Classifieds and lol'ing

thebreeze

I've noticed that a fair number of FS threads in the classifieds (I've only really checked the guitar ones) quite often get lol'd on their initial sales pitch.

I don't feel particularly comfortable about this, but I may be alone in this and reading too much into it.  However, I do wonder whether people are getting round Rule 6 of the classifieds (and maybe general Rule 1) by doing this?  Some people (but you could say all buyers, especially professionals/dealers) have a vested interest in keeping prices as low as possible/making a sale harder and a sarcastic lol could be an underhand and insidious way of sending a message that something is priced too high (in their opinion).

I can only think that this is the intention as the seller is just listing specs and putting up photos of their guitar - just the same as the posts that don't get lol'd.  In my unscientific overview I have a feeling that it occurs more on classifieds for higher end guitars.  Maybe there is a touch of envy or something too?... I don't know, but either way what purpose does the LOL button serve in the classifieds and would the classifieds be better served without it?  

Chalky

I don't think I've lol'ed a seller but I have seen folks sell stuff on Ebay for less than the price they put on it on here a few weeks earlier

octatonic

I've noticed it as well.
Taking LOL's off the classified ads, as I understand it, is a non-trivial piece of work for the admins.

It would seem that it is mostly done when someone puts an overly ambitious price in their ad.
Yeah it probably isn't cool to do it but it is fairly harmless and I'm not sure anyone really takes much notice.

not_the_dj

Anyone using the phrase 'plays like butter' deserves a LOL. 

thebreeze

octatonic said:

I've noticed it as well.
Taking LOL's off the classified ads, as I understand it, is a non-trivial piece of work for the admins.

It would seem that it is mostly done when someone puts an overly ambitious price in their ad.
Yeah it probably isn't cool to do it but it is fairly harmless and I'm not sure anyone really takes much notice.

I suppose this mostly answers the question.

But it's the second bit - about the ambitious price.  Can't the supply and demand deal with that (so you may go away and sell it cheaper on Ebay a few weeks later) or you come down in price, negotiate etc.  But that's all as it should be.  My concern is that people can casually undermine prices/sales because it suits them to do so.

merlin

Referring to a guitar as "she" deserves a "LOL".  

Skipped

I think I have lolled a Classified ad once.

I suppose what is funny is the cheek. The idea that the demographic who are reading a Fretboard Classified would not know what the typical price of a particular second hand Historic Gibson guitar is.....at a much respected dealer that we peruse every day.
A price which includes 20% VAT.

octatonic

I've lolled one in the past too- but it was because it was the sort of colour that @Bucket would like- some sort of hideous bright green.
Ah to be young again.

DLM

^^I always assumed less conservative designs would pick up LOLs. Like this, ferinstance: http://www.promusictools.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/3200x2133.3333333333/bd5be3e4bffe87df985139cc5e5c836c/c/h/charvel-usa-custom-shop-strat-slime-green-floyd-rose-mn-mh-10-black.jpg

I love it, but many won't!

Snap

@thebreeze

I think you are being a bit over sensitive about it tbh.

Bucket

octatonic said:

I've lolled one in the past too- but it was because it was the sort of colour that @Bucket would like- some sort of hideous bright green.
Ah to be young again.

Green is good.

@DLM I now have an erection, thanks for posting that.

thebreeze

Snap said:

@thebreeze

I think you are being a bit over sensitive about it tbh.

That's fair enough - and it's one of the reasons I posted, to see if I was.  Obviously, inadvertently making Bucket's day is an unexpected positive too...

DLM

@Bucket You buy it, then, so I don't have to! It's for sale about an hour's walk away from where I'm sitting...

http://www.promusictools.com/charvel-usa-cs-strat-hh-slime-green.html?gclid=CM--yvzZxtECFcE_Gwodc4UAtQ

RandallFlagg

This: "but I may be alone in this and reading too much into it."

Oh and...





LOL   

johnswiss

Leave them in I say, they seem rare and when I have seen them it's generally for a pretty piss take price or poor ad. I had one of mine loll'd once too, no idea why buy I kind of liked it!

crunchman

I think you have to leave them in.  If only to allow for comments like @SquireJapan made:

SquireJapan said:

prh777 said:

This forum will be the death of me.  How do I make sure I can't see the classifieds again?

Post some FS ads without a price

See the thread here for the context:
http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/94138/fs-feline-lion-special#latest

tone1

I've not LOL'd one but I saw a recent ad had 3 lol's and it did make me research the going price a bit more.

richardhomer

Could the classifieds be set up so that phrases like 'I don't know why I'm doing this, it's the best guitar I've ever owned' would automatically generate a 'Lol' - it would save time....

jellyroll

It's a small price to pay for being able to advertise freely to a perfect target market. Well, I say perfect....

randella

DLM said:

^^I always assumed less conservative designs would pick up LOLs. Like this, ferinstance: http://www.promusictools.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/3200x2133.3333333333/bd5be3e4bffe87df985139cc5e5c836c/c/h/charvel-usa-custom-shop-strat-slime-green-floyd-rose-mn-mh-10-black.jpg

I love it, but many won't!

Reverse Strat headstock, Floyd Rose, body-mounted humbuckers, unlacquered maple fretboard, jumbo wire...  I would.

thebreeze

crunchman said:

I think you have to leave them in.  If only to allow for comments like @SquireJapan made:

SquireJapan said:

prh777 said:

This forum will be the death of me.  How do I make sure I can't see the classifieds again?

Post some FS ads without a price

See the thread here for the context:
http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/94138/fs-feline-lion-special#latest

I agree - and of course there's fun and (genuine) laughs to be had - it's just that initial sales pitch section where it can be tricky - people are just trying to sell their gear.  If the price is too high (or it's an unusual colour) things have a way of working themselves out without the dig (which I believe we're not supposed to do).  From what I could see I didn't think the prices being asked were particularly OTT (and there was no "it plays like butter"/trying to be funny etc) so it must have been price related.

(SquireJapan's gag was really good and that Feline looks awesome too).