TB Classifieds Deal Gone Bad

seventhson · #1 12-12-2007, 07:56 PM

When you view the classifieds and you see an ad where the seller states, "I was told that..."

Watch out!!!

This is a convenient way for the seller to indemnify himself from any accountability when the buyer discovers that the claims are false. If you bring up the issue with the seller, they can state, "hey, i never told you such and such about the bass...I only told you what I was told".

Never mind that the seller never disclosed, at the time he placed the ad in the classifieds, that he had discovered those original claims to be untrue. But again, technically, nothing the seller stated in his ad was untrue...the seller was only conveying "what he was told" but, at the same time, also conveniently *not* disclosing what he knew about those claims.

Basically, it's a great way of unloading an item that you were ripped off on (say, ebay). You simply disclose what "you were told" by the original scammer without volunteering any additional knowledge that you might have about the item or the original scammer. And the seller can point to the ad and say, "See? *I* never said anything about such and such."

The icing on the cake is when the original scammer on ebay is described by the seller in the ad as "a good source" in order to lend credibility to "what I was told".

I have been instructed by the mods, as part of the rules of this board, to not disclose the deal or the seller. Nor will you be able to search on my username to find the deal as I never posted in the original thread.

The seller maintains that he did not lie and that he was totally up front about his ad. While I will concede that a court of law might find it difficult to find an outright lie in his ad (save for his description of the ebay scammer as a "good source"), my feeling is that talkbass is not a place where we have to parse the meaning of "is" when reading an ad. That everything significantly material that is known about a bass is properly disclosed in a classifieds ad.

No need to offer advice on what I can do about this deal. It's done. Finito. I cannot unwind it. I can only convey to you some lessons from the school of hard knocks.

Happy Holidays!

Kenbuntu · #2 12-12-2007, 08:21 PM

oh geez you got jipped crap, i hope that guy drops his bass dawn a flight of stair case...well not really that'd be horrific for the bass. ihope that guy drops his...ionno PS3 wait thatd be horrific too.

**smperry** · #3 12-12-2007, 09:06 PM

Sorry you got a bad deal. I call that lying.

Did you leave the seller negative feedback?

M

seventhson · #4 12-12-2007, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smperry

Sorry you got a bad deal. I call that lying.

Did you leave the seller negative feedback?

M

yes.

**smperry** · #5 12-12-2007, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seventhson

yes.

thanks for that.

M

mike_v_s · #6 12-13-2007, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smperry

thanks for that.

M

+1

I really am starting to feel this isn't the best place for buying anymore. I have passed on a number of items I might have wanted because of this. I'm not saying I won't do it, but I really watch the seller and do my research.

Mike

seventhson · #7 12-13-2007, 12:39 PM

The seller maintains that he was completely forthright in his ad and he has absolutely no problems with how he crafted it. but when i mentioned bringing it up with the mods to get their opinion, he absolutely went ballistic...cursing at me and calling me names.

so, mr. seller, if you feel your ad is beyond reproach and i'm imagining things, why get all wadded up at the thought of the mods having a look?

Or for that matter, the public? Why don't you post in this thread and demonstrate why you are right and i am wrong? Because you know exactly what I know. That you were intentionally deceptive in the ad and that it would be painfully obvious to anyone who saw it. You choose to rant and rave at me in private, but why not let the court of public opinion decide?

Because you are a coward and a cheat. Merry Xmas.

iamlowsound · #8 12-13-2007, 12:51 PM

I have no problems doing business on here. Check out the feedback and carefully read the descriptions. More than 99% of the people on here are good people and don't want to scam you. There are a few that might try it, but they get eaten alive by the rest of us.

lowsound

Kenbuntu · #9 12-13-2007, 12:58 PM

I think that the mods should tell us who it was so that we know who this guy is. i mean what if he does this again, mind telling us the amount of cash thieved?

mrokern · #10 12-13-2007, 01:14 PM

Considering that most of us on here who buy / sell have perfect feedback (we bassists must look out for each other!), this person should stand out like a sore thumb in their feedback rating.

