For Sale Thread: Calling "Shotgun" on Items

[ENGINR]

This is something I've slowly been getting a bit "cranky" with - throughout alot of the For Sale threads when somebody posts up an item, there is usually straight away a "shotgun" call made.

Now I don't have a problem with people putting forward their expression of interest in an item, but the whole "shotgun" thing rings of staking a claim of ownership over the item before $$$ have even changed hands. It is fine for the front passenger seat when you're cruising with a bunch of mates....

As has been seen in the past, there have been arguments and quarrels made over items where somebody has called "shotgun" but another forum member has come through with the $$$ first and obtained the item. The owner of the item wants $$$, not "shotgun". Hence the title tag "Money talks....."

Some members might even feel they can't make an offer on an item due to the claimed ownership by the "Shotgunner". If (and it DOES happen!) the "Shotgunner" doesn't come through with the $$$, then both the owner and the potential buyer with the $$$ have lost out and/or been inconvenienced.

Rather than call "shotgun" why not just post "you have PM" and then put the offer on the table or agree to buy it there and then. That way the other forum members can feel free to put forward their expressions of interest too. I'm all for "first in best dressed" but there does come a point where the owner needs to decide if he waits out for $$$ to come his way from the first person to express interest if they don't have it at the time, or he moves the item onto the next potential buyer who expressed interest who does have the $$$.

Purpose of my 'rant' I guess is to see how the other forum members feel about the whole "shotgun" thing.

 

[Liberoz]

Completely agree with you on this one, too many troll's that can be on here or any other forum and calling shotgun only to that being that the buyer is sub committed to selling to that shotgunner.
I'm on another non auto based forum and the same thing happen's there but different term used.

I personally have lost out on selling items only to have the shotgunner not come through with the dosh many time's to the extent after relisting item more than once after the initial posting and having no interest have after time just thrown the items away during council throw outs or the like.

What has peeved me more is that an expression of interest by a buyer who's keen as & has been put on the sideline due to a so called committed buyer that's got in first and hasn't come through, by the time you have worked out the shotgunner has wasted your time on the item the expression of iterest buyer has lost out on a part / item that they would of been happy to purchase.

Since those days I have simply put "pm me" on item you want and then whom ever comes up with the dosh first always gets the item.

I've got rid of a tonnne of parts I had collected over 10+ years and kept what I cant throw away, one day a buyer does pop up that comes over to buy something not associated and finds a treasure trove of none listed parts available they end up buying, after never knowing I have them.

Once my house is finished and I get my workshop back I'll be trying to rid myself of many of the gsr, cd ce9a cd5w parts I still have in storage...just too many parts in in storage lol

 

[DOUGMO]

here here

 

[4piknup]

i have bought more on here than i have sold. and i never even worry about if someone calls shotgun or whatever. if i want something, i just pm my offer (or normally lowball, lol) or post straight on the page. I understand that sometimes guys are all talk or maybe waiting for a payday or whatever, but the seller may be keen to get rid of the item.

so basically, calling shotgun will not affect how fast i will draw my wallet

 

[Gianni]

I sold my 17's a few weeks ago. First person agreed to price. Sent account details he said he would transfer that night. 4 days later no money and no reply. During that time someone offered me an extra $100 for them which I missed out on.

They sold to someone else but it was anoying. I generally go with the first person who says yes what's your bank details over first person showing interest. But even still it doesn't guarantee tey will send money

 

[EVO-00X]

Yeah it can be annoying when you miss out on a bargain or on something you really wanted, but thats the way it goes.
At the end of the day its up to the seller to decide whom to sell to and the date they want the cash.

If you state "First in with the cash gets it", you could receive a few pm's the first day, and you provide your bank details to more than one person.
Next thing you know, you might get 2 or 3 payments coming through overnight and put yourself in a little bit of a pickle trying to work out whom paid first and not pissing off the others when you tell them they missed out - then you have to return the $$$.

Someone has to be first on the list, provided they and the seller agree on a payment date.
The seller then should update the thread with "Sold pending payment" to let other prospective buyers know the current situation.
That's a chance for other interested parties to state "I'll be 1st backup if the sale falls through" in the thread etc.
As a seller, its comforting to know if the sale falls through, you have others as a backup.

As a seller, dont be afraid to give potential buyers a date for payment. If they cant meet that date, sell onto the next interested person. It happened to me recently when someone else called shotgun on an item, couldnt pay the seller by a given date, then the seller approached me as I called 2nd dibs and I paid immediately..

I know Ive also held onto parts for guys who claimed first dibs when others were also interested. It took weeks to get the payment, but as a seller I was happy to wait and honoured that person's circumstances for non payment at the time.

Its also worked the other way around in my favour also. Ive called dibs on something and the seller was happy to wait a week til I made the payment, meanwhile he was turning other people away.

Its a 2-way street and the seller has control of the transaction.

 

[EvoOne]

Completely agree with you on this one, too many troll's that can be on here or any other forum and calling shotgun only to that being that the buyer is sub committed to selling to that shotgunner.
I'm on another non auto based forum and the same thing happen's there but different term used.

I personally have lost out on selling items only to have the shotgunner not come through with the dosh many time's to the extent after relisting item more than once after the initial posting and having no interest have after time just thrown the items away during council throw outs or the like.

What has peeved me more is that an expression of interest by a buyer who's keen as & has been put on the sideline due to a so called committed buyer that's got in first and hasn't come through, by the time you have worked out the shotgunner has wasted your time on the item the expression of iterest buyer has lost out on a part / item that they would of been happy to purchase.

Since those days I have simply put "pm me" on item you want and then whom ever comes up with the dosh first always gets the item.

I've got rid of a tonnne of parts I had collected over 10+ years and kept what I cant throw away, one day a buyer does pop up that comes over to buy something not associated and finds a treasure trove of none listed parts available they end up buying, after never knowing I have them.

Once my house is finished and I get my workshop back I'll be trying to rid myself of many of the gsr, cd ce9a cd5w parts I still have in storage...just too many parts in in storage lol

Please give me a PM when you do!
Chris