tire kickers

[momen55]

perhaps i may have done this at some point but i don't remember.

i don't know about some or most of you, but if i don't have the money for an item or is more than what i want to spend, i am not going to waste someone's time nor mine sending emails and asking stupid questions that are easily answered with photos and or descriptions.

it is happening quite often, more than usual i see, and it is frustrating. i just caught myself answering someone's question about an item i am selling, that they "really" had interest in, 25 times! in the end, the person didn't answer back and in this case, again, didn't want it. i don't expect a lightning answer, but if you ask and ask and ask 25 times about items, your intentions aren't to buy, they are to waste someone's time!

some people i see there intentions from the first email that they aren't going to buy anything so i cut them off. i see it from people here as well as other places.

to say the item is great and original and has good use and then want it for pennies on the dollar is insulting and i don't have nor will give time to people like that. pretty ignorant if you ask me.

[momen55]

Re: tire kickers

perhaps i may have done this at some point but i don't remember.

i don't know about some or most of you, but if i don't have the money for an item or is more than what i want to spend, i am not going to waste someone's time nor mine sending emails and asking stupid questions that are easily answered with photos and or descriptions.

it is happening quite often, more than usual i see, and it is frustrating. i just caught myself answering someone's question about an item i am selling, that they "really" had interest in, 25 times! in the end, the person didn't answer back and in this case, again, didn't want it. i don't expect a lightning answer, but if you ask and ask and ask 25 times about items, your intentions aren't to buy, they are to waste someone's time!

some people i see there intentions from the first email that they aren't going to buy anything so i cut them off. i see it from people here as well as other places.

to say the item is great and original and has good use and then want it for pennies on the dollar is insulting and i don't have nor will give time to people like that. pretty ignorant if you ask me.

just last night, i had a person ask about an item and we went back and forth for a while and in the end, they didn't like the price and didn't want it. what's up with that?

[legaleagle92481]

Re: tire kickers

Unfortunately these types of people dominant this "hobby." I call them the weekend dealers the guys that act like they are doing you a favor buying an item for pennies on the dollar so they can try to resell it immediately for several times what they paid for it. They naively think everyone is a cash starved dupe. A few weeks ago I had someone send me an email inquiring about a Revis jersey I was selling with a JO COA and offering me $800 for it and to add insult to injury he wanted shipping included for that price. Such jersey cost me $2,750 in January of this year. Then when I told him his offer was an insult he responded and how much i paid for it he responded by saying that since I had another jersey priced at that price he thought i would accept such an offer for revis though my bin was 3x his offer. mind you the other jersey was of a much lesser player whose stuff is not worth very much.

[otismalibu]

Re: tire kickers

Unfortunately these types of people dominant this "hobby." I call them the weekend dealers the guys that act like they are doing you a favor buying an item for pennies on the dollar so they can try to resell it immediately for several times what they paid for it.

Just look how many times a 'pickup' post is followed by, "if you ever want to sell it...". My neighbor just bought a new car. It would seem kind of goofy if I asked him if he was interested in selling it. But it's the norm here, because you have at least as many flippers as collectors. Obviously, in order to make any money on a flip, you need to get a swell deal when you buy.

[EurekaDave]

Re: tire kickers

Great points here. What scares me more is tire kickers who want to know irrevelent stuff about a jersey, for example. I can have a jersey MLB certified and they will want to know,
1. Measurements from armpit to armpit and collar to tail and chest size. If it means they are going to wear it---forget it. I am a purest and hate to think of someone spilling beer and hot-dog on a game used jersey.

I also understand about concern over fakes but that's out of hand, too. One guy accused me of selling him a fake but then refused a refund offer because he wanted to keep "the evidence."

All things considered, I love this forum and write something almost every day. On the other hand...people will drive you crazy if you let them.

I now never sell unless I do not care about the outcome. I will lose money and scalp hair.

Dave Silverbrand

[sox83cubs84]

Re: tire kickers

My own "favorite": placing an item for sale on C2C, making mention (as I normally do) to have no means of sending pictures (I do not have a camera), and getting replies asking me "can you send pictures?" If I could post them, I would.