-Mark

seventhson · #11 12-13-2007, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T_T

I think that the mods should tell us who it was so that we know who this guy is. i mean what if he does this again, mind telling us the amount of cash thieved?

The mods have to stay out of it or they will get dragged into every bad deal. That's why they created the feedback system. They will monitor that the feedback system is being used per the rules, but they will stay out of the actual dispute.

Anyway, the feedback is there and available if anyone considers buying from this seller. You would see when they posted in the classifieds section that next to their username they would have less than a 100% feedback score.

bassmonkeee · #12 12-13-2007, 01:26 PM

Sounds to me like this seller needs to go on the Gong Show and get the big gong. Four times sounds about right....

Juniorkimbrough · #13 12-13-2007, 02:39 PM

I've had all good dealings with the Tb'ers I've bought/sold to but there have been a few odd balls inquire about my stuff and act like I'm supposed to go completely out of my way to meet their demands when I clearly stated the terms in the original for sale post.

Negative feedback will get him though. I always look @ feedback when buying.

**Ryan L.** · #14 12-13-2007, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassmonkeee

Sounds to me like this seller needs to go on the Gong Show and get the big gong. Four times sounds about right....

I see what you did there.................

Mike N · #15 12-13-2007, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seventhson

I have been instructed by the mods, as part of the rules of this board, to not disclose the deal or the seller. Nor will you be able to search on my username to find the deal as I never posted in the original thread.

It's really not that hard to figure out who the seller was. I figured it out by searching through your profile.

And that was before I saw Bassmonkeee's post.

Jerry Ziarko · #16 12-13-2007, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

I have no problems doing business on here. Check out the feedback and carefully read the descriptions. More than 99% of the people on here are good people and don't want to scam you. There are a few that might try it, but they get eaten alive by the rest of us.

lowsound

I couldn't agree more. So far I have had great success both buying and selling on TB. Recently I even did my first overseas deal with TBer Remo. It honestly was one of the smoothest deals I have ever done. Overseas shipping, although a bit pricey, was no harder than shipping locally.

**cheezewiz** · #17 12-13-2007, 07:15 PM

I'd like to hear what quadrog-n- has to say about this one. The items that were misrepresented seriously affect the value of the early 70's P bass he sold you.

Tim Cole · #18 12-13-2007, 07:47 PM

Edit: I retract my previous post as "the real story" comes to light. The original post appears 100% accurate, and I am pleased that the guy who clearly got screwed is above just dumping it on someone else with bunk information as the ****ty seller suggested he do.

It's a shame that you can't post the user name to others to post the warning, but others will see upon reading the feedback that there is reason for concern. All posting his name here would do is serve as a public internet flogging.........and I guess that is frowned upon.

So....just keep an eye out for shady dealings on things you buy anywhere folks. Whether it be a shiatsu massage, or a 73-74 Fender P bass.

iamlowsound · #19 12-13-2007, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry Ziarko

I couldn't agree more. So far I have had great success both buying and selling on TB. Recently I even did my first overseas deal with TBer Remo. It honestly was one of the smoothest deals I have ever done. Overseas shipping, although a bit pricey, was no harder than shipping locally.

I don't see why everyone is so scared of shipping out of the US. Look, I'll pay all of the extra fees, all you have to do is put the address on the box and take it to the post office. There, done. Wasn't hard, was it?

lowsound

Tim Cole · #20 12-13-2007, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

I don't see why everyone is so scared of shipping out of the US. Look, I'll pay all of the extra fees, all you have to do is put the address on the box and take it to the post office. There, done. Wasn't hard, was it?

lowsound

And fill out form after form after form. US sales I can print a slip off of my home computer and either drop it off or have it picked up. International means at least 30 minutes in the post office.