Just a rant about ignorant buyers

Buyers can be a pain. Never underestimate their capacity for ignorance. One of my stories - sold a used Corvette in nice shape for a fair price (not an inflated classic price or anything). Guy calls me months later, wants me to pay to repair the damage from a wiring fire. I explain the facts of life to him, and only offer to contribute a little supervision if he's willing to do his own repairs. Ask if he'd made any changes etc, and he tells me that he'd paid somebody to put a new radio in the car and the wiring fire was shortly thereafter. Tell him to go talk that guy, and never heard from him again.

One other little anecdote - my dear old dad was famous for getting great deals on used stuff. One of his favorite techniques was to mercilessly berate the seller for the terrible condition of the item. I hated to go with him on such missions because it was beyond embarrassing. I'd be wondering, what's wrong with this seller that he doesn't just blurt out "hey buddy, if it's such a piece of crap then I can see why you don't want it, no sense wasting each other's time." Which is the first thing I tell buyers the second they get out of line, and it tends to get things right back on track.

Wayne

You now see why i sell on Ebay rather than Craigslist. Too many flakes. At least the ones on Ebay have a bank account. I have found some good deals on CL, but the bullshit ratio is far higher.

What are you asking for the mill?

I sell on both CL and Craigslist. The "too big for me" excuse may be just an excuse for another reason not to buy.

The problem with CL that I have, besides Nigerian scams, is that a lot of people promise to show up, and do not, and thus waste a lot of time.

But, all in all, listing on CL is worth it. On CL, I always ask for less than I would expect to get on ebay.

Overall, I have had a great experience with CL. I have sold a lot of stuff with pretty minimal hassle. But there are just a few of those people that you just wonder why they waste the time. And I have bought a few things on CL as well. Very smooth transactions. The nice thing is that they are close by and I get to go look vs Ebay that is generally no where near me.

JW

That's true.

I also wondered about the rotary table. On a manual mill, it makes sense to me, although it is still an accessory. But on a CNC mill, why would you use a rotary table (not a 4th axis)?

JW

Very true. I've seen a few of those. Same pics as another recent sale, etc.

Does it come with a vice or Rotary table? :>}

Backlash from the Dumbing Down of America. A sizable percent of the population are only semiliterate at best. Reading comprehension is not promoted in public school, mainly because the teachers themselves are less than competent at it. Kids are not taught HOW to think, by their ignorant parents. No big, hard words in your ads might help. BTW: Will the mill fit on my dining room table? Can I plug it into my wall? What color are the toolholders? I don't like the green ones... JR Dweller in the cellar

jw wrote:

wrote

That's a great negotiating tactic, but it does have its limits, mainly in that you have to be willing to walk away if you get called out and it doesn't work.

And that's the limit. In the end, it depends upon how hard up the seller is, and how eager the buyer.

And who plays the best game of chicken. :)

Jon

Didn't you read what he wrote? He's only selling the vise. The milling machine just happened to be in the picture. ;o)

What it its vice; cribbing, stall weaving, kicking the walls, drinking, smoking? :)

My mill just sits there until I start it. Then it throws coolant at me.

You should have said "Is it bigger than a bread box". :-) Anyone remember "20 Questions"? ...lew...

maybe it's just me, but I have had a couple of sellers pull that trick on me - my answer is always to raise the price on them by about whatever discount they demand - they repeat, I raise the price. They get the idea and stop and will try the original price, and my position is "no, absolutely not, the new price for you is...." - in at least one of those cases, the guy paid it - but as a seller you have to be willing to keep the item.

I am also told a story (by someone who claims they witnessed this - or were the dupe, you choose) - of searching long and hard for a particular rare tail light lens (glass) for an antique car they were restoring - finally found it at a junk place famous for such stuff - guy asked for $5 (mind you, the buyer had been searching for literally years) - buyer said "it's only worth a dollar" - guy said "well then, if it's only worth a dollar, then it's just not worth selling" and dropped it on the concrete floor where it shattered into a million pieces. The buyer cried - he said he had been willing to pay $100 for the light -

so there are times to just NOT negotiate that way

Mill has been sold. Good buyer, asked good questions. I hope he isn't in a little over his head. He has a cousin that knows CNC supposedly, so hopefully he can help him through the learning curve.

JW

You should make required watching the Jaws clip with the line "You're gonna need a bigger boat".

Tim.

He was an idiot.

Gunner

"Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimum food or water,in austere conditions, day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon. He doesn't worry about what workout to do--- his rucksack weighs what it weighs, and he runs until the enemy stops chasing him. The True Believer doesn't care 'how hard it is'; he knows he either wins or he dies. He doesn't go home at 1700; he is home. He knows only the 'Cause.' Now, who wants to quit?"

NCOIC of the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course in a welcome speech to new SF candidates