Craig's List

Frankenkubota · Jul 16, 2021

I've used it for as long as I can remember and like lots of folks, Ive got a few stories.

i posted my POS 24 ft 20 year old 5th wheel camper for sale a few days ago and was pleasantly surprised by the number of inquiries. I was very honest about it's condition!

I believe most responders on CL are bored and send messages just because it's easy, many responders are harvesting e mail and phone numbers and occasionally, someone is sincerely interested.

I had two potential buyers scheduled for late yesterday afternoon. The first guy came, made a good offer and i sold it to him. I immediately took the ad down and sent the second guy a note explaining the camper just sold to the first guy, i even apologized to the guy.

The second guy responded with a series of notes. He was POed and i understand but his notes kept getting more angry. He finally called me a SOB. I could have let him come to look without telling him it was sold and then play both ends against the middle but...i didn't.

Back in the day i would try to find him and discuss it in person but......I guess those days are gone.

You snooze, you lose

shooterdon · Jul 16, 2021

You do not want to face a pissed off stranger unless you must. In this case, you have to reason to confront the guy or discuss anything with him.

People are nuts!!!

Jstpssng · Jul 16, 2021

Long before the internet an CL, we've had a weekly buy/sell/swap magazine called "Uncle Henry's." I once listed a 16 gauge side by side which quickly sold. For months afterwards I had the same guy call to ask if I still had it, when I said it was sold he always said "You had a good price on it." I've always assumed that he would get into his cups, then start reading and making phone calls.

sea2summit · Jul 16, 2021

shooterdon said:
You do not want to face a pissed off stranger unless you must. In this case, you have to reason to confront the guy or discuss anything with him.

People are nuts!!!

Especially the one's from CL.

I don't have facebook but it seems like CL has slowed down a lot and people are using market place more around here.

crashz · Jul 16, 2021

Knock on wood I've had great luck on CL. Selling mowing services and and buy/sell some equipment. But we live in a strange world of entitled people who insist they NEED your stuff or you are obligated to sell to them only. My wife recently bought a purse on Ebay from a lady who was being stalked and harassed by another lady who wanted the same purse for less $$. My wife was sold the bag fair and square. The harasser filed a complaint and had the seller flagged. As it turns out, my wife is acquaintances with the harasser (found out after the fact) and now the lady is harassing my wife and sending cryptic messages. All over a Disney bag! Disney!

blee03 · Jul 16, 2021

Yup, ya snooze ya loose.

I’ve been beaten to lots of good deals on Craigslist... that’s just how it goes sometimes.

People getting upset over missing out on a deal need a therapist, not the item you’re selling.

GeneV · Jul 16, 2021

crashz said:
Knock on wood I've had great luck on CL. Selling mowing services and and buy/sell some equipment. But we live in a strange world of entitled people who insist they NEED your stuff or you are obligated to sell to them only. My wife recently bought a purse on Ebay from a lady who was being stalked and harassed by another lady who wanted the same purse for less $$. My wife was sold the bag fair and square. The harasser filed a complaint and had the seller flagged. As it turns out, my wife is acquaintances with the harasser (found out after the fact) and now the lady is harassing my wife and sending cryptic messages. All over a Disney bag! Disney!

Unhinged and entitled, wow!

GeneV · Jul 16, 2021

I sold on Ebay, CG, Offerup, and FB Marketplace. I like selling on FB coz at least you have *some* prep who's gonna be coming to pick up your stuff. I did have one nutter lady though, furious I let somebody other than her get a free for pickup item, she was convinced it should of been hers. She was so annoying, kept at it, finally I had to block her.

kenmbz · Jul 16, 2021

I sold a car with 110,000 miles on it and an engine knock. The guy called me at 2am a few days later to complain the starter motor failed!
Told him I was not Psychic mechanic and it did have a few miles on it, and to leave me alone and go spend the $30 for a used starter and move on.

stevewarner1957 · Jul 16, 2021

Marketplace is the way to go in my area. CL is full of scammers. Of course you have the usual tire kickers and low ballers but they’ve been around since the Romans sold chariots.

aczlan · Jul 16, 2021

blee03 said:
Yup, ya snooze ya loose.

I’ve been beaten to lots of good deals on Craigslist... that’s just how it goes sometimes.

People getting upset over missing out on a deal need a therapist, not the item you’re selling.

The only ones that bother me are sellers who say "the soonest you can come is X" then sell it to someone else before then, or the sellers who will sell something out from under you while you are driving there.

Aaron Z

TractorGuy · Jul 16, 2021

I won't give out my phone number or email. Some people get it and some get mad about it.

I have a mower for sale right now. Last night I edited the ad and said please don't send me a phone number and ask me to call. Too many scammers harvesting phone numbers.

