Thread: You've Got To Be Quick On Gumtree

Originally Posted by Auskart

Don't know about some of you whinging old gits on here, but the 1st thing I generally do is send a text and ask a few basic questions, you can generally tell how much the seller knows about what he is selling or whether it is a scam by the type of response you get. Far to many times have I rang and gone around to see something and it is not what was advertised or was in excellent condition but when you get there it has bits missing or doesn't work and then the sell will give you all the excuses under the sun.

Anyhow have a Merry Christmas everyone.

My point exactly.

Merry Christmas. First Christmas for me when the first thing I have done in the morning is have a finger down the throat of a little Kookaburra pushing food in to keep it alive.

peter

I don't know about the rest of you but i'm very grateful to have learn't some very valuable life lessons from this thread!

In fact I did speak to him - during the initial exchange when I first saw the ad there was a series of texts and a phone conversation, I didn't relay the complete series of events as it would have made for a long post and I preferred to just put down the gist of things. Yes I was p****d off at the seller for not advising that it was first come first serve regardless of any previous conversations - I was also a bit p****d off at my self for assuming the sale was 'in the bag', knowing the nature of Gumtree buying and selling, I should have been quicker and gone to his house earlier, then I would be the one with the bargain and the guy that actually walked away with it would have been the one that was p***ed off - who knows maybe he is even a forum member.

At the end of the day it was not a life or death situation, so while I was p***ed off in general it was not the end of the world.

With gumtree I always pay the asking price if I think it's reasonable. I arrive on time generally too. Not saying I'm an angel but the seller usually has a dumbfounded look. I did this for an expensive machine tool recently and think maybe I was a fool to pay it in full? But it seemed reasonable.

I think I'll sell my future stuff on ebay just to avoid people coming around, trying to knock me down when it's stated as a 'firm' price or not turning up at all.

Originally Posted by familyguy

In fact I did speak to him - during the initial exchange when I first saw the ad there was a series of texts and a phone conversation, I didn't relay the complete series of events as it would have made for a long post and I preferred to just put down the gist of things. Yes I was p****d off at the seller for not advising that it was first come first serve regardless of any previous conversations - I was also a bit p****d off at my self for assuming the sale was 'in the bag', knowing the nature of Gumtree buying and selling, I should have been quicker and gone to his house earlier, then I would be the one with the bargain and the guy that actually walked away with it would have been the one that was p***ed off - who knows maybe he is even a forum member.

At the end of the day it was not a life or death situation, so while I was p***ed off in general it was not the end of the world.

Thanks for sharing, I think a few here who don't patronise Gumtree often have learned something.
cheers
Bill.

I use Gumtree exclusively simply because it has a very wide audience. The number of scammers isn't really a problem, I've only come across a couple and they are super easy to pick and ignore. The annoying ones are the time wasters, but I'm becoming pretty adept at dealing with them.

I advertised half a dozen pottery items for $10 the other week. one dope texted me and asked me to take a picture of the bottom of the pottery for her, my reply was easy: 'For $10, do you really think you're going to get Wedgewood, Bridgewood, Moorrcroft or Royal Crown?'. She didn't bother me again. Then you get the others who quibble about an $8 price tag. Simple answer, 'if you can't afford $8, why are you responding?'.

The point I was making is that people will do the wrong thing by others, and that’s the problem. Once you lower yourself to that level and respond with abuse, you become just as much a part of the problem.

It’s a bit like road rage, to the people involved there are all manner of emotions involved, and at times it degenerates to physical assault, even at times murder. To anyone else looking on, it looks like a couple of complete wankers who need to get their priorities in life reestablished!

Like others have said, I’m no saint with this sort of thing that’s for sure, but when I react badly I generally later reflect back on it and am often embarrassed and ashamed of myself. I vow to try harder next time; slowly maybe I get a tiny bit better .... off a low base But I sure as heck don’t think it’s something to be proud of and boast about on an Internet forum.

Originally Posted by Pete F

The point I was making is that people will do the wrong thing by others, and that’s the problem. Once you lower yourself to that level and respond with abuse, you become just as much a part of the problem.

It’s a bit like road rage, to the people involved there are all manner of emotions involved, and at times it degenerates to physical assault, even at times murder. To anyone else looking on, it looks like a couple of complete wankers who need to get their priorities in life reestablished!

Like others have said, I’m no saint with this sort of thing that’s for sure, but when I react badly I generally later reflect back on it and am often embarrassed and ashamed of myself. I vow to try harder next time; slowly maybe I get a tiny bit better .... off a low base But I sure as heck don’t think it’s something to be proud of and boast about on an Internet forum.

OK I think everyone gets it now. Give it a rest

Originally Posted by zbm

OK I think everyone gets it now. Give it a rest

You’re speaking for “everyone”, that’s very good of you.

I don’t think anyone is currently holding a gun to your head forcing you to read the thread. In the meanwhile I’ll post my opinion just as many times as I please. If you feel you “need a rest”, don’t read it or use the ignore feature of this forum.

Well, don't that beat all. I have a 47" TV advertised on gumtree at the moment, got an enquiry this morning asking if I would sell him the remote only.

Perfect, no problems at all. He even gets a free 47" TV with the remote if he buy's it !