If not seeing pictures in advance is a deal-breaker, then that's OK. I wouldn't
make specific mention of not being able to send pics in the description if I could send some...HELLO?

One guy a few years ago asked me for pics three times, apparently expecting that my answer would be different the third time than it was the first or second time.

Again, if a buyer wants pictures before buying, and I am unable to provide nthem, no harm done...if that's their motus operandi, they're entitled to buy in the most comfortable way they choose. But, please...DON't ask for pictures when the last couple of lines in my post say that I am unable to send them!

Dave Miedema

[Billy77]

Re: tire kickers

My opinion...If it wasn't for the so called..."tire kickers"... most of the items up for sale would go unsold.

I have seen most of the time a high price asked for an item and then after awhile...if the seller "really" wants the item gone...lowers the price to a place both buyer and seller are happy...

just my .02...

Bill

[jppopma]

Re: tire kickers

My own "favorite": placing an item for sale on C2C, making mention (as I normally do) to have no means of sending pictures (I do not have a camera), and getting replies asking me "can you send pictures?" If I could post them, I would.

If not seeing pictures in advance is a deal-breaker, then that's OK. I wouldn't
make specific mention of not being able to send pics in the description if I could send some...HELLO?

One guy a few years ago asked me for pics three times, apparently expecting that my answer would be different the third time than it was the first or second time.

Again, if a buyer wants pictures before buying, and I am unable to provide nthem, no harm done...if that's their motus operandi, they're entitled to buy in the most comfortable way they choose. But, please...DON't ask for pictures when the last couple of lines in my post say that I am unable to send them!

Dave Miedema

Yeah....it's always best to try to get pictures when dealing with Dave! Not sure he knows what he is doing or talking about....

[frikativ54]

Re: tire kickers

You know, I probably am one of those buyers you guys are talking about. For items that I think are listed for a BIN that I believe is way too high, I start low. I expect that sellers will make a counteroffer and see where we're at with prices. Sometimes I get no response, because a seller is too busy feeling insulted to come back with a higher price that I might accept. My thought is I'm negotiating and am definitely willing to up my offer.

Some people put stuff up for BIN/BO when they are just looking to get rid of something. I've struck gold with a couple of best offers, so I figure what's wrong with trying. You never know what's in a seller or buyer's mind. I once got an old all-star commemorative jacket for a great price because the seller was just looking to get rid of it after all these years. It's too huge to wear, so I just have it displaying on a wall.

I'll give a good example. I offered $150 on a $500 BIN, because I thought the starting price was ridiculous. I really did want the item, so I emailed the seller asking what he wanted for the item. If the seller would have counteroffered, I would have raised my price considerably. He wanted $350. A couple months later, I offered $200, and we worked out a deal for $250. In the end, I raised my initial price by $100.

I tried buying another item from the same seller for $25, when the BIN was $100. Had the seller counteroffered, I would have again raised my price. However, I didn't want the item nearly as much, so I didn't take the initiative to send him a message. The end result is that he let my offer expire. This person missed out on a potential sale because he wasn't willing to use the counteroffer feature.

So don't assume that every buyer is trying to get something for nothing. I don't think most would start off with their highest offer, unless someone is absolutely dying to have an item. It goes both ways. I don't sell practically at all on eBay, but I could start a thread about how I find sellers to be annoying with BIN/BO auctions. However, I don't, because I don't think there are any hard and fast rules about these types of auctions.

-Frik

[frikativ54]

Re: tire kickers

My own "favorite": placing an item for sale on C2C, making mention (as I normally do) to have no means of sending pictures (I do not have a camera), and getting replies asking me "can you send pictures?" If I could post them, I would.

If not seeing pictures in advance is a deal-breaker, then that's OK. I wouldn't
make specific mention of not being able to send pics in the description if I could send some...HELLO?

One guy a few years ago asked me for pics three times, apparently expecting that my answer would be different the third time than it was the first or second time.

Again, if a buyer wants pictures before buying, and I am unable to provide nthem, no harm done...if that's their motus operandi, they're entitled to buy in the most comfortable way they choose. But, please...DON't ask for pictures when the last couple of lines in my post say that I am unable to send them!

