Frustration with buyers who make offer, then don't


Has anyone else experienced the frustration with buyers who respond to your ad then don't respond after you've contacted them?

Example: A buyer responded to an ad I ran with a offer that was $1000 below my asking price. (My asking price was nearly 50% less than the full retail price). After I responded that I am interested in discussing and leaving the buyer with my phone number, I never heard from them again. No phone call, no e-mail, no "thanks, but I'm no longer interested".

I have always tried to operate in good faith and with honesty in all of my dealings. However, I don't know why someone would make an offer, then no longer respond.

Should I give the "buyer" a negative feedback? Unfortunately, I have had many similar experiences and each time I leave negative feedback for a "buyer" who operates strangely, I end up getting negative feedback myself which does not accurately represent what really occurred in the
course of events.

Your comments will be appreciated. Hey, maybe it's me???
128x128gerryn
according to audigon policy no feedback can be left unless there is a transaction, making offers, stupid questions and haggling are not grounds for negative feedback, people do some amazing crap, learn to live with it as I'm sure we all do business in a way that may be backwards to someone else
An ad was run in the "wanted" section of this website for a remote for Krell amps.
I responded and asked what he was willing to pay.
He gave me a price; I agreed to HIS price; he said he'd put a money order in the mail.
I packaged up the mint remote, so it would be ready to mail, but I never got anything and for the longest time he wouldn't respond to my e-mails, and when he did he was very rude. I am tempted to list his name, but he is a lawyer and he threatened me.
Richard
Unfortunatly, this is common place. I suspect many of them don't even realise that simple courtesy merits a return reply, however brief. Also contributing is the anonimity of the internet itself. As the only criteria for getting on Auidiogon is access to a computer, you are going to interface with a much wider swarth of people which is going to include some selfish and even plainly dysfuctional folks.
I guess it's just the nature of the beast.

I would not leave negative feedback for simply not responding to a return email. If this is the worse thing that's happened to you on audiogon consider yourself lucky. I've had 2 people be the winning bidder on auctions only to inform me that they "just got carried away" and don't want the item. I also got stuck with a $90 shipping bill when I sent an amp COD and the buyer "found out some secret" about the amp and refused to accept it or reimburse me for the shipping cost.
Like Mkaes said, feedback should be transaction related only. If somebody left me neg. feedback for other than completing a deal I would not be happy. Also if somebody threatened me like Drrdiamond mentioned, I would be way more than unhappy. I just completed a deal & in the course of listing the item a few times & answering about 20 emails & a few phone calls, I treated every potential buyer the same. The fact that some never called or emailed back does not faze me at all. That's the way it goes in audioland. If there are any potential buyers left after I've made a deal, I always email them to say I've completed the deal, etc. That's how I conduct myself regardless of the other party. You mentioned in your last sentence "maybe it's me"...I would have to agree with that. To lesson your pain I suggest looking at selling high end gear like selling used cars. A lot of potential buyers will promise to follow through-but it just doesn't happen. I'm not a used car salesman but my neighbor across the street is. Maybe not what you wanted to hear but that's the way I see it. Good luck in your future dealings.