Does everyone have this problem with Craigslist? I contact the seller and they say "Oh yes I have them" let me send you a pic. Then they never do, so you contact them again. They say "excuse" blah blah blah
Are they all just lazy or crazy....I can't figure it out.
I go out of my way to sell something.....not sure how craigslisters think.
I only ever bought one thing through Craigslist and that just happened to be my Fiero. So unfortunately I can't tell you why but I can tell you it's not limited to Craigslist only. I was looking for a microwave a month or so ago when ours broke. We didn't have the money to go buy a new one so we were just looking for a used one to get us by until next year some time after we visit my Dad. I contacted 5 different people on KSL (local news station classified list that's popular) and only one actually sent us additional pics and kept an arrangement to come see and test it out. Guess which one we bought? Honestly, I'm with you. If you want to sell something, then actively pursue a possible sale.
I've bought all kinds of stuff, including Fieros, through Craigslist... but never sold anything. However, from what I've been told, there are jerks on both sides of the equation. So many "buyers" never show up to look at an item after a meeting has been set up.
So it's really got nothing to do with Craigslist per se, it's got to do with people... and unfortunately many are just irresponsible.
What /\ said. It's a people problem. It's not just the people on CL. I've called contractors to do work for me, they come out, survey the job, give me a quote, and we have a deal. They want the job---------except they just never show up to do it. Everyone I know of around here has the same problem--people want jobs, but then ....don't. A good honest handyman/carpenter could set his own price in this part of the county.
This is exactly why I won't do text or email. Things get lost or forgotten when put off later.
One to one contact is the only way to do business. That's what they make phones for. You call them on the phone, you get immediate action and you know who & what you are dealing with. You want to know something, you find out now. You think the person is scamming you or sounds like a jerk, you move on.
This internet day & age has taken all human contact out of life and leaves you guessing.
This is exactly why I won't do text or email. Things get lost or forgotten when put off later.
One to one contact is the only way to do business. That's what they make phones for. You call them on the phone, you get immediate action and you know who & what you are dealing with. You want to know something, you find out now. You think the person is scamming you or sounds like a jerk, you move on.
This internet day & age has taken all human contact out of life and leaves you guessing.
And to think..... It's called a "Smart" phone.
Or you try calling them a dozen times and never get an answer, so you send a text or email and they get to it when they have the time-- or don't, and you move on to another seller. Don't you have some kids to chase off your lawn?
Fortunately, I have had very good luck buying my Fiero and parts on Craigslist. As far as selling, people seem flaky. Only thing we have tried to sell is our boat st the cottage an hour away. Put that tidbit in the email to buyers and they still no showed. Good thing we planned for times we were going to be there anyway. Nothing like a 2 hours round trip for a no show. Perhaps that's why I have gotten such good deals with buying Fiero stuff? We are good people, communicate, and show up.
I've had pretty good history with Craigslist. Both of my last Fieros from there. Not to mention parts. For parts, I try to make sure they are at least "Fiero people". It does take a volley of emails or phone contacts though. We all have lives. Be careful of transactions where the item is not where they want to meet you. Have heard stories of set ups. If the car isn't where they want to meet, the money stays somewhere else. If they don't agree to you making a stop at an ATM after seeing the item, something is wrong. Try to get an updated pic with a date after the date of first contact to make sure it is not an old pic they found on the net somewhere.
I buy or sell anything I can on Craigslist myself...and offer NO shipping. You want it, you come get it or Ill meet you within 50 miles. Everytime I sell anything on EBay, I get screwed good. Usually its from shipping costing 4 times what they say it will be. Just got bit again...(never learn) sold an older cell phone for $25 and EBay says $3 shipping. It really cost $13 to economy mail a cell phone.... For that Id have kept it for its camera only, but sent it to buyer anyway because thats the honest thing to do. IF I do anything on EBay again, its NO SHIPPING, you pick it up...if you cant, dont bid.
It's a mixed bag.... Always expect flaky people, always meet in a public place and always be persistent in looking every day.Your ship will come in.... Kit
Actually, the one and only time I used Craigslist, it was awesome. I live in Canada and found a full exhaust for an aging GSXR1100 in the US. I called the seller and asked how we could make this happen easily. He said he would put the exhaust on eBay, with a crappy write up and no pictures, and send me the link. This way no one would really pay attention to that listing. So, I bought it within minutes of seeing the link. The guy was awesome to deal with except his heavy US accent, which I wasn't used to. I must admit, he was one of the "good guys" and went that extra mile. Oh yeah, I paid $75 US (plus a little for shipping, etc) for a full stainless header with carbon fiber muffler made by Yoshimura.
You have to treat Craigslist like Ebay without the feedback or fees. Which at one time nearly became one.
It has its good times, it has its bad times, it has good sellers, it has BS sellers, it has good buyers and its flakes.
