VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions Sellers beware!

This is just a reminder to sellers using the Items For Sale Forum that there are those among us who are a bit unscrupulous. They look for free stuff or items that are being offered to other club members at well below retail and get those items and then sell them on ebay for a profit. I like to give or sell dirt cheap to other club members items I do not have a need for to help them with their projects. I usually ship those items for free. Unfortunately, I did that last week and now one of the items is on ebay for a considerable amount of money more than I received for it plus they are charging for shipping which I did not. That does it for me, and I just caution others to know who you are giving items to or selling them cheap out of your good nature. Beamer

That certainly is not what I would expect from a fellow VCCA member. Having sold a few parts to other members I have always shipped without up front payment and have never had a problem. I can understand trying to get the best price on an Ebay item but taking advantage of a fellow VCCA member is pretty low. Might be time to rethink my policy. Thanks for the heads up.

Obviously, it must of been one of the VCCA members that replied to your post in the "Parts For Sale" forum.

That's sad. A couple of members helped me out with parts for my 29 and if they didn't I would have been in a tight spot. I hate it when a few spoil things for others. I think any seller should get payment first and not ship free. If I need a part I really don't mind paying for shipping. As far as timing I can wait a little while to get a part as apposed to not finding one at all. Maybe we could identify those operating less then above board and limit their access to the ads? No sense outing them, just take the high road and quietly eliminate them from our numbers?

All I can suggest is scanning the forum posts of the purchaser if you do not recognize them from normal forum activity. If posts show lots of buying/selling for a variety of different cars, then proceed with caution and maybe communicate on the forum rather than Private Messages.

I would expect most people would not want to look bad on a forum so would at least be a bit less obvious than this particular parts flip appears to be. If you burn someone publicly once, your credibility will always be questioned.

I would be tempted to contact the person though both the original post and PM to see if maybe there is a backstory that sheds some light. If you get no response, you know your answer.

JYD, Yes, he did reply to my add in the For Sale forum but not in the forum, per se, but through email and a follow-up PM. I guess I should have suspected something when I checked out his profile and there was hardly anything in it. Live and learn I guess. I am not really out much; it just gulls me to think that a VCCA guy would stoop that low when someone is trying to help him. Beamer

Maybe the person wasn't a VCCA member, but was a member of this forum only .

I agree with Canadiantim on contacting the buyer to see if you can get some type of explanation. He is a VCCA memeber and checking his past post shows nothing unusual. It could be as someone suggested he may have also bought another and now just wanted to recoup some money . If he explains and he had no intention of scamming then fine, but if he has no good explanation and is not apologetic for taking advantage then shame on him.

Just received an email from the guy who bought the radio stuff from me. According to him, the radio head was for his brother who subsequently traded it for some other stuff and it is that other guy who has the '38 head for sale on ebay. Let this be the end of it. Beamer

Hum.....if that is the case then that is a lot to happen in just a couple of days.

A couple years ago I had a couple VCCA members try to pull something on me so it does happen. I won't go into further detail but it wasn't very kosher but it was done.

I had the same type of trouble when trying to sell a car I had posted in the G&D. I had the car at a price which had some wiggle room, but the person that called to ask about the car had no questions regarding the car. She just wanted to know if I would sell the car at 25% less than the asking price. If it was like she did not care about what the car needed, or what condition it was in.........this person is an active VCCA member in an active region. I don't think I will use the G&D again to sell anything, total waste of time and photo fees.It was in there for 4 months, I got 2 phone calls.

Remember:

a, There is no auction here on the chat. Comment: I think the powers to be said it was to difficult to run one.

b. There are no strings attached to what we sell. Comment: Although we would like the satisfaction of knowing we have helped a fellow member buy something from us that he needs for his project, it may not be the case at all.

c. The buyer may do whatever he/she wants with the bought item. Comment: Even if the buyer needs the part there is no gaurentee that he/she may see an opportunity to turn a quick buck.

d. There may be some hurt feelings when the item sold is subsequently found on auction. Comment: That is like having to kiss your sister and make up.

e. If you are going to feel hurt by the transaction then don't list it. Comment: Hard to do when you don't need the part/item and you think a fellow member does.

f. Don't whine. Comment: Easy for me to say. I do get it.

g. Get over it. Comment: Time heals.

h. Learn from you mistakes and go forward with better knowledge. If think you will be satisfy with what at the price you establish then list it here on the chat, otherwise, list it on ebay.

Best,

Charlie

I have done business with several members here, and like above I do not sell anything to make money, mainly ask for shipping fees or such. I have also contacted a few with items for sale or that have responded to my ads or posts about looking for something for my 1929. I am glad to say that to date no issues with anyone i have done business with on here. I also make sure that whoever I am dealing with is a regular and has been conversing in the forums more so in the ones i tour and explore.

If I have no need or use for an item I prefer to pass it on to a fellow VCCA member if possible. I know i got a Complete Gasket set and then sent out most of gaskets that were NOT for my 1929 to VCCA members that could use them. I do not like to collect items of no need or use. I do have some spare parts for my 1929, and if i never need or use them I will be fine.