Breeders: Interested Buyers who Disappear off the Face of the Earth?

[aznmexaggie]

It seems that lately I've been getting many e-mails from prospective buyers who want "X chinchilla" that they saw on my website or on the forum and would like more information, updated pictures, etc. I respond back with all the information they requested and sometimes we will keep correspondance for a few messages and then... I never hear from them again. Breeders - is this a common occurance or something that is happening more often to you?

It is frustrating the heck out of me! I have only had one serious person and about 20 e-mails from people who have just disappeared.

 

[threewingedfury]

Yeap - this has been happening to me A LOT lately. I'd say I've had a good 30 e-mails over the past month and after I reply, I get nothing back. Most of this I think is because people are asking me for deals, or they want to breed their chin with one of mine, or they think that $100 each means $100 for both chins listed on my page *rolls eyes*.

 

[DaphnesandFreddysmom]

well I don't know much about breeding but I do have hedgehogs for adoption and I get the same from people interested in a hedgehog.

They want pictures and information on temperment, color, age and than are so interested and than we never hear from them again and there's been a couple times that when I email them back I get the response "oh yeah we just bought a baby from a breeder last weekend" so they don't even have the courtesy to tell me they are no longer interested.

It's very frustrating when that happens because people could atleast let me know so when I do get a serious adopter I know who is still available and who's pending.

 

[Veronica]

Same here. A follow-up seems like it would be a common courtesy to me.

And when you do have a buyer that finally follows through, it's a rare one that keeps in touch. I can't imagine buying a first chin and never having questions for the breeder.

 

[Riven]

I believe she is talking about POTENTIAL buyers, not ones that have bought from you.

This happens to be a semi-regular thing I think. I figure that it helps to weed out the people who really aren't interested. Which is good, it prevents the chin from being an impulse buy and ending up in a bad way.

 

[aznmexaggie]

Yes, I was referring to potential buyers. I also rarely hear back from those who have bought from me though, either... unless I already knew them beforehand from chin shows and whatnot.

Nicole, you're right... it does help weed out those who aren't serious. It is just frustrating for me to spend the time taking pictures or getting weights and looking up information for 20 people to have none of them respond or even tell me "Oh, that isn't what I'm looking for - thanks anyway" or something!

 

[Riven]

That is the reason a lot of bigger breeders don't bother with selling to pet folk actually. You have better things to do with your time then getting a picture of every single hair on a chin only for them to say.. you know.. I didn't like that hair in pic. 598367 I think we'll keep looking, but thanks, or as you said, just disappear.

 

[Diva Chins]

When I was doing adoptions, I had this one woman "Oh yeah, I want Popcorn AND Bubbles, we can meet at ___ this Friday" I said sure (She was going to sign a no breeding contract and swore they'd be caged separately) Thursday came, I got a call "I can't meet you this Friday, is next okay?" Of course, I changed my plans. Next Friday came, I didn't get a call til I was about to leave with "The person I was getting them for can't have animals at her apartment, will you keep them for her? She's about to move" Well, I figured I could. A month later, I got sick of it, e-mailed, called, etc, no reply. Someone else got Popcorn and I kept Bubbles.
I would honestly just like the common courtesy of "I'm not interested" or "I can't get them" like when someone e-mailed me for cages I sold wanting t know about them, I said "I'm sorry, they've already been sold and picked up, but thanks for your interest"
No one cares anymore.

 

[Chinmama]

I have a friend who has been interested in getting a chin for a while. I helped him find one, contacted the breeder, set up the details, and was thrilled to have him and his fiance as part of my chin world. Then, out of no where, he totally flaked out. Couldn't afford the chin, the set-up, etc.

Then there are people like me who have all the interest in the world, but just can't convince my husband we need one more - even when they're free! *still can't believe I had to pass on that opportunity*

I think that until people get serious about buying a chin, and actually do research on costs for cages, necessities, accessories and the basics - they don't realize how much it actually costs to start up. Most people start out with crap cages, crap food and hay, and pet store toys because they don't do their research and they don't know any better. At that point, owning a chin seems cheap. If they looked at the cost of a quality start up, and got all that together before jumping the gun on the chin, I think there would be a lot less impulse and a lot more serious inquiries.

 

[Megan]

I've been getting these a lot lately too.

