Classified Ads, Does "I'll Take It" Mean I'll Get It?

[Wyatt Burp]

On another forum I e-mailed a guy a couple times about a gun, then posted "I'll take it" committing myself in public to buy it. I was the first person to do so. He e-mails me and said he's working a deal thruogh personal messages to sell the gun but I'm next in line. Is that right? I posted first as everyone can see. Should I be first in line or some guy who posted nothing but talked to the seller on the side, who saw the gun in the same ad? I think this is a little shady. What do you think?

 

[afriqueart]

I think an I'll take it on the public forum should account for something. I recently PM'd a seller and the first thing he asked me to do was to publicly post an "I'll take it" message.

 

[Muddyboot]

If the ad says first I'll take it gets it , that is what it should be. Anything else is dishonest.

 

[LuddhaBuddha]

Unless it said somewhere in his post or on the forums classifieds rules that the first person to post gets it then I would think that either the first PM or post would be first in line.

 

[USAF385]

I definitely feel the posted "I'll take it" is what should be honored. In posting in the thread, you're not only notifying the seller, but others who may be interested that you have indeed called it first. You can then send the seller a PM.

You asked if it was right of the seller to tell you you're second in line... no I think it wasn't right.

 

[handejector]

Unless it said somewhere in his post or on the forums classifieds rules that the first person to post gets it then I would think that either the first PM or post would be first in line.

That pretty well sums it up.
Wyatt did not give enough data to really make the call.
It could vary with the wording of the ad, and the stated rules for that forum.

 

[Wyatt Burp]

The rules on this forum mention nothing about "I'll take it". The seller never mentioned it either. I just felt I was first since the seller chose this public forum to advertise, and i made the public commitment to buy it.

 

[USAF385]

Yeah I guess since they didn't specify they didn't do anything wrong... I think they SHOULD post that info when they sell.. and also feel the rule should be first public "I'll take it" JMO

 

[Denver Dick]

I think it depends on what the seller says in the ad. Unfortunately, many sellers are not clear on that point.

When I post an ad I always put in the following: E-mail at (and then my e-mail address). That means that's where I'm checking for responses. I check my e-mail more often than I check the S&W Forum.

If I get an "I'll take it" e-mail while another guy is asking questions, the unqualified "I'll take it" wins. However, if a posting goes up with an "I'll take it" while I'm exchanging e-mails (questions and answers) with a potential buyer, I may or may not see the posting before I complete the deal via e-mail.

As for PMs, I hardly ever check them unless someone tells me in a posting they PM'ed me.

 

[morsecode]

And then there's the popular "I'll take it, PM sent" post, followed by the PM with an offer 30% less than your asking price. Had that happen more than once (not here though)

Where it really gets tricky is the For Trade listings. Then again, those really are open ended propositions right from the go.

 

[Steave]

If I post something for sale I assume anyone that is serious about purchasing the item will email/call/etc to work out the details, hell, half the time I post something for sale on a forum I don't even look at the original post again unless I want to bump it or mark it sold. IMO, if someone wants to buy an item listed, he needs to get in contact with the seller ASAP and posting a reply to the original message isn't the best way to do that.

 

[bmhiii]

My take on this: If the seller says "First 'I'll take it' gets it", then that to me is literal. If the buyer doesn't lay down the rules in his OP, then that's a different ball game.

Those that post an "I'll take it" and follow up with an offer should be/feel obligated to pay the posted price. If one is going to negotiate, that should be done before posting and meanwhile should lose the buy if another posts an "I'll take it" (for original posted price) before the negotiating buyer does post.

Just my opinion....

 

[Bullet Bob]

I can't say what people should do, but I can tell you what I like - when sellers say "the first person to post I'll take it on the forum, followed up by an email or PM, gets it".

That adds a transparency to their dealing that I prefer. It's out in the open with no question about who was first in line. I tried to buy a gun a few years ago from a member (now banned), where I was first in line on the forum. He sent me an email saying it was mine, and requested my address and other info. I replied, and then got an email back from him saying that he was sorry, but someone else had replied earlier than me in an email account "he didn't check very often".

I figure that either a) a friend wanted to buy it, or more likely b) someone offered him more than his asking price.

Since then, if the ad isn't someone I trust, or states that the first "I'll take it"
on the forum gets it, I don't bother trying to buy the the item.

 

[badam0112]

I have seen ads that state the item is also listed on other forums at the same time. It is possible the seller was working with someone from another source. IMO the fact the item is listed in multiple places should be mentioned up front.

 

[jbouwens]

On another forum I ...................

I happens on this forum too!

I read everyone's posts up to this point and I see five or six takes on how it works/should work. There is a problem with that, Isn't there? I believe that the seller should lay out EXACTLY what it will take to win the item, shipping price needs to be know, time to get back with the seller, payment instructions, etc. If everyone here has a half dozen ideas on how it works/their ideas on the transaction are the ones they go with; we will continue to have these questions come up. I will not buy again from this site unless I trust the seller---was burned just this past week.