Gumtree sucks

[skotl]

Jeez, I know a lot of people complain about ebay, but it's like shopping at John Lewis compared to trying to deal with people on gumtree.

In the last year or so, I've sold 3 or 4 things on gumtree and tried to buy some stuff off it, but never again.

Why do people say "sure - I'll come out tomorrow morning to see it" and then never turn up? Not even the courtesy of a call to say they can't make it.

More important, why do people bother advertising something on gumtree and never answer the emails or return texts / phonecalls? If the item has sold, take the advert down and/or reply to the email

I guess with ebay, it's the fact that you have to pay up-front so there's a lot more commitment.

 

[rtbcomp]

Freecycle is the same - people say they'll collect and just don't turn up, even for free stuff!

 

[eSCHEn]

We gave up on Freecycle due to the muppets who would come round wanting brand new kit for nowt. Usually rude and ungrateful as well

Gumtree has been a mixed bag for me. Got a good car and sold a sofa to someone who really appreciated and needed one. Been wanting some double glazing units for a while now (for cash not for nowt) but no replies at all.

 

[julianf]

Gumtree can be a good bit cheaper than ebay for some items.

Freecycle is a right lottery. Ive had it from both sides - try and give stuff away, and its more work than you would ever expect. Then trying to get stuff, and arriving to find that, basically, the 'giver' is just trying to save themselves a trip to the dump. (im not talking 2nd hand - im talking broken, not worth fixing, fit for landfill)

This will make you grin though -

These are our bath taps -

http://www.cphartshop.co.uk/bath_taps/xsborbscp.html

And our basin taps -

http://www.cphartshop.co.uk/basin_taps/grorba1cp.html


Who spends over £1k on a couple of taps, and then gives them away on freecycle? Either way, we were most grateful! : )

 

[mike os]

what kind of idiot pays £950 for a £150 tap?

 

[Robotstar5]

what kind of idiot pays £950 for a £150 tap?

There's a few contenders on Grand Designs

Edit: There was one episode where the tap came in a fancy box complete with a pair of cotton gloves to handle it!.

 

[eSCHEn]

I think the best one I had on Freecycle was a young lad looking for a satellite dish, I'd just removed one from ours and he was cock-a-hoop when I gave him it. Rusty and knackered but he wanted to make a death ray or something. Takes all sorts

 

[mike os]

There's a few contenders on Grand Designs

could be why I never watch.... apart from the predictable... budget and time issues, trouble somewhere in the supply train, customer changing everything every 5 minutes, will it be finished on time, this ruined medieval castle has to be ready to move in in 3 weeks on a budget of £3.25p and the scaffold has not even gone up yet,... all with new wonder materials like kingspan and thermalite blocks, ... drives me insane

 

[mike os]

oops... sorry I have just ******** up the plot to every episode

 

[julianf]

what kind of idiot pays £950 for a £150 tap?

£150 is more than our whole bathroom suite cost, inc the taps!

One day i might even get around to finishing it!

 

[Rig Pig]

I've had a few bargains from Gumtree and the selling pages on Facebook, there are a lot of time wasters about if your selling or giving stuff away.

 

[Maker]

I've had a few bargains from Gumtree and the selling pages on Facebook, there are a lot of time wasters about if your selling or giving stuff away.

Can't stand the selling pages on Facebook, my dad was selling his HTC on there, someone tried haggle him down to £50, he reluctantly agreed, then he wanted him to meet him in town to get them Pfft. When he said no the guy kept pestering him through Facebook.

 

[eSCHEn]

Round here it's crap that's nearly knackered and they still want 90% of the original price. You see the same item week after week dropping in price until it hits the value it's actually worth and someone buys it. Just greedy

 

[ukracer]

Can't stand the selling pages on Facebook, my dad was selling his HTC on there, someone tried haggle him down to £50, he reluctantly agreed, then he wanted him to meet him in town to get them Pfft. When he said no the guy kept pestering him through Facebook.

I find facebook a pain unless you live on it. Adverts are there one second gone the next and you cant search.

