To find 'no timewasters' in classified ads rude and a bit pointless?

[LikeDylanInTheMovies]

I'm not sure what it means, I mean who actively wants a timewaster?

It screams of 'If you come and view my car/household item/whatever I'm selling and don't buy it, I will consider you to have wasted my time.'

After viewing something, especially a car, there's a million and one reasons why you may not choose to buy it. Not least because the item isn't quite as 'mint' or 'perfect' as the seller claims.

Sticking 'no timewasters' on an ad will almost inevitably make me skip the ad and look for something being sold be a person who isn't arrogant and hell bent on alienating potential customers.

I was thinking just this the other day. It's very common on horse sale ads. Often "readvertised due to time waster". My friend was accused of this when she went to look at a pony which turned out to ne a little different to the advert and therefore unsuitable for her son. She politely explained this, declined to buy and carried on looking. She was then described as a time waster when the lady readvertised.

Some folk are chancers and try to offer £1 for sorting worth at least £10/£20 or more, I think that's why people stipulate 'no time wasters' etc...

I think lots of people come to view things just to be nosy (houses!) - i.e. Viewing a house you can't afford/have no intention of buying.

I also don't think adding no time wasters will deter anyone actually planning on chancing their arm

A relative of mine is currently selling a house , someone viewed last Sunday and the feedback from the agent was ' it's perfect but they want to live in X town ' which is not where my relative is selling the house , hence a time waster . When the agent rang to arrange more viewings her husband told him only to send people who want to live in the area where the house is as they have better things to do with their time . I think people often put readvertising due to time waster on ads when they have to renew the ad as it looks better than readvertising because nobody actually wants the item / horse etc .

readvertised due to time waster

Screams of ... 'the previous people who came to view this item found it wasn't as described and walked away. I'm going to have another crack at flogging this to the unsuspecting'