Craigslist Stories

[Damon Stathatos]

4) If I say I agree to buy a tool and set an appointment to pick it up the seller will take it off the market.

Could be regional differences, but I've never even considered asking someone to take something off the market and always assumed 'first-come, first-served.'

I've never missed an appointment to go out and see an item and (after arranging an appointment) never have had it sold out from under me. I have, however, made the appointment and then, after seeing the item in person, decided against buying it, usually based on misrepresented condition.

I've never sold anything on CL but if I did, and I received a second inquiry, I'd make that appointment after the first one with the caveat...I'll let you know if the first guy shows up and or takes it before you come out.

All in all, I've scored some great stuff on CL with very little problems but haven't much pursued it recently, and so, it may be a 'different world' out there now, not sure.

[Paul McGaha]

I like Rich's rules too.

The rules I use for craigslist are:

1) Ad's should have a picture of the actual tool, not a catalog picture.
2) I want to buy directly from the guy that used the tool, not a re-seller.
3) Pricing should be in line from the start, not need much or any tweaking.
4) If I say I agree to buy a tool and set an appointment to pick it up the seller will take it off the market.
5) I want the tools to be in very good to excellent condition

So far this has worked ok for me. A bit of filtering I guess. I'm no expert by any means but I've bought or sold a few things.

PHM

I think I'm going to revise my rule #4. What I mean is if I say I agree to that price and request an appointment to come and get it there is an agreement in place and the tool won't be sold to others so long as I keep my end of the agreement.

I really didn't mean to take the ad down. The seller shouldn't do that until the transaction is completed. Just advise others interested in the tool that there is an agreement in place.

PHM

[Rich Riddle]

I went one and one today on Craigslist items. One seller was at his father's home and sold me an old Inca 570 Jointer Planer. The unit was just as advertised, actually better. He turned on power and demonstrated it and answered all questions for which he knew the answers.

The second one had arranged to sell another tool and wanted to meet around six in the evening. I called several times and sent e-mail messages and received this response:

Richard - so sorry. I got invited to the Reds game and couldn't take the call as I wouldn't have been able to hear.


I'm around tomorrow - I can give you a call during the day or after 5. Again, so sorry!

Would any of you call tomorrow after making arrangements and then having him no show because of a last minute invitation to a ball game?

[Eric DeSilva]

I should clarify that even though I've had some issues with craigslist, overall I am a supporter and the number of stress-free, simple transactions I've enjoyed vastly outnumber the problems. Someone commented that they hadn't had issues with woodworking equipment and woodworkers--by and large, I think I've found the same with any really specialized gear. With patience, the deals to be had on CL can be tremendous. Where I've had issues--oddly enough--are cases where the items are closer to generic consumer goods (cameras, sporting goods, stereo equipment) or lower cost (tools you can find at home depot, for example). Seems like the closer you get to an asking price of $0, the more oddballs emerge.

[mike holden]

Would any of you call tomorrow after making arrangements and then having him no show because of a last minute invitation to a ball game?

[/COLOR]

Normally, no - but this is playoff season so I would cut some slack on that basis. Playoff tix are both harder to get and obviously there may not be another chance to go.

Mike

[Steve Peterson]

Where I've had issues--oddly enough--are cases where the items are closer to generic consumer goods (cameras, sporting goods, stereo equipment) or lower cost (tools you can find at home depot, for example). Seems like the closer you get to an asking price of $0, the more oddballs emerge.

That's my guess as well. I expect a lot of shady characters to be involved when it is a low cost HF item. A different type of person will be buying or selling higher end woodworking tools in the $500 and up price range.

Steve

[Rich Riddle]

That's my guess as well. I expect a lot of shady characters to be involved when it is a low cost HF item. A different type of person will be buying or selling higher end woodworking tools in the $500 and up price range.

Steve

I agree to a point about the buyer of expensive tools but have seen some former snake-oil salesman types trying to sell expensive tools. If I remember right, he had bought a self-storage locker's contents though.

[Charles Wiggins]

Guess you won't be buying anything from me.

You can blame all the people that set appointments and never showed up or kept rescheduling, or showed up and then wanted to renegotiate the price. Now I'm strictly first with cash in hand. If you say you are interested, I'll call you to tell you someone else bought it so you don't have to waste a trip, but my ad stays up 'til I've got cold hard cash.

+1
I won't pull an ad until the item is SOLD. SOLD means that I have the cash in hand.

[Brian Elfert]

When I sell stuff I never give my phone number in the ad. I'll give my phone number to someone who replies via email. I give folks a few hours to call me and if I have other interested parties I will move on. I won't hold out for the first emailer forever or I might miss another interested buyer.

The stupidest thing I did was advertise a partial pallet of free leftover sod with my phone number. I had to leave the house right after posting the ad. My phone was ringing off the hook. I should have not posted my phone number and just stayed home an extra 30 minutes to answer emails. I had to to stop at work to remove the ad.

[Jim Koepke]

Would any of you call tomorrow after making arrangements and then having him no show because of a last minute invitation to a ball game?

Heck, if I was in the area and someone invited me to the game I would have gone because I'm sort of a Giants fan.

Yes, I can understand someone getting a last minute invite to a game.

I would give him my condolences since the Giants beat the heck out of the Reds.

jtk

Hoping for a repeat of the Giants and A's World Series. Hope I am far away enough to not be affected by what happens.

FYI, the two longest delays between World Series games was between these two franchises, 1911 & 1989. I lived in the Bay Area in 1989 and was lucky by just a few minutes of not being on the lower deck of the freeway that collapsed.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I have had good luck on CL, but I have also been choosy about what I respond to for purchasing, and careful when I post. I have also been careful about doing things in a way that did not cause my wife or young children to be interacting with unknown people. After operating this way for years, a neighbour listed a free couch, set an appointment to come see it while they were out of town, and then asked my wife to meet with these unknown people. not too happy about that one.

Now, that said, I have met some very nice people selling stuff on CL.

[Kevin W Johnson]

I've had very good luck so far myself. I don't post phone numbers in ad's, carefully screen email's, and use a Gmail email address to respond to ad's and people that respond to my ad's. I can easily dump the Gmail address if it starts getting spammed. For items I sell, I usually ask people to meet me at the local supemarket parking lot. It's easy for them to find, and I'm not bring unknown people to my house. I have sold a couple things though that require people coming to the house, things like tools that need to be plugged in, and I'd like to have a way to avoid that too.

I've found some good deals, and If I know it's already a good deal, I don't haggle on price. Likewise, if I'm selling at a good deal, I won't haggle on it. Usually though, I set price a little high in anticipation of a lower offer.

So far all my CL experiences have been good.

[Rich Riddle]

I had a successful Craigslist transaction yesterday after posting a portable planer. The buyer showed up on time and the sell went well. He seemed to be a bit overly energetic if he didn't have help from substances. Perhaps I will start giving the less valuable tools to charity as to avoid dealing with the people who purchase less expensive items.