Had someone who seemed very serious, was about to send a deposit ( I did the whole picture thing etc), and then shot me an e-mail saying they were moving, and couldn't have pets... huh, you'd think they'd have thought about that before wasting my time.

I honestly hate taking pictures. I have a crappy camera, I am horrible at it...so it's rare that I take them. What I hate most is those who never reply back to you period... atleast tell me you are no longer interested!

 

[greychins]

This happens to me all the time - drives me absolutely nuts. People have no consideration anymore - if they decide they don't want the animal, LET ME KNOW. Not that hard, believe me.

If someone tells me they're interested, I ask that they read my care sheet (which I email them as an attachment) and I tell them that if they have any questions let me know, and that I expect that if they buy from me they will reasonably do the things it lists (we're talking basic care here, nothing hard, house around 70, dust baths, etc). Usually, after sending the email with the care sheet attachment saying email me back... that's usually when I never hear from them again...

I used to be really nice about it, and if I didn't hear from people I'd give them some long length of time, like two weeks from the last time I sent them an email, before I'd move on. Giving them the benefit of the doubt.... Ya... now it's like 3 days. I have no patience anymore, and I do believe that if you really want the animal, you're gonna get back to me and not keep me hanging wondering if I should be holding it for you or not.

When I got into breeding I didn't notice this that much, but in the last...3 years or so, it's been rampant. I think only maybe 1 out of 15 people who email me (who I would sell to) actually go home with an animal... the rest I usually just randomly stop hearing from.... grrrr...

I do think this weeds out the bad/impulse homes but it still doesn't make it any less aggravating. The last chin I sold, I had one guy who was GOING to come on Friday, and had the address and everything. Never came, never called, never heard from him again. Next person said they were super interested wanted to come look. Set up a time and everything, never showed up, never emailed me back... and so on and so forth... it gets old real quick.

Little un-related, but I think the most amusing (and stupid) people I ever had the *joy* of talking to... when I had the last chin for sale, I had my phone number on the ad, and they left a voicemail saying they were interested. I didn't get to calling them until the following night, and I asked them if they were still interested. So the guy goes and asks his wife... "no, we decided we're not going to get a chinchilla at this point." Now. While I DO think it's good they decided that before they got one.... shouldn't they have decided that and concretely known yes/no BEFORE they start emailing breeders and responding to ads?!?!?!? Sorry, end rant.

 

[starleomach]

I have had that happen a lot. Thats why they have 3 days to get me the deposit if they want the animal, they are for sale until then...

 

[Riven]

While I DO think it's good they decided that before they got one.... shouldn't they have decided that and concretely known yes/no BEFORE they start emailing breeders and responding to ads?!?!?!? Sorry, end rant.

Did they say in the voicemail, we totally want to buy a chinchilla, or "we're interested in a chinchilla". Because I feel as breeders it's our part to help educate, which is maybe all they wanted at this time was information on chinchillas, I get quite a few emails that ask about chins, and they ask more questions, then decide it's not right for them right now.

 

[kare_bear]

I have this happen a lot so dont even notice it anymore. It is why my website covers the question: I inquired on a chinchilla a few days ago and it was available and isnt now, why?

I will answer everyones questions and until I have someone who says they want one, they are available. Once they say they want one they have a certain amount of time to get it or too bad. With kits I wont hold it with out a deposit, non-refundable if you change your mind. I also do this with my birds as well.

I guess, IMO, people have the right to look as do I when inquiring on something. When I am looking for something I will write people and ask basic questions and maybe ask for a pic but I dont feel that it obligates me in any way to buy that animal or even write back with a reason why not or such. If I correspond with them several times and decide not go get it I do let them know but so many people dont put locations or prices in listings on many sites that when I write for that information I am not going to write everyone back and say I am not getting it. I figure if they dont provide that info they are asking for tons of people to write and ask those questions.

 

[greychins]

Did they say in the voicemail, we totally want to buy a chinchilla, or "we're interested in a chinchilla". Because I feel as breeders it's our part to help educate, which is maybe all they wanted at this time was information on chinchillas, I get quite a few emails that ask about chins, and they ask more questions, then decide it's not right for them right now.

I guess I shoulda been more specific, haha. Part of the reason I remembered them so well was because up until then I had had practically no interest in that particular chin (a dead-on sprayer female), yet their voicemail went something like: Hi!!! I saw your ad for the mosaic chin, and we would really like to buy her from you!! Do you still have her for sale?? Cause we'd definetly like to get her, we've always thought the mosaic color is such a pretty color!!! PLEASE PLEASE call us back!! Thanks!!

