Buyers and Sellers

[Bruce Sugarberg]

Gentlemen,

I am alarmed by the fact that personal attacks are happening
more and more often.  Yesterday alone, I saw postings on 3
different incidents.  This is a serious matter, which deserves
serious consideration.

When you accuse a person of something on the Internet,
even if you later retract your complaint, you cause that
person irreparable harm.  How is this?  For every person
who asks you if the accused should go on their "bad guy"
list, there are several who have already done so.  And
these well-meaning people will tell their friends, they'll get
on Swapage or QTH and post warnings about the accused,
etc.  (QTH even has a separate category just for this).  So,
when a person is accused of anything on the Net, it should
only be for something really serious, or criminal. (Not, for
example, over a difference in opinion).  And even then,
only after you have 1st contacted that person, confronted
him, and given him a chance to defend himself.  (Unless, of
course, the person refuses to respond).  Because once you're
accused of anything on the Net, you're "guilty until proven
innocent".

As one who has sold over the Net, I can say from hard learned
experience that just because a person says that they want to buy
your radio/whatever today, it doesn't mean that they'll still want it
tomorrow, or the next day, or next week, etc.  They could buy
one from someone else, change their mind, etc.  So if a seller asks
you if you're still interested in what he's selling, he's just using
common sense, and doing you the courtesy of not assuming that you
haven't changed your mind.  By no means is he calling you a liar by
doing this.

If you have any kind of restrictions on your e-mail, or your phone, it
is common sense to make the seller aware of this. (Suggestion:  Find a
neighbor, or a local friend, to whom your messages could be sent
during your periods of restricted access).  If you're going to be away
for the weekend, or going on vacation, you need to make the
seller aware of this.  If the unaware seller is unable to contact you,
and moves on to the next person, whose fault is it?

Lastly, the "too quick on the trigger" issue. This is a question for
which there is no easy answer.  If only 2 or 3 people 1st
responded to the seller, he could afford to wait a day or two for each
one to respond back.  But what if 10, or 20, or even more responded?
(This is not at all uncommon, remember THOUSANDS of people
are reading these postings).  Now, what is the seller going to do?
If he gives each person a day or to to respond back, it could take
many days or weeks.  Is it reasonable to expect the seller to do this?

73,

Bruce Sugarberg, WA8TNC
bsugarberg at freewwweb.com

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