Ethelred - Unprofessional and Bad Sales Experience

[Russ Prechtl]

I just had a very bad sales experience with Ethelred. Apparently he was very keen to sell a BM 707. I said I would take it very late Thursday night and asked him to PM me with his Paypal information. He PMed me with the information on Friday. I was out of town and did not get home until very late Friday night. I logged in expecting to pay for the knife and get it on the way to me. Between the time he PMed me on Friday and when I logged in late Friday night, he had retracted his personal information from the message and posted in the thread that I was "unresponsive" and forfeited the sale. This surprised me greatly because I have purchased many things from different forums in the past and have never had less that 24 hours to pay up "or else". He did not even ask me if I didn't get the message or if something had happened. Nope, it seems there was no assumption of good intent on his part.

I also noticed that he posted in the same sales thread that another buyer had three hours to pay up or he forfeited his request too. After seeing his responses to me and the other buyer, I sent him a note saying I was not being uncommunicative and did not get home until late. I said he could still send me his information if he wanted to sell the knife and included my e-mail address. I also told him I would give him more than three hours to respond since it was a holiday weekend. His response (in the sales thread, not to me) was "Any more excuses?" He then placed another post in the thread saying he would take $10 off the purchase price for anyone who's name WASN'T RUSS! Insult on top of injury, wouldn't you say?

The strangest thing is I was willing to pay him the original price I said I would take it for, because that is what I committed to (that is how I am). He apparently really wanted to unload it and ended up unloading it for $20 less than what I would have paid him if he'd just have been a little more patient and sent me his information. His attitude cost him $20. I hope he believes it was worth it.

This is the first time I've written a negative sales experience post, but it is also the first time I've ever been "treated" to such a rushed, unprofessional, and negative sales experience. Shame on this guy, and I recommend steering clear of him unless you want to be insulted too!

 

[Russ Prechtl]

:thumbdn: I just had a very bad sales experience with Ethelred. Apparently he was very keen to sell a BM 707. I said I would take it very late Thursday night and asked him to PM me with his Paypal information. He PMed me with the information on Friday. I was out of town and did not get home until very late Friday night. I logged in expecting to pay for the knife and get it on the way to me. Between the time he PMed me on Friday and when I logged in late Friday night, he had retracted his personal information from the message and posted in the thread that I was "unresponsive" and forfeited the sale. This surprised me greatly because I have purchased many things from different forums in the past and have never had less that 24 hours to pay up "or else". He did not even ask me if I didn't get the message or if something had happened. Nope, it seems there was no assumption of good intent on his part.

I also noticed that he posted in the same sales thread that another buyer had three hours to pay up or he forfeited his request too. After seeing his responses to me and the other buyer, I sent him a note saying I was not being uncommunicative and did not get home until late. I said he could still send me his information if he wanted to sell the knife and included my e-mail address. I also told him I would give him more than three hours to respond since it was a holiday weekend. His response (in the sales thread, not to me) was "Any more excuses?" He then placed another post in the thread saying he would take $10 off the purchase price for anyone who's name WASN'T RUSS! Insult on top of injury, wouldn't you say?

The strangest thing is I was willing to pay him the original price I said I would take it for, because that is what I committed to (that is how I am). He apparently really wanted to unload it and ended up unloading it for $20 less than what I would have paid him if he'd just have been a little more patient and sent me his information. His attitude cost him $20. I hope he believes it was worth it.

This is the first time I've written a negative sales experience post, but it is also the first time I've ever been "treated" to such a rushed, unprofessional, and negative sales experience. Shame on this guy, and I recommend steering clear of him unless you want to be insulted too!

 

[Thomas Linton]

You made an offer to buy. He did not accept your offer. Your recommendation has been published. We can all reflect.

 

[stonesell]

Most people are attached their smartphones 24/7, and sometimes the people involved in the deal are expecting communication that is updated often, without much lag time. Slower than expected communication is not a good reason to be rude or disrespectful, like the seller was to you, in this case.

