Buying & Selling on the Yankee Trader

[HisMastersVoice]

If we can all agree that the keywords, "Sold" & "Interested" each give the writer an EQUAL "First right of refusal", then there should be no debate. Thinking that "interested" has less power than "sold" is a fallacy. Many "sold" items had their deals fall through for various reasons, so "sold" is really no more concrete than "interested". A person who writes "sold" is definitely "interested". Until money changes hands, that person is just that: "interested".

Maybe the word "polite" needs to be uttered as well?

Valid points. Perhaps instead of relying on semantics, the first person to say "Rutabaga" should get it.

I'm at a loss as to what to do here. I'm not sure I understand the need for anonymity. If you were at an auction, everyone would see your paddle in the air. What's the difference? I agree that it is up to the seller to process the prospective buyer list honestly, but I wouldn't expect the seller to wait days to hear back from a potential buyer before moving onto the next. I sell things myself, and hate waiting days for someone to tell me "never mind". There will always need to be a degree of discretion on the sellers part, but how do we determine if the person who asks if if something was refinished versus the person who said "sold" gets first chance to complete the sale without some sort of guidelines?

[JerryVan]

If we can all agree that the keywords, "Sold" & "Interested" each give the writer an EQUAL "First right of refusal", then there should be no debate. Thinking that "interested" has less power than "sold" is a fallacy. Many "sold" items had their deals fall through for various reasons, so "sold" is really no more concrete than "interested". A person who writes "sold" is definitely "interested". Until money changes hands, that person is just that: "interested".

Maybe the word "polite" needs to be uttered as well?

Valid points. Perhaps instead of relying on semantics, the first person to say "Rutabaga" should get it.

I'm at a loss as to what to do here. I'm not sure I understand the need for anonymity. If you were at an auction, everyone would see your paddle in the air. What's the difference? I agree that it is up to the seller to process the prospective buyer list honestly, but I wouldn't expect the seller to wait days to hear back from a potential buyer before moving onto the next. I sell things myself, and hate waiting days for someone to tell me "never mind". There will always need to be a degree of discretion on the sellers part, but how do we determine if the person who asks if if something was refinished versus the person who said "sold" gets first chance to complete the sale without some sort of guidelines?

I vote for "Plumbago"!

[rgordon939]

Brandon I must say that I agree with the way you currently have it. The first person can say SOLD and all others after that could say INTERESTED. That way the seller has an orderly list to follow should the first person withdraw. I also don't see where this forum offers anonymity or how it can be used in this type of listing. When it's a listing using INQUIRE rather than a fixed price then you could be anonymous by sending an email or PM. As I started out saying I think you have it correct now.

Rich Gordon

[briankeith]

I agree with Rich Gordon....

[billybob62]

How about the phrase "ally ally oxen free", be given by the seller,to indicate that a specified period where questions may be asked has ended and letting buyers know that beginning when that signal is given that it's the first PM to say sold that gets it with the stipulation that the buyer must pay or be banned from the TMF. Of course, the seller must not mis-represent that which is being sold so that opens a new can of worms, doesn't it?

Just one idea.

[HisMastersVoice]

I'm debating whether the "INQUIRE" option should even exist. That potentially opens a whole realm of shady dealings. Thoughts?

[rgordon939]

Brandon I think the INQUIRE type of listing has a place on the forum. It allows a seller to accept offers for an item with the expectation of getting the highest price for the item. This way there would be two ways to sell on the Forum, one at a fixed price, and a second way for the highest price similar to an auction.

Rich Gordon

[52089]

I'm debating whether the "INQUIRE" option should even exist. That potentially opens a whole realm of shady dealings. Thoughts?

I would leave INQUIRE as an option, simply because we're not all experts on what we have and don't always know even ballpark values. I know some people dislike these posts, but they're not obligated to respond. The 2 or 3 things I have posted as INQUIRE did not turn into auctions, they all sold to the first person who actually made an offer.

I understand your desire to make things as fair as possible, but I think we're all grownups here and are all pretty ethical. Sometimes the best rule is just common sense.

[Phono-Phan]

I agree that replying "SOLD" to the post is up front and lets everyone know the status. PM messages don't do this. I also hope members that post in the Yankee Trader section also follow the subject guidelines that are spelled out. Several posts aren't following this.

[briankeith]

Sold - make it simple....