Craig-flakes

[rvr6000]

I'm sure someone has complained about this before but I just got done wasting my time with another craigslist bone head. Been looking for an old tractor tire rim to use for a fire pit for a few months. Finally found one in the north metro....emailed the guy with a couple questions (because all he put in the dang ad was a picture of the rim) and told him I could pick it up tomorrow or over the weekend (this was last thursday).

He emails back with the dimensions....no phone #, no address..... I write back again said I'll take it and I can pick it up tomorrow or any day this week.

That was the last I heard from him for four days.....he then writes back how his wife had the laptop so I couldn't email back but the rim was already sold.

Well, thanks idiot. Seems like its the same thing when you try to sell something too. Common sense and courtesy have just about disappeared from craiglsist.

......Venting complete

 

[domain]

Understood. I once emailed a guy about a Wilton Bullet vise. Asked if he could seperate from the box it was on and repeated I will be available anytime and asked what his bottom dollar cash would be before I drove 1.5 hrs each way.. This little bit of info from the seller was over a FEW days. He eventually got very snippy about me asking questions and asking a bottom dollar cash price. I could not believe the way the seller acted as I was very polite every email. Also the potential buyers that say they will call me back if they are going to purchase an item EITHER WAY and do not are a dime a dozen. It's how it goes...

 

[Weps]

there are some real gems on there. people that don't reply with needed information or answer significant questions are my personal favorites. i remember telling a guy flat out that i've never had to work this hard to buy a drill press before. had to drag every bit of information out of him. didn't respond to emails for days or weeks...traded voice mails every month or so. it was almost comical at that point. this went on for well over six months and i'd pretty much written it off, but he eventually did get around to selling it to me.

 

[Aberdale]

Craigslist is like any other "for sale by owner" venue. You will run into good people, and bad ones. When I respond to an ad and get no reply I figure someone else has already beat me to it, and the seller just doesn't have the courtesy, or care to spend the time, replying to me.

I just shrug it off and figure I saved money instead of spending it. Usually, unless the item I am looking for is ultra rare, another one pops up in a few days. And often it's cheaper, or in better shape than the first one.

I will say that more times than not, I have had pretty good results dealing with sellers on Craigslist.

 

[Zeke]

I think you might have coined a term, Craigflake. Might make Websters in a year or 2.
Sho iz da trudt.

 

[onemore]

Ive been burned both buying and trying to sell on craigslist. On the other hand have gotten a lot of bargins!!

 

[brslk]

I replied to an ad for an old Century stick welder. He had it listed for $35. I said ok, ill take it. He replied back that someone had already offered him $40 so I said $45. He replied ok, it's yours and to call him tomorrow.
So I called him yesterday and he said the other guy had offered $50.
I told him to sell it to the other guy then.
I also told him I guess his word is only worth $5.
He then said sorry.
I wanted to tell him he will be sorry as I have his full name, phone number, address and email.
I could play hell on him.
He has several other items for sale that I could screw with but, not worth my time
It is my belief that when you sell something on craigslist and accept an offer you should keep your work.
If you wanna auction it off you should use ebay.

 

[cwlo]

While I agree with much that has been said, I also want to mention the limits of e-mail communication. A simple response to one person, might seem rude to another. Without intonation and all that voice provides, its easy to be lead astray both as seller or buyer.

Chris

 

[Zeke]

I replied to an ad for an old Century stick welder. He had it listed for $35. I said ok, ill take it. He replied back that someone had already offered him $40 so I said $45. He replied ok, it's yours and to call him tomorrow.
So I called him yesterday and he said the other guy had offered $50.
I told him to sell it to the other guy then.
I also told him I guess his word is only worth $5.
He then said sorry.
I wanted to tell him he will be sorry as I have his full name, phone number, address and email.
I could play hell on him.
He has several other items for sale that I could screw with but, not worth my time
It is my belief that when you sell something on craigslist and accept an offer you should keep your work.
If you wanna auction it off you should use ebay.

This led to an interesting Internet discussion awhile back on another forum. Someone was in a similar position. The ad had stated "OBO." An "auction" ensued and the item was actually pulled off the list to be relisted at a higher price. Where all thought that was CS, the discussion turned to what OBO really means. I think we all used to assume that it meant "or whatever" (a lower price than asking).

