How I Deal With Timewasters.

dirtydiesel

I had a van sitting in my yard which was to be a camper conversion which I never got round to doing.
Decided yesterday morning to sell it on for spares or repairs and advertised it on the net.
First response was a text message.
Texter, Will you take a staff bitch and cash for your van?
Me, 99 red balloons will do.
Texter, you must of sent me the wrong message, im intrested in your van have you still got it?
Me, 99 red balloons will do.
Texter how much do you want for the van?
Me 99 red balloons will do.
No more texts from him.
Got 2 calls and both guys were ok but no sale.
Private number rings, Im ringing about the van.
Me, The van.
P. Num. yes
Me, 99 red balloons will do.
P. Num. What
Me. what
P. Num The van are you selling a van?
Me, The van, the snapper
P. Num Yes, what
Me, 99 red balloons will do.
P. Num hangs up.
P. Num rings again, Have you a van for sale?
ME, yes and ive a fella calling to see it in a minute, if he doesent buy it Il ring you back and I hung up.
Get another text
Texter, Will you take xxx for the van(exactly half what it was advertised for)
Me, 99 red balloons will do.
No response from texter.
Get a phone call and guy asks a few questions and arrives an hour later and buys the van.
I had great fun winding up the time wasters and might do it again next time.

Saab Ed

I once got a text saying " Call me about the car for sale please " to which I responded " If you cant afford the phone call then I doubt you can afford the car "

SV

Erm..sounds like you're just wasting their time tbh.
Hope I'm never looking to buy off you anyway

dirtydiesel

SV wrote: »

Erm..sounds like you're just wasting their time tbh.
Hope I'm never looking to buy off you anyway

99 Red balloons will do.

ppink

so what exactly is your question? you seem to have found your own little infantile way of dealing with what you deem to be timewasters to I don't know what exactly you are looking for, or what the point of your post is really. Maybe to let people know you've got your own liccle catchphrase??

W.Shakes-Beer

yeah seriously, there is no indication that they are technically wasting your time. You seem to me like a child who has just learned to whistle.

djk1000

I don't get it either. What have you got against private numbers? I've worked in a few places where the phone number comes up as private when I dialed out.

BTW, "if you say 99 red balloons will do" someone might have a legal case if they turned up with the balloons and you didn't hand over the van.

dirtydiesel

Its a long time since I was a child. I had fun and made the sale and in my experience texters and private number callers never turn up to view or buy the item thats for sale.
Everyone might not agree with me but I would never expect them to. I enjoyed myself and thats all that matters.

dirtydiesel

djk1000 wrote: »

I don't get it either. What have you got against private numbers? I've worked in a few places where the phone number comes up as private when I dialed out.

BTW, "if you say 99 red balloons will do" someone might have a legal case if they turned up with the balloons and you didn't hand over the van.

If someone turned up woth the 99 red balloons I would of let him take the van:D

Johnny Utah

Hey, I'm not a timewaster. Now seriously, how much for the van?

(Sorry about the private number btw)

dirtydiesel

Johnny Utah wrote: »

Hey, I'm not a timewaster. Now seriously, how much for the van?

(Sorry about the private number btw)

Sorry Johnny its gone!!!!

Tea drinker

A lot of people are given phones with private numbers by their employers. These are not timewasters.

Do people really find private numbers that much of a hassle?

W.Shakes-Beer

dirtydiesel wrote: »

... I enjoyed myself and thats all that matters.

:pac:

dirtydiesel

Tea drinker wrote: »

A lot of people are given phones with private numbers by their employers. These are not timewasters.

Do people really find private numbers that much of a hassle?

Texters are the real hassle, I guess private numbers maybe genuine but not always.
Many adds carry the message no private numbers or texts. I sell lots of stuff on the net and to date Ive never sold anything to someone who contacts me by text, not because I took the piss out of them(that only happened yesterday cos I was in a funny mood) but because they just never showed up.

JHMEG

Texting is a simple, hassle-free way of ascertaining if something is still for sale. No need to phone when the answer to the question is just a 'y' or an 'n'. If the answer is a 'y' then it can be followed up with a phone call.

I think people don't like private numbers because they think it might be the tax man or the dept of social welfare. Ironically, if they're phoning you they've already got your number.

BlackWizard

It took me 3 days to sell my car privately this week. Three people were coming to view it. All 3 first got in touch with me via text message. One of them also left a voice mail.

Of course after exchanging a few text I had to ring them to make sure it's genuine.

So there's nothing wrong with text or email. It's just a stubburn Irish attitdue which is the problem.

Absurdum

what are you gonna do if someone shows up with 99 red balloons?

unkel

JHMEG wrote: »

Texting is a simple, hassle-free way of ascertaining if something is still for sale. No need to phone when the answer to the question is just a 'y' or an 'n'. If the answer is a 'y' then it can be followed up with a phone call.

+1

Using webtext it is free too and quicker to use than using your phone. If you get a text back confirming it is still for sale, then you can ring them. Texting minimalises waste of time and money. Unless you're texting the OP of course :rolleyes:

Absurdum wrote: »

what are you gonna do if someone shows up with 99 red balloons?

RTFP

dirtydiesel

Absurdum wrote: »

what are you gonna do if someone shows up with 99 red balloons?

Give them to the missus for valentines day.

RoundyMooney

And get a scabby old van off the drive as well?

Mrs DD will give major brownie points for that

Seriously though-if someone texted and offered half the price, I'd be inclined to waste their time too-private numbers are less of a problem. If someone is paranoid enough not to answer a private number, that's a whole other story.

Marlow

The issue with people that text is, that they suddenly impose the matter on the seller, meaning the seller has to text or to call them back, which most likely could cost him money (not everybody has access to webtext).

In my opinion rude.

