Is this still available?

[ChazzC]

I ignore the one that just hit the "Is This Still Available Button:" I think that most of them are just trying to get a reply on Messenger (like the random texts saying "Hi").

 

[VicHobbyGuy]

but people seemed nicer back then. Lol

Well, a lot more reliable anyway. It is 'funny' that with all the technology to make communication easier, people are MUCH less reliable, and less courteous. Make an appointment and never show, or cancel. Ask questions about an item, get a complete reply, and can't bother to say "thanks for the info, but I decided not to buy it"..... A lot of good stuff is going to the dump when I 'croak'.

 

[7milesup]

These threads come up every so often here on H-M and I find it interesting reading through the responses. I have determined that you guys are curmudgeonly old coots with no patience. LOL

I have sold thousands of dollars of items on FBM over the last 9 months. I am with @Eddyde regarding the ability to check the buyer or seller's profile on FB. Craigslist became a place for certain folks to spam the whole page with their ads. You may have seen the "Wanted Old Motorcycles" ad on CL. They use almost every word in the English as "key words" to ensure their ad appears everywhere. That is supposed to be against CL rules, but they never enforce it.

I just got an FBM message while typing this: "Is this still available?" I specifically state in my ad that I will respond to that inquiry, but truthfully, I send the "Yes, are you interested?" message back to them. Sometimes, I get a sale out of that, sometimes I get a "sorry, I didn't mean to send that," and sometimes I get no reply at all. I shrug my shoulders with an "oh well."
When you buy or sell on a public marketplace such as FBM or CL, you had better be prepared to deal with the public. There are a lot of idiots out there, but then again, there are also many great people. One of my customers sent a picture of his completed overland camper. I had sold him some of my aluminum sheets for his roof and some areas around the windows. It was pretty cool to see.

The point is, if you want to buy or sell on a public forum, be prepared to deal with the ... wait for it.... public.

 

[strantor]

These threads come up every so often here on H-M and I find it interesting reading through the responses. I have determined that you guys are curmudgeonly old coots with no patience. LOL

I'm not even into my 40s yet but I have been an old curmudgeon since around age 10 I think.

There are a lot of idiots out there, but then again, there are also many great people

I hear you but the ratio is appalling.

The point is, if you want to buy or sell on a public forum, be prepared to deal with the ... wait for it.... public.

I guess you're not wrong, that's probably the problem. I have a general distaste for "public." Maybe instead of trying to sell piecemeal everything I want gone in the moment I need to just stockpile it and have a purge every 5 years or so and hire an auctioneer to take care of it.

 

[Winegrower]

If I have something in my way that I need gone and it isn't worth the hassle to sell it I just give it away.

This. it's a hobby for me. If I have something no longer needed I give it to some deserving victim. I especially like giving electronics to young engineering candidates...scopes, DVMs. synthesizers, and random components like transistors, switches, connectors, etc. I recall an old guy doing that for me when I was in about 6th grade, and it really changed the course of my life. Hopefully I can do that for the coming generation. if not, at least it's gone.

 

[kcoffield]

what (if anything) do you use instead?

Well use would be a strong word for these, more like occasionally browse, but the usuals like FB and CL, and same rules apply. I'd add, if the seller is unwilling to take the time to have a phone conversation so you can gage credibility, then you're unlikely to have a satisfactory experience, and they are more likely to be the typical FBMP seller/buyer that causes threads like this.

It of course depends upon the nature of the item. I far prefer dealing directly with the manufacturer or businesses. The item would have to be offered for a small fraction of direct purchase price and be a material purchase, or otherwise why bother? Surplus equipment dealers can be ok, even on eBay. What I often find is their websites are easily discoverable for direct purchase and then of course once you have (favorably) traded with them before, their status becomes elevated. Web forums related or dedicated to the item can also be a good source in either classified or wanted posts. Then of course word of mouth through friends. I used to do an occasional (in person) auction.

These threads come up every so often here on H-M and I find it interesting reading through the responses. I have determined that you guys are curmudgeonly old coots with no patience. LOL

All a matter of how you value your time. If you don't value it at all, patience is cheap. Funny, because I used to think I'd value my time less when I retired but it's the other way around. -Since I don't have as much time left, it comes at a premium.


Best,
Kelly

 

[7milesup]

I'd add, if the seller is unwilling to take the time to have a phone conversation so you can gage credibility, then you're unlikely to have a satisfactory experience, and they are more likely to be the typical FBMP seller/buyer that causes threads like this.

I never give out my phone number. I get enough spam calls and texts every day without helping a scammer out.

 

[jwmay]

I never give out my phone number. I get enough spam calls and texts every day without helping a scammer out.

OT, but if I had a Facebook account(I use my wife’s), and I used my real name, pretty much anyone with internet could find me. I googled myself and found out my age, my current address, 6 possible relatives, my phone number, and 4 previous addresses.

Then I googled a friends name, and all his info is out there too. So I’m pretty sure privacy is nothing more than an illusion these days.

 

[CJ5Dave]

What is wrong with talking on the phone? That’s the one feature of a smart phone many seem unwilling to use. A 1 minute phone conversation can answer so many questions. To accomplish the same may take 10 texts or PMs, over 2 or 3 days sometimes. If my phone does not have bank or credit card information, nobody can defraud me. I don’t have to answer, can hang up, can block people if needed. When you offfer something for sale you are entering into a business araingment. Would you do business with a hardware store that was unwilling to talk to you?

 

[twraska]

If you ever get bored, just post something for sale on Facebook marketplace. Dozens of people will reach out and ask "is still available?" to which you answer "yes." Then you can both spend the rest of your day never talking to each other ever again. It's great fun, you can fill a week of evenings reassuring all the concerned marketplace aduitors that you haven't absent mindedly gone off and left something listed as "for sale" when it actually isn't. I really don't get it. Why ask if you have intent to buy it? I'm going to start answering "no" and see if the result is any different.

So what do you propose the opening line should be?
I’m interested in your widget? Or how’s the weather over there when I come to look?