Selling on CL

[superdutymike27]

Hey guy's.

I am selling a small MIG welder that I really don't use anymore on CL and have been bombarded with emails from prospected buyers. I am really having a hard time with people coming over to the house to look at this with the possibility of prying eyes. My wife would have a complete meltdown if a stranger was to stop by. I know buyers will want to see this work. I am open to traveling to their location but some of these people are 50 + miles away.

Any advise on selling?

I know I shouldn't have posted on CL if this was a concern to me but I didn't thinks this out enough I guess.

Mike

 

[LennyTheLizard]

I have similar concerns when selling on Craigslist. I usually try to meet in public place to make the deal. Explaining to buyer that it would just be easier to meet in an easy to find location rather than trying to explain direction to my house in the country.

One idea for showing working condition - you could possibly create a Youtube video for someone to see it work. Don't know how well that would work, and I haven't tried it myself.

 

[Stuart in MN]

I have similar concerns when selling on Craigslist. I usually try to meet in public place to make the deal. Explaining to buyer that it would just be easier to meet in an easy to find location rather than trying to explain direction to my house in the country.

This. Just arrange to meet them at a location convenient for you - a coffee shop, public parking lot, whatever.

 

[dandan111]

I had a guy steal my grandpas old tire gage. It's worth nothing but the ******* must have liked it. If you have people come over put it out side with the garage door down,they don't need in the garage.
I looked at a air compressor one time and the kid had it in front of the garage with the door down,good idea.

 

[smedly]

One idea for showing working condition - you could possibly create a Youtube video for someone to see it work. Don't know how well that would work, and I haven't tried it myself.

Creating videos works great. I did this for a chainsaw last year.

Also, take good pictures, and spend a few minutes writing a decription. Host larger images externally.

If your description and photos are good, the buyer doesn't have a whole lot of room for negotiations when they show. it's easier to respond saying the item is priced appropriately, instead of saying price is firm. Or just build some wiggle room into your price if you like to haggle.

May not work for all things on cl, but i have had good luck when doing the above.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[koster88]

Creating videos works great. I did this for a chainsaw last year.

Also, take good pictures, and spend a few minutes writing a decription. Host larger images externally.

If your description and photos are good, the buyer doesn't have a whole lot of room for negotiations when they show. it's easier to respond saying the item is priced appropriately, instead of saying price is firm. Or just build some wiggle room into your price if you like to haggle.

May not work for all things on cl, but i have had good luck when doing the above.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

Thats a Great Idea and What I do. People will only need to see it work if they dont Trust who they are dealing with. I often buy things on CL, with out testing them on site. I ask alot of questions, and get a feel for who I'm dealing with. If you take a Video of you welding with it, should be no questions, and you can meet them where ever works for you!

 

[94yj]

meet in a public place and on my cl ads i put please include a phone number or you will be deleted and it does cut way down on the scammers and email add harvesters

 

[crewchief888]

the few times i sold stuff on CL, i tried a meeting at a public place, after 4 no shows, over 2 days,i told the next "buyer" where the item was, how much it was, and what time to be there. take it or leave it.

he was there on time, paid my asking price.

i've had buyers come to the house, i have them call me from a specified location, usually within visual distance, and i give them directions.
since i'm on my own property, they get to "meet" my 85 lb german sheperd, and my 1911 is in plain sight.

 

[NXGTS]

I just sold an '03 Navigator on Craigslist. Had over a dozen prospects and the first couple that came and looked at it bought it. It was gone 24hrs after it was listed. Easy as could be. I am in a rural area so it may be a little easier than in some of the larger cities.

 

[Scott H.]

I've bought & sold on CL quite a few times.

I flat refuse to meet people at my home or theirs. I've only had one person have a problem with my explanation that we do not know each other and it would be safer for both of us to meet in a public place such as a WalMart parking lot.

The one guy that kept pressuring me to let them come to my house to purchase the Golf Cart tires I was selling finally brow beat me enough to get the directions he was wanting. Too bad I got mixed up on his request and gave him directions to the county Police Department Jail!

I never heard back from the idiot.

-Scott H.

 

[JMSVIDEOPRODUCTIONS]

I've bought & sold on CL quite a few times.

I flat refuse to meet people at my home or theirs. I've only had one person have a problem with my explanation that we do not know each other and it would be safer for both of us to meet in a public place such as a WalMart parking lot.


Totally agree - NEVER at my home and the only way I'll meet at someone's house that's selling when I am buying is if I bring a friend (always cash deals so you have to be cautious)

 

[Mossmilo]

I deal a lot with Craigslist bought and sold 100's items and even though im only 28 I guess I was raised and brought up old school and trust people more than I should. I go to peoples house and they come to mine. I don't go out of my way to show all my stuff off but I guess I also do not protect myself all that much. I have bought a few items super late at night like midnight, 2 am due to both parties having conflicted schedules and I did take a buddy with me but knock knock on wood I've never had a problem with Craigslist yet.