If someone wants to buy something genuinely, they should pick up the phone and call the person selling it.

Here comes the next one then. Out of what dirtydiesel is posting here, he's already set a price in the advertisement, what he wants for the van. Someone calling up and asking, what he wants for the van, clearly wasn't interested enough in reading the whole ad. Someone offering him half of what he wants for the van is taking the piss. I wouldn't want to deal with people like that either.

The timewasters issue is very common in Ireland, so I can follow dirtydiesel entirely. If I got paid for the miles and hours I've spend because of timewasters, I'd be a millionaire by now. Unfortunatly they are sometimes hard to avoid.

/M

Slidey

I'm sorry but anyone who txt me about a car or van I was selling would not get a reply.

Pick up the phone and ring someone. It will work out cheaper in the end and both parties and kind out if the other person is a tosser quickly.

Private numbers piss me off in general, but showing your number from a blocked phone is easy to do.

maidhcII

Sellers are well able to waste time too. Generally they do it by telling you how wonderful the car is and how they regret having to sell it and how the "first to see will buy". You waste your time and money to view the resulting basket case.

I don't agree with the OP's attitude to be honest.

Slidey

maidhcII wrote: »

Sellers are well able to waste time too.

Quoted for truth.

O/T I once went to view a car in the arsehole of Galway. Told yer man on the phone I was a mechanic years and been around this model of car since I was a cub.

Asked him to be straight with me and tell me if it was as good as he said. Minter he reckoned. I nearly bet him over the head when I saw the state of it.

g5fd6ow0hseima

dirtydiesel wrote: »

I had a van sitting in my yard which was to be a camper conversion which I never got round to doing.
Decided yesterday morning to sell it on for spares or repairs and advertised it on the net.
First response was a text message.
Texter, Will you take a staff bitch and cash for your van?
Me, 99 red balloons will do.
Texter, you must of sent me the wrong message, im intrested in your van have you still got it?
Me, 99 red balloons will do.
Texter how much do you want for the van?
Me 99 red balloons will do.
No more texts from him.
Got 2 calls and both guys were ok but no sale.
Private number rings, Im ringing about the van.
Me, The van.
P. Num. yes
Me, 99 red balloons will do.
P. Num. What
Me. what
P. Num The van are you selling a van?
Me, The van, the snapper
P. Num Yes, what
Me, 99 red balloons will do.
P. Num hangs up.
P. Num rings again, Have you a van for sale?
ME, yes and ive a fella calling to see it in a minute, if he doesent buy it Il ring you back and I hung up.
Get another text
Texter, Will you take xxx for the van(exactly half what it was advertised for)
Me, 99 red balloons will do.
No response from texter.
Get a phone call and guy asks a few questions and arrives an hour later and buys the van.
I had great fun winding up the time wasters and might do it again next time.

id call someone like you a wanker

argosy2006

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14IRDDnEPR4

Run_to_da_hills

Remove all the wheels before anyone calls out to view the it........... Less chance of tyre kickers.

ottostreet

i would be the complete opposite. i much prefer getting texts and prefer making contact through text to initiate.

think about it. most people are busy people, or are driving, or are in college or work...whatever! a phone call to your mobile puts you on the spot to deal with the situation. a text message allows me to reply when i get the opportunity, and have time to deal with the texter properly. likewise, if im after a car, ill text first as it allows the seller to get back to me as soon as they have time.

my last two cars were purchased solely through arranging by text. not everyone who texts is out to waste time! and if im selling something, i tend to not wind up potential buyers, even if others may deem them "timewasters"!

to the op...according to your post, you were directly asked 'how much do you want for the van'? to which you replied '99 red balloons'! what exactly are you looking for in a potential buyer?!

brendansmith

So you sold a van and you said '99 red balloons will do' to some people who rang/texted..............................Did you expect a round of applause for writing a thread about it?

What a load of crap tbh

Effluo

Also on the subject of Private numbers and how the op is a a wee bit silly.

If I were to ring it'd be a private number, that's because i'd be calling from skype. But I guess that'd make me a time waster

dirtydiesel

Nikolai Deep Fluoride wrote: »

id call someone like you a wanker

Would love to see you say that to me in person rather than on the net.

brendansmith

dirtydiesel wrote: »

Would love to see you say that to me in person rather than on the net.

I would love you to live my life for just one day so you could see how much I love you.

Cmar-Ireland

dirtydiesel wrote: »

Would love to see you say that to me in person rather than on the net.

Ah...A keyboard warrior !

:rolleyes:

-Chris-

Nikolai Deep Fluoride wrote: »

id call someone like you a wanker

Infraction given to Leif Erikson for personal abuse.

Everyone else lose the handbags or there'll be bannings.

Drummerboy08

Marlow wrote: »

offering him half of what he wants for the van is taking the piss. I wouldn't want to deal with people like that either.

Thats usually the advice given on here to someone who wants to buy a new car by people in certain quarters of this forum. Usually when the seller involved is a main dealer.

The way I look at it is like this.

If someone sends me a text looking for more information I will reply by text. Likewise if the potential customer rings me or emails me. Its obviously the most comfortable way for the buyer to speak to you, be it because he's shy, or has a nasty throat infection and cant speak down the phone properly.

If your a seller you have to be prepared to have people ask questions and not come back to you for a few days. Expecting the first text/email/call to offer asking suggests your living on the moon IMO.

John_Mc

dirtydiesel wrote: »

Its a long time since I was a child. I had fun and made the sale and in my experience texters and private number callers never turn up to view or buy the item thats for sale.
Everyone might not agree with me but I would never expect them to. I enjoyed myself and thats all that matters.

Yet you felt the need to start this post and gloat about your immature behaviour? Seriously :rolleyes:

-Chris-

Thread closed because people are going to get themselves banned.

Grow up everyone!