Craigslist SCs

[Kusanagi]

Oh, the joys of selling furniture on Craigslist.

You know I had to move due to a financial emergency. I had about two weeks to get my stuff out of my apartment since I unfortunately cannot take it with me and I need to travel light. I could also use the money, who doesn't like getting some extra dinero?

I realize that I am selling on Craigslist. I realize that the seller and buyer have a relationship where the seller wants to get as much as he can for the cat piss stained couch, thinking that the blanket thrown over it and a gallon of Fabreeze will mask the smell, while the buyer wants to look over every single detail and get it for as low as possible.

With every piece of furniture I've purchased, I've had the sellers thank me. For what? The money? Taking the piece off their hands? Now that I’m on the selling end of the Craigslist seesaw, I now know the main reason people thanked me.

They thanked me for ending the nightmare of dealing with fucking idiots.

I could regale you with the tales of the last two weeks of people confirming but not showing, people not coming back, people trying to lowball me, or people begging to get it for free. I could tell you of the people that asked a thousand questions (It’s a rice cooker with white base and black trim, no I don’t know if it will match your décor and I’m not taking any more pictures), the people that wanted to send me a check and wire them the difference, or the mysterious emails telling me I won the UK BANKER LOTTO FOR 14M POUNDS STERLING.

No, I want to tell you about the wonderful experience I had one night.

If the ad says the sofa is $150, if I mention in the email correspondence it’s $150, if you agree it’s $150, then I am under the assumption you know that I am expecting you to have no problem paying $150 for it.

When you show up at my apartment with a truck to move it and tell me you only have $60 in cash on you, I will laugh in your face and blow you off.

Let me assure you I do not care about any of the following:

-You drove fifty miles in a truck that barely gets double digit gas mileage
-You were thinking that the prospect of waving actual cash in front of me would make me forget you had no intention of bringing the other $90 we agreed upon.
-That I should be grateful anyone is coming to get rid of it so I should feel honored you’re offering me $60
-You will have to drive another fifty miles back, empty handed, wasting money with gas prices being what they are and all.
-You insist I won’t sell it to you at that price because I’m white and you're Mexican
-I’m choosing to sell it to the other buyer who is in my apartment right now looking at it simply because she is my same race and the fact she’s hot and has a great rack.

The reasons I’m choosing to sell it to the other buyer are the following:

-She agreed upon the $150.
-She has a vehicle there and help to load it.
-She is offering me $150 in cash right then compared to your $60.
-She did not try to play me as a fool.
-She did not accuse me of being racist.
-She has a great rack.

Nothing personal. It’s called business. I’m sorry for laughing at you, but it was incredibly absurd.

I don’t care if you waste your own time, just don’t waste mine along with it.

Anyone else have stories of Craigslist stupidity?

[Jack Doe]

Not mine, but a former roomate was selling a desk. He wanted $10 for it (got it from Goodwill, and it was pretty beat up, but still solid as a rock.) Had three offers, $5, $5, and $1. I think he still has the desk.

[smileyeagle1021]

trying to rent out my rooms I had some real winners on craigslist...tell me that you can't make the full payment on the first and you need it split up over the month, I can work with you, tell me that you can't afford what I'm asking and name a price that is close (like within $25) I might be able to work with you...
what I couldn't work with (and Oh God did I get a lot of these) are
- you don't really need the room until January (then why the hell were you looking in July)
- you use a form letter that is obviously fake (yeah, like I honestly believe you're a model from Barcelona who wants to jump start her career in Salt Lake City)
- you ask for things that are none of your business (my name, address, and phone number would be appropriate, where I work is borderline, the size of my dick is off limits... I wish I was making that up, but some girl actually asked in an email showing interest in the room asking how well endowed I was).

Oh and in the free stuff section, calling me, asking details, then telling me no you don't want it because it isn't perfect... duh, that's why I'M GIVING IT AWAY!

