Is it Rude to...

haolejohn

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I know this topic has been discussed before but is it rude to privately contact sellers when they are selling a uke that is overpriced. Not necessary here but even on ebay?

I have been guilty of chiming in on FS ads here and I try not to voice the whole not a good deal, but what about privately? There is a uke for sale on ebay that is 15 years old and the guy wants more for it than I can get a brand new one.

What do you guys think?
I'm not talking about a negative email either...just a friendly reminder that someone may want to research their product.
 
I know this topic has been discussed before but is it rude to privately contact sellers when they are selling a uke that is overpriced. Not necessary here but even on ebay?

I have been guilty of chiming in on FS ads here and I try not to voice the whole not a good deal, but what about privately? There is a uke for sale on ebay that is 15 years old and the guy wants more for it than I can get a brand new one.

What do you guys think?
I'm not talking about a negative email either...just a friendly reminder that someone may want to research their product.

My take on this...if I was interested in it, yes. If not, I wouldn't worry about it. Of course that's not really the question. Is it rude? If you're privately contacting him and you're not calling him everything but a milkcow during said contact...nah. It's all good.
 
Rude? Eh. Pointless? Yes.
 
Exactly...

It's not whether it's rude...

It's whether it's worth your precious time and effort...
 
I don't think it's rude John, and I've done this on evilbay myself a couple of times. Not in a nasty way, but just as a potential buyer with genuine interest in the item being offered. It had gone round the mill a few times without selling, so I politely pointed out my thoughts on why it hadn't sold and bid them a happy day. No offence intended, and, from the reply I got, none was taken.

I think the marketplace here is no different to anything else in life. In all things we have a choice to take the high road or the low road don't we. The low road being a public call-out and ridicule; making a judgmental, sarcastic or aggressive remark on the board. The high road being to send a PM politely stating your issue. One way burns people and relationships, the other way maintains and builds them.
 
I don't think it's rude John, and I've done this on evilbay myself a couple of times. Not in a nasty way, but just as a potential buyer with genuine interest in the item being offered. It had gone round the mill a few times without selling, so I politely pointed out my thoughts on why it hadn't sold and bid them a happy day. No offence intended, and, from the reply I got, none was taken.

I think the marketplace here is no different to anything else in life. In all things we have a choice to take the high road or the low road don't we. The low road being a public call-out and ridicule; making a judgmental, sarcastic or aggressive remark on the board. The high road being to send a PM politely stating your issue. One way burns people and relationships, the other way maintains and builds them.

I always check for a good deal, even though I'm not really shopping. But my wife has expressed interest in wanting her own uke and our anniverssary is coming up. So I checked today and noticed a used concert for the same price I can get a brand new one (actually I can probably get the brand new one at a better price if I called).

I just mentioned that they may want to look into the cost of new instruments (they may think their uke is koa when it is mahogany).
I sent the email b/c I am a potential buyer.
 
You COULD be spending the time better by making a video for my contest!

I already have the song. I am practicing it b/c I want to play it off sheet with a costume (but that may be a challenge). And I have already played it 10 times today. I can only handle so much Elvis:)
 
Not rude if private. If done public then super rude. We had a case of that recently, user ended up getting a ban.

But even privately, may be little point. It might be annoying, and the seller may not get a sale, but they are entitled to sell something for whatever asking price they choose.
 
Not rude if private. If done public then super rude. We had a case of that recently, user ended up getting a ban.

But even privately, may be little point. It might be annoying, and the seller may not get a sale, but they are entitled to sell something for whatever asking price they choose.

That is why I was hesitant. The gentleman responded and wanted to know what the value should be. he thought that the price for the concert uke was 575 new. I think he was looking at a koa model and not the mahogany model.
 
Not Rude at all John, I know sellers may want to get the best they can, but sometimes it is outragous....you know they can start high and drop the price if they get no bites.
but then most intrested buyers will lose intrest...it's a gamble there like anything sold...by contacting the seller, you are making concious effort to the seller and letting him/her know that you are intrested and willing to negociate then the ball is in corner if he wishes to negociate or decline...how would you ever know if you don't ask.. As in facebook, I usually say things like can you call me so I can hear the uke, and start from there when he contacts you...that should get your process rolling....Good Luck and Happy Strummings...
 
I think it's very rude regardless of your intent...For every one person that doesn't know the market value, there's probably 50 people that do.

If they put wrong info in the listing, then it's ok to inform of the mistake.
 
Not rude if private. If done public then super rude. We had a case of that recently, user ended up getting a ban.

But even privately, may be little point. It might be annoying, and the seller may not get a sale, but they are entitled to sell something for whatever asking price they choose.

I agree with this
 
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