Just wanted to vent on a person who posts a price, then tells me after I make my offer (about $5 less than what he was asking), that he wants to wait for better offers, then goes and raises the price $20. WTF?

The post in question was a seller who wanted $125 + shipping for some interior chrome bits. I say, how about $125 including shipping? He says, wait a week and if no better offers come they are yours. I'm peeved first of all. If you want bidders, go to freakin EBay!!!

A week goes by, and he changes his original post to $145.

Amazing.

 

That's crappy , I don't blame you for venting

 

Wow that's lame. I hope you find an even better deal somewhere else.

 

Send him a special DVD with very bad detailing methods! "Polishing your car with 120 grit sand paper", "How to use Draino to detail you interior", "Black house paint - the special trim restorer".

Sorry to hear of your problems.

 

Hahahahaah, aww this really isnt' a "problem". But thanks for the comfort. Plan B was to get the chrome bits from Moss MINI, so no big deal really.

 

Unfortunately, the world is full of them, they don't understand customer service and they couldn't buy a clue.

My preference is to deal with those types in person, which is impossible when it comes to the Internet.

 

Some people these days. Good thing your a better person Richard and dealt with it like a adult.

 

I'm slightly confused at being upset at the first part of the situation. You offered less than this person was asking for, and they said "wait so I can see if someone wants to pay the asking price." Seems fair to me.

The raising the price thing is a little bit iffier, I agree, but well within their rights, right?

 

It wasn't $125 firm. It turned out to be Best Offer. If you list a product for $125, and the best offer happens to be $110, do you take it or leave it?

Its the sellers choice.

I asked him if he would take $125 including shipping, had he said no, then I might have offered the $125 and my FedEx account, but nooo, he said, he wanted to wait a week to see if there were any better offers.

re: raising the price
The seller can do anything he wants to sell his product. I'm just saying, if you have a product to sell, be reasonable, and do it with some honor. It wasn't like I lowballed his price. I asked him if he would accept my offer and he basically said no thanks, but I think I'll raise my price.

 

I have to vent on lousy NAM Marketplace buyers. Or rather missing NAM Marketplace buyers. I mean....hello? Seems nobody wants to buy from a private individual on this forum. What's with that?? I've got a rep on the Subaru forums for always having good parts to sell (I try alot of stuff and get bored easily), but here it seems I have to give stuff away to get rid of it (even if it's new!).

Honestly....it's made me reverse my plans to be a vendor here and bring some cool stuff to the MINI market. MINI owners are a fickle, frugal bunch.

 

What are you saying.... MINI owners should not look for a bargain and just hand you profit

 

I feel for you Richard...remember the used Quaife buying experience I went through a year ago?:impatient

 

You expect people to pay retail for used items? Even if they're "new", your parts don't have any guarantees, warranties or return policies, so what's the motivation to buy from you other than price?

And that brings me back to our topic, which is that the NAM marketplace is a hit or miss kinda place. A few months ago, I contacted someone selling an intercooler. It was a Sunday morning, and we agreed on a price and shipping. He said to call him with a credit card number on Monday and he'd ship the item out. At 4:00 that afternoon, this guy posted that he had sold the item (and it wasn't to me)!! I PM'd him about it, and all he said was that someone else called him and he sold it to that person- AFTER making a deal with me!! The guy couldn't wait a lousy 24 hours for my call!!! And this guy was a vendor, to boot! I spent days fuming over it, wondering what happened to honor and a person's word...but such is life.

 

please tell me where I said that. Buying high and selling low != profit, at least in my universe. Might be different in yours.

where did I say I expected MSRP for used? This attitude is PRECISELY what I'm finding about MINI owners. I'm not running a business....I have a 9-5 just like most of you.

 

hmmm... never thought frugal was a bad thing.... but then again I am frugal. My momma always told me that the rich don't get that way by giving away their money.

 

I'm the same way. Always looking for a deal, but I do know one when I see it, unlike many buyers who want something for nothing (can't blame them...it's just a new experience for me here).

 

Well, as I recall, you put out a feeler for shocks and springs for $825 once, when the shocks could be bought retail at $630 and the springs at around $200. That's pretty close to MSRP to me. To be fair, those parts were described as new and uninstalled, and I see you've lowered your asking price (but you've now made shipping extra...)

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=79452

See post 3 for your original asking price.

You're right, people should not expect something for nothing, but my point is that setting the right price point for private sales is different from retail. I'm not trying to be critical or a smarta$$, but I do think that people expect a certain bargain element for parts that privately trade hands- whether they are for a MINI or a Mercedes. I also think that the Marketplace is no way to guage interest for a vendor with some kind of product line, so it is too bad you reconsidered your idea of entering the retail market. Mini owners can be a loyal bunch if they find a vendor that they like.

 

without derailing this thread (any further), I'm not referring to that suspension thread alone. I wouldn't make a general statement like that from just one experience (and note a respected vendor here stated in my thread that my asking prices were fair...your opinion may vary). My wife also owns a MINI and is a member on this forum as well and has had similar experiences here. Sad, but true.

 

I think most folks who sell in the market place are on the up & up. I did buy an item from someone who shall remain nameless, I should say although we agreed on a price, only to have him sell the item to someone else. Oh well guess some folks don't play nice. Like I said most folks are honest & fair.

 

vBulletin software, which this forum is run with, has the ability to add an 'iTrader' module similar to feedback on eBay. This is a powerful tool that would add credibility to both buyers and sellers....it's been used on other large automotive forums with much success. Perhaps this could be a future upgrade for NAM...it's a great way to document past transactions and assist with making buying decisions.

 

I feel your pain Richard, though I've had it in the oposite direction. I've had at least 3 people post "want to buy" threads which I've responded to and made agreements with, only to have the other user disappear into the ether. I have 2 items sitting in boxes waiting to be shipped, just waiting on cash and shipping info from these "buyers".
It's not like I was actively TRYING to sell them, these were people who went to the trouble of ASKING for these items, then vanished after a deal had been made.