Tired of being edged out of sales that I claimed first. Advice?

ctrsurf

ctrsurf

Feedback: +58 / =0 / -0
Joined
Feb 1, 2012
Messages
484
Yes, yes I'm well aware that a seller has the right to sell to whomever he wishes and doesn't owe me or anyone else any explanation or apology, etc. BUT it's annoying to clearly be the first one to post "I'll take it" in a sales thread and be ignored or have it sold to someone who posted after me. I do have a paid membership, I've never flaked or backed out of a deal, I have spent around $5,000 here in the past year, diligently building my feedback score... I know that there's no recourse or anything, so I guess I'm just ranting... but if people want to only sell to their friends, why bother posting a public ad??

Aside from ads that are "cross-posted" elsewhere and the seller clearly states that they are going by time-stamps (which I think is lame- pick a venue), isn't it the general practice to sell to the first person to claim the knife, or am I missing something? I'm fairly new to this and inexperienced, so I'd appreciate any respectful feedback, constructive criticism, or advice. Thank you my knife brethren (and sistas)!:cool:
 
I know how you feel it has happened to me and I may have done it myself in the past .. Not purposely . But I missed a guy that posted first and the second guy paid and what are you to do it that situation ? But your right if someone is only selling to friends maybe they should say it ? Or how I try to do it is this .. It's only a knife and another one is right around the corner .. Trust me I have been at this awhile
 
Also people claim knives etc via email and or PMs
Not just posting in thread
I have also been here a long bit.

Also note it has been a very very bad issue with people claiming
items and poof disappear..I held the knife and they decided
not to buy or they never reply to my response with payment info.
So that puts me in a situation..where I held a knife for payment
they flaked and I passed up 2 other buyers that dont want it now
That is very to say the least..unpleasant

IMO it is far better to try to contact the person in
an email and also a PM to claim a prize..Then post in thread
Covering all your bases does help.
BUT then on the other hand its happened to all of us from
time too time.

As for the selling too whomever I wish..I do that myself.
Its my choice.. Due to past bad dealings with a few in here.
I also follow thru with other person(s) that may have inquired
to let them know its sold.
 
Don't let it bother you. I have been doing this for a very long time and I guarantee another knife will come along. Many people send PMs and never post in the thread. I doubt you are being passed over.
 
What I do is to post I'll take it, and immediately send a pm for PP info and if they have an email address listed, send a email.
Some, may view a "I'll take it" only reply as someone that is flakey and may not follow through with the purchase.
 
It's all part of online trading, and it happens to all of us from time to time. And as far as posting the same knife on a few different sites is concerned, it increases the sellers opportunity to make a sale... nothing wrong with that at all.
 
I've found that many buyers will contact me directly instead of posting an I'll take it. As a seller I need to be very careful and check the thread to see if anyone has already claimed it. I always try to honor the person who first pulled the trigger.

As a buyer make sure you IMMEDIATELY follow up with a PM or email just to make sure you're not overlooked.
 
I pm right away when I see something I want I have done the I'll take it route but for the most part I'll just pm and buy it. Selling on multiple venues is the sellers right it's his knife you want.
 
Spinny said:
As a buyer make sure you IMMEDIATELY follow up with a PM or email just to make sure you're not overlooked.
Click to expand...

Best way to go. I post "I'll take it -- PM on the way" so they know I'm not going tp flake on them. The PM says I have PayPal ready to go, and I include my name and address. PayPal will give them that but this way they know it's me.
 
1st read the thread, there may be instructions on how to claim. In my case I ask to be PMed or Email. I don't check the thread all the time and those both go to my Email
Next place your I'll take it if you want or the thread asks for it.
Follow the I'll take it with a PM or email again stating your I'll take it and asking for payment info. If your not going to be able to pay immediately(headed to work and so on) it's a good idea to mention that.
Pay promptly
You will still miss a few that are sold on another forum or someone PMed before you, but you have done all you can.
Lastly keep it in perspective. They are only knives. Your life will not be changed by missing a few.
 
