[cuckoo]

We are downsizing our herd of angoras and boers as I am starting a PGCE in september.  I have advertised on preloved with no problems in the past and I just sift through the replies and suss out the people who want to view etc. Yet I find it incredibly annoying that this week two seemingly serious / sound okay different people have failed to keep appointments to view the goats and havent even let me know they cant come.  I do start to wonder about security and I will now ask for full contact details, landline and cph numbers

[Lesley Silvester]

It's infuriating and not necessary. All it takes is a quick phone call to say they can't come or have changed their minds.

[fiestyredhead331]

frustrating yes, but maybe no bad thing as they may not have been suitable goatkeepers anyway? I know there have been times when we've planned to go and look at prospective additons to the herd but as we all know, smallholding and its impetuousness (SP?) Dan is there spell check on this???) can get in the way of plans but we've always had the decency to phone and rearrange another time/day etc

[belgianblue]

place animals on forsale on farmingads. with your telephone number

[tizaala]

Goats for sale & wanted UK


This group is purely for SALES & WANTED ads for Goats and Goaty equipment, products and services. No animals are to be advertised as "Free" whether to a good home or not as this invariably leads to trouble and our goats deserve better. Please be aware that you will need a CPH number before you bring your goats home. All UK goats need ear tags or other approved identifiers which should be legible and in place before they travel. You will also need a movement book and a movement licence. You will need at least 2 goats (but it's quite likely you will end up with more as they are highly addictive) Make sure you have adequate housing and fencing and please, no tethering! Scour your pasture for Rhododendron Yew or Laurel as these are deadly!!! Goats have very different needs to sheep. Some goats will happily graze and others wouldn't dream of eating grass so don't buy them expecting a tidy lawn! Read up about goat care and ask any questions you may have on https://www.facebook.com/groups/goatyfriends/ 


this seems to be a good way of cutting out some timewasters.

[ZaktheLad]

I have had my fill of timewasters when selling some of last years lambs.  Had one chap call, arranged to come out and see the sheep.  He was suppossed to arrive at 11am and I had got the sheep in for him to view etc.  He called to say he would be with me shortly at about 10:50.  At 11:15 he sent a text saying he had changed his mind as had put the wrong postcode in to his satnav and was in totally the wrong area in the middle of a housing estate.  I was really p*ssed off as had wasted most of my Saturday morning getting the sheep in and then they had been penned up waiiting for him.  Not happy.  I work full time and my weekends are very precious.  I really can not abide timewasters and now put it on any ads "No Timwasters Please".  Not sure that does anything to deter them though. 

[Herdygirl]

I also get fed up of timewasters.  last autumn we advertised 6 breeding ewes.  Chap rang up Monday and said he would have them.  Various emails ensued with a joint agreement that he would ring on Friday night to arrange a time to pick them up Saturday.  No phone call. Sunday no phone call.
a lady rang up on the Monday and asked if they were still for sale, I yes and we delivered them Thursday.  The following Saturday the chap rang up and said he had hitched up his trailer and he would be with us in an hour!  He wasn't happy when I said they were sold.  I pointed him to his last email agreeing to phone us and he denied it! Now I am a bad seller?  I don't think so.

[Derby_menagerie]

Obviously I have no time for time wasters, but I do often wonder about adverts that say no time waster, do you think time waster no they are time wasters? not a dig more of a philosophical question for consideration.

[ZaktheLad]

Probably not, but it makes me feel better to add it!  The one chap mentioned did contact me via my Farmings Ads advert so I don't think it makes much difference where you post either, although you would perhaps have thought Farming Ads would generate more genuine enquiries.    I guess some people just have too much time on their hands and think nothing of just calling on a whim when they see something advertised.  You are probably correct in that they do not see themselves as timewasters at all - I do wonder how they would feel if the boot was on the other foot though?

In all fairness I try to weigh all the lovely genuine buyers I have met against the timewasters and the picture doesn't look so bleak.  I even had a lady travel from east Grinstead to me (in Bristol area) last year for 2 x pet ewe lambs. She stayed overnight in a hotel the night before collecting her two girls and has stayed in touch since and kept me updated with various photos and stories of how she has wormed them etc, etc.  Makes it worthwhile then. 

[waterbuffalofarmer]

I have had my fill of timewasters when selling some of last years lambs.  Had one chap call, arranged to come out and see the sheep.  He was suppossed to arrive at 11am and I had got the sheep in for him to view etc.  He called to say he would be with me shortly at about 10:50.  At 11:15 he sent a text saying he had changed his mind as had put the wrong postcode in to his satnav and was in totally the wrong area in the middle of a housing estate.  I was really p*ssed off as had wasted most of my Saturday morning getting the sheep in and then they had been penned up waiiting for him.  Not happy.  I work full time and my weekends are very precious.  I really can not abide timewasters and now put it on any ads "No Timwasters Please".  Not sure that does anything to deter them though. 

I agree I placed an ad on farming ads, however I didn't get very many replies. You could also try viva street and uk freeads

[honeyend]

I hate it when people put no timewasters, it really puts me off. I would never knowingly waste someone's time but sometimes life gets in the way and sometimes making an enquiry seems to be classed as time wasting. I am fed up with the amount of ads that put no price, or area or any detailed information, so you enquire about any of these  things and decide they do not fill your wish list so do not follow up and immediately you've wasted their time.
 When I go an d view something I usually end up buying it because I've got all the information I need before I bother going to look. Having had a delivery driver ring me and ask where in Hunstanton did I live when I live in Fenstanton about 80 miles away, I had given them the correct postcode, I think getting lost is a annoyance not time wasting.

[ZaktheLad]

I have nothing against people making enquiries or asking for more info/photos etc - that's no issue at all for me.  It's those that waste your time when arrnaging to come and see your stock/whatever you are selling and then just either do not turn up or send you a text saying that they have changed their mind when 15 mins previously they said they were on their way and would be 10 mins.  Nothing wrong in then saying sorry, I took the wrong directions I am still interested and would like to come later/tomorrow etc if you are a genuine buyer.  I will still be putting no timewasters on my ads after the experiences of last year. 

[Roxy]

I don't think it matter where you advertise - you will still get the ones who do not turn up as arrange, change their minds etc.
 
I know some don't like Preloved - but  have both bought and sold on there, and have met some nice people too - some have kept in touch to let me know how the goats are, when they have kidded etc.
 
One couple rang up from the Midlands about a milker  I had for sale on Preloved.  They arrange to come that afternoon - and it was a long journey.  They duly arrived, bought the milker and an intact male, and paid me the full asking price. 
 
Myself, I always keep an appointment to view/buy livestock, unless something happens on the day, and then  would of course ring up and explain.  There is nothing worse that wasting your weekend waiting for would be buyers.

[ZaktheLad]

I have also sold on Preloved and met some lovely people that have stayed in touch about the sheep they purchased.  It's a nice straightforward site - easy to add your adverts to which is always a bonus.

[waterbuffalofarmer]

I am afraid putting '' no time wasters please'' on your adverts will put people off. I had a few adverts and put that on, no replies and then when I took it off I got a lot of replies. The thing to do is maybe ring them up and ask why they didn't show up. Eventually I managed to sell the animals. What about advertising in the farmers guardian, that usually does the trick. Hope this helps