I generally agree, but here's my added 2 cents:
1 - Nickel-Dimers - I hate them but have learned to live with the fact they exist. What drives me nuts is the rudeness with which most of them engage. For god sakes you're not entitled to buy at any price you choose. You're requesting agreement. Act like it. I had a guy rant at me over email because I wouldn't meet his price/terms which were 25% under my asking price, and he wanted me to do work for him. Every email from this guy was a dictate.
2 - Phone call - It may be nice, but not necessary IMO to have a direct conversation. Indeed it may mitigate potential problems, but I prefer detailed written communication even though it may be more work. If the trading partner has no feedback, I may require a phone call, or no deal.
3 - Packing Materials - my pet peeve is poor selection of packing material for the job. I've received too many shipments damaged for poor packaging. Peanuts are a mess and just bad for most uses, but can be great for cushioning a heavy boxed item (ie amp) inside an outer/2nd box. I've also seen bubble wrap misused (eg. Rel Storm SW destroyed because it was wrapped in bubble wrap and a single box - totally inadequate package). And finally, for god sakes wrap the component in celophane or a trash bag before packaging it. It drives me nuts to have to fish styrofoam out of the amp, preamp case.
4 - tire kickers - see #1.
Finally - this is an extension of #2 - sellers who won't answer questions, provide specifics about their components, or sale. I don't get it when they think a yes/no or one word response is adequate to reply to a detailed question. In this case I walk
1 - Nickel-Dimers - I hate them but have learned to live with the fact they exist. What drives me nuts is the rudeness with which most of them engage. For god sakes you're not entitled to buy at any price you choose. You're requesting agreement. Act like it. I had a guy rant at me over email because I wouldn't meet his price/terms which were 25% under my asking price, and he wanted me to do work for him. Every email from this guy was a dictate.
2 - Phone call - It may be nice, but not necessary IMO to have a direct conversation. Indeed it may mitigate potential problems, but I prefer detailed written communication even though it may be more work. If the trading partner has no feedback, I may require a phone call, or no deal.
3 - Packing Materials - my pet peeve is poor selection of packing material for the job. I've received too many shipments damaged for poor packaging. Peanuts are a mess and just bad for most uses, but can be great for cushioning a heavy boxed item (ie amp) inside an outer/2nd box. I've also seen bubble wrap misused (eg. Rel Storm SW destroyed because it was wrapped in bubble wrap and a single box - totally inadequate package). And finally, for god sakes wrap the component in celophane or a trash bag before packaging it. It drives me nuts to have to fish styrofoam out of the amp, preamp case.
4 - tire kickers - see #1.
Finally - this is an extension of #2 - sellers who won't answer questions, provide specifics about their components, or sale. I don't get it when they think a yes/no or one word response is adequate to reply to a detailed question. In this case I walk