How to: Conduct a Craigslist transaction

[chrislehr]

I am sick of odd CL'rs, so I am gonna let us come up with some general rules, and then we can all just post em on our local ones

Or not - that might be against TOS for a forum invasion, sorry Ryan

For the Seller:
Post a description of condition
Post good, clear pics on CL, but better yet, embed some photobucket pics so we can fullsize them!
Post a starting price!
Post a valuable location (north) is not helpful.
Post using different spellings of things to make sure anyone searching can find it. Get creative - don't use a "keywords" just fit it into the prose description.

For the buyer:
Bring cash. And exact change for what I want you to pay AND for what you want to pay.
Show up, inspect item, haggle, take it or leave it.
And really. Leave it.


This was spurred off a guy chatting with me about NOTHING I started for 45 minutes. And didnt haggle me a tad on price in any of that.

 

[Dave Carney]

Too many freaks on CL for me.

 

[therealjakeg]

Amen You gotta weed through all the ****

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

I am sick of odd CL'rs, so I am gonna let us come up with some general rules, and then we can all just post em on our local ones

Or not - that might be against TOS for a forum invasion, sorry Ryan

For the Seller:
Post a description of condition
Post good, clear pics on CL, but better yet, embed some photobucket pics so we can fullsize them!
Post a starting price!
Post a valuable location (north) is not helpful.
Post using different spellings of things to make sure anyone searching can find it. Get creative - don't use a "keywords" just fit it into the prose description.

For the buyer:
Bring cash. And exact change for what I want you to pay AND for what you want to pay.
Show up, inspect item, haggle, take it or leave it.
And really. Leave it.


This was spurred off a guy chatting with me about NOTHING I started for 45 minutes. And didnt haggle me a tad on price in any of that.

From my experience, you should say, post a clear picture OF THE ITEM YOUR SELLING!!!!!!!!!

I can't tell you how many times I have read an item description, only to have a picture of something else.

 

[GT89mustang]

Dont make insulting lowball offers.
Dont expect me to deliver the item.
Its alot easier to give out a phone # then emailing back and forth 50 times.

 

[chrislehr]

Its alot easier to give out a phone # then emailing back and forth 50 times.

I disagree here. Pics + email. I just say call or text when yer 5 minutes out.

I hate phones.

 

[rpmwwe]

Don't post a listing for a several thousand dollar item unless there are photos to go with it!!! "Sorry, I don't have any photos because I don't have a camera." is not what I want to hear from someone when they expect me to show up with a couple of grand in my pocket to look at something that may not be what I want or need. Go buy a $50.00 camera and take the pictures!!!

 

[jay50]

You left out one important item to have available(preferable in your pocket) at the face to face meeting as the seller or buyer:

a small "pea shooter"

With all the crazies out there and who knows what that may come to your house under some type of ruse to do harm to you, you can't be too careful these days.

 

[mjb]

You left out one important item to have available(preferable in your pocket) at the face to face meeting as the seller or buyer:

a small "pea shooter"

Always!

If I am selling, the item is always in the driveway with the garage doors shut. If it is electric, I run an extension cord out ahead of time so they can see that it runs.

 

[metal1313]

i always have something on my person when meeting a buyer/seller. and i try not to have them come to my house, i'll usually meet them somewhere close by. if its anything of real value i'll actually have my father or brother talk to them while i run the cash over my glass desk with a blacklight under it.

my dogs let them know they arent really welcome, and generally i let it be known i am armed.

for little items you have to worry about them using it as a way of casing the place and coming back later for all your stuff

 

[nate379]

You guys are too paranoid.

 

[PAToyota]

Buying, I've had pretty fair luck. No complaints. A couple things I've walked away from, though. But I agree that pretty much every ad should have a photo or two. If you have a computer, you likely have a digital camera or know someone who does.

Selling, biggest problem is people agreeing to buy (so you turn down other offers) and then never showing up. Or dragging things on for days and then not showing up. That can be difficult to deal with because I understand you might have to wait until the weekend or due to weather. But I do my best to make it clear that if you set something up and then don't show the next person in line gets a shot at it.

 

[Mike83]

I have the buyer place the cash in a garbage can in a city park with snipers positioned all around. I then scream up in a black van, grab the buyer and subdue him. While a partner gets the cash from the garbage, I show the bound and gagged individual the item for sale. If he agrees to its condition and the price, I drive to a remote area and throw him out of the van with the item. If he does not agree to the sale, I take him to a remote place and throw him out without the item and with his cash.

 

[Minitucking]

I have the buyer place the cash in a garbage can in a city park with snipers positioned all around. I then scream up in a black van, grab the buyer and subdue him. While a partner gets the cash from the garbage, I show the bound and gagged individual the item for sale. If he agrees to its condition and the price, I drive to a remote area and throw him out of the van with the item. If he does not agree to the sale, I take him to a remote place and throw him out without the item and with his cash.

 

[Quiksilver]

That was Awesome!!!