(thumbs u
Unless there's an 'I'll take it' in there somewhere...conditional or otherwise...it's not a formal offer.
It's poor form, admittedly, but then it does help you identify whose PMs to answer next time.
I think it is bad form, too. I am interested in what you would consider, or what we should as a community consider, a formal offer so that a pm like this won't be offered up. To me, it constituted a sale when he said, "Will you take..." Thoughts?
It's an offer when there is no other conclusion to draw other than that an offer has been made.
'Would you take...' is vague enough to throw up a number of explanations, as far-fetched as they might be.
I was only asking to ascertain what the pricing point is on this book as I have a copy of my own to sell.
There's an explanation that would fit 100% with the question.
Not very likely, but there is a loop-hole.
And in your hypothesis the unintended benefit would be that we would then be able to ascertain, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the guy asking the question is a 100% douchebagatron for blue balling the seller.
Dan