People being rude

marisa · 09-04-03, 10:33 AM

Hello!

Well as most of you know I had a clutch of cornsnakes this year, and obviously selling them. In the past I have bred birds so I am not new to the whole buyer and seller issue.

But I have never ever in my years of selling birds, seen people act like they do when they respond to reptile ads. I have had at a few people try to buy a snake off me like five times but can never give me SOLID details as to where they want them delivered. Yes I offer to deliver them so you would THINK the buyer would be happy to say when and where. Or at least commit to wanting one or stop pming me, either way works for me. When I ask them if they are serious, or want to commit to a date, they either say *I* am being rude! or just don't respond to that.

It's getting really frustrating. Finally to those few people after now a MONTH of going back and forth and them never making a solid choice, I told them I would prefer not to sell them a snake. Is this wrong? In all cases I would be driving an hour (give or take a few minutes) to deliver a snake to them, which is no problem. But I am not going to do this with people who over a months time can not tell me where they live, and yes they want one. They just keep pming me over and over again bickering, bartering and asking me the same questions over and over again. I realize newbies are new, but I have answered all the questions and finally said nevermind.

Am I wrong? Or do you others who sell put up with this from a certain person/people for months and months if they feel like it?

Marisa

sapphire_moon · 09-04-03, 10:39 AM

I would do the same thing you are "never mind, if you can't after more than 3 weeks (to have enough time to come up with money etc...) commit and either actually say you want one or tell me your address or a meeting place, Then I am not going to sell you a snake"...personally, I would do that. If people were jerking me around like that I would think that they are either liars, or not responsible enough to take care of one. If I lived near you and you offered to BRING me a snake that I wanted to buy, I would snap at the chance. I don't see alot of people being kind enough to use their own gas money to bring a something they are selling to someone......If they don't want to commit then don't sell. I think you are being very generous and kind in actually delivering the snake to them, and if they can't even appreciate that, then they don't deserve a snake!!! lol

Lisa · 09-04-03, 10:42 AM

I know of one breeder that just won't sell corns to the public anymore. pet stores only.

marisa · 09-04-03, 10:43 AM

Well for the ones that are an hour or more away I said I would deliver it for a few bucks more....but as time went on and these buyers become wish washy, I told them I would just deliver it for the price that I have sold my other babies that have been picked up for. I have also offered to deliver them on weekends, or during the week but none would commit to a day. So I have tried to be flexable if they asked. And yeah most certainly been more than three weeks or flipping back and forth.

I just don't want to do this wrong but I feel I am right in saying nevermind at this point. It's not as if I want to "get rid" of them, which some of these buyers are suggesting...saying things like "oh if you get desperate let me know". Sure I want to sell them before my vacation but hey if not one more goes, I will still be happy to get my pet sitter to watch them AND be happy to spend more time with them.

Marisa

The_Omen · 09-04-03, 10:48 AM

If PMs here.. you can ignore them (yes, it's a feature

)
If you want to that is..
If in email, just add their addys to a spam filter etc..

But if they can't give a deffinate anything, no need to spend your time with them on the matter. Period.

Linds · 09-04-03, 10:54 AM

I agree, if they are being too sketchy then its in your right as a seller to just move on. Its a judgement call. Of course some things may happen in that are unexpected causing a bit of stress on deals, but then there are people that are just sketchy and not worth the headache Some questions you can ask yourself are: Do I want this person as a customer in the future? Do I want one of my animals going to this person?

Scotty Allen · 09-04-03, 10:56 AM

For what it's worth Marisa, I salute you for being as patient with these pains in the *ss as you have been. You're not being rude at all, you're wasting too much of your time and energy. I've been dealing with the same nonsense for years now. I even get numerous e-mails, messages etc. back and forth from the same individual over a $5.00 book. How about "well, I really need it but don't have the money right now", "I don't have the cash right now, could you save it for me till the next show", "you mean I have to pay for postage too?" etc. etc. ad nausem. Come out to the show on Sunday and you'll notice a distinct lack of live animals on my table, mainly because a number of breeders have given up selling to the public and are now strictly wholesaling whole clutches or entire seasons production to pet stores.

sapphire_moon · 09-04-03, 11:02 AM

Hey atleast when breeder sell to pet stores they are good clutchs (if from a good breeder)......FlatwoundScotty: That is exactly what I was TRYING to say. I'm not good with words today. lol.

marisa · 09-04-03, 11:08 AM

Thanks folks.

I really don't mind the whole public thing normally and as the seller I try to think how things are going from the buyers prespective because I so often am the buyer myself. So I try to be understanding, fair, and patient.

