Posting on Craigs List

okie350 · Oct 8, 2009

I have been trying to post some chain link fencing for sale on Craigs list. the add was posted for a day and a half with no problems and lots of replys. Then suddenly I was red flagged and my post was removed. So I reposted, and an hour later I was flagged again. This is not the first time this has happened to me but I can not find out what is going on. I know I am posting in the right section because I looked for simular adds. (posted In the Farm & Garden section)

Does anyone have any experence with this? I have tried all the steps in Graigs list and have gotten nowhere. Do you think it is someone mad because I did not accept their low ball offer ( like a 1/4 of the asking price)? as I have had some rediculas offers and some pretty bad atitudes when i say Thanks but no thanks.

Looking for some advise.

bp fick · Oct 8, 2009

Well, check your ad again. Be really sure you included obvious contact information. That's about all I can think of.

okie350 · Oct 8, 2009

bp fick said:
Well, check your ad again. Be really sure you included obvious contact information. That's about all I can think of.

My contact info is fine. I had over 13 e-mail responses. and it was up for over 1- 1/2 days.

blueriver · Oct 8, 2009

I am a craigs list nut ... buy and sell all the time. It just happens and for no reason. Just post it again.

okie350 · Oct 8, 2009

I did post again, deleted flagged within the hour.

bcp · Oct 8, 2009

Someone else has chain link fence to sell and they are removing the competition.

You turned down someone's low offer and they are "getting even."

Bruce

MarkV · Oct 8, 2009

Maybe asking the Graigs list admins would be the way to go. Go to the source works best for me.

MarkV

dfkrug · Oct 8, 2009

okie350 said:
I did post again, deleted flagged within the hour.

As you found out, any idiot can flag any free post for any reason. But it
also takes multiple flags for removal to happen (Craig won't say how many).

All I can say is keep reposting, and maybe try changing your title or posting
it in "materials" in case the flaggers are just monitoring "farm and garden",
rather than using the search facility.

I have been using Craigs since it was a tiny local Bay Area operation (only)
many years ago and I have had my posts flagged sometimes, too. Mostly
when tractors are involved. Posting a tel# is good.

Iplayfarmer · Oct 8, 2009

Welcome to the lawless wild west of Craig's List. I do a lot of both buying and selling on Craig's List, and I've had similar experiences.

Trust me, contacting the admins is useless. I've never been able to get any response. When my posts were flagged I had to wait a few days and re-post. Craig's List is one of those few services where you actually do get more than what you pay for (nothing) but not much.

You just have to count your blessings that you got the 13 responses and then hope for smoother sailing next time.

Western · Oct 8, 2009

bcp said:
Someone else has chain link fence to sell and they are removing the competition.

You turned down someone's low offer and they are "getting even."

Bruce

I would bet it's one of these. I posted an ad 1 time and got flagged 3 times. found out from a guy that he had contacted another poster with a item similar to mine but higher priced. The guy I met also met the other "poster" and told me the other seller joked about "bumping" off the competition. I sold him my item...

I never post my phone number anymore, I ask them to respond, if I am interested I will call them. I don't have time for crazy offers, timeshare junk, I can't pay my rent. ect tra..

Ductape · Oct 12, 2009

bcp said:
Someone else has chain link fence to sell and they are removing the competition.

You turned down someone's low offer and they are "getting even."

Bruce

Bingo !!! There are plenty of people whom obviously don't need to work, that sit at a computer all day and take it upon themselves to 'police' CL. I don't believe it takes more than a couple of flags to get an ad removed...... because of all the fraudulent ads. I'm confident one person with two IP addresses can remove an ad. Just keep reposting.

Cat_Driver · Oct 12, 2009

Find out who else has chain link fence for sale and flag him back.

2manyrocks · Oct 12, 2009

try posting it in materials.

jayste · Oct 12, 2009

Ductape said:
Bingo !!! There are plenty of people whom obviously don't need to work, that sit at a computer all day and take it upon themselves to 'police' CL. I don't believe it takes more than a couple of flags to get an ad removed...... because of all the fraudulent ads. I'm confident one person with two IP addresses can remove an ad. Just keep reposting.

Ditto! A bunch of boneheaded scammers and flaggers and few good folks like us actually trying to conduct business!

Jay

okie350 · Oct 12, 2009

The fencing material was bought by one of the 13 people that responded prior to it being shutdown, and for the full asking price, no dickering involved

I have since put another add for some truck parts in the auto parts section. Guess what........... FLAGGED WITHIN TWO HOURS

So I used the serch function and found someone who is posting the same thing (bedliner) I wanted $40 he wanted $55 so just for kicks I reposted mine for $60 it is still there a day later. I think I found my answer. I have half a mind to flag his posts but i have no proof it was him. Lesson learned is look for simular posts and see what their price is. The sad part is you need the higher price people to draw more lookers to your lower priced post. Double edge sword I guess

Iplayfarmer · Oct 12, 2009

It would be interesting to post a higher price in the ad heading and then state in the text of the listing a lower price that you'd be willing to take. See just how diligent the flagger really is.

Pretty sad that there are irresponsible juvenile minds out there that will do such underhanded sneaky things.

2manyrocks · Oct 12, 2009

Then there are the CL ads for used junk priced higher than new retail.

Iplayfarmer · Oct 12, 2009

2manyrocks said:
Then there are the CL ads for used junk priced higher than new retail.

Right... "They don't make 'em like this anymore".

That's because they make 'em BETTER and less expensive.

Cat_Driver · Oct 13, 2009

Try this - I've seen it several times it may work.

Post this along with the AD. " PLEASE DON'T FLAG Em, I'm not a spammer I'm only trying to sell my stuff"

If some 16 year old is playing games he will flag you any way, if it's a competitor they also will flag you, but if it's a serial flagger they may take pity on you and not flag.

Iplayfarmer · Oct 13, 2009

Cat_Driver said:
Try this - I've seen it several times it may work.

Post this along with the AD. " PLEASE DON'T FLAG Em, I'm not a spammer I'm only trying to sell my stuff"

If some 16 year old is playing games he will flag you any way, if it's a competitor they also will flag you, but if it's a serial flagger they may take pity on you and not flag.

I've seen that and wondered how effective it is.

I've also wondered if putting "No Scammers" really makes any difference. I find it hard to believe that some crook in Nigeria is going to pay any attention to the plea for no scams.

I want to someday include something like this in my ad to see if it deters any of the scammers... "I welcome all scammers. I've learned how to beat you at your own game." I really haven't learned anything. I just think it would be interesting to see the results of such a claim.