Dave Miedema

While I definitely see what you're saying, cheap digital cameras can be bought for under $40. I've found there to be an expectation that everyone can provide pictures - or knows someone who will take them for him. Plus, some only skim the Classifieds section. So I am not surprised that someone asked three times for you to provide pictures. He probably thought that you could just have someone in your family or a good friend snap a few photos for you, if he asked another time.

-Frik

[otismalibu]

Re: tire kickers

While I definitely see what you're saying, cheap digital cameras can be bought for under $40.

I remember when half the eBay auctions didn't include pics. Gotta have pics if you want to get a decent price. Especially if you're selling signed items, when players often have multiple versions of their signature.

[ferro39]

Re: tire kickers

You know, I probably am one of those buyers you guys are talking about. For items that I think are listed for a BIN that I believe is way too high, I start low. I expect that sellers will make a counteroffer and see where we're at with prices. Sometimes I get no response, because a seller is too busy feeling insulted to come back with a higher price that I might accept. My thought is I'm negotiating and am definitely willing to up my offer.

Some people put stuff up for BIN/BO when they are just looking to get rid of something. I've struck gold with a couple of best offers, so I figure what's wrong with trying. You never know what's in a seller or buyer's mind. I once got an old all-star commemorative jacket for a great price because the seller was just looking to get rid of it after all these years. It's too huge to wear, so I just have it displaying on a wall.

I'll give a good example. I offered $150 on a $500 BIN, because I thought the starting price was ridiculous. I really did want the item, so I emailed the seller asking what he wanted for the item. If the seller would have counteroffered, I would have raised my price considerably. He wanted $350. A couple months later, I offered $200, and we worked out a deal for $250. In the end, I raised my initial price by $100.

I tried buying another item from the same seller for $25, when the BIN was $100. Had the seller counteroffered, I would have again raised my price. However, I didn't want the item nearly as much, so I didn't take the initiative to send him a message. The end result is that he let my offer expire. This person missed out on a potential sale because he wasn't willing to use the counteroffer feature.

So don't assume that every buyer is trying to get something for nothing. I don't think most would start off with their highest offer, unless someone is absolutely dying to have an item. It goes both ways. I don't sell practically at all on eBay, but I could start a thread about how I find sellers to be annoying with BIN/BO auctions. However, I don't, because I don't think there are any hard and fast rules about these types of auctions.

-Frik

running off of that, i always try to open up some kind of dialogue with people who make offers on my BINs and id say that around 90% of the time, they dont even have the common courtesy to respond. sometimes i counter, sometimes i send them a message, and sometimes i counter along with a message. very rarely do people even respond and that really p1sses me off to no end.

what irks me the most (and i might have mentioned it on the board recently) is when i send a counter offer and the buyers dont even have the common courtesy to decline. if i can counter, what does it take for someone to click the reject button?

business practices like that have also kind of left me jaded, so lately i dont even counter all the time. i figure that if someone is seriously interested in anything other than d1cking around that they will make another offer. what you're saying is that sometimes they dont. so i guess we continue to go around in circles

ive had 1 fool kicking the tire on one of my ebay jerseys since april!!! at that time, he emailed me asking if i would do it for a set price, i agreed, and then i never heard from him again. this was after he asked for details about the jersey and photos that were all linked in the item description.

at one point, i mentioned the signature on it and he responded in disbelief that it was autographed--it was only mentioned in the opening line of the auction.

he then emailed me a couple of months ago again asking what my bottom price was. when i told him that i was fine with his initial offer, he said that i would take it if i gave him a great deal for it. i told him i would knock $50 off if he saved me the ebay fees. after a few more emails involving asinine questions (he once again asked for pictures!!!!!!), he tells me that he only does transactions through ebay and wants to get my best "ebay" price. back to square one

i was reluctant to sell him to sod off because i thought he might have been a little bit slow, but i looked at his feeback and the guy deals high ticket items.

the next time he emails me, i might not be so nice. we're going on 3 months now!!

