S&S buyer MIA

[Cole440]

Just curious as to what the consensus is on how long you all wait before re-offering an item when you haven’t heard back or been paid following a pm?

It has been 4 full days. Buyer said they would pay me Friday morning. It has been radio silence since that last message midday Thursday.

I don’t mind waiting but there are other interested buyers and the box is kind of in my way on the floor!
Thanks,
Cole

[redneck1]

Well he didn't live up to his end so I'd say the ball is in your court , if you want it out of your way there's no time like the present

[scattershot]

Shoot him an email or whatever, and tell him what you’re going to do, then do,it.

[Geezer in NH]

7 days usps is slow

[ascast]

If your waiting for a mailed check,MO whatever, I think you should wait at least a week. Odd he did not send an email, but I was not in on the conversation. I have these deals go bad many times over timing. I could tell you many stories. Unless your desperate for the money, I hang on another day or two. BTW if he is sending a Money Order with your name on it, you are the only one who can cash it.

[Winger Ed.]

I'd do a follow up PM and give it another day or two first.

I've had folks move kind of slow like that in the past, but just figured they were busy or had a emergency.

[gpidaho]

That is one of the reasons I pass by any offer that asks for a USPS money order or accept one as payment. Like it or not if PayPal isn't the payment method, I neither buy or sell. Just me, y'all do it your way. Gp

[Cole440]

To address some questions. He was supposed to pay via paypal, I never even gave him my physical address so MO isn't a possiblity. Frankly I'm with gpidaho on that one!

I have sent 3 PMs now. One asking for his address the day that we agreed to a deal. One asking if was still planning on sending payment Friday evening and one yesterday asking if he was still interested.

No replies to any of them, whereas he was initially prompt.

I don't have a burning need for the money. I would hold this stuff a few weeks if he asked, but without having any communication, I'm just a little anxious.

[rancher1913]

you know not everybody has reliable internet. i have had mine go out in the middle of a deal and it took a week to get things fixed. does the party have your phone number, is your pm box full?

[Cole440]

you know not everybody has reliable internet. i have had mine go out in the middle of a deal and it took a week to get things fixed. does the party have your phone number, is your pm box full?

My inbox is wide open, but I had not considered the internet issue. Great perspective from someone in a different situation than I!

[gpidaho]

If it was to be a PayPal deal (Should only take a minute or two) and no response in days, I'd go ahead and sell to the next available customer. Again, just me. Do it your way as it's not my deal. Gp

[M-Tecs]

The USPS has significant issues. In January I mailed a recipe to my dad and one more to a hunting buddy. They both live in the same town about 500 miles away. One got there in 3 days the other took 17 days. I just purchased some books on this site. The seller sent them the next day. I mailed a check on the same day he sent the books. He used media rate mail. The books came well before he received the check in first class mail.

[Minerat]

Have you checked his profile ABOUT ME to see when he was on here last?

[toallmy]

I have had a few deals with members interrupted due to health issues , that took a little longer to work out .

[Land Owner]

Have you checked his profile ABOUT ME to see when he was on here last?

There it is ^^^^^ Site Moderator's suggestion...do that! If he's been here since the deal was initiated, during a period where you have a PM(s) awaiting his reply, you will KNOW something's up.

[MrWolf]

There it is ^^^^^ Site Moderator's suggestion...do that! If he's been here since the deal was initiated, during a period where you have a PM(s) awaiting his reply, you will KNOW something's up.

Hate to say it but there may have been a medical or other issue. Check what Minerat posted to see if he has been on.

[bedbugbilly]

Fortunately, I've only had that happen a couple of times. #1, there is no excuse for non-communication - the buyer knew how to PM you when he said he'd take your item - they should be able to PM you if there is going to be a hold up in payment. If paying by snail mail, did he notify you that the payment had been sent? If not - then again no excuse for non-communication. If paying on-line, there is no excuse for not taking care of it within a day and if they have some problem - that's what PMs are for. I would agree with others - send one more PM stating that if payment is not made, you have no obligation to hold to for them and it will be re-listed and sold to a buyer who is responsible enough to follow through. I can guarantee you that those that do not follow through probably handle their monthly bills in the same manner.

