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Classifieds vs. auctions

7K views 40 replies 16 participants last post by  Ant1981 
#1 ·
I've noticed lately that more and more people advertising in the classifieds here aren't stating prices. "Make an offer" and "highest offer by [xx date] gets it."

When did the Jemsite classifieds turn into an ad-hoc auction site? It seems to run contrary to the spirit of the community here. If you have a price in mind, you should state it up front, and don't go "fishing" for the highest bid. That's what eb@y is for.

If you do want to entertain offers, at least state a price and then "or best offer". That way, if somebody wants to pay the asking price, they can, and the deal is closed. Open-ended, behind-closed-doors "bidding" on an item you have for sale isn't an open and honest way to sell.

Am i the only one who feels this way?
 
#2 ·
No, you aren't alone. With rare exception everything has been "best offer"/"accepting offers". Sellers know how much they want to get for something, they just don't have the balls to state it, hoping some idiot will offer them the moon instead.
 
#3 ·
Gets my vote. Classifieds should have a price, but I think that or "or best offer" is acceptable, or "accepting offer" is the item hasn't shifted.

I've also noticed the increase in dodgy looking ads from newbies with no location stated and very little detail. Buyer beware obviously, but would it be unreasonable to remove ads that do not state location? (as per the rules)
 
#9 ·
i hear you, but there is no way to mandate a price (or location) before the ad is posted. If there was, i'd require the price. As a result, you'd have to delete the ads/threads... so then a newcomer emails every moderator asking "why was my ad deleted".

the classifieds traffic and newbies who might stay/contribute later on. i don't see the problem ignoring certain sellers and buying/selling only to those whom you are familiar with. YMMV.

I have considered requring to be LOGGED-IN to view the classifieds, but ultimately that also stops nothing... glen
 
#10 ·
Rich said:
Sellers know how much they want to get for something, they just don't have the balls to state it, hoping some idiot will offer them the moon instead.
i also think it's a rash overgeneralization to think anyone not listing a price is hoping for "some idiot" to buy.

what is worse... a listing with no price, a romanoff listing or a listing with a slightly inflated price where the seller expects to be negotiated down 10%.

by this discussion, you guys really are looking talking about wanting FIXED PRICE, no room to negotiate prices, which is unrealistic... glen
 
#11 ·
I have no problem if someone says, "I'd like to get $XXXX, but i'm willing to negotiate."

Where the "best offer gets it" ads are different is that they're hoping to get the price jacked up, whereas someone who's willing to negotiate is willing to come down from their asking price.

If you're a seller who wants top-dollar on your gear, put it on eB@y with a reserve price. If the market will pay what you're asking, you'll get your asking price and more. I still maintain that behind-closed-doors "auctions" in the Jemsite classifieds are something the community should not support. There have only been a couple of instances so far, and i think it's a good time for the moderators/admin to nip them in the bud and add it to the rules.
 
#12 ·
thing is, many buyers/sellers have been scared away from ****... this is also why people pay resellers/brokers much higher price than joe-anonymous in smalltown KY. i don't hear any resellers complaing about this ;)

I haven't noticed any "auctions", but assuming a few are in place here... want do you want added... something like this...

* no posting "best offers" without attaching a fixed base price

or this

* no posting "auction" or "auction-like" listings where offers will be accepted until a certain date.

'cause it seems you guys are complaing about a few different sales tactics... glen
 
#16 ·
I agree with Darren on the topic at hand. For myself I list my stuff here first because
a) I'm sick of dealing with the flakes on ****.
b) I honestly want to make an offer to someone here who may actually appreciate what is being offered. I've referred to this forum as "family" and generally like to give first dibs to everyone here.

I can see though this may become a pain in the arse. I don't think it would be an issue with the people who have been here at this site for years.
There seems to be an established repor' or respect amoung the "Senior Jemsiters". However it's the newbies that are raising brow for me. Names we've never heard of before all of sudden have the deal of the century or whatever.
This could easily get out of control. The Jemsite is NOT an auction house. Maybe that is up to "senior Jemsiters and Admin" to sort of police these ads. The other options require more work for Glen or Mods, and no one wants to assume responsibility for failed emails. Not to mention the risk of having the site dragged through the mud by someone that got the raw deal of the century....

My 2 cents...

~A
 
#17 ·
Sorry to piss anyone off with the RG-PR1 auction. I’ll get Eric to name a price and I’ll put it in the ad as soon as I can.

In case anyone cares, this is why there was no price listed originally: The guitar is quite rare and he really didn’t have much of an idea what its true value is. You can’t just check **** and see what they regularly go for. He didn’t want to get taken by naming a price well below what people were willing to pay, nor did he want to come off as a Romanoff-type by listing it well above what is reasonable.

About the only other one either of us were aware of on the used market recently was the one listed at $1895 here a couple weeks back that went fast (although I have since been informed at a price below that, but not way below that).

And finally, blame me, not the seller. He asked my advice on a price and I said he should just take some offers to find out what it’s worth. I did that with my RG1077XL and was happy with the response (and the buyer was satisfied afterwards too). I never even considered that people would have a problem with that type of listing. My bad.
 
#18 ·
cmartin said:
About the only other one either of us were aware of on the used market recently was the one listed at $1895 here a couple weeks back that went fast (although I have since been informed at a price below that, but not way below that).
This whole thread is why I figured I'd PM you and let you know what I paid - not that that's an accurate barometer of the value (lord knows) but it was what I was willing to pay for it, and I have three of 'em and know what they've been going for. I don't think it's a big deal to tell anyone what I paid for a guitar if it helps them get a feel for the value, and I understand what you're saying in that these aren't RG-3120's that you've seen every other day on X-XXX. I was just trying to help a brutha out!

I agree with what's being bantered around in this post - show where you are, list a price you want to get for it and may the fastest person to send the $ win.

That's my $1895 ;)
 
#19 ·
Mark DY said:
This whole thread is why I figured I'd PM you and let you know what I paid - not that that's an accurate barometer of the value (lord knows) but it was what I was willing to pay for it, and I have three of 'em and know what they've been going for. I don't think it's a big deal to tell anyone what I paid for a guitar if it helps them get a feel for the value, and I understand what you're saying in that these aren't RG-3120's that you've seen every other day on X-XXX. I was just trying to help a brutha out!
And it was most appreciated.
 
#20 ·
jemsite said:
thing is, many buyers/sellers have been scared away from ****... this is also why people pay resellers/brokers much higher price than joe-anonymous in smalltown KY. i don't hear any resellers complaing about this ;)
People pay more because they're buying from a dealer and not from an auction. Auctions are, were, and always will be WHOLESALE venues where the possibility is always there to pay retail [or beyond] 8 years of explaining this and I still have to?! And the reasons to buy from a dealer is you're NOT dealing with joe anonymous where usually the *KY* has to do with what you'll need for the reaming you might encounter.

jemsite said:
who wants to be in charge of pm/emailing every seller who fails to post a price? ...glen
I'd be perfectly happy to, no love lost here for wannabe "auctioneers".
 
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