First response this morning was "my phone number is xxxxxxxxx, please call".

I had a guy last year that went back and forth a half dozen times insisting I call him. I finally blocked him from messaging me.

This morning I picked up a deal on a brand new finish mower deck. The guy got it on a warranty claim and welded his old deck instead of swapping it out. He just wanted it out of the way. He had his phone listed but I emailed him and said I don't give out my phone but I will buy it. He messaged me the address and I went and bought it. $25!!!! AND he threw in a brand new set of wheels.

5030 · Jul 16, 2021

Been my experience that CL is mostly tire kickers and low ballers. I use Tractor House to buy and sell equipment now.

Frankenkubota · Jul 17, 2021

Jstpssng said:
Long before the internet an CL, we've had a weekly buy/sell/swap magazine called "Uncle Henry's." I once listed a 16 gauge side by side which quickly sold. For months afterwards I had the same guy call to ask if I still had it, when I said it was sold he always said "You had a good price on it." I've always assumed that he would get into his cups, then start reading and making phone calls.

there is a tv reality show where the guys hunt uncle henerys for deals....

back east dickering ?..

Frankenkubota · Jul 17, 2021

crashz said:
Knock on wood I've had great luck on CL. Selling mowing services and and buy/sell some equipment. But we live in a strange world of entitled people who insist they NEED your stuff or you are obligated to sell to them only. My wife recently bought a purse on Ebay from a lady who was being stalked and harassed by another lady who wanted the same purse for less $$. My wife was sold the bag fair and square. The harasser filed a complaint and had the seller flagged. As it turns out, my wife is acquaintances with the harasser (found out after the fact) and now the lady is harassing my wife and sending cryptic messages. All over a Disney bag! Disney!

a woman scorned

aczlan · Jul 17, 2021

TractorGuy said:
I won't give out my phone number or email. Some people get it and some get mad about it.

I have a mower for sale right now. Last night I edited the ad and said please don't send me a phone number and ask me to call. Too many scammers harvesting phone numbers.

First response this morning was "my phone number is xxxxxxxxx, please call".

I had a guy last year that went back and forth a half dozen times insisting I call him. I finally blocked him from messaging me.

This morning I picked up a deal on a brand new finish mower deck. The guy got it on a warranty claim and welded his old deck instead of swapping it out. He just wanted it out of the way. He had his phone listed but I emailed him and said I don't give out my phone but I will buy it. He messaged me the address and I went and bought it. $25!!!! AND he threw in a brand new set of wheels.

If you use Google, you can setup a Google Voice phone number that you can give people and it will ring to your regular number (or just go straight to voicemail and email you a transcript).

Aaron Z

MoMower · Jul 23, 2021

Listed 2 bunk beds a few years ago on marketplace, at the beginning of my night shift. By 7 am they were both sold and picked up. Had 56 messages and at least 3 people I had to block, lol.

notaz3 · Jul 23, 2021

The few things I have sold on craigslist are listed with price and a scheduled time that I would be available to show... In front of the local police station Exchange Zone.
First come first served and no price negotiation.

tracracer8867 · Jul 24, 2021

You should have let him know there were other potential buyers and its first pay first serve. That way he is only going to be bad at himself if he is slow and someone else snags it.

TBone · Sep 22, 2021

I have bought and sold a LOT of things on FB Marketplace and Craig's list.

A while back I had a generator for sale on Marketplace and got a call from a guy about noon. After I answered some questions about it he said: "I get off work at 4:30 and I can come then". I said OK, call me when you get off and if I still have it I'll give you my address.

Less than 5 minutes later I get another call from somebody else. He said "I want the generator. I have cash in hand and can be there in about an hour. I am in XXXXX (about 50 miles away). Would you hold it for me till I can get there?" I said if you can assure me you'll be here in less than 1 1/2 hours I will hold it for you. If you're not here by 2:00 it's first come, first served. He said OK, I'm headed your way.

Well, as soon as I got off the phone with the second guy, the first guy calls back and says "I need your address. I got off work early so I could come buy your generator". I apologized to him and told him I promised the other guy I wouldn't sell it till he could drive from XXXXX. Well, he came unglued and begged me to sell it to him first as he was nearby. I said I'm sorry but I gave my word to hold it till 2:00. If he hasn't shown up by then I'll call you back. I said "If you had told me you were taking off work and was on your way I would have made the same promise to you. I am a man of my word".

I really felt bad for the man but I can understand the other guy driving for an hour and find out I sold it out from under him. End of story: The #2 guy got here at 1:35 and bought the generator. I called guy #1 back and said I'm sorry, the generator is sold. By then he was calmed down. He said "That's ok, I'm on my way to buy a new one."

All's well that ends well I guess.