TheSamba.com :: View topic - Sellers who joined the day their ad was placed?

Mon Apr 02, 2012 5:43 am

I've been looking at a few cars in the classifieds and I always get suspicious when I see that a seller has either

1. No posts
2. Just joined the day their ad was placed

Am I crazy or is it the case that someone would only do this if they wanted to hide something or in case someone asks questions about the car they're selling in a forum, the seller can post under another name and make positive comments about the car?

I mean how likely is it that a guy with a '68 Squareback has never posted in the Type 3 forum before with a question or to answer a question?

Or how likely is is it that the guy with a "newly restored" '67 bug has never posted in the 58-67 forum?

It'd be nice if there was a membership requirement for sellers...like maybe you'd have to be an active member of the Samba community for a certain amount of time if you wanted to sell?

Mon Apr 02, 2012 5:48 am

Lots of people that are into Vws don't know what The Samba is, many folks I talk with have no idea how big & GREAT the Samba is, or how post and list ads.
Just like the fact you have no ads or feed back, that does not mean I can't trust you....

Mon Apr 02, 2012 6:04 am

An amazing percentage of Samba users never post on the forums, and might not even know they exist. They bookmark the classifieds and that's as far as they ever get.

If you're not a forum user then you can read the classifieds 10X a day for years and never need to register until you have something to sell.

I saw someone the other day who has been a registered user for 5 years, and he just posted in the forums for the first time.

You're right to treat it as a warning sign, but it's not an uncommon situation.

Mon Apr 02, 2012 6:12 am

And what is wrong with doing this?
Some people have no want or need to post in the forums :wink:
Doesn't it mean that if they were able to post a classified they are active members :?:

Mon Apr 02, 2012 6:19 am

Koeppler wrote: I've been looking at a few cars in the classifieds and I always get suspicious when I see that a seller has either

1. No posts
2. Just joined the day their ad was placed

Am I crazy or is it the case that someone would only do this if they wanted to hide something or in case someone asks questions about the car they're selling in a forum, the seller can post under another name and make positive comments about the car?

I mean how likely is it that a guy with a '68 Squareback has never posted in the Type 3 forum before with a question or to answer a question?

Or how likely is is it that the guy with a "newly restored" '67 bug has never posted in the 58-67 forum?

It is very likely in both cases.

Quote: It'd be nice if there was a membership requirement for sellers...like maybe you'd have to be an active member of the Samba community for a certain amount of time if you wanted to sell?

It is already a requirement for someone to create an account to post an ad in the classifieds. This was done a few years back as a means of combating spammers.

I don't see any justification requiring people to participate in the forums in order to be allowed to sell. Not everyone who sells using the classifieds is a die hard ACVW hobbyist and the Samba is merely a more viable market where people can unload whatever goods they have.

I've been here for several years and have witnessed forum users who were also very active classifieds sellers suddenly up and disappear with outstanding obligations to deliver parts and/or services.

If that person or ad makes you nervous, then ask plenty of questions and remember what the Romans said: Caveat emptor.

Mon Apr 02, 2012 6:20 am

60ragtop wrote: And what is wrong with doing this?
Some people have no want or need to post in the forums :wink:

I don't think it's wrong, but it raises a flag for me I guess. Maybe I'm making an assumption that since so damn many people are online that everyone knows about the Samba.

@ crukab......I see what you mean about the fact that I have no ads or feedback. But if I was selling something, I wouldn't be surprised if someone wanted to ask me some pointed questions to see if I knew about what I was selling.

I guess someone who just signed up but is selling could also be someone who bought a car on a whim, drove it twice, realized it didn't have airbags, and is selling it at a loss.

Mon Apr 02, 2012 7:56 am

I talk with vw owners regularly who have never heard of TheSamba.

Mon Apr 02, 2012 8:11 am

greg mgm wrote: I talk with vw owners regularly who have never heard of TheSamba.

I was about to say the same and most of them are VW diehards who have been rebuilding them for decades.

Mon Apr 02, 2012 9:55 am

Koeppler wrote: I've been looking at a few cars in the classifieds and I always get suspicious when I see that a seller has either

1. No posts
2. Just joined the day their ad was placed

Am I crazy or is it the case that someone would only do this if they wanted to hide something or in case someone asks questions about the car they're selling in a forum, the seller can post under another name and make positive comments about the car?

I mean how likely is it that a guy with a '68 Squareback has never posted in the Type 3 forum before with a question or to answer a question?

Or how likely is is it that the guy with a "newly restored" '67 bug has never posted in the 58-67 forum?

It'd be nice if there was a membership requirement for sellers...like maybe you'd have to be an active member of the Samba community for a certain amount of time if you wanted to sell? I'd hate to know how you rate and trust CraigsList sellers then.

Mon Apr 02, 2012 10:18 am

I've had maybe 2 dozen people stop to talk to me when I'm working on Scooby driving Westy's, Vanagons & Buses who have never heard of Samba. I enthusiastically tell them about Samba.

Mon Apr 02, 2012 10:34 am

Koeppler wrote: I've been looking at a few cars in the classifieds and I always get suspicious when I see that a seller has either

1. No posts
2. Just joined the day their ad was placed

It'd be nice if there was a membership requirement for sellers...like maybe you'd have to be an active member of the Samba community for a certain amount of time if you wanted to sell?

1. This should not be a concern.
For the reasons several people stated above.

2. Not a concern UNLESS the car seems way too cheap for the condition - then it could be a scam ad. This happens and they are often removed quickly but please report anything you think is suspicious.

In the real world, you would not want newly registered users to not be able to post ads. Think about your local swap meets... do you want to hit up the new guy who shows up with piles of stuff or the same tired old seller who has been hauling the same junk around for years at inflated prices?

Mon Apr 02, 2012 3:07 pm

I signed up in 2004, and only looked at the classifieds. I first posted in the forums in 2005, but it was only in topics dealing with my local shows. I didn't start to venture into other forums for at least another year or more. As long as you have good communication with someone, I don't think there is anything to worry about. Heck, I sold a very rusty 21 window bus on here, and never spoke to the buyer. We only emailed, and the money was Paypaled. The shipper came and collected it, and hopefully when the buyer gets around to fixing it, there will be a build thread to follow.