Think about it. OBO is "Or Best Offer." That can go either way.

 

[MScott]

I had a similar situation a while back on Kijiji (like CL but more popular in this part of Canada.) The seller was offering a "large red toolbox" which he said he had paid more than $3000 for and asking $400. The interesting thing is that he made a point of mentioning that he hated people who didn't return e-mail messages.
Well, of course, he didn't return messages for more than a week, then asked me to phone him after 8:00pm at a number. Turns out it was his work number and when I called he was "too busy" to talk. We played phone/e-mail tag for another week and then he just disappeared. No further contact. It was disappointing, but just another "flake."

 

[rvr6000]

I think you might have coined a term, Craigflake. Might make Websters in a year or 2.
Sho iz da trudt.

haha....the credit for that one goes to my brother.....or at least that's who I first heard it from.

I have also had some very good luck buying and selling stuff on CL....bought my air compressor about 5 years ago now....the guys price was so low I felt it would be rude to try and get him to take less.....just hard to gauge some people in an email I guess.

 

[brslk]

This led to an interesting Internet discussion awhile back on another forum. Someone was in a similar position. The ad had stated "OBO." An "auction" ensued and the item was actually pulled off the list to be relisted at a higher price. Where all thought that was CS, the discussion turned to what OBO really means. I think we all used to assume that it meant "or whatever" (a lower price than asking).

Think about it. OBO is "Or Best Offer." That can go either way.

My issue with it was that he told me he accepted my offer.
I was also looking at another one for a slightly higher price but let it go because he told me it was mine.

I have no problem with people getting the most money they can get for what they are selling but once you accept an offer...

 

[padstack]

I replied to an ad for an old Century stick welder. He had it listed for $35. I said ok, ill take it. He replied back that someone had already offered him $40 so I said $45. He replied ok, it's yours and to call him tomorrow.
So I called him yesterday and he said the other guy had offered $50.
I told him to sell it to the other guy then.
I also told him I guess his word is only worth $5.
He then said sorry.
I wanted to tell him he will be sorry as I have his full name, phone number, address and email.
I could play hell on him.
He has several other items for sale that I could screw with but, not worth my time
It is my belief that when you sell something on craigslist and accept an offer you should keep your work.
If you wanna auction it off you should use ebay.

Just to play devil's advocate here, wouldn't you expect this behavior since he already did that to the other guy? As soon as you heard that, you should have walked away.

 

[willy3486]

I have got a similar issue but its not due to flakes but bad timing. I have about 30 gallons or better of oil to give away. Around here some recycle it and use it in diesels. So I thought I would give it away and keep a little less cash flow to the mid east. Anyway I am in the middle of moving for the family and hard to catch. A guy wants it and he is as busy as I am. So we have been trying to get together for a month or longer. Anyway its been a game of phone tag. Another thing is I will not send my phone number at first email to keep idiots away. I usually give a more detailed description or pictures. If they send me theirs I figure they are serious and I will send mine. So if they seem kooky it may just be they are trying to not deal with scammers. But as far as price I post it and thats what I want. I may go down in price but I won't give it away.

 

[VWandDodge]

In my area, if a CL ad is not worded with "Cash Only, No Trades" the resident trolling goobers will e-mail responses/inquiries like this:
"I really like your (item name) and have lots of trades. I have guns, pistols, rifles, shotguns and we can work something out."

Or the ever popular:

"I really like your (item name) and have lots of trades. I have all kinds of knick-knacks, baseball trading cards, a few tools, or anything else you might want."


Yeah, I really want "knick knacks", baseball cards, or other scads of trash a white trash packrat has lying around his trailer.

 

[38Chevy454]

Been messing with selling stuff from my parent's house/estate. I can't believe the number of people who email with some ridiculous low-ball offer. I already have thge stuff listed for a good price, and will usually take a bit less if the buyer is cool about it. It is the ones that offer half or less that piss me off. I stopped even replying back with the real price, I hit delete.

Another is the amount of people that want me to do all kinds of things to accomodate their schedule/needs/whatever. Such as will I deliver, or wait until 3 weeks from now for them to buy it. Cash talks, anything else is out of discussion. You be the first to show up and have cash, you get to buy it. How hard is this concept to understand?

