a question of poor form?

jpsmith · Aug 4, 2009

I thought i would get some thoughts from my fellow knife knuts. I recently found a knife on eBay. Relatively hard to find and i definitely intend to purchase it. The problem is that i cannot afford it just at this moment. I will be able to at the end of Aug. or Sept. 1 or 2. I have watched this knife go through two auction listings with no bids/buyers.

At the end of the second listing, i sent a question to the seller. I explained my situation more or less as i have above. I stated that i was not asking them to sell me the knife outside of eBay or for any under the table kind of deal. I just wanted to ask them to hold onto the knife until the said dates and then put it back up on eBay, let me know its back up and i would jump on and grab it. Let me also add that they dropped the price for the second auction and i let them know that they could relist at the original price and i would purchase it at that price.

It has been a couple of days since i first got in touch with them. I have been wondering if this is bad form, or off putting in any way. I'm not overly concerned about it. There are far more than enough knives out there to tempt me if this one escapes. It just occurred to me to see what some of you thought. What would you make of such a request?

WA Martin · Aug 4, 2009

I guess it depends on how many times a seller gets a mesage like this and how many times they've been burned. Or, how closely they are monitored by Ebay.

I've done it with good results as a buyer. But I also usually let them know not to turn anyone away while they are waiting for me to get the money together. Sort of a "just don't think no one is interested" type of alert.

If they get a buyer first, oh well. If I get the money together and it is still available - good deal.

kershawguy · Aug 4, 2009

jpsmith said:
It has been a couple of days since i first got in touch with them. I have been wondering if this is bad form, or off putting in any way. I'm not overly concerned about it. There are far more than enough knives out there to tempt me if this one escapes. It just occurred to me to see what some of you thought. What would you make of such a request?

I don't think you need to be concerned about bad form or offending someone, you can do absolutely nothing and offend someone. I have been an ebay seller for many years and have had a multitude of questions, I always answer them, some I have to wait until I calm down so that I can be nice, but I always answer. If it had been me that you contacted, I would have saved it for you and sold it off ebay, trust me they get more than their fare share, it is now 16% on my listings after you ad in the Paypal payments. Have a great day.

Dave

Dagon · Aug 4, 2009

The problem is that i cannot afford it just at this moment. I will be able to at the end of Aug. or Sept. 1 or 2. I have watched this knife go through two auction listings with no bids/buyers.

Well, I know it's poor form for me to give comments about other people's finances, but if my money were so tight that the acquisition a new knife has to wait, then I think I would prefer to put a bit of money aside for a while before indulging in the luxury of a new knife.
This is meant kindly, not as a criticism.

2brothers · Aug 4, 2009

Dagon said:
Well, I know it's poor form for me to give comments about other people's finances, but if my money were so tight that the acquisition a new knife has to wait, then I think I would prefer to put a bit of money aside for a while before indulging in the luxury of a new knife.
This is meant kindly, not as a criticism.

It sounds to me like that is what he's doing.
Saving up for a knife rather than spending what he doesn't have.

So yeah, poor form on your part.

mike

kershawguy · Aug 4, 2009

Dagon said:
Well, I know it's poor form for me to give comments about other people's finances, but if my money were so tight that the acquisition a new knife has to wait, then I think I would prefer to put a bit of money aside for a while before indulging in the luxury of a new knife.
This is meant kindly, not as a criticism.

You know, a lot of times we know we shouldn't say anything and then we go and blow it and say something anyway. ( this post of mine for example)

elkins45 · Aug 4, 2009

If it's on eBay then you have to pay for it through PayPal, correct? To get a PayPal account you have to use a credit card, correct? Why not just pay with PayPal and carry a balance on your credit card?

J.Mattson · Aug 4, 2009

elkins45 said:
If it's on eBay then you have to pay for it through PayPal, correct? To get a PayPal account you have to use a credit card, correct? Why not just pay with PayPal and carry a balance on your credit card?

I dont know about the OP but my PP account is linked not to a credit card but to a debit card connected to a checking account that I dont use for anything but PP.

Or maybe hes just has a card that rapes you with interest and doesnt want to charge any more.

stabman · Aug 4, 2009

J.Mattson said:
Or maybe hes just has a card that rapes you with interest and doesnt want to charge any more.

Or maybe said card is full to the limit.
I can't buy crap right now.

Josh K · Aug 4, 2009

stabman said:
Or maybe said card is full to the limit.
I can't buy crap right now.

Or over the limit. :foot: Plastic pigs.

I'm luck I have a low limit otherwise I'd be buried (and I mean buried) with knives and have no knee caps. Worthy trade?

FWIW Ebay has a strict no seller / buyer contact except through ebay policy. No rigged auctions, no planned bidding, no listing for a certain price (even if it's higher, money laundering). If you send the message through ebay there is a good chance that seller got a warning saying if they replied with an "Okay, sure!" that their account could be warned, suspended, or revoked.

Better idea is to say, "Hey, drop me an email about item #1192009230923, I would like some more detailed responses and questions about (insert more bull here). My email is bbgeorge@gmail.com
Thanks!"

Then talk through email, not ebay. Don't confuse them. One has five letters the other has four.

jpsmith · Aug 5, 2009

First, let me say that I am waiting until i have actual money in the bank to purchase. Also, I did not know that about eBay policy. Excellent info. to have. Thanks for the responses.