 

[JR88FAN]

In all honesty, when I am selling or buying, I expect prompt payment, and I pay right away. (Or at least communicate)

The only reason that would ever change would be through communication, as in both parties agree to a later payment because one person, for whatever reason, can't pay right when the deal is done.

It's just too easy these days to communicate.

If someone posted an 'I'll take it' in my sales thread and did not communicate with me in a reasonable amount of time, I would move on.

I know, I used the word 'communication' a million times, but that's the point.

You should have sent a quick email/PM stating you would be out of town for the day, and would pay that night.....

 

[RevDevil]

Unfortunately things happen and we fall short on polite communication. But at this juncture, the seller can sell to whomever they like. Unless there was a specific agreement reached and then someone changed canoes midstream, nothing to do really. If someone does act in a malicious manner repeatedly and a pattern is established, then that is a different story. This is one of those "I know it when I see it" type of things.

 

[benchwarmer380]

I also noticed that he posted in the same sales thread that another buyer had three hours to pay up or he forfeited his request too.

Based on the time stamps, he gave him 24 hours to pay and he had 3 hours left.

He sent you an email and a Visitors Message in the morning and afternoon.
It looks as though you didn't respond until 1am last night.

You weren't quick enough for him so he moved on which is his right as a seller.
You're not out anything and he made a few bucks less.

The only lesson I've learned tonight is turn your email on as a seller so the buyer can send you an email immediately after an "I'll take it".

Best of luck to both of you.

 

[Russ Prechtl]

Unfortunately things happen and we fall short on polite communication. But at this juncture, the seller can sell to whomever they like. Unless there was a specific agreement reached and then someone changed canoes midstream, nothing to do really. If someone does act in a malicious manner repeatedly and a pattern is established, then that is a different story. This is one of those "I know it when I see it" type of things.

True. The malicious part is the going out of the way to insult the prospective buyer. Just because someone doesn't get back to you immediately doesn't give you the right to be a jerk to them, does it? If someone doesn't get back to me immediately I'm going to try to find out if the communication went through, not go out of my way to be snotty to them and hold them up to the other potential buyers.

 

[miguet]

If the sale criteria includes time compression, I think the seller should state it clearly in the initial post. Prospective buyers shouldn't commit if they can't meet it.

 

[NCCNC]

I always require "prompt communication and payment," and will move on to other buyers if someone doesn't come through. I have never taken longer than 30 minutes to pay after I say I will take something. If I am unable to pay for something immediately, I just let someone else have it who can.

 

[sechip]

If you have time to post i'll take it you should have time to send the funds, PP has a mobile app i believe...

 

[RevDevil]

True. The malicious part is the going out of the way to insult the prospective buyer. Just because someone doesn't get back to you immediately doesn't give you the right to be a jerk to them, does it? If someone doesn't get back to me immediately I'm going to try to find out if the communication went through, not go out of my way to be snotty to them and hold them up to the other potential buyers.

I agree with you on that part, we're all human and as such make lots of mistakes (myself included). Live and learn and make the next transaction a better one. :thumbup:

 

[SaintlyBrees]

True. The malicious part is the going out of the way to insult the prospective buyer. Just because someone doesn't get back to you immediately doesn't give you the right to be a jerk to them, does it? If someone doesn't get back to me immediately I'm going to try to find out if the communication went through, not go out of my way to be snotty to them and hold them up to the other potential buyers.

Did you take the time to let the seller know that you would not be able to pay right away? If not, consider that you bear half of the communication responsibilities and letting the seller know that there would be a slight delay before payment is only polite and responsible. I can't see where he did anything wrong. IMHO, he didn't even really insult you (I might not have said it the way he did though) as you were non-communicative and did not let him know that you would not make timely payment. People here expect a quick payment or an explanation as to why the payment will be delayed. As JR88FAN said:

...If someone posted an 'I'll take it' in my sales thread and did not communicate with me in a reasonable amount of time, I would move on...

So would I. And when buying, I make sure that the seller knows exactly what is going on so that misunderstandings such as this (and that is all this really is, IMHO) do not happen. Communication and responsibility in a transaction is a 2-way street.

