Pet Peeves - my Rants and Raves


Having been in this hobby for 30 years, I have seen it all. Perhaps it is just me but there seems to be more and more bad experiences being encountered. Not to be a whiner but here are my Pet Peeves and other observations.

1. "Nickel and Dimers" - this drives me nuts! You place a "For Sale" ad where a product is priced at or below the lowest price on Agon (in history from Blue Book)and you still get the lowball offers. I know, just ignore them...what about when they call you? It is a waste of everyone's time. Then you have the people who try to weasel out of paying freight or insurance or Paypal. I had a guy the other day buy speakers and request that I fund insuring them for 2x of what they are worth (this after paying 20% below mkt price and me eating Paypal fees). My advice, this is an expensive hobby. If you cannot afford it, do not waste other people's time. One other story...just last week on a $1k preamp purchase (full asking price) a member removed the batteries from the remote! Talk about cheap!

2. Refusal to call me on an expensive purchase or sale. I don't know about you, but if I am making a multi thousand dollar purchase or sale, I require speaking with that person. Call me silly, but over the years it has been my experience that the "gut feel" of speaking with someone generally is accurate. Particularly when dealing with members who have little or questionable historical Feedback. I find it more and more common for people to refuse to call or provide phone numbers. I know, avoid these people.

3. Packing materials - Is it just me or do packing "peanuts" drive you crazy? Seems like foam or bubble wrap work as well or better and do not get all over your house and the equipment just shipped to you. If you must use peanuts, be sure to seal off the equipment (including tubes) with bags so that the peanuts and residue do not get into the equipment. One other item, always wrap any equipment with a bag or something that protects it from rubbing against the packaging - this includes speakers not just electronics. Even if it is a garbage bag, this is better than nothing.

4. Tire Kickers - people who have no intent at all of buying your equipment but just want to compare it to theirs. If this is your intent, simply state it up front.

OK, these are my opinions. Nothing more, nothing less. Your thoughts or other Pet Peeves or Rants and Raves. It is good to get these out on the table as there are new people coming in. Some simple rules of etiquette may be helpful.
jeffga
One pet peeve I have is when the other party to the transaction doesn't leave feedback.

About the batteries not being in the remote...that's a good thing. You don't know what environmental conditions the shipper may subject the shipment to, or the age of the batteries. Batteries can leak or even explode . Professional movers will not take batteries at all if they know about it, unless they have great confidence in their insurance company. I recently moved across country. When the movers packed, all batteries were taken out of remotes and left behind with paint and other flammables. The least you should do is pack the batteries in a sealed, leak proof plastic bag, maybe even in a cardboard package and well away from the area of the box where the equipment is located.
That is not why they were removed. Your point is well taken and informative. These were removed due to value. That is my point. Thanks
After over 70 successful transactions, I have had three different buyers totally back out of "confirmed" agreements to purchase in the past month, for different items. These were situations where we had negotiated and come to mutual agreement to the point where I was simply waiting on their payment. Two of the three at least sent an e-mail with some excuse, while the other individual fell off the face of the earth and will not return my calls or e-mails. I generally don't have a problem with the little etiquette issues, but simply ask that folks do what they say they will do and operate honestly. Until these past three folks, it has been my experience that all the people here I have traded with do just that.
Amen brother on the peanuts...who ever invented those worthless things should be subjected to 2 weeks non-stop Milli Vanilli, ABBA or something even worse.
"Amen brother on the peanuts...who ever invented those worthless things should be subjected to 2 weeks non-stop Milli Vanilli, ABBA or something even worse."

Hey,
On my sales I've used peanuts to pack the OEM box inside an over-box. If this is piss'n people off I'll stop - can't risk an ABBA attack.