 

[Zeke]

I go to other's houses all the time. I'm an older clean cut kind of guy and meet little resistance. I go alone and to only OK or better neighborhoods. Businesses are better. However, I have been to some seedy places. It's all part of the experience.

No one usually comes to my house, but if I agree to that, I meet them in the front on the sidewalk. I don't sell tools.

 

[kert]

I've never understood why someone would need to call about something on CL to find a victim. I guess you are advertising that you have something worth some money, but I've never really sold anything that valuable. Sometimes I try to close things up a bit if somebody is coming, but I don't usually have a problem with giving somebody directions to my place.

Hell, I've sold things on CL when I wasn't there, the buyer just put the money in the mail box. Granted it was something I was asking less than $50 for and my main goal was to have it go to somebody who could use it.

 

[Aberdale]

I've had no problems buying or selling on CL. They come to my house to buy. I go to their house to buy. We each see each other's stuff. No big deal. It usually ends with a long conversation about what each other do, and what we are looking for.

Been doing it for 5 years. No issues so far, but I live in a rural midwest area, so those in cities or on the coasts may have to deal with those with half brains, or those looking to screw each other.

I still have faith in my fellow man, and will continue until my "fellow man" proves to be an AH.

'dale

 

[wrench409]

I've never had a bad deal on CL. Met in all ways, my place, their place, met somewhere in between (always in daylight in public).

Plenty of no shows and I missed a few appointments.

Ebay in the beginning was bad though.

 

[fancypants]

What are you people afraid of? Is there a history of people being bludgeoned for responding to or posting craigslist ads?

 

[Stuart in MN]

What are you people afraid of? Is there a history of people being bludgeoned for responding to or posting craigslist ads?

It has happened, but it's very uncommon.

I've personally had no issues with Craigslist purchases, they've all gone very well.

 

[december45]

Hmmm... Maybe not bludgeoned, but after some of the responses I have received on CL about items I have sold, there is no way I'd be comfortable with having some of them come over.
I did sell a set of mirrors to a guy who I thought was going to be a complete flake, turned out fine, The whole idea about being careful is that you DO NOT know who you are dealing with. So i subscribe to the safe rather than sorry method.
What worked pretty well was to get a table at the local flea market/or organized rummage sale, and put specific items on craigs list, "if interested the item will be at such and such location on this date and time. Weeds out alot of the flakes. I just collect up stuff i want to get rid of and wait for the yearly "Lions" yard sale, get a table, last time just about every thing went.
The first time i sold an item and it went wrong was a "blue boy"sewer tank, Told the guy the address and the time to come over, he showed up the day before, the tank was at my daughters house and this guy is wondering around her garage and scared the **** out of her.... never again will i give out any address.
I never had a problem with the money end of a deal, just the creepy wierd a$$ people you have to deal with.

 

[joe_padavano]

Creating videos works great.

Sorry, but I'm a skeptic. I have no proof that the welder in the video is the same one I'm being sold, or even if it is, what's to say is wasn't damaged between the time the video was made and now?

Personally, I think people are watching too many episodes of Criminal Minds. I've bought plenty of equipment on CL, no problems with the sellers. I bought a plasma cutter a couple of years ago. The seller had it set up in his garage and was all too happy to demonstrate it to me and to let my try it before buying.

 

[Jagmandave]

Put me down as one who's never had an issue selling stuff on CL, and I always have them come to my house to pick it up. However I think what you're selling might dictate the safety aspect. I had a friend who was selling an iPhone and the buyer sounded flaky from the word Go, but in the end they met up and the deal was done.....

I've taken one check so far, for $50, and it was good but usually I just take cash money....

Selling garage type items like a welder, I think I'd be OK having someone come by the garage, and I'd definitely have it set up and ready to weld something, but I can see the video as a good idea too.

My attitude? I'm well insured, and I can always get more "stuff"....

 

[john11139]

Most of my deals on craig list have went fine. Usually have them meet me at my place of business, The biggest problem is scammers. I did get took recently. I bought a generator head. I live in Oh and this item was in Bufflo. He had pictures on CL and said it was working. Originally he wanted $500. It didnt sell and I finally got him down to $400. It would cost me $200 to drive up there and two days. I found a trucking co that would pick it up and deliver to a business address for $120. I said I would take him at his word so I sent a check for $400, freight co picked it up and delivery went fine. I looked down inside the gen head with a light anf the field coils were fried. He wouldnt do anything about it. Cost me another $400 to get it rewound. Here is a ad I recently put on CL. ECM for a 1992 Eagle Summit, Dodge colt, auto trans 1.6 engine. $50. I got over 100 preverted e-mails and inquires as where we could meet and try it out. I am dumb but I guess there is something about this ad that bought the slime out of the wood work.

