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My two and a half cents (perhaps too much)
As a Buyer I do appreciate as much quality info as I can get in the title, including the general location (ie noCal/soCal).
I find those who describe the item fully and provide pictures of both sides of the item allows for fewer questions or need for long pm exchanges.
To the sellers from the buyers:
We buyers have money and a desire to give it to someone who can give us a reason to hand it over. Sellers, make it less difficult! Don't make us work so hard to spend our paychecks. Keep the attitude of "my way or the highway" and we will likely find someone else to do business with.
Live up to what you say you in your thread. Don't have an auction behind the scenes after I was acknowledged as the first "I'll Take It".
And whatever you do, once we agree on when and where we will meet, be there. Don't change your mind and not notify me. Nothing will make me madder than driving across two counties and sit for an hour, only to have you finally let me know that your brother in law came over last night and bought it from you.
Generally, treat the buyer as you want to be treated by the seller of your next purchase.
As a seller, I want to be as efficient as possible to allow the greatest number of qualified buyers with the least amount of babysitting of the sales thread as allowed by the rules. But then shouldn't everyone?
Apparently not. Many put very little effort in providing a quality post of their items for sale and it shows. Trust me, the focus put into a well constructed advertisement pays off. I have had success in selling items that were just one of many such exact items, and sometimes not even the lowest priced. If all listings were created and maintained with just 10% more attention than is given them now, Calguns classified section would greatly increase sales and enhance the membership experience.
*One of my "secrets" to a quality post is to create the entire page on a word document first. Get your spelling, any color, sizing and bolding or other detail done so a copy and paste has a perfect listing with the fewest edits. I even add my pictures with the [IMG] codes prior to posting. This takes a little time to get it just right so don't overload yourself the first few times you try. You will learn what you need to add by looking at your thread in the edit mode and seeing all the codes and structure you need to make your next listing even better before you post.*
Also, as much as I see a small benefit to have a pricing guide by leaving the asking price of an item on the thread there are some fundamental problems with such a practice. 1) The listed price is frequently not the actual selling price, 2) Current market values fluctuate greatly from past markets, 3) It is transaction between buyer and seller and solely up to the buyer if the details of the transaction involving his/her money to be made public record.
From the sellers to the buyers:
Do not hassle me with pm's asking questions that are already answered in the thread. Location is the number one question asked even though the thread offers your answer. Don't be so lazy that you don't go back and read to find the answers.
Understand most sellers don't post sales that often. Most of us like our guns enough to not sell them routinely and therefore we don't get a ton of pm's all at once. This is the time for the exception to that rule and it can seem overwhelming to the novice. The replies are often short and not well thought out. Don't read into that something that is not there. Loading a seller up at this time with questions answer already is just like lighting the fuse. Think, read carefully. Hopefully, the seller has done likewise before posting.
Do not be a flake. As a rule of thumb, we don't take checks, IOU notes or want long pm exchanges for you to decide you just can't afford it right now and ask if we will take payments. Frankly I have accepted all of these conditions for fellow Calgunners but most won't. Don't ask or plan for it.
Be a serious buyer or state other wise up front. Most sellers love guns and love talking guns. If you are in need of info or advice (usually worth what you pay for it), I would bet most would be happy to work with you if you are honest with them. Don't play games.
Most folks selling guns have some motivation to do so and are not as cordialant when they find you are trolling or just curious when they had other serious buyers and they took the time to deal with you. Expect to sometimes see the worst in the seller when this situation becomes clear.
As a Calgun member, I am very grateful for this forum and the effort and expense put forth by others to make this possible. As a Discussion Forum owner myself I also appreciate the volunteer moderators who work without much positives thrown their way except to enjoy the end results as a member themselves. As stated many times, it is a thankless job. Well, Thank you!
That said, there are still reports of some mods being downright rude to long time members here that have also contributed to make Calguns the quality site it is. Some have contributed money, time working for Calguns and many good postings and listings over the years. That alone entitles some level of respect. Don't confuse this with "rights" vs "a privately owned site". I have read that discussion before and it just doesn't hold water.
The professionalism of the staff reflects greatly on the quality of the site. Largely the moderators are long time members given guidelines and hopefully best judgement prevails. Of course being human, we all have our strengths and weaknesses and sometimes the choice of the typewritten word read wrong can create hard feelings and misunderstandings neither "side" wanted or intended.
Try not to be so thin skinned. To some degree all parties would do well to try to understand the others perspective and try to remember we all (less the trolls, internet bullies and idiots playing on mom's computer) want the same thing in the end. Throw in the element that everyone has a bad day sometime and it really isn't all that bad is it?
From top to bottom. Calgun's for all it's faults is still the best overall community for gun owners in California. We are fortunate to have Calguns as Calguns is fortunate to have such membership.
Perhaps that is enough for one post, eh?
As a Buyer I do appreciate as much quality info as I can get in the title, including the general location (ie noCal/soCal).
I find those who describe the item fully and provide pictures of both sides of the item allows for fewer questions or need for long pm exchanges.
To the sellers from the buyers:
We buyers have money and a desire to give it to someone who can give us a reason to hand it over. Sellers, make it less difficult! Don't make us work so hard to spend our paychecks. Keep the attitude of "my way or the highway" and we will likely find someone else to do business with.
Live up to what you say you in your thread. Don't have an auction behind the scenes after I was acknowledged as the first "I'll Take It".
And whatever you do, once we agree on when and where we will meet, be there. Don't change your mind and not notify me. Nothing will make me madder than driving across two counties and sit for an hour, only to have you finally let me know that your brother in law came over last night and bought it from you.
Generally, treat the buyer as you want to be treated by the seller of your next purchase.
As a seller, I want to be as efficient as possible to allow the greatest number of qualified buyers with the least amount of babysitting of the sales thread as allowed by the rules. But then shouldn't everyone?
Apparently not. Many put very little effort in providing a quality post of their items for sale and it shows. Trust me, the focus put into a well constructed advertisement pays off. I have had success in selling items that were just one of many such exact items, and sometimes not even the lowest priced. If all listings were created and maintained with just 10% more attention than is given them now, Calguns classified section would greatly increase sales and enhance the membership experience.
*One of my "secrets" to a quality post is to create the entire page on a word document first. Get your spelling, any color, sizing and bolding or other detail done so a copy and paste has a perfect listing with the fewest edits. I even add my pictures with the [IMG] codes prior to posting. This takes a little time to get it just right so don't overload yourself the first few times you try. You will learn what you need to add by looking at your thread in the edit mode and seeing all the codes and structure you need to make your next listing even better before you post.*
Also, as much as I see a small benefit to have a pricing guide by leaving the asking price of an item on the thread there are some fundamental problems with such a practice. 1) The listed price is frequently not the actual selling price, 2) Current market values fluctuate greatly from past markets, 3) It is transaction between buyer and seller and solely up to the buyer if the details of the transaction involving his/her money to be made public record.
From the sellers to the buyers:
Do not hassle me with pm's asking questions that are already answered in the thread. Location is the number one question asked even though the thread offers your answer. Don't be so lazy that you don't go back and read to find the answers.
Understand most sellers don't post sales that often. Most of us like our guns enough to not sell them routinely and therefore we don't get a ton of pm's all at once. This is the time for the exception to that rule and it can seem overwhelming to the novice. The replies are often short and not well thought out. Don't read into that something that is not there. Loading a seller up at this time with questions answer already is just like lighting the fuse. Think, read carefully. Hopefully, the seller has done likewise before posting.
Do not be a flake. As a rule of thumb, we don't take checks, IOU notes or want long pm exchanges for you to decide you just can't afford it right now and ask if we will take payments. Frankly I have accepted all of these conditions for fellow Calgunners but most won't. Don't ask or plan for it.
Be a serious buyer or state other wise up front. Most sellers love guns and love talking guns. If you are in need of info or advice (usually worth what you pay for it), I would bet most would be happy to work with you if you are honest with them. Don't play games.
Most folks selling guns have some motivation to do so and are not as cordialant when they find you are trolling or just curious when they had other serious buyers and they took the time to deal with you. Expect to sometimes see the worst in the seller when this situation becomes clear.
As a Calgun member, I am very grateful for this forum and the effort and expense put forth by others to make this possible. As a Discussion Forum owner myself I also appreciate the volunteer moderators who work without much positives thrown their way except to enjoy the end results as a member themselves. As stated many times, it is a thankless job. Well, Thank you!
That said, there are still reports of some mods being downright rude to long time members here that have also contributed to make Calguns the quality site it is. Some have contributed money, time working for Calguns and many good postings and listings over the years. That alone entitles some level of respect. Don't confuse this with "rights" vs "a privately owned site". I have read that discussion before and it just doesn't hold water.
The professionalism of the staff reflects greatly on the quality of the site. Largely the moderators are long time members given guidelines and hopefully best judgement prevails. Of course being human, we all have our strengths and weaknesses and sometimes the choice of the typewritten word read wrong can create hard feelings and misunderstandings neither "side" wanted or intended.
Try not to be so thin skinned. To some degree all parties would do well to try to understand the others perspective and try to remember we all (less the trolls, internet bullies and idiots playing on mom's computer) want the same thing in the end. Throw in the element that everyone has a bad day sometime and it really isn't all that bad is it?
From top to bottom. Calgun's for all it's faults is still the best overall community for gun owners in California. We are fortunate to have Calguns as Calguns is fortunate to have such membership.
Perhaps that is enough for one post, eh?
Agreed.
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