I will say that Craigslist does help to sell off the stuff and get rid of it, just a lot of BS to put up with in the process.

 

[1320stang]

Okay, I had a buyer flake yesterday. I've got a '90 F-150 I'm selling for a friend. $1650, first response is a lady says she'll give $1300 for it. And I had two more interested parties. So, nice guy that I am, email her back and told her if her offer stands after looking at the truck, the owner will take it. I email the other two guys (first one has a friend might be interested, the second has $1500 to spend) that she's going to look at it, and if her offer doesn't stand, they can look at it.

I arrange to meet her after work at a Shell station. I wait an hour, try calling multiple times and texting, no response.

I go home. Get a call from her later saying, I've recieved several calls from this number, who is this? I said, this is Larry, with the truck you were wanting to buy. Who are you trying to get ahold of? You, Sharon. This isn't Sharon, this is her daughter (same voice as Sharon), 'click'.

Who gets their rocks off arranging to purchase something, then never shows? I've yet to hear from the other guys, they've probably found something else by now.

 

[barnee]

I recently ventured into Craigslist to sell a John Deere mower/tractor, and after two weeks of low ballers, no shows, scams, and disappearing acts I pulled it and am giving it away to a friend who needs it. I doubt that I will ever use that listing again.

Lifes too short.

 

[rhastings80]

I have learned don't get your hopes up with Craig's list until you have the good in your hands. If its a killer deal odds are there are dozens of other folks interested in it too. When there is something I want to buy the odds of me getting it seem to be about 1 in 5. The odds of selling something on Craig's List are even less and it is a huge amount of work trying to get people to actually show up on time or at all. When somebody wants to purchase something from me I only hold if if they say they are coming right now and I tell them I will only hold it until x time and that I won't wait any longer and will offer it up to somebody else. I have been burned too many times when somebody says they need to meet a few days out.

I am getting so sick of people trying to sell stuff on my future ads I'm going to put the exact time I can meet them at the local VFW parking lot and say don't bother contacting me if those times don't work. I'm sick of 5-10 calls from the same guy who keeps changing the time or can't meet. I figure if they want it bad enough they will work it out.

I agree life is to short to mess with this selling business on CL.

 

[SuperSocket]

I replied to an ad for an old Century stick welder. He had it listed for $35. I said ok, ill take it. He replied back that someone had already offered him $40 so I said $45. He replied ok, it's yours and to call him tomorrow.
So I called him yesterday and he said the other guy had offered $50.
I told him to sell it to the other guy then.
I also told him I guess his word is only worth $5.
He then said sorry.
I wanted to tell him he will be sorry as I have his full name, phone number, address and email.
I could play hell on him.
He has several other items for sale that I could screw with but, not worth my time
It is my belief that when you sell something on craigslist and accept an offer you should keep your work.
If you wanna auction it off you should use ebay.

Oh I would have so played that... I would have offered $75 and kept climbing $25... get the seller really excited.


Then when the other buyer is totally put off and the seller wants to sell the item to me... I would have requested to meet him at a public place and not showed up.

 

[SuperSocket]

Okay, I had a buyer flake yesterday. I've got a '90 F-150 I'm selling for a friend. $1650, first response is a lady says she'll give $1300 for it. And I had two more interested parties. So, nice guy that I am, email her back and told her if her offer stands after looking at the truck, the owner will take it. I email the other two guys (first one has a friend might be interested, the second has $1500 to spend) that she's going to look at it, and if her offer doesn't stand, they can look at it.

I arrange to meet her after work at a Shell station. I wait an hour, try calling multiple times and texting, no response.

I go home. Get a call from her later saying, I've recieved several calls from this number, who is this? I said, this is Larry, with the truck you were wanting to buy. Who are you trying to get ahold of? You, Sharon. This isn't Sharon, this is her daughter (same voice as Sharon), 'click'.

Who gets their rocks off arranging to purchase something, then never shows? I've yet to hear from the other guys, they've probably found something else by now.

I get the impression that "Sharon" was also selling a truck and wanted to stall you out so that she can get the available buyers. I have seen this happen.

 

[MrSnicks]

Craigslist is a free service. If people had to pay to play (list stuff) it would get rid of the flakes, but it would also get rid of stuff posted.

