waiting around and "please wait" or just flat out no answers. I've seen a guy going around on a few FS ads and just continually asking for price quotes and whatnot, and looking at the trend of items he wants to buy either he's got $3000 lying around, or he's just casting his net wide and picking the best offers, rather than picking an item and committing to buying. It kinda peeves me off cause nowadays I see that constantly happening from all these 1-10 post people, and it just clutters things up for serious buyers and sellers. 
 
I would honestly like to see some sort of agreement policy that if you've committed to a sale to pay within a day or something, it's getting a bit annoying....

 

[mstorie]

Well, the forum rules explicitly prohibit "flipping". It's pretty obvious that there are folks on here with the sole intent of becoming a "middle man" by buying up good deals in order to turn a quick profit. I don't even want to get started on that topic... 

 

[brhfl]

On the other side of the coin, I don't live tethered to my PayPal dongle, or my phone. While I would never initiate a purchase that I couldn't actually afford, there have been times here (and on other forums) where I've really not been able to pay right away, and have made it clear the reason why, and this is the time I get home from work, and I'll pay within an hour or so of that (that is, taking into account for train delays and the like). Thus I've been in that position of leaving a sale in limbo, and would be in the same-but-opposite position as you otherwise - missing out on sales here and there because I don't always have access to my money. I get your beef with the situation, though, just a little food for thought.

 

[mstorie]

Don't get me wrong. I've been in the position of not being able to pay for something right away myself. I actually was stuck on the tarmac at DFW for a few hours and trying to pay for something at the same time with Paypal on my phone. Not fun. But the norm around here now is "grab first, and pay later". Everything I see is sold-pending-funds.

 

[billybob_jcv]

I think it's just an indication of how fast things sell. The seller is just trying to let everyone know they can stop bombarding them with PMs while the transaction is being handled. The FS is posted, I PM with "I'll take it", and the seller might not be sitting by his computer waiting for my PM. He responds a couple of hours later saying it's mine and he provides his email address, but by then I've stepped away from my keyboard - I might have even gone to sleep. So, the seller updates the post with "Sold Pending Funds", and I send the paypal a few hours later when I get back online. I really don't see anything wrong with that, and I also don't see how it could be handled any other way. I would be upset if I said I would take it, and then just because I didn't instantly send the Paypal when the seller finally responds to me, he sells it to someone else. I do not think the buyer "doesn't have the funds", I think it's just typical online communication lags. I think the system depends on the good will of both the seller and the buyer. The buyer is counting on the seller to really sell it to the first "I'll take it", and the seller is counting on the buyer to send the payment within a reasonable time of being told they won. What's a reasonable time? I would give a buyer at least 24 hours, just to cover any time zone and other delays in being able to respond.

 

[mstorie]

Well said. I think I just need to accept that I'm too slow on the hunt, and give everyone the benefit of the doubt. I have gotten "lucky" a few times. Supply and demand is also a factor at play.

 

[CassidEdward]

I've seen a guy going around on a few FS ads and just continually asking for price quotes and whatnot, and looking at the trend of items he wants to buy either he's got $3000 lying around, or he's just casting his net wide and picking the best offers, rather than picking an item and committing to buying.

Oh i really agree with it.