I buy and sell all the time on there where as I rarely list on Ebay anymore. I find, as a seller, that you need to list your items like you would on Ebay. Well written with plenty of good quality pictures. As a buyer, if there are no pictures and/or no phone number chances are the item is nothing anybody wants and the seller is a flake and I move on.
I found that this cuts about 98% of the BS and flakes out.
As a buyer: I have called about parts they say they have. Show up at their place and they sold them 20 minutes before I got there.
I have shown up to get a part and they tell me it is more now because someone emailed them and said it is worth XXX. I tell them to sell it to the other person. A lot of times they call me a week later wondering if I want the part at the original price because the other person never showed up. I never go back and get it.
...and sometimes I get a great deal and it is exactly as described.
As a seller: I have had people say they are coming and never show up. I would say this is 80% of my time dealing with people.
A couple of times I have had someone say they are coming to look at a car on a day. A week later they haven't shown up or responded to calls/email/text and I sell the car to the next person. Then they show up saying that I should have waited for them and (have the balls to say) I owe them because I sold the car out from under them. This one especially chaps my ass because I will mark in the CL ad if someone if coming to look at the car and that it is temporarily off the market until XXX. I have never sold anything out from under someone because this happens to me too often after I drive 6 hours one way with a trailer...
I have people tell me what they need, we negotiate a price, then they show up and want to work my price down even further. I tell them no and let them leave. BTW, the more parts they buy the less I charge per part. Less profit over all, but a win-win for both parties.
Same scenario as above except they show up and decide they only want 2 things instead of 10 and get upset because the price per item went back up. Sometimes you can't get people to understand the power of buying in bulk.
I have three rules for Craigslist deals, either as a buyer or seller
1. Meet at a neutral location if possible, or at least with the rest of your belongings out of sight 2. Cash only, full agreed upon price, no checks, MO, and IOUs 3. Bring a gun
I dont have alot of experiance sellilng, I sold a 92 cougar parts car with a cracked block and no title for 300. I put full disclosure in the ad, people still called asking if it had a title and if it would make it to XXXX, Some hung up on me midsentance. I also refused to sell it to a few people because they thought it would be a good driver. selling on craigslist is terrible.
Ive bought tons of stuff of CL.
Prices seem to be cheaper. sellers are normally nice, especially when you show up on time.
nobody seems to be honest about the condition of their vehicle, my first fiero the guy let me drive home with leaking brake lines told me "just pump them up a bit, youll be fine" before i knew anything about cars. my thunderbirds harmonic balancer broke off a few days after i bought it.
Also i agree with the guy above me, bring freinds, bring a gun. Dont go out to meet a total stranger with $3000 cash and no protection or backup, ive never had a problem but ive also always brought freinds and weapons.
Boy, some of you are either nervous nellies or live in da hood.
Neither, but given the kind of people who can be found on Craigslist, it's probably not out of the realm of possibilities for a cash transaction for an item of value to get ugly. It's unlikely, but also not impossible. Same reason I don't allow Craigslist buyers onto my property. I don't necessarily EXPECT trouble, but I'd rather not have them see an item that I have that they decide to come back later and get.
Neither, but given the kind of people who can be found on Craigslist, it's probably not out of the realm of possibilities for a cash transaction for an item of value to get ugly. It's unlikely, but also not impossible. Same reason I don't allow Craigslist buyers onto my property. I don't necessarily EXPECT trouble, but I'd rather not have them see an item that I have that they decide to come back later and get.
I cop once told me that if anyone ever tried to break into my place, they wouldn't have to go far to find them. Jus' saying.
I have had some good experiences on Craigs list. I called on a pair of tires and when I told him where I was he delivered them. Selling though I have had a lot of flaky people. Most people selling are honest, but it only takes one bad one for things to get ugly. Sadly the bad ones are gaining. Never go to buy a big ticket item without a back-up plan.
Originally posted by Napoleon_Tanerite: I have three rules for Craigslist deals, either as a buyer or seller
1. Meet at a neutral location if possible, or at least with the rest of your belongings out of sight 2. Cash only, full agreed upon price, no checks, MO, and IOUs 3. Bring a gun
Pro tip: Probably shouldn't be selling cocaine or heroin on craigslist.
I've bought 2 cars (my Fiero and a S-10, that both I still own), and several parts...parts I've never had a problem, but cars....so many of them are BS scams, I found about 100 of BS scams just looking for a decent truck, until I FINALLY found my S-10. I just reported anything that was too good to be true, seemed fishy, or I got some crazy BS story about...usually out of town phone#'s listed for a too nice vehicle posted local for too good of a price lol! There are a lot of scams, but more for automobiles, not parts IMO.
I have both bought and sold on Craig's list and have not experienced a problem with dishonesty but I have had many instances where the seller never followed through or contacted me. I don't worry dealing on the list because on every in-person transaction I am always well armed. It makes for polite business dealings. As the song, I like Guns by Steve Lee goes "I ain't gonna hurt anyone, but no hurts me cause I've got a gun"
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "