CL buyers - what's up?

[Brian Elfert]

I believe Craigslist is now using their email relay service for all emails so buyers and sellers don't reveal their email addresses to each other.

I have sold a fair bit through Craigslist with few problems. I have seen buyers who seem really interested just quit responding to email. I have more problems with sellers who never respond to repeated emails when you want to buy something. In some cases I have used different email addresses in case one address is marked as spam.

[Dan Hintz]

I just sold a Ceros to someone 2000 miles away who somehow found my CL listing and was willing to pay shipping.

Plenty of CL aggregation sites, so I can easily find small, shippable stuff in CA from here in MD.

[Jim Matthews]

+1 on this.

There's a great deal of Phishing going on.
I ask for a "keyword" in the subject line
and a local telephone number before I respond.

There are two types of genuine Craigslist shoppers.
Those that are ready to buy, and those that are bottom feeding.

I NEVER negotiate price on the telephone.

I've sold three large items on Craigslist,
all at my asking price.

It's not for the faint-hearted.

[Erik Loza]

There are two types of genuine Craigslist shoppers.
Those that are ready to buy, and those that are bottom feeding.

I NEVER negotiate price on the telephone.

I've sold three large items on Craigslist,
all at my asking price.

It's not for the faint-hearted.

+1^^^....

We've sold some home electronics on CL and I actually did sell an automobile on it but as other have said, you get lots of tire-kickers, too. It is funny: Some of them, you knew they probably never bought anything from anyone. Like their whole experience was "thinking about buying it". But, CL is free, so what can you really complain about?

One thing I always did was only meet prospective buyers in a public place like a parking lot or starbucks. And generally during daylight hours. I would let my wife know exactly when and where the meeting was to be and then texted her as soon as the meeting was over, whatever the outcome.

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Greg Portland]

So I'm selling some speakers that I built years ago that don't fit in our home we live in now. I must have gotten 15 replies from people that all said "I am interested in your speakers, do you still have them?" Every single one of those either did not reply to my response or flaked out.

People are browsing Craigslist and are making impulse buys. This means that they lose interest in a few minutes after sending the e-mail. If you miss that window then you miss the sale. No one is specifically browsing for DIY speakers (parts yes, speakers no).

[Jim Matthews]

(they'd be hooligans like I was in my youth).

One should be careful, using the past tense.

[Wade Lippman]

I NEVER negotiate price on the telephone.

I put a xylophone on CL really cheap because I am a distance from town. A guy tells me he will be driving by anyhow and wants to buy it.
He stops out, his kid loves it, and the guy tells me I have to give him $10 off because he drove so far to get it. I decline, and he makes up a story about there being a cheaper one in town anyhow. The whole while his kid is complaining that he needs it for class. He left screaming at me.

Had he negotiated on the phone (or in case, on email) we all could have saved a lot of trouble.

OTOH I have offered less in emails and had my offers accepted.

[Dan Hintz]

I decline, and he makes up a story about there being a cheaper one in town anyhow.

I never got that excuse... if there was a cheaper one in the same condition, then buy it. Why waste both of our times trying to price match with me.

[Wade Lippman]

I never got that excuse... if there was a cheaper one in the same condition, then buy it. Why waste both of our times trying to price match with me.

Sure, why drive 30 miles for mine when there is cheaper one near him. It is a a childish bluff. I bet the ride home with the crying kid was fun.

Fortunately I sold it for full price the next day.

[Steve Peterson]

my response is always "the ad lists a price, and OBO. if you want to make an offer, make an offer - but the 'least I'll take' is the price in the ad"

I interpret OBO to mean that you may consider slightly less money if there are no better offers. Why would someone offer you more than your asking price? If you want a specific price and won't take less then it should be listed as "firm".

Steve

[Matt Day]

+1 Steve...

[Brian Elfert]

I interpret OBO to mean that you may consider slightly less money if there are no better offers. Why would someone offer you more than your asking price? If you want a specific price and won't take less then it should be listed as "firm".

I think his point is he wants the buyer to throw out a price and then he'll consider it. If he puts OBO then he should be willing to take at least a somewhat lower price. If the seller is willing to take 20% less it would be smart not to tell the buyer that as the buyer might be willing to pay something more than 20% off.

I see Craigslist ads all the time where a ridiculous high price is listed and it says price is firm. That might explain why it hasn't sold after a month of being listed.

[pete halliwell]

I just missed a planer 35 miles away in the next state because I had to wait most of the day for a return email, I know phone numbers are problematic but I need to contact you somehow quickly.

[Brian Elfert]

I just missed a planer 35 miles away in the next state because I had to wait most of the day for a return email, I know phone numbers are problematic but I need to contact you somehow quickly.

If the seller only provided an email address didn't the buyer have to email the seller too? How do you know you would beat the other buyer had a phone number been provided?