Card buying protocol on the board?
 

Is there a card buying protocol on the boards?

The only reason I ask is because I PM'd a guy to buy his card and requested pictures. He acknowledged the PM and stated pictures would be sent. After waiting for pictures, I was told it was now sold?

I have not been on the forums for too long so I was wondering if there were unwritten rules? The first to send money?

Thanks.

The first person to commit to buying gets the card. A seller can't hang on to a card while someone is tire kicking it because they could miss out on a real sale. Just my opinion as I don't believe there are solid rules.

"I'll take it" trumps on-going negotiations here and most everywhere.

Generally speaking, a commitment to buy usually takes precedence over any ongoing negotiation (which obviously may never turn into a commitment to buy).

That said, seller can and do set their own terms. You may sometimes see it stated that a PM takes precedence over a thread post, or PM to reserve, etc.

Ive been here a short time but all of my transactions have been smooth. If I see a card I want to buy I'll post to the thread "I'll take the Banks/Cobb etc." so the community sees it, then I PM the seller privately for payment instruction.

If I'm interested in the card, I'll PM the seller and ask for pics or questions. At that point I assume the card isn't sold to me since I haven't made a decision either way. If I don't get the card or a reply I just move on.

What you experienced is bad form/communication on the Sellers part but that is in the huge minority on this sub and doesn't happen often. If it's the transaction I'm thinking of the Seller presented in such a way that there was really no clear instruction, pictures, or specific prices in order to say "I'll take it".

I don't sell much at all, but recently I sold a few to cover a big buy I was making. I will usually list here, Ebay and FB. If someone says "I'll take it", the first one on whatever place does that gets it. It hasn't happened to me, but I could see where someone on here could say they will take it and then someone on FB wants it. If I were the buyer and the seller had someone in another place that claimed it before me, then they should get it if they beat me or if I am still negotiating.

Yeah, it's tough if pictures weren't listed. Someone just must have requested pictures a tad earlier or bought sight unseen. Your chances go down without pictures in the posting, if clarification is needed on anything, you want to send an offer, etc. It's not uncommon for the good cards at good prices to sell within 5 minutes of posting. You could always say "I'll take it, pending pictures," that would work for me.

There aren't many rules because rules suck, generally. Act professionally, communicate well and PM me if there is any shadiness. Also, vet your trading partner. If you need to you can PM and I usually have a good idea. Caveat Emptor....and yes, first to say I will take it should get it unless there is an extraordinary reason. Be careful. If someone has 1 post and is selling something too good to be true, it's probably too good to be true.

These were from the BST, and originally from my first collection sale. I was the second owner of these cards, from an original family collections, and the 4th owner. :)

https://luckeycards.com/pd311x2.jpg

The general rule is the card is sold to the first person who makes an acceptable offer. I don't know why a seller would continue to advertise and send photos for a card that has been sold. A common problem for sellers is waiting around for querying or requesting potential buyers to make (or never make) offers and return (or never return) messages. Many people sell with a figurative (or, on eBay, real) "Buy it Now" button in the sale's description: First person to press the button, or email "I'll buy it", gets it.

Certainly, a seller can and some may say "Someone else emailed about the card first and I'll give him a little bit to respond," but it isn't a requirement

Though I understand and appreciate the OP's sentiments.

Someone either got pictures of the card and immediately said, "I'll take it," or told the seller he'd buy it without actually seeing pics...all before you were able to get the requested pictures. That exact scenario happens quite often here. Cards move quickly when the deals are good. So, if your overall question is, "Did the seller do something wrong?," then the answer is a definite no. Like everyone said, an 'I'll take it' ends all other discussions and negotiations.

And welcome to the site! Don't let this speed bump bum you out.

I've been really pleased with the cards that I've bought from members. But I have noticed that things can go quickly, especially for hard to find cards/memorabilia.

Thank you so much for posting this. I was wondering this very thing. What is the protocol of buying/committing here. Thanks for the answers...

The other day I bought a card on this site without posting a reply in the thread. I PM'd the seller instead. There are some buyers who don't want their purchases made public.

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Thanks for all the replies.

I think I was just annoyed. I collect vintage military watches and the deals progress into a buy.

Lesson learned.


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