My list of seller red flags

I figure that the scammers got in on the ground floor actually. It just took awhile for them to "Perfect" their, "Games" I guess. But you can weed them out for the most part. 
 "4Krowme"? I agree with everything you have said. But also realize- There are a few of use who got into moving used gear, "But ONLY of a certain quality", not to make a profit. I started out actually just helping friends find nice gear at a good price. The fact that I could fix it? That changed the ballgame a bit because I actually got "Heavy" into it trying to "Find, fix and then sell at simply the cost of what I had in the gear itself".  This so friends , then acquaintances, and finally everyone whom fancied themselves "Budding Audiophiles"- So they could not only find the gear I was talking about. But try it, enjoy it and learn from it.  And also to further, "As a whole", this hobby I love and enjoy so much. And I am not the only one. But typically? "We", don't advertise ourselves. Take for instance the fact that I will not here, tell you my username nor even the sites I list/deal with the most. The gear that I sell. after I have found it. I typically have had at least a few months at least before I list it. And either I have gone through it myself OR If I don't have the time. I am paying one of the few shops around that I trust, "To a point"!
And have cultivated a relationship with. And many of these fellows at the shops I have gotten to know over many years. "Like most of us end up doing". And really only deal with the few of those whom seem to care as much as I do about this gear. 
 Now, Why do I still do this? Many friends over the years "seemed", to be "Budding Audiophiles", yet always ended up with say, "The Pioneer flagship stereo system" (At BEST)! As their end-game when it came to audio. But "I",  could show them and then "Get them", a system just nice enough. To be just (Sensitive) enough. To really begin to hear the differences. But ONLY with older, 'Vintage", type gear. much of the same gear I found the, "Magic" in back in the 60's, 70's and 80's myself. And  now for about half the cost of that, "Pioneer", "stuff"? They can get a system that was a companies "Flagship", of amp/amps and pre. With modern source gear and speakers of at least a decent quality. "The speakers have also been gone through as needed", if used. {Yes, I do that as well,.....Exhausting}!! 

 And "POOF"! They get to experience the magic they thought had disappeared from life back "Usually",  in the 80's.  And, "I", get another friend to share my hobby with.
 But yeah, the cost of say one of these amplifiers after I acquire it and then fix and sometimes upgrade a few things? Typically a bit more then what it sold for new. But adjusted for inflation? One hell of a deal! And to purchase "anything", new? Anything that would even begin to approach the sound quality of this gear? It would cost WAY more than any of them would shell out without first,- "Climbing that ladder" that "IS", this hobby! 
Eventually, some do, some stop there. Most fall in the middle actually, but ALL are happy!

 And you have to admit.....Having a nice sounding rig does indeed, (Improve the overall quality of your life).

And if you cannot realize that? I am not to sure, just quite "Why", you are here!
 Yeah, there ARE scams,. They "abound", in fact. If it sounds too good to be true..........
 But there are also those like myself....
 And, "NO", I still will not answer a question asking me to sell "That amp Nelson Pass built by hand", to you- For just $250 bucks! And that "After" asking for, "Provenance". Of which I then provided!!!
 Talk about, "Exhausting"....
And yes, That has happened- MORE than once...
 There are always two sides!

And I'll end with this. 

When it comes to the "really", nice "Vintage", gear? 

It is actually NOT,  "A Buyers Market". And for good reason.
 Think on that a bit...
And also think about the fact that ALL of the gear "Used" I have purchased? All of it was purchased from "Online sites" here or, "Overseas"-(Auctions)!
  And that is an entirely different ballgame!

I think a buyer that provides such an extensive list of red flags is almost guaranteed to be a difficult person to work with. The gall of a seller to stand firm on their price! Please give an example a non-gimmicky price

Bingo!

Jollygreenaudiophile2,

   You ring a bell with me when it comes to reselling good gear. Actually, there are quite a few of us that think this way. When I meet someone like yourself, it makes me smile. Your right on track in my book. I love to work on the gear that I do, and really appreciate customers that get a lot from that gear. We all probably have GiveN a piece of equipment that was hoped to bring some enjoyment to the person on the other end. I have done this with a younger crowd from time to time. They usually have never heard anything like it, and that is pretty cool to see the look on their faces when they listen for the first time.
 One of my present customers is surprised that I sent his unit out to a reputable tech to be repaired since I could not locate the problem myself. The way I see it is that when the problem is found, I will learn a bit more about this piece. It's just the way I choose to look at some things in life. Hell, I enjoy the whole restoration process anyway, so I am glad to share it with others.

When I sell something I no longer will counter offer.  While you can receive multiple offers, to give a counter offer locks up your ad for another buyer for up to 48 hours.  Competitor seller for the same product may place a low ball offer under a pseudo name then if you counter your unit falls off the map AND your 28 days ad still expires on the same contractural date, effectively reducing total exposure.  

It is better to decline the buyer and give them a message to offer higher or a specific value.

Thanx "4krowme".

Yeah, I have made a few X-mas celebrations sound at least a bit sweeter I believe. You can tell at times someone's  true intent simply through the questions they will ask. And sometimes I think of how it was years ago for me. Saving for a piece of gear or parts to build something new. And depending on your location many live far from another person whom may share the same ideology and love of the music that audiophiles seem to just, "get". And then there is the fact that there are almost no "Brick and mortar" audio stores left.
That all makes it quite hard for new people to join this hobby.
So as I find them. I help as much as I can. And have indeed sent matching gear and peripheral items also. That went along with whatever piece the person had purchased from me. To those I felt could and would appreciate it much more than the box it was gathering cobwebs in! Especially around Christmas time.. And many times it has been myself, that lowered a price. Usually after not being asked to. But because I could. For certain people. Some of them? I still correspond with even after many years! Selling gear to make money was never my "forte" to begin with. I just like to, "Once in awhile"?  Break even!
Hee hee, but that will never happen!