At what point do you consider a buyer a flake? Then what steps would you take next?

[BobGBA]

I also held it for him when I had another buyer reach out to me with my asking price, so I lost on that deal because I was holding it for him trying to be a decent person.

You can put "First to show up with the cash gets it" in your for sale posts.
When talking with the buyer to set up a time and place, make sure they read and understand that part.
If the buyer seems legit, you can always agree to hold it until a certain date.

I do it this to try and weed out flakes (not that it always works).

 

[bigRich22]

I will chime in here and mention that an overwhelming amount of people now days are afraid of rejection, that includes giving it. They will ghost instead of being truthful and say they are not interested anymore. I rather have someone feed me some like they need the money for something else than wasting my time and energy.

If it helps, I would wait 3 days for a response. People are more occupied than ever. But if someone else is inquiring, I would communicate that in a few days, they will be next in line of first interested party falls through.

@ikeo1 , IME, a neutral feedback option might only work if very thoughtful preset feedback reasons are offered and not allowing the user to comment how they like since everyone has their own subjective definition to being ghosted, denied, etc.

 

[DuckDawg22]

Devils advocate here, as I was a buyer who committed to do a deal next day on a Ruger 22 with a bunch of extras. Seller was local to me but wouldn't do the deal at my preferred FFL here in Lodi where we both lived. Wanted to go down to KW Defense in Stockton which was an extra inconvenience for me. This was during the initial Calguns fiasco where things were on again/off again, and the night before our deal, the site came back up and a unfired Saint Victor I'd missed out on for $800 came back up for sale at $700. That guy was willing to do the deal at my FFL and it was a gun I really wanted; that Ruger would have been a nice to have. I told the .22 seller the exact scenario and that I was going in another direction, wished him luck on the sale. Guy never even responded to that text so I'd guess I'm probably a flake in his eyes, but if roles were reversed I'd rather hear the truth than nothing at all. To me, flake = no show. Everyone else is just a tire kicker until I have the cash in hand

 

[machonachos]

Anytime the conversation starts with "What's your best price bro"? I always consider it a flake situation until cash in hand.

 

[Wolkenflieger]

I will chime in here and mention that an overwhelming amount of people now days are afraid of rejection, that includes giving it. They will ghost instead of being truthful and say they are not interested anymore. I rather have someone feed me some like they need the money for something else than wasting my time and energy.

If it helps, I would wait 3 days for a response. People are more occupied than ever. But if someone else is inquiring, I would communicate that in a few days, they will be next in line of first interested party falls through.

@ikeo1 , IME, a neutral feedback option might only work if very thoughtful preset feedback reasons are offered and not allowing the user to comment how they like since everyone has their own subjective definition to being ghosted, denied, etc.

I want to read one's reasoning with their own words. "Flake" is open to interpretation but ghosting is fairly discrete. Changing one's mind with a good reason and plenty of notice is not flaking, though some people can be indecisive.

Edit: forgot an apostrophe.

 

[Plenty_Pack_556]

I've flaked (backed out on deal last minute as buyer), but they never blocked me.

I have never backed out on a sale though, nor switch to higher price. Because I am one of those, sell 1 to buy 1 person.

 

[tedster]

My general rule: anything short of an appointment at a FFL for FTF PPT, agreements are reversible without feedback.
People change their minds, situations change etc.
If an online agreement has been reached a buyer can still back out any time. No problem
If an appointment for transfer has been set, I would expect at least 24 hrs notice, better 48 hrs, if he can't make it for whatever reason. No problem.
None of this will earn anyone any feedback.
A no-show for an agreed upon appointment/FFL location, I probably would make a mention.
Until the sale is final, listing stays up as SPF.

As a buyer, I expect myself to know what I am getting into, so I don't have to make unexpected changes or back out.
Inquiries do not indicate any commitment to buy.

 

[DuckDawg22]

Whether it's guns or anything else, I strive to be a seller that I'd want to buy from, and a buyer I'd like to sell to. The Golden Rule of Classifieds, if you will.

 

[tedster]

Whether it's guns or anything else, I strive to be a seller that I'd want to buy from, and a buyer I'd like to sell to. The Golden Rule of Classifieds, if you will.

Sounds like the perfect retail jingle!

 

[Essdot]

Whether it's guns or anything else, I strive to be a seller that I'd want to buy from, and a buyer I'd like to sell to. The Golden Rule of Classifieds, if you will.

Just happened across this thread. I'd have to agree with most of what you said....with slight twist.

I've had similar experience of "missing out" on one particular sale for a pistol because I'd made an appt to meet a seller to purchase an AR. We'd setup date /time to meet at FFL and i drove there only for the seller to no show. I reached out and we chalked it up as miscommunication so I sent my number amd asked if he'd send a number to help with scheduling but the seller never did.

we setup another appt for Monday evening...but when I messaged on Sunday and again Monday morning to confirm rhe seller went quiet then closed the add. I left him negative feedback. If anyone changes mind after an appt has been set and doesn't communicate - wastes the other persons time = negative feedback.

To add salt, I went back to check for the pistol ad itd been sold...

A little communication can go a long way

 

[dbress]

Time to move on , after 48 hours , no need to waste your time

 

[Serbianguy]

Just happened across this thread. I'd have to agree with most of what you said....with slight twist.

I've had similar experience of "missing out" on one particular sale for a pistol because I'd made an appt to meet a seller to purchase an AR. We'd setup date /time to meet at FFL and i drove there only for the seller to no show. I reached out and we chalked it up as miscommunication so I sent my number amd asked if he'd send a number to help with scheduling but the seller never did.

we setup another appt for Monday evening...but when I messaged on Sunday and again Monday morning to confirm rhe seller went quiet then closed the add. I left him negative feedback. If anyone changes mind after an appt has been set and doesn't communicate - wastes the other persons time = negative feedback.

To add salt, I went back to check for the pistol ad itd been sold...

A little communication can go a long way

This post brings up an important point, and that is that both buyers and sellers can be flakes. I had no fewer than four sellers flake out on me from various calguns ads over the years. Three went total radio silence after a deal had been agreed upon, and one just flat out didn’t show up at a meeting location. No apology or any contact whatsoever.

 

[NorCalBusa]

All buyers are flakes until proven otherwise. My work here is done...

 

[ikeo1]

My wAll buyers are flakes until proven otherwise. My work here is done...

Reminds me of this gif.

We have this forum now. Hope people catch on and start using it instead of feedback!

https://caguns.net/forums/buyer-seller-beware.71/

 

[HammerDown]

At what point to you consider the seller a flake?