Potential buyer’s etiquette.

[dennis.t]

In recent weeks I have had three potential buyers either contact me or I have contacted them about selling my ‘54 VH and NH motorcycles. Two contacts were on the Facebook Ariel group and one was from an advert in Cheval.
To my dismay none of them has done me the courtesy of saying they don’t want a bike; just ‘radio silence’.
I am the only one that thinks this is discourteous?
I would rather have them say no than leave me wondering.
Dennis

[Bernie Blundell]

Re-advertise .... Due to time-wasters, for sale etc

PS. Previous viewers need not re-apply

[dennis.t]

I agree but I did not advertise. I responded to their requests for bikes for sale. At least they could have said no thanks after the effort I made to contact them with details.

[nevhunter]

Yes They are not nice. They are probably after a near new bike you will PAY them to take off you hands IF you deliver it free. yesterday, fully serviced and ready to ride. Nev

[dennis.t]

Absolutely!

[MarkO]

Dennis

Welcome to the 21st Century! It isn't nice, it isn't polite, it isn't anything positive. Way of the world I am afraid for most folk under 60. I have had many similar incidents and sadly perhaps I now expect such behaviour as the norm.

[cmfalco]

To my dismay none of them has done me the courtesy of saying they don’t want a bike; just ‘radio silence’.
I am the only one that thinks this is discourteous?

I don't know what either of these models regularly sell for in the UK these days, nor the condition of yours, and I haven't seen your advertisement. However, a 1957 NH that has recently undergone a complete cosmetic and mechanical restoration is in the July Cheval with an asking price of £4200, or nearest offer.

Assuming the situation with yours isn't wildly different than the following:

Your listing: "1954 NH motorcycle for sale."
Contact: "What is its condition, and how much are you asking?"
You: "Runs well, paint and chrome worn but decent, £6000"
Contact: silence

If this "conversation" approximately reflects the situation, personally, I wouldn't consider the non-response of the potential buyers to be at all impolite.

If I find that someone is asking more than I believe to be reasonable, and I either don't care to haggle, or I don't think there is sufficient room between asking price and what I'm willing to pay for negotiation, or the (unadvertised) condition isn't what I am looking for, it's a waste of time to continue. If I responded with "Sorry, not interested," that only would invite a further response from the seller (e.g. "how much would you offer?"), for which some concept of politeness might say I needed to re-respond. And so on.

Again, I couldn't find your advertisement, so the situation may be different than I've represented. But, assumptions have been made by previous posters about the motives of the people who contacted you, and there isn't sufficient information in this thread to know if those assumptions are reasonable.

[dennis.t]

Thank you for your observations. I thought I had replied to your comments but perhaps not.
The enquiries were mostly from Facebook and having supplied details and photos none of the potential buyers got back to me, not even a simple yes or no.
Given the current market I am not in a hurry to sell however if I get any serious enquiries I will supply information.
Regards,
Dennis