Craigslist selling/buying

CyStalker

Well-Known Member
Jul 16, 2012
1,764
142
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Ankeny
i always list my stuff higher then what i want because i know people will offer less.

I also had someone text me asking about the item and then sent me a copied response asking for my bank to send a check and all that. I replied "Are you kidding me," essentially calling them out on the scam and they replied with a "**** you then" :twitcy:

I would have given them your bank number.........185 F***OFF943 :wink:.

It's sad though, the reason they try to scam is every now and again they hit gold. There are a lot of gullible or even older people who can easily get caught in the trap. They wouldn't do it if it didn't work. Put the effort into working a legitimate job instead of stealing from others. They're a bunch of low life's.....
 

djcubby

Well-Known Member
Nov 24, 2006
3,399
173
63
Bondurant
I guess I would be considered one of those "Is it still available guys." I guess I just always ask if it's still available because I don't want to waste anyone's time if it's already sold.
 

aeroclone

Well-Known Member
Oct 30, 2006
10,373
7,191
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I really haven't had any issues buying, but I'm just about done with trying to sell. Recently tried to sell a day bed, and had a terrible time. We went through three different sellers where we had a price and pickup time scheduled, only to have each one be a no show. Eventually just hauled the thing down to the curb because it wasn't worth enough to be worth the hassle. Had a similar experience a while back selling a clothes dryer, where we went through a couple no shows before someone actually showed up.

At this point, I wouldn't bother trying to sell anything for less than $150-$200 or so, just to make it worth wading through all the crap that comes with it.
 

Walden4Prez

Well-Known Member
Jul 8, 2014
4,192
3,937
113
I really haven't had any issues buying, but I'm just about done with trying to sell. Recently tried to sell a day bed, and had a terrible time. We went through three different sellers where we had a price and pickup time scheduled, only to have each one be a no show. Eventually just hauled the thing down to the curb because it wasn't worth enough to be worth the hassle. Had a similar experience a while back selling a clothes dryer, where we went through a couple no shows before someone actually showed up.

At this point, I wouldn't bother trying to sell anything for less than $150-$200 or so, just to make it worth wading through all the crap that comes with it.

THIS.....

Had the same experience before moving and told the wife we are never selling anything for under $250 on Craigslist again.
 

CYKID

Well-Known Member
Oct 18, 2006
1,068
170
63
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Clive
I sell quite a few cars for my employer on Craigslist and the cheaper the car the more dbags you have to deal with. I sold a $2000 1983 Porsche and had multiple trade offfers, requests that I give it people because they were poor, payment offers and others expecting things(replace the hood, new tires etc.) that shouldn't be expected on a price point like that. If the car gets to the $10k level expect a call every day from a las vegas company who "has a buyer" lined up and just needs a processing fee. I must say though that every time I have listed an item on Craigslist it has sold so I continue to weed through the BS. I also hired a guy off CL three seperate times to do some handy work and he did fine work but on the third instance I gave him material money and never saw him again. Some people just have demons I guess.
 

CYdTracked

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2006
18,659
9,473
113
Grimes, IA
Yeah for some items you won't get much for you might be better off donating to Goodwill and taking the tax write-off. We did that with a bunch of clothes and misc. items not worth much when we cleaned up our house to sell. Had a few things that I just put on the curb with a free sign on and they were usually gone within a day or 2. Have to walk that line of what it is worth to you to spend the time and effort just to get $50 or whatever out of something that is not in that high demand.
 

hoiballin33

Member
Nov 7, 2014
471
2
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Posted old couch for free if you could haul it. First reply:

"u got couch"

Searched Iowa Courts Online with the guy's name and found 30+ entries, the majority of which were theft related.

NOPE
 

Mtowncyclone13

Well-Known Member
Oct 10, 2012
20,023
9,769
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grundy center
i have sold some stuff on the local facebook for sale page and it does seem like many of the items there are a bit "less cultured" than craigslist even.

one time I was selling a martin guitar and this one guy kept asking for my address over and over again. didn't ever make a comment about the item. so i promptly took it down (and my address is easy to find - hello assessor's page!) but it made me very wary of posting things of any real value.

the times i've used craigslist has been fine. i bought a guitar peddle once and some silver from a coin shop.
 

bos

Legend
Staff member
Apr 10, 2006
30,647
6,429
113
We are looking at getting a camper. The price vs age was somewhat suspicious, but have seen some good deals before. Anyway, I emailed the guy and asked for a few more pictures of the camper because I wanted to see if it was worth the drive. He sent the pics and all looked good. He said he was selling it because his wife had recently died and hes trying to just unload thing he no longer has time or want to use. We texted back n forth for a couple days about features and stuff. He mentioned how he uses ebay services for the transaction to safeguard both parties. Red flag went up. I then asked him if I could come see it last weekend and he said he already told me, he uses ebay services for the transaction and said they would call me to get my name, number, address, etc to start the paperwork. They would send me the camper and if I wanted to keep it, the money would be processed, if not they would pick it up. That was the end of that nonsense. I flagged him on CL for a scam and he disappeared. I hate that ****, they ruin it for everyone.



As for selling, I have sold a ton. I sell stuff for my parents that they dont want either. You always get your lowballers, even if you say firm price. I just ignore them. There is always someone willing to pay for it if they truly want it. I am not looking to get rich, I price fairly and typical a bit under its value. You lowball me like an *******, you are done.
 
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Agkistrodon

Active Member
Feb 14, 2009
395
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I've noticed Craigslist experiences vary based on what you are selling and where you are living.