 

[The Devils Reject]

I went to look at a bike advertised on Gumtree. The one pic up was awful and the description was not much better. The guy was after 1100 for it. To be truthful I wasn't seriously looking to buy it, more to try it on for size and, in Cumbrian terms, it was just up the road.

Turned up and the guy hadn't even bothered to check if the battery was charged so it wouldn't start. He then tried to get arsey with me when I told him there was no way I would consider buying a bike that I hadn't seen running. He dropped his asking price to £800 but I politely told him is wasn't worth half that. I still get the odd email or text off him telling me I ruined his chance of selling the bike

His advert said that it just needed a couple of jobs to get it MoT-able. Just from a quick look over the bike it needed discs and pads front and rear, new chain and sprocket, a new exhaust, new battery, a rewire, replacement front fairing, a respray and a bit of welding on the frame.

It doesn't matter if it's Gumtree, Ebay, FB or whatever, there are too many time wasters out there who don't tell you the full story and basically want top dollar for a gold plated turd.

Don't get me started on buyers though

 

[Wedg1e]

I went to look at a bike advertised on Gumtree. The one pic up was awful and the description was not much better. The guy was after 1100 for it. To be truthful I wasn't seriously looking to buy it, more to try it on for size and, in Cumbrian terms, it was just up the road.

Turned up and the guy hadn't even bothered to check if the battery was charged so it wouldn't start. He then tried to get arsey with me when I told him there was no way I would consider buying a bike that I hadn't seen running. He dropped his asking price to £800 but I politely told him is wasn't worth half that. I still get the odd email or text off him telling me I ruined his chance of selling the bike

His advert said that it just needed a couple of jobs to get it MoT-able. Just from a quick look over the bike it needed discs and pads front and rear, new chain and sprocket, a new exhaust, new battery, a rewire, replacement front fairing, a respray and a bit of welding on the frame.

It doesn't matter if it's Gumtree, Ebay, FB or whatever, there are too many time wasters out there who don't tell you the full story and basically want top dollar for a gold plated turd.

Don't get me started on buyers though

There's a guy on Pistonheads who reports almost every week that he's just bought some bike for a song off Gumtree, usually just has a flat tyre or run out of fuel (allegedly) and he's paid 1% of what the real world would pay. Not saying he's a total 8u115hi773r but whenever I look on Gumtree it's full of stolen/crashed/recovered scooters and gyppo-tastic field bikes.

 

[Richard.]

I refuse to buy or sell on gumtree and others like it. Problem is there is no contract between the buyer or seller to state the price agreed is what's paid. I had a guy agree over the phone to buy some fishing gear off me I stated the items and condition and we agreed a price. He came round and before even looking at them offered me less money. I told him the agreed price was not movable and the cheeky b#####d did not even have the rest of the money on him. I wasted my day staying in.

 

[julianf]

I generally tell people before they come round.

I make it clear that im asking what i consider to be a fair price, but that im not interested in haggling.
If they dont like the object, i wont be offended if they leave it, but, if they want to take it, it will be for the stated price.

Ive only ever had one person where that was the end of the communication - most are happy enough to know where everyone stands.

 

[julianf]

I also think some people are just obsessed with knocking people down. Like its some kind of pathetic dominance thing.

I go to boot sales often. You ask the price, and, often youll make a counter offer, but then, sometimes the initial stated price is great anyhow. When that happens, i just want to conclude the transaction as soon as possible, before someone else comes around the corner.

....however, ive known people in the past to get the great price, and then force the seller down and down regardless. They knew it was a great price at the start so i can see no reason for them to push it further.

Im a fan of transactions being mutually beneficial. I dont often take the car to a garage, but i had to last week. The price at the end of it was so good, i tried to give the chap more cash, as i did not want him to curse next time i visited!

...and this is all coming from someone who generally doesnt have two pence to rub together!

 

[optima21]

I've been using this site instead of freecycle, my items were too good to throw away, but not worth anything to me..... the "today I aquired..." thread on here had me clearing out some things, and the free items went to happy "customers" on here