Maybe in the future when I have more babies to sell I will be avoiding the public. I understand where you are coming from Scotty about avoiding the public altogether. It is easier that way. When I was a bird breeder., most of the "lower end" birds would be wholesale to pet stores as soon as they were ready to be on their own. I wouldn't even put an ad, or let people know about them because in the end it was way to much work. Maybe I will take a lesson from my own experiences from now on.

Thanks for replying guys, I feel better about the position I have taken and will stand by it now that I know many of you feel I did the right thing.

Thanks again

Marisa

OttawaChris · 09-04-03, 11:56 AM

I know exactly what you mean Marisa... I never had as many pains in the arse as I did when I was selling herps. What colour is it? Whats the pattern? Can I see pics? Can I get the middle name of your great grandmother? Can I know the plot number she is buried in? Yada yada yada...

You are being a lot nicer about it than I was at the end I can tell ya that

Invictus · 09-04-03, 12:08 PM

Marisa - Tell ya what... if you want to drive out to Calgary, I'll buy some snakes from you. I'll even throw in $10 for gas.

Just kidding of course. I've emailed breeders asking them about the availability of their stock, only to not commit to a purchase. If I have X dollars to sink into snakes, I'll find out what's available, figure out what I want more, and buy from whoever I choose. But, usually when I say "Ok, I'm definitely interested", I mean it. I would hate to see breeders stop selling to the public, especially because I *refuse* to pay marked up retail prices. There are still a few of us out there who will buy 7 snakes at one time, pay for shipping, and even commit to a certain day to do the transaction.

BoidKeeper · 09-04-03, 12:59 PM

It's crazy some people want me to deliver a $20 bag of mice 4 hours!
This weekend though I'm a driving 4 hours to drop off two conr snakes and some mice, but the other person is, get this, driving like 5 hours to pick them up! If he's willing to go that far then I don't mind. Besides I'm helping get someone new into the hobby. I'm sure this individual will not forget it either. Someday the same person may want a pair of Hogs from me. The point is I don't know. I try to treat everyone I sell a snake too like gold so that when they want something else they keep me in mind. That's why I deal with Don P. That guys bends over backward to keep his customers happy. I could have gotten some of my snakes from other people and paid half the shipping cost but with Don I always know what to expect. I've learned from the way he does business and I try act the same way. If I start pissing people off now when I'm just selling corns I doubt they will come back for hogs, brbs, or kenyan morphs etc.
I don't think you are being rude at all. There are a lot of tire kickers out there in this hobby and they can be anoying at times. I will say this though if people are going to act like a retailer they should expect to get treated like one too. The customer is always right (sometimes). Also remember this old rule of business, "A happy customer tells three people. A pissed off one tells six.".
Cheers,
Trevor
PS
I worked all day and my brain is mush. For all I know I just wrote nonesense.

marisa · 09-04-03, 01:32 PM

Well you know its not even about asking questions. I would answer a potential customers questions for MONTHS to make them happy. No biggie there.

The problem is getting a pm like this one week: "O.k. 50 bucks is fine, weekdays are good for me, i will get back to you"

then I wait a week with no word.

All the sudden a week and a half later get a pm like this:
"I see you still have them, sell me one for 40 bucks and deliver it?

Then I say yes, and another week later with no set up time for delivery I get this:
"Well i see you still have them, if you get desperate email me, have you sexed them? I want a good one"

Then after I reply I would get something like this ANOTHER week later:
"O.k. I will pay 50 but I

And this goes on and on with a few specific people I am dealing with right now. Its annoying.

Marisa

marisa · 09-04-03, 01:33 PM

Well you know its not even about asking questions. I would answer a potential customers questions about the snake and/or snake husbandry for MONTHS to make them happy. No biggie there.

The problem is getting a pm like this one week: "O.k. 50 bucks is fine, weekdays are good for me, i will get back to you"

then I wait a week with no word.

All the sudden a week and a half later get a pm like this:
"I see you still have them, sell me one for 40 bucks and deliver it?

Then I say yes, and another week later with no set up time for delivery I get this:
"Well i see you still have them, if you get desperate email me, have you sexed them? I want a good one"

Then after I reply I would get something like this ANOTHER week later: (all from the same person mind you!)
"O.k. I will pay 50 but I Better get a good one"

And this goes on and on with a few specific people I am dealing with right now. Its annoying.

Marisa
P.S. sorry for double post

Alicewave · 09-04-03, 01:48 PM

I didn't read all the replies so sorry if I repeat what someone else has said. They are your animals so sell them on your terms. You don't owe anyone anything. Especially if they haven't given you money or signed a contract. Yes the customer is always right but you're not selling electronics. You're selling a life, something that will live a very long time, that's you've put blood sweat and tears into producing. The best interest of the animals is what's most important. I personally think it's a good thing to be hesitant to sell to someone. I'd love to see a more stringent screening process on the sale of reptiles. Good for you!