I hate that most people who have used craigslist to sell stuff have been burned. I am a man of my word and if I ask someone to hold something until Friday when I get paid and I will come over whenever is convenient, I'll be there. Too many no-shows have screwed the honest/dependable people who keep to their word but may be short of cash RIGHT NOW! (which is when most people want things gone or they trash it).

The other thing that get's me is "curb alerts". With gas being 3.60 a gallon I'm not going to drive 30 minutes/miles just in case something might be there when I show up.

Patrick

 

[MKIndustrial]

I replied to an ad for an old Century stick welder. He had it listed for $35. I said ok, ill take it. He replied back that someone had already offered him $40 so I said $45. He replied ok, it's yours and to call him tomorrow.
So I called him yesterday and he said the other guy had offered $50.
I told him to sell it to the other guy then.
I also told him I guess his word is only worth $5.
He then said sorry.
I wanted to tell him he will be sorry as I have his full name, phone number, address and email.
I could play hell on him.
He has several other items for sale that I could screw with but, not worth my time
It is my belief that when you sell something on craigslist and accept an offer you should keep your work.
If you wanna auction it off you should use ebay.

That is a great story.. I love the idea of messing with in theory but is it really worth your time? Still funny idea.. Good Stuff!!!

 

[1320stang]

I get the impression that "Sharon" was also selling a truck and wanted to stall you out so that she can get the available buyers. I have seen this happen.

Hmmm..... she really didn't sound smart enough to pull that off.

 

[half_full]

Hmmm..... she really didn't sound smart enough to pull that off.

This is exactly why CL is difficult. I just take a so what attitude when buying and a no **** attitude when selling. I don't hold items and ask buyers to call when they are ready to come out. If they don't show, so what, the ad is free

 

[pj_rage]

I've used craiglist quite a bit, and it's pretty active in my area (DC metro). It seems like less than a 50/50 shot that you will EVER hear back from an ad you respond to. Kind of ***** when you see a great deal and get pumped, hoping that you'll at least hear back. You might even pass on (and lose out on) responding to other similar items while waiting, so as not to be a jerk to either party should the first respond. Even when you get in touch with someone, it seems like most people only check their email once a day or less, so it can take a while to sort out the details.

I guess I don't understand because I'm constantly connected to email/phone/text/etc, and would be extra available if trying to sell something.

Maybe it's because I'm generally only attracted to the great deals, which are only posted by people who don't really know what they have, and those people probably aren't up on technology (or they might have done the research or at least put it on ebay for much more money), therefore don't regularly check their email. I dunno. Or maybe the good deals get so much more attention that they don't bother to respond to everyone. On hot deals, several times I've had agreed upon times to meet, and the item is "mine", and have had the buyer either call, based on other interest in the other, to double confirm I'll be there, or had them basically say that if I didn't come right this second, they would sell it to someone else (even though we already agreed to meet later that day). I guess I can understand though, especially if they have been burned before by no-shows. They care more about just getting the money in hand and unloading the item than about fairness and who actually gets it.

But, knock on wood, I've had very good luck with actually meeting up and getting items as described. I've met a lot of completely normal, very nice people who meet at the agreed upon time and place and the items are just as described.

 

[BigMike782]

"Oh I would have so played that... I would have offered $75 and kept climbing $25... get the seller really excited.


Then when the other buyer is totally put off and the seller wants to sell the item to me... I would have requested to meet him at a public place and not showed up."

Or better yet keep running the price up until the other guy drops out and then say "forget it,I don't need it after all."

 

[isaac338]

Okay, I had a buyer flake yesterday. I've got a '90 F-150 I'm selling for a friend. $1650, first response is a lady says she'll give $1300 for it. And I had two more interested parties. So, nice guy that I am, email her back and told her if her offer stands after looking at the truck, the owner will take it. I email the other two guys (first one has a friend might be interested, the second has $1500 to spend) that she's going to look at it, and if her offer doesn't stand, they can look at it.

I arrange to meet her after work at a Shell station. I wait an hour, try calling multiple times and texting, no response.

I go home. Get a call from her later saying, I've recieved several calls from this number, who is this? I said, this is Larry, with the truck you were wanting to buy. Who are you trying to get ahold of? You, Sharon. This isn't Sharon, this is her daughter (same voice as Sharon), 'click'.