 

[ezriderga]

I sell and occasionally buy on CL. I try to stay away from email. Too many scams. I give my cell and they call or text. Usually text. I did have a heavy SS table a guy came to the house and bought. Otherwise meet in public place.

 

[Lhorn]

If you are getting a lot of email, then don't go out of your way to hold the item or meet up with someone at a place that's inconvenient for you. there are a lot of flakes on CL. You'll be stood up a lot.

 

[rburke65]

Here in Ohio they had a pair of guys killing respondents to a CL ad.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/ohio-craig...ct-eligible-death-penalty/t/story?id=15047125

 

[dandan111]

You guys that are trusting are crazy. You don't know these people from CL. I'm lucky all I lost from my thieves was a old tire gage.
All it takes is a guy scoping out your place and he can return that night to collect your stuff.
I don't trust strangers anymore.

 

[ihateminimumwage]

Never had an issue buying or selling, going to someone's house, or having them stop by mine, even when I was living in Los Angeles.

Maybe it's just all the tattoos that keep them from thinking about coming back.

I never put an email contact anymore, since I just end up with a spam box full of choppy English spammers. Always a call or text. If I get any gibberish texts, I know they're trying to spam me, but I have an ancient flip phone, so none of that works. Only headache I ever get from selling is people offering 50% on something that's already a good deal, and then I just politely tell them, 'not a chance'.

 

[XS29L9B]

Over the past two years, I have sold over $3k worth of oddball stuff, not including vehicles, on Craigslist.

I had two people I had a hunch were oddball flakes. Meeting them each in a public place, I was right.

Other than that, it's been drama free.

Sold a workbench and toolchest this week. Most people are regular joes...

 

[XS29L9B]

Also, I put in ALL my ads that I will NOT respond to "is the item still available, or what is your best price" messages. That cuts the BS of scammers and flakes

 

[dumper]

Never had an issue buying or selling, going to someone's house, or having them stop by mine, even when I was living in Los Angeles.

Same here, when I lived in LA. Where I am now, if I am selling something that plugs in, I set it up in the driveway, drag an extension cord out the garage, and close the garage door. I want the customer to be happy with his purchase. Same as I did in the big city.

 

[TAftw]

I bought my truck on CL without even seeing it. It was over an hour away from my house, but I was working out of state at the time. I saw it, emailed the guy, talked to him a lot about it, and had a friend drive down and test drive it. I told him that if it seemed good put down a $100 deposit and I would be there to get it in a few days. The guy never believed that I'd show up to buy it, but I showed with his asking price, in cash, did the paperwork, and away I went.

He said he had about 20-25 other emails/calls on it.

 

[zuk123]

I've sold a bunch of stuff on CL. I've even done a couple of out of state sales (what you are never supposed to do) but the items were REALLY uncommon, so it made sense. The biggest factor to increase my comfort is if I get the guy's ebay id to check his feedback or find him in some other online forums.

Once I know even a little bit more than a disposable cell number, I'm a lot more comfortable.

I've met people at my home, and at my shop. The shop is in a gated commercial space and is packed floor to ceiling with "inventory". Garage is similar but improving, mainly because of GJ. Anyone looking to steal would likely be overwhelmed by the piles...

Since a lot of what I'm selling is woodworking machines, I end up having lots of LONG conversations with guys about shared interests. One of the sales was to a fellow member here but it only came up when I mentioned that I'd found this cool website about garages...

The funny thing is, for items $100-$1000 I get good solid guys. The weirdest, most demanding, and flaky responses have been for some $15 computer speakers. If I didn't have 10 pairs to sell, I'd probably not have listed them, and I certainly won't in the future.

My wife has sold a ton of baby stuff without problems. The $ values are low but we would rather someone get it and use it than have it sit. (I know we could donate it, and we do take a fair amount to the Goodwill, but it is nice to get SOME of the money back.)

So yeah, have it in front of the closed garage door. Do the deal in daylight. Try to get some more info if the money is big, or there are other risk factors. Give them general directions and have them call when they are a few minutes away before giving them the house number. Keep in mind that by far and away, most people are fair and honest.

Good luck selling.

zuk

 

[Shocker]

I have bought and sold on CL for a few years now and never had an issue. A few examples:

Sold my 2003 Suzuki SV1000 to the first guy to call. Came to the house
Sold my 2007 Suzuki Bandit 1200 to the first guy to call. Came to the house.
Sold a bunch of Mustang parts on credit to a kid. He sent me checks every week to cover the parts and came to get them. No issues there.

