When anyone place a "classified ad" on gumtree, facebook, etc, one would assume that they really want you to reach out and engage them on the advertised subject. I'm often surprised at how some guys' behaviour seems to discourage that. Some are cocky, some feel compelled to remind you how busy they are and that you are generally a nuisance, like:
- no time-wasters
- if the ad's up, it's still available, so don't ask
- serious buyers only
Don't they know that any customer engagement is better than none? And if you're going to advertise anything, you should be prepared for the associated fluff. No-one reaches his core market 100%, whether you run a full-page in the Sunday Times or on gumtree.