Craigslist Shenanigans

[natausch]

Yet another rant about Craigslist, no not about the typical "I'll send a Money Order" scam though up until a week ago I had never sold on CL so it is new to me.

I also want to say selling my Drill Press and Band Saw went extremely well. Both gentlemen discussed price in advance, inspected thoroughly, didn't complain when I wouldn't let them operate the tool on my property, were happy when I displayed how they function using scraps, paid in cash and were on their merry way. So Delta 12" bench dp- $100 and Craftsman 12" bs - $175, done and done.

However, I made the mistake of not moving on from the first serious interest on my JT37-190 jointer. I listed for $200, condition is very acceptable and the only issue is the knives will need to be sent in for sharpening. Otherwise the tables are clean and waxed, guard in perfect shape, motor growls and fence is solid. Mind you, average asking price around Chicago for a modern style 6" jointer is well over $300, condition not withstanding. Reality is they're worth about what I'm selling it for, end of story.

So this joker calls on Sunday when I'm at my nephew's birthday party, after being e-mailed earlier that I was unavailable all Sunday. First words out of his mouth are "If I buy it would you take $150?" Sure I say, but if you want it that is the lowest I'm willing to go. (Ridgid cost me $174 delivered, no big deal)

Okay fine, so we have a price range negotiated, when does he want to come take a look at it? Not Sunday I explain, for the second time. "Well how about Monday?" he suggests. Anytime after 6pm is fine with me. "Sure," he says, then promptly doesn't show up. Calls on Tuesday, "how about during the day on Wednesday?" No sorry, I work during the day so anytime after 6pm or I can hold until the weekend if that works. "No need," he says, "I'll come Wednesday night."

So he calls again last night, "how about I come tomorrow before you leave for work?" Umm okay I guess, anytime before 7:30am is fine with me. Doesn't show up, of course.

So I call him today on the way to work. Look, I say, are you interested in taking a look at it?

His response, no fooling, "Can you drive it in to Chicago so I can take a look at it and decide if I want to buy it?"

Seriously...

[cabinetman]

There is always an idiot like that. I had a similar circumstance when I bought a larger generator and advertised the old one. I advertised it in the local paper, and had several calls. One guy called several times, setting up a looksee, and saying he wanted it, and not showing up. This all happened in a couple of days.

He finally did show up without calling, and I had already sold it. He actually got PO'd, saying that he said he told me he wanted it.
.

[Cubsfan]

My rule is they get one chance at getting the product. If they call with a good reason that they can't make it at the agreed upon time, then that's ok. If they're a no show, they just lost their chance (if I have more buyers).


Also, can you drive it to Colorado so I can take a look at it?

[Uncle Cracker]

Yeah, that's typical... I have finally come to tell them this: "It's your deal if you get here with the correct amount of money, before somebody else does." It simply doesn't pay to try to accommodate all the "special arrangements". Too many people simply don't follow through on their promises.

[JoeyGee]

I've put up with jokers like that. I'm with UC in that first come with cash inhand gets it. LOML doesn't like this, so I can't do it . I don't give a lot of chances, though. If you don't show, it's next on the list.

I have met a lot of great people on CL, enough to know the bad are the exceptions and not the rule.

[luteman]

Or you could tell these idiots who want you to bring the item to them for a looksee: "How about if I move it closer to the phone for you?" As a violin repairer, I get a lot of calls like this from people who have just discovered the found a priceless "Stradivarius" in their attic and want an appraisal over the phone.

[natausch]

Hopefully number two on the list can make it tonight so I can finally get the Ridgid's out from under the tarps this weekend.

btw if any of the Chicago area/Illinois people are still fighting to get the pricing at HD shoot me a pm. I remembered to bring my receipts in to work today so I can scan them. The only downside is the jointer is showing up as a PM from a competitor instead of a proper markdown.

[Cubsfan]

I'm in Colorado, but I'd love a receipt of the jointer. At least worth a shot to try, right?

[docrowan]

I'm glad to read about the Craigslist "horror" stories. Helps me to know what to watch out for and how to set the other parties expectations up in advance. I'm trying to sell a racing bike on Craigslist right now. Had one person try to scam me with the money order and freight pick up story.

By the way natausch, I need the item you are selling very urgent, will pay by money order and can you give me your address so I can have my freight company come pick it up?