I think the bottom line is that it is awful risky to commit a crime to someone via a CL ad. There are usually quite a few people that know where I am going or that someone is coming here. But it only takes one...

 

[BFBOB]

I have nothing against Craig's list - I just started on eBay first. It works, so I've stuck with it. I've done a fair amount of shopping on CL, just never found anything I wanted. I, like many other GJournalistos, am nervous about having strangers over - not that I wouldn't do it. In fact, I recently sold a non-running car on eBay, and of necessity the buyer came over to tow it. I had it sitting on the street in front of the house, did the paperwork on its hood.
But, bear in mind once you've done the deal sight unseen on eBay, you have each other's addresses, so there's still risk. There are plenty of horror stories about deals gone bad on eBay too ...
I once bought some car seats on eBay, and the buyer asked that I meet him in a Home Depot parking lot to pick them up. No problem.
You can't live under a rock, but reasonable, common sense precautions are always in order.

Now, let the debate about the exact meaning of "reasonable, common sense" begin!

 

[d33pt]

i've bought and sold on CL hundreds of times. i used to have people meet me at my house until one incident. Sold a guy an LCD monitor and router for a steal of a price, maybe $40 or $50. About two or three weeks later, i get a call from my wife when i'm out.

Turns out he's at the house and wants a refund because the screen is having some issues (i used it for 2 years prior with no issues). I call him back and he wants a refund. i told him it was sold as-is, but to be a nice guy i'd give him $10 back. He said that wasn't worth his time and gas (even though he already drove there), so i told him to pound sand and to not bother my wife anymore. It also turns out that he's a reseller and had already resold the LCD to someone else! Screw that!

Apparently he had come over 2 or 3 times before she was able to reach me, and she felt harrassed. She told me no more CL deals at the house. So now I meet everyone at a Jack in the Box down the road unless it's something I can't carry down. If it's something like a computer or a TV, i tell them that they have a one hour warranty with it. After that, tough luck.

 

[NHBandit]

You guys that are trusting are crazy. You don't know these people from CL. I'm lucky all I lost from my thieves was a old tire gage.
All it takes is a guy scoping out your place and he can return that night to collect your stuff.
I don't trust strangers anymore.

I guess some of us just have a kind of second sense about who'd good folks and who's a bit shaky after a quick phone converstation. My last craigslist purchase was a set of old school Torque Thrust mag wheels. I have been running an ad looking for old school hotrod stuff and gas & oil advertising on there off and on for awhile. Talked to the guy selling the wheels for a couple minutes on the phone and felt comfortable so I went to his house to look at them. Got there and he was in his garage waiting. Spent 2 hours there looking at his 56 Crown Victoria, talking hotrods, had a beer and made arrangements to go back & hang out when I have more time. Oh yeah, and bought the wheels. Life is too short to be afraid of your own shadow. If getting robbed really is a serious concern MOVE.

 

[uppster]

These were fun posts to read seeing different views on craigslist. I am a trusting person but also careful. I have sold cars and old carparts and have usually enjoyed the people.

 

[Todd.Brock]

I usually meet people at the corner gas station. I sold my drill press a few weeks ago from some guys three hours away. I didn't figure they were coming back to rob me but my neighbor came over while I was cleaning it up for the seller. I asked him to hang out for a few minutes.

To the OP, since its a small welder, I assume its 120v. Run an ext cord under the garage door, have some steel and a mask and let them give it a whirl. If people have to come to the house I close the garage door and drag it outside.

 

[Dakota00]

Also, I put in ALL my ads that I will NOT respond to "is the item still available, or what is your best price" messages. That cuts the BS of scammers and flakes

I do the same as well, with my ads on Kjiji, which is pretty much the Canadian version of CL.

In my ads I put, please do not waste my time with low balling offers, no trades, no B.S. Your email will go unanswered!! I'm NOT desperate to sell!!

Makes a big difference in weeding out the flakes. Just yesterday I sold a set of rims/tires for good money on Kijiji. I bought and sold thousands of dollars of stuff not including vehicles, so far I've been lucky with buyers and sellers

 

[superduty59]

I am a trusting person but always on guard when dealing with someone I don't know. Always carry a 38 special when dealing with the unknown. I have bought maybe 10 cars, trucks, jeeps on CL and computers, car parts, tractor parts, ect. I've also sold a lot of stuff on CL. Never had a single problem. I got screwed on Ebay 2 or 3 times. I still shop and sell on ebay though. I usually meet some real nice people and have long conversations with them. I mostly deal with country folks like me. City folks are always the untrusting and jittery ones!