[Jack Doe]

trying to rent out my rooms I had some real winners on craigslist...tell me that you can't make the full payment on the first and you need it split up over the month, I can work with you, tell me that you can't afford what I'm asking and name a price that is close (like within $25) I might be able to work with you...
what I couldn't work with (and Oh God did I get a lot of these) are
- you don't really need the room until January (then why the hell were you looking in July)
- you use a form letter that is obviously fake (yeah, like I honestly believe you're a model from Barcelona who wants to jump start her career in Salt Lake City)
- you ask for things that are none of your business (my name, address, and phone number would be appropriate, where I work is borderline, the size of my dick is off limits... I wish I was making that up, but some girl actually asked in an email showing interest in the room asking how well endowed I was).

Oh and in the free stuff section, calling me, asking details, then telling me no you don't want it because it isn't perfect... duh, that's why I'M GIVING IT AWAY!

I don't know, the last one about your endowment might lead to something worthwhile (yes, yes, I know...)

[Hon'ya-chan]

I dunno, trying to buy a car on craigslist is a hit-miss situation.

One of my friends is into restoring/collecting cars, and he LOVES Craiglist. Amazing what's hidden by folks in backyards and such.

Anyway, he has a standard MO: Ask the Seller for a VIN# to do a cursory check before committing to see it in person. Especially with older cars he's into.

Now, this results in the following:

1. The seller obliges and gives the VIN#.
2. No reply back.
3. More questions of why he's asking.

Now with #1, if the seller is willing to do that, then theirs a 80% chance he will come out and look at the car further and ultimately, buy it.

#2 and #3: The car either has some unknown mechanical defect, HUGE back taxes, possible stolen, outstanding liens, etc.

Guess what happens 95% of the time?

[BrassCowboy]

As a buyer:
-I saw an ad for a room to rent, at a price a good $200 cheaper than any other ad. I responded. The guy emails me a contract before anything has been said about the place. I read over the contract. Basically, I agree to pay the amount each month, and in return I get an unfinished room (walls only have drywall, no windows, no flowing water, no heat/ac)...the guy wanted to rent out rooms to a house that he was in the process of building! In return, I could not cook in the house, I would have to clean my clothes at a laundromat, and my stuff could go missing, but that wasn't his responsibility. Needless to say, I chose to sleep in my car instead.

-I wanted to buy a couch. Nothing fancy, just something to sit on that didn't have cat scratches along the sides. I see an ad for a free one, but no picture. I ask to see a picture. No beans. He replies that I should be happy he's giving me the couch for free. True, but then again, I would still like to see what piece of crap I am bringing into my home. How big is it? What color is it? Is it even a couch or did you name your dog "couch" as a way to trying to get rid of the pooch?

As a seller:
-Trying to sell a digital camera. I really needed money and I really didn't need a camera, so I put the ad up at $10 less than what others wanted. I got a response and I asked him to meet me at Home Depot (public place, to be safe). He says he'll meet me before he goes into work at 7am. Like a fool, I actually show up at Home Depot at 7am. I call him. Straight to voice mail. I emailed asking if he still wanted the camera. I never heard back from him.

-Trying to get rid of a couch/bed/lawn furniture. So, as you read above, I looked for a couch. I got one from a sane person. Then, a few months later, I was moving. So I put the couch, my bed, and some unused lawn furniture for sale for the astounding price of $20 for all of it...and I'd help you transport it if they were close enough. I put in the ad, that if nobody responded within 5 days, everything goes into the dumpster. I got a response over a week later, asking if the bed was still available. She was offering $5. I gave her the location of the dumpster where I left it, when I moved. Never heard back from her either.

[Hyndis]

I've found an excellent way to get rid of things you simply want gone is to put them out by the street, clearly visible to car traffic, with a large, day-glo orange cardboard sign that says FREE on it.

The items will be gone in very short order.