Who gets their rocks off arranging to purchase something, then never shows? I've yet to hear from the other guys, they've probably found something else by now.

Your mistake here, as I see it, is going out of your way to show her the truck. When I sell **** on Kijiji (CL equivalent), I give them my phone number and tell them to call when they're outside my house. If I'm home, I go outside and meet them; if I'm not, they get to sit and wait a few minutes while I drive home.

I don't hold **** for people, I don't meet people.. come to my house, put cash in my hand, and take the damn thing away. If you want someone to sell you something, go to a store and buy a new one.

It works real well for me.. I've had noshows that I didn't even notice because I don't sit around waiting for people.

 

[RivennHewn]

There is a seller on Craigslist in my area that ends every add with "If I tell you I'll hold this for you, I'm lying"

At least he's honest.

 

[Don 18]

I have been looking for a larger toolbox, and there just don't seem to be many coming up in my area, so my search has expanded to a radius of 100-200 miles.
There have been a few adds where its clear that they need to sell their box. I am very upfront that I am out of town and I can come out on the weekend with cash, but would you please email me some better pictures of the box, as well as the dimensions or a model number so we are not wasting each others time. Usually I get one response and then no communication at all. Meanwhile the add stays up for another month or more.

Oh well .... still lookin for a box

 

[Chris Adams]

And with all that...


Graig's list is still WAY the best place to buy cheap, sell quickly.


All the complaints are totally valid.
I've heard most of them about
E-bay
Yard sales
Classified ads
Swap meets
Friends and family selling

I've bought a lot of tons of things on CL, sold roughly the same amount.
I've bought/sold cars, trucks RV's tools, tool boxes, tool collections, just about anything you can name.
It's free.
It's easy.
There are flakes.
There are flakes everywhere.
People can be idiots, not just on CL.

So while every complaint is real the bottom line is;
CL is freaking handy and I love that it exists.

 

[brookscooper]

So, I just feel like adding one more seller flake story.
My beloved work truck "El Trucko Grande" threw a rod (while pulling someone elses 30' trailer!) and the cost of a crate engine plus the other work it already needed made me decide to scrap it and buy a new to me used truck.
So I hit CL in my area and immediately saw a 1977 full size Chevy WITH an EZ Dumper already mounted in the bed. The ad went up at 8:30 pm on a Monday.
Tuesday at 9:00 am (not wanting to be rude) I called "truck still available?" "Yes, but I'm the GF it's his truck, he'll be back at 10:30 and he'll call you." "ok"
11:00 I call - "He's not back yet, will be back at 11:30, he'll call you" "ok"
12:00 I call - got him! "Still have the truck?" "Yes" "address please" [location 50 minutes drive from where I am] "ok, I'll be there in an hour."
Arrive.
1) The dump bed is FULL of bags of their household garbage! "Umm, dude - supposing I have cash [which I did, of course] and want the truck when could you get the garbage out of the bed?" "uh, um, this weekend I guess [remember - it's TUESDAY]"
"Ok, well let's have a look under the hood."
CREAK
2) "um, dude, how long you been running the rig with no aircleaner on the carb?" "Oh, that got stolen about 6 months ago." "well, have you run the engine much in the last 6 months?" "yeah, been using it for landscaping jobs"
"ok, well then I've got a few others to look at... I'll call you back if I want it. Don't put off any other buyers in the meantime."

Really? 2.5 hours wasted for that?
Good news - the next truck I looked at was a '74 Chev 3/4 ton with a sub-10k miles crate engine, new water pump and the entire bed had been very well converted to a dump bed with a 2 ton ram. Locking hubs on the front so no full time 4X4 fuel waste and an electronic trailer brake control already installed. SCORE!

 

[Man Cave]

I've had good and bad luck with CL. The scammers kill me with the e mails offering to "help" me sell a set of $ 40 dollar exhaust manifolds or a $75 dollar transmission. When I reply to an ad with an e mail only it seems like I never get a responce. If it doesn't have a phone # I usually pass.

 

[seagravedriver]

When you sell a larger more expensive item, I often get the "I am most interested in buying your item for sale. Please do not sell it as I commit now to buy item. I will have my assistant wire the money for you, as I am now on much important business out of country. PLEASE REMOVE add so we can move forward with this important endeavor". If you are listing several things, you may get an identical e-mail with the next add.