I responded to a WTB on here from a member who was looking for a particular brass. I had some so wanted to help him out - contacted him, told him what I had and the price and he said he'd take it. He said he would mail payment and all sounded good so I packed it up and sent it so he wouldn't have to wait for it - should have known better but I wanted to help him out. Well, payment didn't arrive in a timely manner so I PM'd him and it went downhill from there as he would not communicate nor did he show any common courtesy. I finally got my money out of him but I will never do any business with him again. I will not say who it is - his lack of responsibility will catch up with him - but he is still on here posting and funny thing - he auctioned off several expensive firearms on here in the past six months. When I saw his auctions all I could think of is I wonder how he would like it if a buyer of his expensive guns treated him like he obviously treats others - Karma can be a beautiful thing and eventually what comes around will go around.

It's unfortunate because this site has a tremendous amount go good and honest members who are willing to share knowledge as well as help others out if they need something - but there will always be a very few who were never taught to take responsibility nor how to treat others like they would like to be treated.

Give the guy one more PM and one last chance and then move on - you've done your job and he hasn't done his.

[Handloader109]

I've had one wtb from a member that I helped out and only wanted my cost back out of it, less than $20, but never heard a peep, and I didn't pursue as I figured he didn't have it and I didn't want to chase that amount.
But if this sale was to be PayPal, and he hasn't contacted you in 4 plus days, I'd sell to the next guy. Send first one another pm saying it was sold to 2nd in line. And move on. 1st buyer must not want.....

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[waksupi]

Could be an internet issue, as others have said. I had a message notification in my email last week. Checked here, no message. The message showed up in my inbox here today, days after the email notification.

[Char-Gar]

Paypal requires an email address to work. Several times, I has missed a key stroke when giving mine, which gummed up the works.

[BrassMagnet]

I can not see any of your threads where you listed an M1A for sale.
Does that thread still exist?
Who is the buyer and does he still exist?
The forum has acted up recently. Maybe he can’t see the thread, either, and doesn’t know what to do now.
A Mod can look into it and see if the thread still exists and if he has been active lately.
Rather than posting answers to these questions, just answer them yourself and seek a Mod’s help if it seems needed.

[square butte]

THat's MIA - as in Missing In Action - NOT M1A as in Springfield semi auto 7.62 x 51. They look pretty similar in this font

[Cole440]

THat's MIA - as in Missing In Action - NOT M1A as in Springfield semi auto 7.62 x 51. They look pretty similar in this font

Yes, thanks for that clarification!

[Cole440]

As far as I can see, he has not been online since we last spoke.

Seeing that there might be extenuating circumstances, I will wait until the weekend. If nothing by then, I will open the sale up to others.

Thank you all for the helpful insights!

[ulav8r]

There is such a thing as a heart attack followed by an extended hospital stay when one is unable to answer a phone that is just a foot away. Happened to my BIL about a year ago. Because of hospital covid policy my sister was not able to visit. Had his cellphone be his bedside but he could not twist to reach it. Called the hospital and could not get any info. She then called their family doctor and explained that she had gotten any info from the hospital since his surgery three days earlier though she had been assured she would get daily reports. It had been three days and she did not know if he was even alive. The family doctor called the hospital and got info plus carried the complaint higher into the administration. It could also be that he is a hiker that has not returned from a 3 hour hike. Or he may be a flake.

[Cole440]

There is such a thing as a heart attack followed by an extended hospital stay when one is unable to answer a phone that is just a foot away. Happened to my BIL about a year ago. Because of hospital covid policy my sister was not able to visit. Had his cellphone be his bedside but he could not twist to reach it. Called the hospital and could not get any info. She then called their family doctor and explained that she had gotten any info from the hospital since his surgery three days earlier though she had been assured she would get daily reports. It had been three days and she did not know if he was even alive. The family doctor called the hospital and got info plus carried the complaint higher into the administration. It could also be that he is a hiker that has not returned from a 3 hour hike. Or he may be a flake.

I agree 100% I feel its fair to wait a little over a week. If I don't hear back by then, then I will assume he's either a flake or has problems large enough that this deal will become insignificant...

[alamogunr]

I had a similar situation with a respondant to an S&S ad. After 3 PM's and about 5 days, he finally PM'd that his internet had been down. I've found that a lot of members here are located in somewhat remote areas where internet is iffy at times. Also he indicated that he was a veteran and would have to wait until the first of the month to pay me. I shipped his purchase the next day. I can wait for the money. I've never been stiffed on this board.

[Land Owner]

There is a tremendous amount of online trust, and it exists so long as it is never tested. Once bitten, twice shy. Time though, does heal some ills. Your thinking of giving it through the weekend, and 7 days, is commendable. I had Covid last October. When it hit, I wasn't in any shape to do business with anyone (and didn't). At 10 days along, I got worse, and went to the hospital in sad, sad shape. I was in isolation for 10 additional days and was in no way physically or mentally able through most of it to do business with anyone.