It was amusing to me because they were very very very energetic sounding and very eager sounding. I guess right there, that could've been an impulse thing that they called me (but in their defense, some of the people who've bought from me who I think made the best homes have sounded a little ADHD on the phone), but I guess I see this different than, as you said, "I'm interested in a chinchilla."

To me, the buying or not buying isn't even the issue. When I'm selling a chin, sure I want to get emails and calls saying "I'm interested in buying that chin." But if someone just wants to email to learn more about chins, or ask my advice about something or whatever, that's fine. When I was selling some degus, I was just as happy to respond to the email about "omg we degloved the tail, what do we DO???" as I was the ones who wanted babies. I'm perfectly happy just talking degu/chin with someone all day long. I would rather educate, and have them learn, even if I never hear from them again, because that's one more educated chin-owner out there.

I don't care that they didn't buy, it wasn't that that irritated me, it was the fact that the hadn't yet quite decided. I guess when I'm buying an animal, I make sure I 100% want it BEFORE I call up the breeder, or if I'm going to sell an animal, I make sure I am 100% comfortable with selling it BEFORE I put up a sale ad.

Case in point - before I got my dog, I was looking at a gorgeous gsd/spitz mix that was up for adoption. I had seen the adoption info online, called the owner and we had discussed adoption fees and everything, and I was set to go see the dog say Friday (I called Wednesday). I get a call Thursday, "oh we decided to keep the dog." I mean I do understand people change their minds. I guess their daughter threw a fit about them getting rid of the dog, so like all *good* parents nowadays, rather than explain life's situations, they were gonna give into the daughter and keep the dog. Again, I understand people change their minds, but the fluctuating and vacillating back and forth drives me nuts. I even think I saw another ad for that dog later on... I guess it's just something I try not to do, to make things easier on everyone. I know I personally would hate to have someone get their hopes up thinking they were gonna buy a degu/chinchilla and then be like "oh! decided not to sell it, sorry."

Just my .02

 

[lilchinchilla]

This is why I hold no chins for no one (unless they are a previous buyer or someone I know personally) without a deposit. Even with a deposit - you will still end up with people who change their minds, but for the most part - most people will think twice about putting a non refundable deposit down on a chin they are impulsively choosing to buy.

I agree with Nicole about some people who seem interested but are not ready for a chin. I get those alot too. I tend to turn those away, who are not 100% sold on a chin as a pet, and tell them to do more research(then point them to where to go for research) and think long and hard before deciding on a chin as a pet.
I'd much rather be happy knowing that my chin is going to a long term home than one that may change their mind shortly after the newness of the pet fades away.

Sometimes those people come back to me, months later, after researching and are more prepared and capable to own a chin, than they were before they came to me the first time around, btw. Anywho, just something to think about.

 

[cherylslittleangels]

I get the same thing happening to me too. It seems to me tho that alot of the emails come late at night when people have nothing else to do except look around for chinchillas and have had one too many cocktails. I'll get some emails like "I wan to buy chinchilla" with no name address etc to respond to. Which is just fine with me because I KNOW those aren't serious people.

I rarely will take additional photos other than what is on my site. If somebody is really interested, they can schedule an appt and come look at them in person. If they are a little far away, I will take pictures. I hardly ever do anything except go to work and then come home and take care of my chinnies, so if they don't show up, its no skin off my nose.

As for people who have purchased from me, some of them I've never heard from again, and some of them I have become close friends with and hear from all the time.

 

[jags]

It has been happening for years and I doubt with the way its going that anything will change.

 

[Riven]

I think that a lot of people just assume breeders are like a pet store. You have it in stock. You don't have that one? Oh, well I'm sure another will be instock next week.

I have an amazing amount of people who contact me wanting a chin based on personality, not color or age. Which is awesome. I have some who want a chin based on color, etc. not on personality, but I tell them about it anyway so they know. Some people don't mind and spend them time with them until they come around, others want one that's already on the friendlier side.

 

[starleomach]

I someone send an email with the instock comment... "when will you have a tan white male in stock for around 75.00" was what they said My reply was I have no clue when I will have a tan white male, but it will not be for 75.00