[Amina516]

I used to FREECYCLE some things (its great, look it up). And put some stuff up like wedding decorations, chairs, random appliances. If I wasnt home when you wanted to get it, I would leave it outside my APT door, but inside the front door of the building. And seeing as to how I WAS the only apt in the building, no one came inside the front door on the weekends unless they were there to see me, so it was safe to put out.

I put up an little electric baby bottle warmer and got a girl telling me how she was pregnant and didnt have anything, which was good, she got it. I gave her my address and told her come by, if not I'll leave it out by the door. I also placed a crockpot for someone else out at the same time and left. When I got home they were both gone. I then check my email and the pregnant girl is PISSED and reading me the riot act that she came all the way to my house for no reason...apparently the other person who came for the crockpot felt it neceassary to take the bottle warmer as well. I felt bad but what could I do?

[Kusanagi]

I got my car off craigslist. It's not that bad, just needs standard work like any 20 year old car.

[Gabrielle Proctor]

I will buy that rice cooker! If it's still for sale, PM me plz.

I just about peed my pants when the last reason you sold the couch to the woman was because she has a great rack. lol.

[Big-box-retail-blues]

It is a valid reason.

[CaroPhoenix]

Heh, if I were selling a couch and 2 guys showed up and one had a nice muscular chest and the other looked like a blob and the blob offered me less that 50% of my asking price, but the nice chest guy offered me my asking price, I'd sell it to nice chest guy. Why? Because he was offering me my asking price and he had a nice muscular chest.

[Mango]

Yeah, I have a few stories...

Yeah, I have a few stories...


You're not getting this, are you?

SC: "Hi, I'm calling about the sofa on Craigslist. I'm going to Richmond tomorrow and could pick it up."
Me: "Great, but I'm in West Vancouver. It's about a 40-50 minute drive from Richmond."
SC: "Oh. I thought you were in Richmond."
Me: "No. No, I'm not."
SC: "But, you have a Richmond phone number!"
Me: [Are you seriously trying to argue with me about where I live?] "Yes, ma'am, it's a digital line which means it's not subject to the prefix restrictions that analog lines are."
SC: "Oh. Okay, what's your address?"
Me: [Gives address]
SC: "Okay. So after I get off the Arthur Lang Bridge, then what?"
Me: "You don't take that bridge, ma'am. Like the ad stated, I'm in West Vancouver."
SC: "You are? But I just don't see how can you have a Richmond phone number and not be in Richmond?"
Me: "It's a digital phone line, ma'am, which...actually, it doesn't matter. If you want the sofa, you have to pick it up in West Van. Do you still want it?"
SC: "Yeah...I guess."

She called back 15 minutes later to say that she no longer wanted it and how inconvenient it was that I didn't live in Richmond.


You're not getting this either, are you?

Me: "Free buffet with three drawers and three cupboards. Free because of large scratches on top. Must pick up by Friday as that's the last day of my lease."
SC: "Hi, I'm calling about the buffet on Craigslist."
Me: "Ok."
SC: "I know your ad said Friday, but can I pick it up on Saturday?"
Me: "No. No, you couldn't."

This was repeated nearly verbatim by two other people.


You can be as condescending as you like, but I am not going to sell a hard drive I no longer have.

Me: "320GB Hard Drive - $60"
SC: "Hi, I'm calling about the hard drive. I think $60 is too expensive, but would you take $30?"
Me: "Sorry, it's already sold."
SC: "You know, I just hate people like you. Why waste everyone else's time advertising for a price so much higher than it's worth?"
Me: "Sorry, it's sold."
SC: "I know you're not going to sell it at your price. I'm here now, so you might as well take my offer. I'll pay cash."
Me: "I already sold the drive. For $60. Twenty minutes after I made the post."
SC: "Oh."


I will answer, in great detail, the exact question you asked.

I love Craigslist, but one of my pet peeves is playing email or phone tag with people. I don't like posting my phone number on the internet, so I usually say in the ad for the prospective buyer to email me a phone number.