Lots of good advice so far. It couldn't have actually happened that many times, right? If it wasn't meant to be, then it just wasn't meant to be.
Best of luck.
 
I've sold more knives than I can remember even owning, and this has happened a LOT. When it happens to me it's usually because the first person who posts "I will take it" then waits like 6 hours to reply back or send payment. And by then I've moved on. I don't want to seem impatient but... well screw it, I'm impatient. I would rather sell to the first person who deals with me promptly than the first person who calls dibs.

There have been a few other times where I checked my PMs and made a deal, then went back to the thread and found out someone else posted first dibs. Mistakes happen, especially when sellers are under duress to get funds cleared for other reasons.
 
I usually pm the seller and pay for it then. Some like to keep there deals private. Missed a knife you really wanted? Post an ad in the want to buy section.
 
Ajack60 said:
What I do is to post I'll take it, and immediately send a pm for PP info and if they have an email address listed, send a email.
Some, may view a "I'll take it" only reply as someone that is flakey and may not follow through with the purchase.
Click to expand...

+1 ^ This is a good and virtually fool proof procedure. AND THEN - you've got to be paying attention and reply with payment. No time to go off to work or out to the pub for a few hours. :rolleyes:
 
Lots of great advice gentlemen, thanks! The decorum here (almost) always impresses me and reassures me about my participation in this forum. :D
 
ctrsurf said:
Yes, yes I'm well aware that a seller has the right to sell to whomever he wishes and doesn't owe me or anyone else any explanation or apology, etc. BUT it's annoying to clearly be the first one to post "I'll take it" in a sales thread and be ignored or have it sold to someone who posted after me. I do have a paid membership, I've never flaked or backed out of a deal, I have spent around $5,000 here in the past year, diligently building my feedback score... I know that there's no recourse or anything, so I guess I'm just ranting... but if people want to only sell to their friends, why bother posting a public ad??

Aside from ads that are "cross-posted" elsewhere and the seller clearly states that they are going by time-stamps (which I think is lame- pick a venue), isn't it the general practice to sell to the first person to claim the knife, or am I missing something? I'm fairly new to this and inexperienced, so I'd appreciate any respectful feedback, constructive criticism, or advice. Thank you my knife brethren (and sistas)!:cool:
Click to expand...

I can understand your frustration on everything you said other than the part I've bolded. As a seller that hasn't had consistent luck on any single site, I can say that picking a single venue is certainly not the way to go if you want to get something sold. Sometimes a certain site just doesn't cater to a certain knife. I know a solid example from my recent personal experiences would be selling my Hinderer. It was like new, and was over $120 off retail. It seems as though Bladeforums has an excess of people selling Hinderers, which creates a huge competition for lowering the prices. I know I couldn't go any lower, and I managed to sell it somewhere else that doesn't see as many Hinderers.

I admit my response was a bit off topic, but I had to chime in because its the only thing I disagree with :)
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Best way to go. I post "I'll take it -- PM on the way" so they know I'm not going tp flake on them. The PM says I have PayPal ready to go, and I include my name and address. PayPal will give them that but this way they know it's me.
Click to expand...

Been there done that.
This seems the best way (at least for me). Also sometimes the seller has specific instructions on how they want to do the deal. Unfortunately, I usually don't have buyers fighting over my knives to buy them so it's not an issue on who's the first one, second one, etc.

Mark T.
 
Just in the past 2 days I've implemented some of the great advice you brethren have shared here, and must admit that it has improved my BF experience! "I'll take it" PLUS a PM letting them know I'm standing by with payment has eliminated most-all of my previously stated frustrations. Thanks for steering me right guys!😎👍

And BBK- I totally get where you're coming from- totally makes sense.
 
I'll add one more thing.......along with the PM send an e mail also.
I post I'll take it....PM incoming. Then send PM & an e mail stating I'll pay right away.
Haven't missed one yet.
Joe
 
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