[Hannibal]

If you wait a full week and there is no response then no reasonable person is going to fault you for moving along to another buyer, extenuating circumstances or not.

[Cole440]

If you wait a full week and there is no response then no reasonable person is going to fault you for moving along to another buyer, extenuating circumstances or not.

That is my plan. I want to be fair but also not wait forever holding the bag.

[Cole440]

By the way the buyer never did get back to me. And I still haven't sold the item. Several other bites but nobody has actually come through and paid!

I think I'm gonna move it to another forum.
I still like yall though!

[jonp]

Couple of weeks. You have no idea what is going on like a death in the family which makes online stuff a little not as important

[Cole440]

Couple of weeks. You have no idea what is going on like a death in the family which makes online stuff a little not as important

That may be so, which is why he isn't getting a deadbeat post. Regardless, I don't think that any reasonable person wouldn't have moved on after a week.

[Hannibal]

That may be so, which is why he isn't getting a deadbeat post. Regardless, I don't think that any reasonable person wouldn't have moved on after a week.

Exactly. If something requiring all a buyer's attention came up any reasonable person would expect a seller to move on when there's no communication for a few days, let alone two weeks.

[contender1]

I've had several deals on a few Forums,, this one included.

And,, I've had a few times I wasn't able to respond immediately. And I've had other times the other party wasn't able to respond in a timely fashion.
Heck, on another forum, I had a guy agree to sell me something,, and accept my check. I allowed he could wait until it cleared. He responded that he'd wait a few days,, after receiving the check for it to clear before shipping. Then,, the day after I saw it had cleared my bank,, I got a message it would ship (2) days later when he could get to town. Well, after giving it 6 days,, and no response, no tracking or anything,, I was beginning to wonder. Well, I got a PM from him, saying his nephew had to ship it, and apologized for the delay. Apparently,, he'd had sudden, unexpected surgery, and was "laid up." The next day,, I got the tracking number w/o even asking for one.

Life happens.

But having patience,,trying to do the right thing has limits. Only each person can say what the limits are. The key to it all is COMMUNICATION!

[Brassmonkey]

I recently had a payment I sent come back to me, took 30 days from dropping it off at the post office .5 miles away :mrgreen: I'm grateful for the sellers patience helps I have a postmark that says I followed through in a timely fashion even if I dyslexia'd the address.

[Minerat]

That may be so, which is why he isn't getting a deadbeat post. Regardless, I don't think that any reasonable person wouldn't have moved on after a week.

Deadbeat posts are only allowed if approved by Cast Boolits administration you can not just post one until all the facts are known. If you feel you have cause I suggest you contact No_1 by PM prior to taking that action.

[David2011]

On another forum with much less ethical folks than here (not all; just a few) there are sellers that will seemingly sell the same item to as many as respond. They give their PayPal info to all respondents. The first person that pays wins. More than once I thought I had bought something only to get a refund notice from PayPal later. The site owners have no problem with this and are very vocal about not offering any policing or restrictions on who may sell, membership participation requirements or any controls that aid in safety for buyers. Selling and buying here may not be perfect but it’s far better than on some sites.

[Finster101]

I believe if after a week and no response and no money or goods have changed hands, I think I would move on. If I were on the other side of the deal I believe I would have no hard feelings.

[Cole440]

To close out this story, I heard from the buyer a long time later that he had been preoccupied with family business.

No hard feelings and I think that the advice in this thread was on point!

[barnabus]

That is one of the reasons I pass by any offer that asks for a USPS money order or accept one as payment. Like it or not if PayPal isn't the payment method, I neither buy or sell. Just me, y'all do it your way. Gp

id never buy from anyone who demanded using the anti gun pay pal. Just me,yall do it your way

[alamogunr]

id never buy from anyone who demanded using the anti gun pay pal. Just me,yall do it your way

I prefer PayPal but after reading that it will start reporting all sales to IRS which will consider that as income(I may have jumped to a conclusion), I may have to just go to accepting personal checks and accept the consequences.

I would like to hear a different story.

[David2011]

One of my other vices is radio controlled airplanes. On the RC forum I frequent there's a very active classifieds section. Lots of sellers are starting to request Friends and Family or personal checks because of the IRS policy. The policy is garbage, assuming that every sale is based on the item having no cost to the seller. Expecting someone to have a receipt for something that was purchased years before the policy existed or Internet selling and electronic funds transfers existed is unrealistic and just another way to milk the taxpayer.

[fatnhappy]

Based on my experience, wait a pay cycle plus 3 days.

Just saying……

Ymmv