SC: [Via email] "Hi, is the stereo you're selling still available?"
Me: [Email back] "Yes."


I thought this made perfect sense

I got the bright idea of putting in my post that I'd lower the price every few days if the item did not sell.

Me: "Digital piano for sale. $50 on Monday, $25 on Wednesday, free on Friday."
SC: "I saw your ad about the piano, but I didn't understand the pricing. Is it free?"
Me: "What day is it?"
SC: "Monday..."
Me: "Then it's $50."
SC: "Oh..."
[There is a long pause. Then, the SC gets a bright idea!]
SC: "Can you hold it 'til Friday for me?"
Me: "No, but if nobody's bought it by then I'll give you a call."

I later emailed them as a courtesy to tell them someone had bought it (for $50, later that day, but I left out that part). They emailed back complaining that they should have gotten it because they emailed first.


A Common Variation on the Theme...

Me: "Table and chair set - $75 on Monday, $50 on Wednesday, $25 on Friday."
SC: "Hi, I'm calling about the table and chair set. Will you take $25 for it?"
Me: "Sure, if it's still around by Friday, I'll give you a call."
SC: "But we need it today. My son's leaving for university this afternoon."
Me: [And you've waited 'til now to start buying furniture?] "Well, today's Monday, so like the ad says, it's $75 today."
SC: "But I could come pick it up right now. Would you let it go for $25 if I picked it up right away?"
Me: "Well, I've only had the ad up about fifteen minutes. I think I'll wait and see if someone takes it at the price I'm asking. Thanks for the offer though."
SC: "But my son needs a table! You're not helping, you know!"
Me: "..."

.

[smileyeagle1021]

I don't know, the last one about your endowment might lead to something worthwhile (yes, yes, I know...)

might have... but let's be honest, what relationship that has started off of "hey, I like the size of his dick" has lasted long (besides, it's the internet... so I'd have probably lied )

[Saydrah]

Ah, Craigslist...

The Good:

Just bought my new Cobalt on Craigslist. Practically brand-new (5,000 miles on it and still smells like a new car, glee!) and $8,000 under the MSRP for a new one. Love it, love it, love it.

Also bought 40 pounds of meat... yes... I know... for my dog on CL from a guy who raises a pig and a steer every year and also hunts. It worked out quite well, he met me at the right location, I had the right amount of money in cash, I got dog food, he got cash, all happy.

The Bad:

Tried to give away some moving boxes in the Free section. 3 no-shows. Fourth person finally showed up, took the boxes, minimal hassle.

Trying to sell my old car on Craigslist. I'm asking a reasonable price with some haggle room since CL shoppers love to haggle. I've disclosed the one repair it needs and given all pertinent info. I have had:

-A woman who was interested, whose house I drove to in order to show her the car, and who drove the car, said she liked it but her husband needed to see it, never emailed me back about when the husband can see it.

-A family interested in the car for their teenage son. Exchanged emails for 2 weeks. Dropped off the face of the earth.

-Two telemarketers offering me free tips on selling my car by paying them money.

-Someone wanting to know if it was a good car for snow. Yes, my front-wheel-drive Focus, which, in the pictures, is clearly a small station wagon with 4 season tires, will be a great snow tank for your NEW MOUNTAIN HOME. Please leave my state, you stupid cuntbiscuit.

-Someone wanting to trade me another car.... even though the ad says "I have bought a new car and don't want to keep insuring two."

-Several dealerships wanting to sell me a replacement car... even though... well, see above.

-Someone offering 30% less than my asking price, after being told that X is the lowest I will go, then offering $200 less than X.

The Ugly:

All the goddamn backyard breeders on Craigslist and the people dumping their pets because they don't match the drapes or whatever... they make me absolutely sick and I wish to smite each and every one of them with the vengeance of a thousand angry Zeuses.