How long wait for contact information from the first buyer?

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Matvey

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The situation is as follows:
In the section «For Sale: Production Knives (Individual)» in a one topic sold a knife. And appears the first buyer, who writes "I'll take it". Then appears the second buyer, who writes "Second in line."
In your opinion how long the seller have to wait for contact information from the first buyer before he decides that if the first buyer not communicate, then should be to sell the knife to “second in line” buyer???
1 hour? 8 hours? 24 hours? 1 minute?
Interested in your opinion in terms of custom of the forum and the highest universal fairness :-)

Moderators: I apologize if the information posted in the wrong place.
 
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It is up to the seller, not us. It does seem like a good idea to post how long one will wait, but ultimately not necessary.
all da best, rats...
 
Depending on how fast I need to move it I would say 12 hours.That would give someone enough time to go work a shift and get back to you.
I have posted a I will take it just before leaving for work before although I did let the seller know it would be a little while before I would be back online.
 
I would say it also depends on the buyer's reputation/feedback. But 24 hours seems like a reasonable time frame. Just make sure to properly communicate with the second in line so that you don't lose him, too.
 
Always a good idea to follow an "I will take it" post with a quick PM or email.
 
otto said:
Always a good idea to follow an "I will take it" post with a quick PM or email.
Click to expand...
You're absolutely right! :)
But sometimes the message ("send emeil to ..." option), sent by buyer, do not reach the seller due to technical reasons. While the buyer believes that the message was sent to the seller. And this can happen on Sunday, when people do not go to work... :rolleyes:
How to be in such cases?
IMHO: 24 hours - is a light solution of the problem, I think :o
 
A full day, MAX. Some people only long on once a day, at the same time. That's fine. Work, family, whatever can get "in the way" of internet time. For example, if an "I'll take it" is posted after dinner time and before bed, it might not be until the same time the next day that communication is resumed. Completely understandable, even if it can be frustrating for the seller.

Beyond that, there's no excuse. Personally, I would expect 12 hours to be the max for expecting a response, or responding myself. IE: initiate at night, continue in the AM, or initiate in the AM, continue after work in the PM. If I were selling a knife, I would want it in that timeframe, and if I were buying, I wouldn't go past that timeframe. But like I said above, I can understand a 24 hour timeframe. My reasoning for the 12 hour time frame is that if you say "I'll take it", you're promising a transaction and should make special effort beyond any once-a-day internet/forum access that you might usually be limited to, as a courtesy to the other party involved.

When somebody says "I'll take it" it's a given that they're interested in the knife. After a day, it's obvious that they weren't really that interested, and it's time to move on to the next potential buyer.

As the seller, it might be prudent add some sort of disclaimer that "I'll take it" requires response within a given time, or that "I'll take it" doesn't necessarily guarantee you first in line.

As always, communication is key. When buying or selling a knife, I always feel that the best transactions are not necessarily the ones that were for the best price, but were the ones where there was clear and constant communication with the other party. If, for some reason, communication is expected to be sporadic or delayed, this should be explained up front. For example "I"ll take it, but I won't be online for another 24 hours because I can only get online at 6 am before work because my teenage daughters tie up the computers all night." Or "I'll take it, but I only have internet access at work during my lunch break since I live in Nowhere, Kansas and don't have internet at home."
 
^^^ True dat.

Well-explained, Planterz.

Coop
 
Ill take it IMO means a quick PM because they are afraid someone else will purchase the item and they really want it. I say 4-5 hours, you snooze you lose.
 
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