[BostonSportsFan]

Re: tire kickers

running off of that, i always try to open up some kind of dialogue with people who make offers on my BINs and id say that around 90% of the time, they dont even have the common courtesy to respond. sometimes i counter, sometimes i send them a message, and sometimes i counter along with a message. very rarely do people even respond and that really p1sses me off to no end.

what irks me the most (and i might have mentioned it on the board recently) is when i send a counter offer and the buyers dont even have the common courtesy to decline. if i can counter, what does it take for someone to click the reject button?

business practices like that have also kind of left me jaded, so lately i dont even counter all the time. i figure that if someone is seriously interested in anything other than d1cking around that they will make another offer. what you're saying is that sometimes they dont. so i guess we continue to go around in circles

ive had 1 fool kicking the tire on one of my ebay jerseys since april!!! at that time, he emailed me asking if i would do it for a set price, i agreed, and then i never heard from him again. this was after he asked for details about the jersey and photos that were all linked in the item description.

at one point, i mentioned the signature on it and he responded in disbelief that it was autographed--it was only mentioned in the opening line of the auction.

he then emailed me a couple of months ago again asking what my bottom price was. when i told him that i was fine with his initial offer, he said that i would take it if i gave him a great deal for it. i told him i would knock $50 off if he saved me the ebay fees. after a few more emails involving asinine questions (he once again asked for pictures!!!!!!), he tells me that he only does transactions through ebay and wants to get my best "ebay" price. back to square one

i was reluctant to sell him to sod off because i thought he might have been a little bit slow, but i looked at his feeback and the guy deals high ticket items.

the next time he emails me, i might not be so nice. we're going on 3 months now!!

I am not sure what everyone else is selling, but when I do sell on ebay very rarely, I do try to sell some measure of higher end game used which is rare but on occassion I do this.

I will be honest, I really, really get annoyed when I have a BIN or BO and lets say I have a BIN price of $5000 and kid you not, I get BO of $500 - $800.00. I am not even going to waste my time countering on that ridiculous offer. It is one thing to put in a reasonable offer up front that is negotiable but if you are stupid enough to think anyone is going to accept a price at 15 - 20% of your BIN you probably should not be left out of your cage. Again, I don't know everyone else's selling practices, however I price my items even at BIN competitively with all other items of that type which have sold via major auction and or ebay over the past 12 - 18 months. I know some sellers way overprice items, I do not. My items are all premium highly graded and authenticated and quite frankly it is ridiculous to me that you as a buyer do not understand the market that you would insult a seller with offers like that.

I find that probably about 50% of the time, I actually get very competitive offers on premium items and often I am able to work something out when we are not far apart.

It really is as simple as you cannot account for stupidity and some people are either misinformed, trying to be funny, or just as mentioned kicking the tires and wasting their time and yours.

Joe

[intheminors]

Re: tire kickers

Joe,

I just listed a bunch of stuff on ebay and, when I do a BIN, you can set the auction to automatically decline offers under a certain amount. I always use that.

But, tire kickers are everywhere. You either deal with them or you don't. I think Craigslist is to blame for some of it. It's like an online flea market. I've had so many people tell me about back and forths on Craigslist. I haven't sold on there so I'm not sure how it works.

Kyle

[BostonSportsFan]

Re: tire kickers

Joe,

I just listed a bunch of stuff on ebay and, when I do a BIN, you can set the auction to automatically decline offers under a certain amount. I always use that.

But, tire kickers are everywhere. You either deal with them or you don't. I think Craigslist is to blame for some of it. It's like an online flea market. I've had so many people tell me about back and forths on Craigslist. I haven't sold on there so I'm not sure how it works.

Kyle

Great point Kyle I forgot about that one.

I tried Craigs list once or twice complete waste of time as I was getting spam emails for male enhancements and the like and I am not making that up.

I guess the more anyone tries to avoid the major auction houses and fees that go along with that the more of this type of thing you are going to attract. Although going that route is infinitely more costly, if you are selling anything of real value, I would suggest going that route or be prepared to simply deal with all the nonsense that goes along with this thread.

Using all the additional features on ebay as suggested is another route although I still find I get hammered with a bunch of absolutely stupid questions. I always try to take as many detailed photos when selling as I can along with a very detailed description. I try to really eliminate the need to be questioned to death on everything but there is only so much one can do.

In the end, I probably sell anything on ebay about 4 - 6 items per year so you just deal with it and move on.

Joe