[natausch]

Yeah the whole experience has been very odd. Surprisingly the Craftsman 12" band saw was the hottest item, received about a dozen e-mails about it over two days. This despite the fact that it was an older model, around the last of the Rexon versions. Cosmetically very similar to the Rikon but with a 14" square flat cast table and 91" blade. I guess the fact that I bought it still in it's box after sitting in a guy's garage for a decade didn't hurt.

Cubsfan, pm me your e-mail. The manager on duty asked me politely not to openly post the receipts on the internet. I did tell him that I might share them with select people.

[sscherin]

My CL Selling or free rules are

I don't deliver.. My wife broke this rule once.. hauled 6 chairs across town at 8am just to have them say no thanks they don't match my blah blah blah..

Don't hold anything.. First with cash wins.. I guarantee 3 out of 4 will never show up.
More than 30 min late and no phone call? I'm not going to hang around waiting for them.

Learn to say No.. Some folks bank on you being polite when they make stupid low ball offers or odd requests.

Don't break up a set.. Don't sell the dining room table without the chairs.. Now you got 6 chairs you have to re-list and hope sell to cover the diff.

Tell your SO (aka LOML) what deals you have worked out.. Sold a riding mower once.. We agreed on $250 and to meet at 4:30.. SOB shows up 30 min early (I'm still at work) Tells my wife we agreed on $200, loads up and rolls before I get home.

Always assume the worst.. I love the people who show up in a Honda civic to pick up a couch.. You know they are just here to waste my time. Even better when they show up with no money..

No I don't take checks, food stamps or store gift cards..

No I don't have change for a $100 bill and I won't take $10 off because all you have is $20's. 7-11 is just a few blocks that way.. Get a Slurpee and come back with smaller bills

Really it's best to just a $5 and $10 in your pocket.. They never bring the correct amount.

[eccentrictinkerer]

+1 on what sscherin wrote.

I also state in my ad that I don't answer emails, I tell them that when it's gone I pull the ad.

I don't publish my phone number, they have to email me their phone number.

In the ad I give a general idea where I live and only give them my address when they are on their way.

One caller said that I must be a cranky old fart. I replied that I was a happy, cranky old fart.

In my neighborhood I'm known as the "mean garage sale guy" 'cuz if I'm given an insultingly low-ball offer, I raise the price!

Not to brag, but I once got $150 for a '61 Falcon that I had advertised for $100 (circa 1972). The customer offered me $50, but I knew he was buying it to re-sell.

My neighbors often ask me to help them with their garage sales.

One more tip - decide if you want to get rid of an item or if you want to get the most money you can. You'll sell everything faster if you price items with this thought in mind.

Also, never let any one into your house, garage or shop! DAMHIKT!

[crokett]

Sscherin has a pretty good list. I do deliver, depending on the item. If it is a a small one, I will meet you somewhere near where I work. Otherwise, you are coming to me. Also for stuff on Freecycle, I post in the ad that if you don't come when you say you will, I am moving on to next in line or donating it.

[just started]

I guess I'm the only one here that never heard of Freecycle.

[woodturner]

Don't hold anything.. First with cash wins.. I guarantee 3 out of 4 will never show up.

I, too, have had issues as a seller with people not showing up, and as a buyer with sellers setting an appointment, then selling before I show up at the agreed time. Contacted one seller on Thursday, he said HE was not available until Saturday, set the appointment, confirmed Friday night, and he told me he sold it to someone who could get there sooner. Grrrr.

What really, really annoys me as a seller are the people who email or call and say "I want to buy your item". As a person of my word, that's a commitment to me. I don't think ANY of those people have ever actually bought anything from me.

What's worse is when someone on the boards commits to buy, then doesn't follow through. I treat board members as I would friends, giving them a little more latitude. I "sold" a jointer to a seller on the OWWM board a while back, turned down other offers, then he backed out. Very annoying.

I recently sold a fridge on Craigs list. $75 for a working fridge, got many responses. First response emailed several times, set up a time, they never showed. Called the number, got a cell phone with full voicemail. Not sure what that was about, wish I hadn't emailed my directions.

For the fridge, I had to make an exception to my "never tell them where you live" rule. I learned from that experience to talk to the people on the phone and "check them out" first. In the future I will sell to the person who replies with more credible information and sounds OK on the phone. I ended up selling the fridge to a student radio station. They replied with real phone numbers and real email addresses, explained who they were and why they wanted it, showed up at the agreed time, and didn't hassle me on price.

For most things, though, anymore I just freecycle them - not worth the hassle of Craigslist for $20 items, IMHO.