Again, JMO.

 

[Gastonknife]

Communication is a valued asset. If I can not make payment rather quickly as a buyer; I always advise the seller of when I can as part of the deal ......never have had an issue. Other than the "unnecessary comment" about the OP, not much to see here.

 

[Popsickle]

You made an offer to buy. He did not accept your offer. Your recommendation has been published. We can all reflect.

What i got from it is that the seller sent his info for payment and then pulled out. Lots to learn from this, buyer should let seller know he can't send money til later and seller should be clear on his time constraints.

 

[KELAMA]

In all honesty, when I am selling or buying, I expect prompt payment, and I pay right away. (Or at least communicate)

The only reason that would ever change would be through communication, as in both parties agree to a later payment because one person, for whatever reason, can't pay right when the deal is done.

It's just too easy these days to communicate.

If someone posted an 'I'll take it' in my sales thread and did not communicate with me in a reasonable amount of time, I would move on.

I know, I used the word 'communication' a million times, but that's the point.

You should have sent a quick email/PM stating you would be out of town for the day, and would pay that night.....

Based on the time stamps, he gave him 24 hours to pay and he had 3 hours left.

He sent you an email and a Visitors Message in the morning and afternoon.
It looks as though you didn't respond until 1am last night.

You weren't quick enough for him so he moved on which is his right as a seller.
You're not out anything and he made a few bucks less.

The only lesson I've learned tonight is turn your email on as a seller so the buyer can send you an email immediately after an "I'll take it".

Best of luck to both of you.

I always require "prompt communication and payment," and will move on to other buyers if someone doesn't come through. I have never taken longer than 30 minutes to pay after I say I will take something. If I am unable to pay for something immediately, I just let someone else have it who can.

Did you take the time to let the seller know that you would not be able to pay right away? If not, consider that you bear half of the communication responsibilities and letting the seller know that there would be a slight delay before payment is only polite and responsible. I can't see where he did anything wrong. IMHO, he didn't even really insult you (I might not have said it the way he did though) as you were non-communicative and did not let him know that you would not make timely payment. People here expect a quick payment or an explanation as to why the payment will be delayed. As JR88FAN said:



So would I. And when buying, I make sure that the seller knows exactly what is going on so that misunderstandings such as this (and that is all this really is, IMHO) do not happen. Communication and responsibility in a transaction is a 2-way street.

Again, JMO.

What i got from it is that the seller sent his info for payment and then pulled out. Lots to learn from this, buyer should let seller know he can't send money til later and seller should be clear on his time constraints.

^^^^ These

Hopefully, this will be a BF lesson learned, Russ. Best of luck moving forward. :thumbup:

There will always me more incredible BF deals to come & awesome knives to buy...something better will eventually come along.

 

[Russ Prechtl]

I always require "prompt communication and payment," and will move on to other buyers if someone doesn't come through. I have never taken longer than 30 minutes to pay after I say I will take something. If I am unable to pay for something immediately, I just let someone else have it who can.

That's a good point, and why I believe a Paypal address should be included in the sale thread (a lesson for future sales). In this case I couldn't have known how long it would take me to pay, but I had no ability to pay immediately because there was no address to pay to. By the time I could pay, the address had already been pulled and was gone!

 

[Russ Prechtl]

If you have time to post i'll take it you should have time to send the funds, PP has a mobile app i believe...

True, but how do you pay when you have no address to pay to? The mobile app does you no good if the seller pulls the address.

 

[Russ Prechtl]

I agree with you on that part, we're all human and as such make lots of mistakes (myself included). Live and learn and make the next transaction a better one. :thumbup:

Well said! Thanks.

 

[Russ Prechtl]

What i got from it is that the seller sent his info for payment and then pulled out. Lots to learn from this, buyer should let seller know he can't send money til later and seller should be clear on his time constraints.

You are correct. It doesn't help to have cash in hand (or in Paypal, anyway) and have no address to send it to because the seller pulled the info. The buyer can't send the money anywhere if there is no Paypal address in the sales thread or PM.