Stop posting craigslist ads.

[Alex Shanku]

My gripe:

You see these posts both in the Deals and Discounts forum, as well as the General Woodworking forum.

WHY??

If someone is looking for old tools, or tools in general, let them do the leg work. You are NOT helping anyone out by screwing over a guy who is looking, on his own, for deals on craigslist, ebay, etc.

Put it this way, if you had your eye on a tool or machine, and someone started posting url's of the add along with pictures, would you be happy?

End gripe.

[Mike Circo]

All I can say is....

I totally agree.

[Rob Russell]

This very topic has been under discussion by the Moderators since yesterday .

[Anthony Anderson]

I thought the purpose here, especially at SMC, was to help people, and maybe save them some headache and money. Maybe I just don't understand your complaint. Someone stepped on your toes when you wanted to buy something and you are upset? I have found some great deals/ads posted here and at other forums. Some I have been able to benefit from, and others I was too late to the table. But such is life. Everything works out. It will all be okay. Have a great day, and enjoy life. Regards, Bill

[Jerome Hanby]

I don't think you or anyone else has a "right" to any of these items. I understand that it's disappointing to be crouched, ready to snap up some item when the seller gets tired of waiting and have someone else willing to pay the asking price jump on it. I think it is a great service to post these deals. I am not going to haunt the Craig's listings for an area five states from me, but there are items that might get me to drive that far if the price was right. If I ever have to sell something on Craigslist, please God post it here, there, and everywhere because I need the money. I'm sure many of the folks selling their goods on Craigs would feel the same.

[Alex Shanku]

I thought the purpose here, especially at SMC, was to help people, and maybe save them some headache and money.

Yes

Maybe I just don't understand your complaint.

I thought I did a fair job at expressing it

Someone stepped on your toes when you wanted to buy something and you are upset?

No

I have found some great deals/ads posted here and at other forums. Some I have been able to benefit from, and others I was too late to the table.

Ok. Me too

But such is life. Everything works out. It will all be okay.

??

Have a great day, and enjoy life. Regards, Bill

Same to you!

[Alex Shanku]

I don't think you or anyone else has a "right" to any of these items

I was not implying that

I understand that it's disappointing to be crouched, ready to snap up some item when the seller gets tired of waiting and have someone else willing to pay the asking price jump on it.

In general, I agree. I did not make this post for that reason, personally. More on the principal of the matter, that I precieve.

I think it is a great service to post these deals. I am not going to haunt the Craig's listings for an area five states from me, but there are items that might get me to drive that far if the price was right. If I ever have to sell something on Craigslist, please God post it here, there, and everywhere because I need the money.

Right, you need the money. And someone looking for a good deal is possibly trying to save some money or buy an item they have had their eye one.

I'm sure many of the folks selling their goods on Craigs would feel the same.

While that may be, I am not making this thread to talk about how a seller benefits from it. If they wanted it posted on this site, let THEM do it.

[David G Baker]

I really appreciate the Ebay and Craigslist postings in the Deals and Discounts forum. It is the place I visit several times a day after I visit the Classifieds forum. I don't have the time to do all of the searching and thank those that help me out in that area. I haven't purchased anything through the Ebay and Craigslist posts but it gives me a chance to buy if I find something I need or want that I would otherwise miss.
PLEASE do not put a stop to the listings.

[Eric DeSilva]

My gripe:

You see these posts both in the Deals and Discounts forum, as well as the General Woodworking forum.

WHY??

I'd say they belong in the D&D forum, not in Gen'l WW, but I'll give you the counterargument. The market -- buyers and sellers -- for larger machines and uncommon woodworking tools isn't huge. CL generally restricts people to searching one particular geographic area, further limiting the market. A geographically restricted market might be great for selling sports tickets or common stuff like your 14.4 DW cordless drill, but it is my sense that people may be willing to travel much further for a large line boring machine, a large veneering rig, or a 30" bandsaw. That is the kind of stuff that gets posted, not your run of the mill gear.

Second, I probably see SMC more than I look at CL. Hence, having notice that my local CL had a deal in it that was of interest to WW is useful to me. I suspect the same is true of a lot of other SMC'ers. I view this as a benefit.

You are NOT helping anyone out by screwing over a guy who is looking, on his own, for deals on craigslist, ebay, etc.

Put it this way, if you had your eye on a tool or machine, and someone started posting url's of the add along with pictures, would you be happy?

Not sure I understand this attitude. If I understand your scenario right, you saw the item first, then see it posted on SMC--if it was the other way around, then you got alerted to the ad by SMC, so you benefit, no?

OK, so we presume you saw it first and contacted the seller. Someone else on SMC sees it, and contacts the seller. Every CL seller I've seen has either observed the protocol of first with definite full price offer gets it or first with full price cash in hand gets it. So either you didn't care about it enough to be the first, even though you saw the ad first and have a headstart, or you are PO'd because you are making a less than full price offer and someone else is willing to pay full price?

Sorry, but I have zero sympathy for you.

[John Keeton]

Alex, I don't want to take sides on this argument. I have previously posted a CL notice on D&D, and another creeker was able to pick up the bargain quickly. I didn't need the item, it was a good deal, and I was glad to help. The buyer expressed his appreciation for that help. Commerce is commerce. If you are surfing CL, find a bargain - buy it and do so quickly. Otherwise, you stand to lose that opportunity to the millions out there who are doing the same thing.

That said, I understand the frustration of losing an opportunity, but everyone here has the same ability to search, surf, and pounce. Maybe I view this community a little differently. Though I have met very few here, I do feel some "common bond" with several members - and, to an extent, with the group at large.

Just my thoughts. It is a big cyber world out there, and there are more people lurking in it than you can imagine. Perhaps we are just helping each other on SMC.

[Craig D Peltier]

I like the ads. Sounds kind of whiney to me. Maybe if you are so worried about the ads getting up there , you get a program that emails or text you when an item your looking for comes up, or sit at your computer an hit refresh all day on CL.

[Brent Leonard]

I don't neccesarrily agree or disagree. I understand both points of view and IMO both have a valid argument.

but, if people want to search craigslist, everywhere or just in their state and/or surrounding states......

make your own cutom google search page. It's very easy (anyone can do it), free, and it works very well. No more searching every c-list in each city in the 2 states I look at.

[Matt Bickford]

Posting such links is what's best for the group as a whole. I don't even think that's arguable. If you get outbid it is by a person that wants it more than you do, as evidenced by his willingness to pay more. The seller of course is happier. The group is happier.

Not wanting this information posted is selfish at its best and collusive at its worst.

[Brian Kent]

Thanks for starting a good discussion, Alex.

My input - I like the idea of having a deals and discount forum, so that we can link motivated buyers and sellers and give the heads up for stuff we missed.

Brian

[Chris Padilla]

Have any of you used Snarfer? Google it...download it...and further, google for the Snarfer craigslist plug-in.

Using this FREE RSS reader, you can search any and all of the 100s of local craigslist ad listings.

For example, I'm in the Bay Area. Certainly, I search that locality. I also search Sacramento, San Luis Obispo, Stockton and even around the Denver area where my folks and brother still live.

I also use it to search eBay. Try it...I think you'll like it a lot. It is totally FREE.

Now that said, I still appreciate seeing ads for interesting ww'ing related items even if they are in Indiana (where I scored some nice BE maple veneer) so based on that find, I still like seeing these "finds" posted in the D&D Forum. After all, this is why we created the D&D Forum.