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I have been clearing my parents' house. Many items are simply packed for future distribution. Many items were given away free on Craigslist. And several items were sold on Craigslist.
I was under a lot of pressure to clear the place before renovations began. Some days I had 5+ buyers coming to the house for heavy items (appliances, furniture). Many of the buyers are really just kind of adventurers. Those with an interest in meeting/seeing what they have not seen before locally. Several tried to wander off and tour the house looking for perhaps things I would part with that were not advertised; I quickly learned to contain items to secured areas.
The email responses were so often just nuts; thought I would post a few silly email exchanges for your entertainment:
item: Last Chance! Wood Patio Settee..think its Redwood..moving tomorrow so great deal at $20
Buyer email: I live 2 hours away, can you deliver?
Me: sent to trash
item: Handmade Tiffany lamp, $15....so cheap because we are moving
Buyer email: Can you send me photos of other pieces made by the same artist?
Me: here's links to other things we are selling in stained glass, same artist
Buyer: Can you bring all your pieces to Sunnyvale so I can see them (2 hours south)
Me: sent to trash
item: Wood podium/book stand. $45, value is over $200, perfect shape & we will even throw in the magnificent dictionary it is pictured with.
Buyer email: What dictionary is it?
My response: I'll reduce it to $35. Its Websters Third New International Dictionary, unabridged
Buyer email: What edition?
Me: sent to trash
I've been trying to sell some doors, light fixtures, and a phone on Craigslist. People will email me very excited about it and then haggle me down to half the price. I'm selling interior doors for $20 and a $100+ chandelier for $30, and they still ask me to lower the price. I've had two people arrange a meeting time and place, and they never showed up. Why can't people just tell you they aren't interested anymore?
A guy called me today really excited about the cell phone, and he said he "absolutely wants it and has the cash". Then he starts saying all of this incorrect stuff as if he didn't even read the description, and he quoted a wrong price. I think he literally looked at the picture and title and called me. So frustrating.
I've had better luck using local Facebook classifieds I can check their FB page out to get some sense at to what they're like, there's quick give and take on the site so that everyone can read updates, they have PM abilities so you can immediately exchange address and phone numbers, and people develop reputations as being reliabe, no shows etc. I like these kind of sites much better than Craigslist and have had a lot of luck both buying and selling.
If it ever interests you, you might want to join the Buy Nothing Project operating in most states and all English speaking countries. It's a social movement based on a hyper local gifting economy. It's not to sell things, everything is given and received free of charge.. and it's only with people who live in your immediate community. I run a couple groups in my area and I literally will not have to buy soap, deodorant, coffee filters and hand lotion for at least a year. We've gifted waffle irons, vacuums, home decor... in other groups there have been cars, yoga classes, house cleaning services.. it's kinda amazing and a way more interesting and for the most part, safer, experience than Craig's List.
I had a 30+ year old guy in a full sized truck drive an hour one way to buy something that only a small discount off of retail. He then paid me with $35 of loose change. A few days later he returned the item. Wtf!
The pros and cons of Craigslist... I have been using Craigslist for some time and find the section, "Best of Craigslist," is full of this kind of stuff. You can't help but laugh and wonder what people are thinking some times.
I think I'm going to add a math problem to the end of my descriptions and tell people I won't respond unless they include the answer. People of low intelligence who can't read a 5 sentence description need not email me.
I think I'm going to add a math problem to the end of my descriptions and tell people I won't respond unless they include the answer. People of low intelligence who can't read a 5 sentence description need not email me.
Wow that's a brilliant idea! You could put: "Only respond if the answer to this question is on the subject line: ________" (and then develop a question that requires simple comprehension)
I love it!
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