People who say they want it by phone, yet do not show up for a few days, then are mad it sold.

It is the wild west of the net, a view of society on a screen. Good and bad, great deals and thieves. You pays your monies, you takes your chances!

 

[VWandDodge]

Freecycle is even more fun. I learned straight away to place the following in my postings:

"Please respond with a name, telephone number, and a good time I can call".

If any respondent cannot follow those simple instructions, I delete the e-mail. Freecycle has helped me dispose of a lot of items I no longer need but could still be of use to someone else.

 

[walperstyle]

BEWARE OF PEOPLE THAT SAY HONESTY', 'TRUST', 'PAYPAL'

There is a good chance if you run into flakers, they are trying to scam you.

 

[millertime]

I learned the hard way that if you find something on craigslist you better take off for the item the second that you and the seller make arangements.otherwise you might waste alot of time and money.

 

[1320stang]

I get the impression that "Sharon" was also selling a truck and wanted to stall you out so that she can get the available buyers. I have seen this happen.

By gosh I think you were right!!! I got a text from her yesterday, "Title was notirized this mornon"

 

[Packard V8]

I look at craigslist every day; buy and sell there often. It takes a certain amount of experience, forethought and work to write a good craigslist ad. Not one in ten gives enough detail or photos for anything costing more than $100 or a drive of more than fifteen minutes. Put a bit of logic in the process and both buyer and seller are happy.

As a seller:

1. If you don't want low-ball offers or trades, then write that plainly.
2. If you won't hold an item, write, "Cash in hand takes it. No holds."
3. Take the time to list every detail a buyer needs to make a decision.
4. DON'T USE THE FARKIN' CELL PHONE TO TAKE PHOTOS OF THE ITEM SITTING IN A DARK CORNER !!! Four sharp, well-lit, uncluttered photos are your best sales tool.
5. As soon as the item is off the property, delete the listing.

Same for potential buyers:
1. If the description isn't complete, have a list of questions in hand. Git 'er done with one phone call or e-mail.
2. Be ready to roll with cash in hand. Asking the seller to pass up cash so a maybe buyer can get his act together isn't a reasonable request.
3. Sum up the conversation with, "If it is as you've described, I'm your buyer. I'll be there at X:** and let's do it." Don't waste either of your time if you're not ready to buy.
4. Get onto craigslist early and often. The really good deals are gone in minutes if not hours. If an item lasts more than a day or two, something is definitely wrong with the price or the description or the seller. Doesn't mean you shouldn't keep trying to make contact and look at it; just be prepared to fight through whatever has kept it from selling.

jack vines

 

[Chris Adams]

I look at craigslist every day; buy and sell there often. It takes a certain amount of experience, forethought and work to write a good craigslist ad. Not one in ten gives enough detail or photos for anything costing more than $100 or a drive of more than fifteen minutes. Put a bit of logic in the process and both buyer and seller are happy.

As a seller:

1. If you don't want low-ball offers or trades, then write that plainly.
2. If you won't hold an item, write, "Cash in hand takes it. No holds."
3. Take the time to list every detail a buyer needs to make a decision.
4. DON'T USE THE FARKIN' CELL PHONE TO TAKE PHOTOS OF THE ITEM SITTING IN A DARK CORNER !!! Four sharp, well-lit, uncluttered photos are your best sales tool.
5. As soon as the item is off the property, delete the listing.

Same for potential buyers:
1. If the description isn't complete, have a list of questions in hand. Git 'er done with one phone call or e-mail.
2. Be ready to roll with cash in hand. Asking the seller to pass up cash so a maybe buyer can get his act together isn't a reasonable request.
3. Sum up the conversation with, "If it is as you've described, I'm your buyer. I'll be there at X:** and let's do it." Don't waste either of your time if you're not ready to buy.
4. Get onto craigslist early and often. The really good deals are gone in minutes if not hours. If an item lasts more than a day or two, something is definitely wrong with the price or the description or the seller. Doesn't mean you shouldn't keep trying to make contact and look at it; just be prepared to fight through whatever has kept it from selling.

jack vines

Excellent summary and user guide for CL.