By far my worst experiences with Craigslist have been in Arkansas... I'm convinced at least half of the Craigslist users here are on meth.

Common items also attract a lot of idiots. A couple years back I sold an LCD TV on craigslist. Most of the responses I received were "u hav tv?" or people offering me less than half what I wanted for the TV. I was still able to find a couple of decent people after I stopped responding to anyone who was unable to form a complete sentence.

Dealing with slightly more rare items isn't bad. I sold some camera lenses here with no problems at all... probably because the people searching for camera lenses had to be at least smart enough to understand what a lens is.
 

bufante

Active Member
Nov 27, 2006
996
28
28
DMI
I bought a PS3 off of Craigslist last week and met the guy at his apartment at like 11pm, it was up in Somerset so it wasn't a sketchy neighborhood or anything, you just never know though I suppose.

My wife uses various Facebook swap groups frequently, honestly the most annoying thing is just people that don't show up when they say they will, most people are generally nice though if a bit white trashy at times.

I need to sell mine...how much did it cost you, if you don't mind me asking?
 

hoiballin33

Member
Nov 7, 2014
471
2
18
36
I was still able to find a couple of decent people after I stopped responding to anyone who was unable to form a complete sentence.

This is a rule of mine too. If you are so dumb that you can't form a complete sentence or at least spell out "you" and "your" then you are also too dumb to arrange any kind of meeting with me.
 

bufante

Active Member
Nov 27, 2006
996
28
28
DMI
Just this weekend I was trying to buy a toolbox off of Craigslist. The offer was for one brand new in the box. It was several weeks old, so I emailed and asked if it was still for sale, would they take 75.00 (instead of 100), and if so, I live the same town, I will come and get it today.

I googled said toolbox-found it brand new on several sites for less then they were selling it for. Why would you try and get a retail price on Craigslist?

They replied no and said it was well over 200.00 new....took all I had to not write them and attach several links proving it wasn't. Annoying.
 

somecyguy

Well-Known Member
Jun 19, 2006
3,525
4,006
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I then asked him if I could come see it last weekend and he said he already told me, he uses ebay services for the transaction and said they would call me to get my name, number, address, etc to start the paperwork. They would send me the camper and if I wanted to keep it, the money would be processed, if not they would pick it up. That was the end of that nonsense. I flagged him on CL for a scam and he disappeared. I hate that ****, they ruin it for everyone.

I had a guy do that to me when I was looking to buy a new used car. I was talking back and forth with this guy, same as you, and I asked to see the vehicle. He claimed it was in England and would be shipped to me for review and I could accept or reject it.

I sent him a smart *** reply that it was a good thing he was selling a left hand drive car since it was obviously no use in England. He disappeared after that.
 

Mtowncyclone13

Well-Known Member
Oct 10, 2012
20,023
9,769
113
grundy center
\ He mentioned how he uses ebay services for the transaction to safeguard both parties. Red flag went up. I then asked him if I could come see it last weekend and he said he already told me, he uses ebay services for the transaction and said they would call me to get my name, number, address, etc to start the paperwork. They would send me the camper and if I wanted to keep it, the money would be processed, if not they would pick it up.

a coworker fell for that. she sent a guy a 5k wire transfer to California. then when the item didn't arrive she called the police. they told her (and boy was she was mad) that she had to contact California police because it's not their their jurisdiction.

Just this weekend I was trying to buy a toolbox off of Craigslist.

i think there is a whole back page to buy "tool boxes" on craigslist.
 

Rather

Active Member
Jul 21, 2014
253
104
43
Just this weekend I was trying to buy a toolbox off of Craigslist. The offer was for one brand new in the box. It was several weeks old, so I emailed and asked if it was still for sale, would they take 75.00 (instead of 100), and if so, I live the same town, I will come and get it today.

I googled said toolbox-found it brand new on several sites for less then they were selling it for. Why would you try and get a retail price on Craigslist?

They replied no and said it was well over 200.00 new....took all I had to not write them and attach several links proving it wasn't. Annoying.

Haha yeah. I see stuff like this all the time, especially in electronics. I tried to look for a TV for my treadmill room a couple of years ago. Everyone wanted 85-90% of TV's new value, even though new TV prices had just dropped off a cliff and I could have bought them cheaper new.

The other thing that really gets me is when people try to make trades. Like I was selling a used SUV and some guy offered was a motorcycle. If I wanted a motorcycle, I would sell the SUV for cash and buy the motorcycle I wanted. That's how cash works.
 

Sparkplug

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Oct 9, 2008
3,024
1,961
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Central Iowa
On weekends the wanted section is nothing but people wanting an item for free. And there is always a story with it.

My favorite was a lady wanting people to donate Christmas gifts for her family, then a few days before Christmas she was needing wrapping paper because she had so many gifts she didn't have enough paper. And could it be delivered to her because she didn't have time to pick it up.

Second favorite was last weekend when this guy wanted someone to buy him a plane ticket to Philadelphia because he had never been there and wanted to.
 

chuckd4735

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Mar 29, 2006
29,605
12,053
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Lee's Summit, MO
Selling a bunch of large stuff on Craigslist right now as we are moving. The only thing that bothers me are the people who e-mail to ask if the time is still available, but then never follow up when you say "yes it is".
 

3TrueFans

Just a Happily Married Man
Sep 10, 2009
63,255
61,959
113
Ames
Selling a bunch of large stuff on Craigslist right now as we are moving. The only thing that bothers me are the people who e-mail to ask if the time is still available, but then never follow up when you say "yes it is".
I don't want it, but if I did want it I want to know if you still have it, you know, just in case.