Selling Photography Gear on Carousell
– Posted by Li Shi Qing

19th September 2018, Singapore – Since we started our Online Shop on Carousell about 3 months ago, we have met our shares of nice buyers and of course – weirdos. As much as it had been a fun experience, it takes great patience to remain composed & calm – especially when the requests gets weirder and sometimes – shamelessly below the belt.

Today, I am going to share some of the conversations from the weirdest of buyers that we had encountered. These are real conversations and I am sure many of you may have already experienced or encountered this group of weirdos.

Let’s see how many can you relate to!

1) Posted a Nikon D300s for $520…
Buyer: Available?
Me: Available if offer is right.
Buyer: Made Offer $250.00
Me: Sir, you misplaced the “2” & “5”.
Buyer: Nope its Correct.
Me: Sorry I typo – I am selling $5200.
Buyer: D300s for $5200? U are kidding!
Me: Nope its Correct.
Buyer: Ok I get it. Sorry.

* Well at least this ended nicely with the buyer finally understand where this is leading to. But not so much for the next buyer.

This is going to be lengthy – but worth the read. I spent close to 04 days entertaining this guy.

2. Posted a Canon 70-200mm F4 for $490…
Buyer: Is this real?
Me: Yes.
Buyer: You selling $490?
Me: As posted Sir.
Buyer: Condition?
Me: As posted – mint.
Buyer: Any chips
Me: Nope
Buyer: Paint peel?
Me: Nope
Buyer: Comes with Filter?
Me: Nope.
Buyer: Any problem w the lens?
Me: Nope.
Buyer: Really $490?
Me: Yes.
Buyer: Are you a Shop?
Me: Nope, I am young lady.
Buyer: lol! er.. I meant if your stock is from a shop.
Me: Yes.
Buyer: Ok, any discount?
Me: $490 – Fixed for Public & $450 for OSJ Card Member.
Buyer: OK I am Public.
Me: Hi Public!
Buyer:?
Me: Sorry thought your name is Public.
Buyer: ? I dun understand.
Me: Nevermind Sir. It’s been 6 hours of chatting – would you like to make an offer?
Buyer: Ok.
Buyer: Made Offer $200
Me: Hi Sir, Sorry Lens just got stolen and no longer available.
Buyer: What? But I saw the listing is still LIVE.
Me: Yes, because we have at least 10 units of 70-200mm
Buyer: Ok, so means still available?
Me: Available if the offer is right.
Buyer: Made Offer $200
Me: I am so sorry Sir, another thief came and stolen the next available unit.
Buyer: Seriously?
Me: Yes.
Buyer: Ok, no more games. What is the lowest you can sell me?
Me: $490 – Fixed for Public & $450 for OSJ Card Member.
Buyer: but that is the same price you quoted earlier.
Me: Its the same lens so same price Sir.
Buyer: But You said got stolen?
Me: I told you we have many of this lens in our shop.
Buyer: Ok, how shall we proceed?
Me: Would you like to make a reasonable offer sir?
Buyer: Made Offer $200.
Me: Oh my God! I am so sorry, Johnny English just bought the last 70-200mm from our shop.
Buyer: Who is that?
Me: [image:001]
Buyer: Hi lady, I am a customer why are you taking me for a ride?
Me: Hi Sir. It’s been 43 hours of chatting, why are you making offer that’s taking me for a ride?
Buyer: I offer $200.
Me: $200, I know a place that sells water mugs that looks like 70-200mm F4. Want?
Buyer: I need the lens.
Me: I need the money.
Buyer: $200.
Me: Sorry today is my last day working for this company.
Buyer: Hey! Before you resign, just sell me the lens at $200.
Me: Sir. No One in their right mind will sell you a 70-200mm at $200.
Buyer: I am sincerely buying. Its been 46 hours, can’t you feel my sincerity?
Me: I feel you. I feel like knocking your head.
Buyer: lol! Ok. What’s your last last last price?
Me: $490 – Fixed for Public & $450 for OSJ Card Member.
Buyer: Made Offer $200.
Me: Sir, I am not supposed to be rude, but I really cannot sell u at $200 for this lens.
Me: Decline Offer $200.
Buyer: Made Offer $201.
Me: Decline Offer $201.
Buyer: You are a terrible Seller.
Me: I am really so sorry that I cannot meet your budget.
Buyer: Dun be sarcastic.
Me: I never wor.
Buyer: Ok Fine. Lousy shop, you dun wan to sell – many people will want to sell me their 70-200mm for $200.
Me: Ok.
Buyer: I am serious.
Me: Sir, it’s been 3 days of chatting. If you can find someone to sell you this lens at $200, please go ahead. and if someone really will sell you at $200 – you dare to buy?
Buyer: Why not?
Me: Ok. Good luck with that.
Buyer: How about this? I trade in my lenses & top up.
Me: Hi Sir, what lenses do you have?
Buyer: Canon 18-55mm, Canon 50mm F1.8 and a Samyang fisheye.
Me: We take in 18-55mm $10, 50mm $20 & NO Samyang.
Buyer: Why so low?
Me: We have 2 baskets full of 18-55mm which we are exporting to Africa and 1 palette of 50mm that we are sending for scrap.
Buyer: But those are Pro lenses!
Me: 18-55mm is entry level, not pro. 50mm is the cheapest plastic 50mm ever in history – how can those lenses be pro?
Buyer: But when I bought my camera, the salesman told me these are Pro!
Me: hmmmm, did you do anything funny while buying?
Buyer: Like what?
Me: Like asking for discounts and offering $200?
Buyer: I do not wish to reply this question.
Me: Ok Sir. Today is Day 4, would you like to make me a good offer so we can both move on with our lives?
Buyer: Morning. Ok sure.
Buyer: Made Offer $200.
Me: Declined Offer $200.
Me: Sir, I am sorry, please try elsewhere. Price is fixed.
Buyer: Lousy seller! I am going to report you!
Buyer: Hey! Want to sell or not?
Buyer: You there?
Buyer: I am sorry, I would like to make a proper offer.
Buyer: Made Offer $250.
Buyer: Cancelled Offer $250
Buyer: Made Offer $200.
Buyer: Halllloooo???

* As expected, I decided to ignore this guy knowing that this is leading to nowhere but square one. To my last knowledge, this guy is still making his $200 offer as I write. |

3) Posted a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-20E Mark III for $480
Buyer: I am Interested!
Me: Hi! Please make offer then.
Buyer: I want to ask, when it says 2X means I get the double the distance right?
Me: Yes. if 200mm becomes 400mm.
Buyer: Ok great! Does it fit every Nikon lens?
Me: Technically you can mount, but some lenses will not work.
Buyer: I see, where can I check?
Me: nikon.com.sg
Buyer: Hmmm, can I just ask you?
Me: Ok which lens you want to mount this with?
Buyer: My 18-105mm, its a Nikon lens.
Me: Sir, the teleconverters are mainly used for super tele-lens.
Buyer: What’s a super-tele lens? Does it have special powers? lol
Me: Nope.
Buyer: But Nikon website describe my 18-105mm as “wide to super-tele”, so can use?
Me: cannot sir.
Buyer: Ok.

* At times, I really wonder why people did not do their own research before trying to buy anything from Carousell. If this guy had met a bad seller, you can imagine this poor guy trying to mount his 18-105mm to a teleconverter and later discovered that it won’t work,

4) Posted a Sony A7 MarkII Body for $1280
Buyer: Price Negotiable?
Me: Hi! Please make offer.
Buyer: Made Offer $800.
Me: Decline Offer $800
Me: I am sorry I cannot meet your budget.
Buyer: Why?
Me: Because cannot.
Buyer: Ya, but why cannot.
Me: Cannot means Cannot.
Buyer: Made Offer $820
Me: Decline Offer $820
Me: Sir, lowest $1265 for you.
Buyer: But others are selling at $800.
Me: Sir, our items are priced based on condition, accessories, shutter count and we had checked, cleaned/ serviced the camera before we list. Cannot compare like this.
Buyer: But its the same camera.
Me: Yes. Same camera. The unit I posted Shutter Count is 9.9K at $1280.00 and we are giving 01 week shop warranty. The $800 unit that You mentioned, what is the shutter count and the seller give you warranty?
Buyer: Let me check hang on.
Buyer: That $800 unit shutter count is 52K. No warranty.
Me: See? That’s what I meant! 52K shutter count is very high! Why pay $800 for a half-dead camera when mine is only 9.9k?
Buyer: Hmmmm I see. By the way what is “Shutter Count”?
Me: ………….

*that almost killed me. Really? Seriously? But wait, meet the next seller.

5) Posted a Lumix 25mm F1.4 Summilux ASPH DG (for Micro Four Third) for $480.
Buyer: Hi! May I check if the price is final?
Me: Slightly negotiable.
Buyer: Ok. Does the lens work?
Me: Yes, checked and cleaned + 01 week warranty from us.
Buyer: Cool!
Me: Please make offer sir.
Buyer: Made Offer $180
Me: Declined Offer $180
Me: Sir, I believed that was a typo out of good faith. Please make another offer. Lowest $460 for you.
Buyer: It’s not a mistake, I offered $180.
Me: I see. I am sorry but that’s too low.
Buyer: Ok.
Buyer: Made Offer $200
Me: Declined Offer $200.
Me: Sir, lowest $460.
Buyer: Made Offer $220
Me: Declined Offer $220.
Me: Sir, are you gonna keep increasing $20 until I accept?
Buyer: Yes lol!
Me: Ok you offer $460 and we call it a day! Ok?
Buyer: Made Offer $240
Me: Declined Offer $240
Me: Seriously?
Buyer: Yes.
Me: I am sorry but I am running a business, can you stop playing?
Buyer: Ok I offer $460 + a Dinner with you.
Me: Sir thanks but I cannot do the dinner. And this account is shared by a few of us including boss. Unless you want to buy all of us dinner.
Buyer: Nope, only you. You accept dinner with me, I buy the lens at $460.
Me: Sorry sir, that’s against our policy.
Buyer: Then I dun wan to buy.
Me: Ok, it’s your wish sir, I am not forcing you to buy.
Buyer: Where you stay? You hv BF? Eat with me la, I buy you nice dinner.
Buyer: [Image:0221]
Buyer: See? That’s my photo, I am handsome, eat with me ok?
Me: Sorry nope.
Buyer: Ok Fine. Then the deal is off. I can keep my $460 and you can play with yourself using that lens.
Me: lol! Ok Sir. Sorry. And if I want to play with myself, I will get a 70-200mm, not a 25mm. Sorry, you mean your little is only 25mm? I am so sorry to hear that.
Buyer: ..|.. F**koff.

*Ok, I really have no choice when this buyer is trying to use Carousell like T*nder.

OK, there’s a whole more of “interesting” conversations of all sorts but I decided to share these as these are the most recent ones and some are really offensive. As we progress, I am sure we will be “meeting” more weirdos.

As much as I had these bad experiences, but I do wish to highlight that there are actually just as many nice and sincere buyers that I had encountered too. So the crazy world of Carouselling is not as bad as I had imagined to be.

For Ourshutterjourney Registered Card Members, remember you guys are a special bunch and enjoys further discounts when buying from our Online Store! 
(Just remember to be nice to me.) – Shi Qing.

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About Shi Qing

A firm believer of Self-Sufficient living and gives no f**k to anyone getting in her way to reaching her goals in life. Kind in nature & Dangerous when provoked. Loves Mcdonald’s Fries and hates all the burgers there. Currently serving as an Online Administrator for Ourshutterjourney.com Facebook Groups and Online Shop. 

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