Sellers Rant

[Mike Cavanaugh]

Over the years I have see the same things happen time and time and time again when selling snakes...

1.) Don't offer to buy a snake until you have the money in hand to do so! Seems like common sense, but this happens more times then not. "I will pay you in 2 weeks when a check comes in" This almost never works. Either something happens causing the check to be late... or something happens and you have to spend the money on something else. Or a combination of both. I have agreed to this kind of arrangement probably 10 times over the years, and maybe one of those transactions was actually completed.

2.) Don't text or call a seller late at night unless he/she specificly says it is ok to do so! Lots of us in this hobby are middle aged adults. We have spouses, and children. We have jobs. I have all of the above. Don't call and text at all hours of the night. It is RUDE.

3.) Don't blow up my phone with inquiries. Don't get me wrong... there is nothing wrong with asking whatever questions you have. But do it in a way that is not bothersome. Take some time to write an email that asks all the quesitons you need to ask at once. Write down your questions so that you can ask as many of them as possible in one phone call. Don't constantly call or text many times at all hours of the the day and night. I shouldn't have to field 50 text messages / calls after you agree to buy an animal requesting more info, more pictures, more etc.

3.) If someone says in a for sale ad that they are willing to meet up to 3 hours away, that does NOT automatically mean that if you live 3 hours away they will be delivered to your door for free!

4.) While I appreciate your interest in buying whatever I am selling, it does not give you the right to treat me like crap. If you are a prick to me, what would make you think I would be interested in selling my animals to you? They aren't used cars. I actually care about the kind of keeper they go to.

5.) Don't contact me telling me that my snakes, or whatever else I am selling, are not worth what I am asking for them. If you would like to offer less then I am asking, no problem... If I want to accept the offer I will. If I don't, I won't. But don't tell me what I am selling is over priced... ESPECIALLY when it's NOT over priced!

My many years of corporate customer service have taught me that the customer is always right. Well, my snake collection isn't a corporate business. If I don't like you, you aren't getting good customer service! In fact, I won't even let you be one of my customers.



Sorry for the rant. I do feel better now though...

[BrandiR]

3.) If someone says in a for sale ad that they are willing to meet up to 3 hours away, that does NOT automatically mean that if you live 3 hours away they will be delivered to your door for free!


If the seller can take the time to mention in an ad that they are willing to meet within a 3 hour distance, they should also take the additional fraction of a minute to clarify. For example, "...for an additional fee."


Of course common sense would suggest that someone isn't going to drive for three hours to deliver a $150 product/animal/anything to you, but it sounds like you've dealt with enough people to know that common sense isn't all that common. Simply stating up front that any extra "service" will be charged accordingly eliminates misunderstanding and saves you time and frustration.

[Mike41793]

#2 is a weak argument imo. Theres a 4 hour time difference across the country and everyone has different work/life schedules.

[Pyrate81]

:Firm believer in "the customer isn't always right". Most of the time, sure. But not always.

[BrandiR]

#2 is a weak argument imo. Theres a 4 hour time difference across the country and everyone has different work/life schedules.

You seriously think it's ok to call/text someone at 1, or 2, or 3 in the morning to discuss something they have listed for sale? Send an email, man! Dang!

[RoseyReps]

#2 is a weak argument imo. Theres a 4 hour time difference across the country and everyone has different work/life schedules.

True, but it is common courtesy to not call in the dead of night, unless specified otherwise. The norm is up during the day, asleep at night, other schedules are the exception to the rule, and should be noted. If you are a buyer that has a flipped schedule, simply email rather than making the phone call.

As a buyer, I would never expect the seller to revolve around my schedule, rather I would work around his. Afterall, it's not like we go to the mall at 2am demanding they open the doors because we have a graveyard shift job and are not up during normal business hours.

[Anatopism]

#2 is a weak argument imo. Theres a 4 hour time difference across the country and everyone has different work/life schedules.

Mike, if you call me at 9am your time, without first arranging with me that is the only time you have available, I'll cut your dialing fingers off But most likely, my phone will be on silent or vibrate, and you won't get a response until much later when I'm awake

[Jesse Hermanson]

I think all of those are great. I have been guilty of number 1 before and felt terrible about it. I dont pm/email/text/call until i have the cash AND have the OK from the wife to spend that money.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

[RobNJ]

#2 is a weak argument imo. Theres a 4 hour time difference across the country and everyone has different work/life schedules.

Not a weak argument at all, sellers have their personal life and schedules too...and they're the ones with the animals we want. Just because you want to possibly purchase something doesn't mean common courtesies get thrown out the door....and people have no reason to not be aware of time zones, and in continental US, it's a 3 hour difference over four time zones, not 4 hours. Sadly, many people obviously don't know that if it's 9pm in California, it's 12:00 am in New Jersey. It's part of the reason I only give my phone number after an inquiry is made(writing an e-mail is no more difficult than making a phone call). I have enough common sense to know when to call or not, and I normally won't call someone to inquire about an animal after 8 pm(seller's time). I'll write an e-mail and only call if that e-mail is responded to saying it's ok to call, otherwise wait and call the next day.

[Mike41793]

Mike, if you call me at 9am your time, without first arranging with me that is the only time you have available, I'll cut your dialing fingers off But most likely, my phone will be on silent or vibrate, and you won't get a response until much later when I'm awake

This is my point. I work 6am-2pm. I would NOT be able to call Brit before work, LOL. Most people get out of work at 5pm. That would be 9pm my time. Im an old man since i have to wake up at 5 for work, so 9pm is starting to get late for me. I prefer texting anyways bc i have terrible hearing so you'd never get a call from me lol.