Craiglist... known the world over as a great place to get cheap stuff that people are trying to get rid of. There is a rather different side to the site as well that no one ever talks about. It's the "browser" side of the site. These are lonely people who have nothing better to do with their time than email or call people who have posted items and tell them that they are "very interested", maybe even offer a price, and then somewhere close to the last minute either say that "something came up" or just never show up. (Leaving the buyer, who is SOOOO excited to be rid of the thing he is trying to sell, with another week or two of selling time on his hands.)
This must be a diagnosable illness, and Craigslist must attract these people like fly-paper strips attract, well, flies. This has happened to me on every single thing I have ever listed on Craigslist. I can be forgiven the first time, I had no idea. (Free Washer) The second time I figured it couldn't be as bad as I remembered it. (Truck for Sale (it was bad)) Then there was the third, most recent time. I think I harbored some sort of idea that it would be great. (maybe the chemo damaged me more than I know...) And again it was a bad experience.
This is why I appreciate eBay, it's all mostly "legal", so if someone bids or says they will buy it, well it's a legal contract. People are less likely to play around with legality.
I wanted to go on the record and say that I am severing the relationship that Craigslist and I had started. It's over. From here on out it'll be eBay for me.
~B.
Adam's car came from Craigslist...but I KNOW God's hand was on that deal. Beth plans to be looking for a car in the next 6 months or so. My first thought was to look on Craigslist, but now I'm hesitant...especially with the cars that were flood damaged last year down south of Olympia.
ReplyDeleteI have had a GREAT response with Craigslist. I have NEVER been stood up! What am I selling? Baby items!!!! What am I buying? Baby items!!!! Then, this last weekend we sold our 1987 stove for $50 and our 1987 dishwasher (louder than standing on the side of I-5) for $25. Best Craigslist deal was a 5 foot rug with an airplane on it for $30, originally retailed for $150...a great addition to our Airplane themed Boy's bed room.
ReplyDeleteLast summer I posted WANTED: Canning Jars! The next morning a guy came to our house with his entire pick up loaded with Canning Jars! Next items to go, Grandma's old loveseat and coffee table. :-)
We bought our car on Ebay and the shady dealer named Shafi sold us a car without a title. The car came...but no title. Apparently the orignal owner was dead, is what we were told. Then after getting Ebay involved on our behalf, lo and behold...The title comes in the mail and it's a fresh signature from the dead lady! 6 months after the purchase of our car, we were finally able to drive it with a title in our name. It was a mess! We're never buying a car on Ebay again from another state. Locally?? Perhaps...
Ben - sorry to hear Craigslist was a bust for you. I had great luck - anything under $20 I sat outside my door and peole left the money in the milk box - i figured even if someone stiffed me it was worth the savings in hassle. No one ever stiffed me. I think I sold something around $2000 worth of stuff on Craigslist before we moved.
ReplyDeleteWhat are the killer features in an online classifieds (think Craig's List/eBay) app?
ReplyDelete(Also, what do you think about v2 of Cauldron?)
You know, here's a weird thought, but I wonder if it's because you're in a condo? (Looks like an apartment.) If either a) they can't find your specific condo, or b) apartment looking places just feel less stable to buyers. Marketing is everything! By the way, I'd never show a car at our house that we advertised on Craigslist.
ReplyDeleteCan't be the condo/ apartment issue, 2 out of the 3 never even saw where we lived. (The other ones saw the condo and didn't much mind.)
ReplyDelete~B.
maybe it depends on the item you are wanting but if craigslist isn't working out go somewhere else.
ReplyDeletealso ebay has mostly a good reputation. so just go with a company with a good reputation and good standing.
i personally would never buy anything from craigslist but that is my opinion, been previous ripped off before but from another company so i don't buy anything from companies like that.
My car came off craigslist, my favorite lens came from craigslist (from Idaho... a real chance there). I have yet to be disappointed. Although, I have been a person who said, "I'm very interested... oh something came up"... like I decided I don't want to pay almost retail for your very used item. Ha. Anyway, I'm still craigslisting it. I even know a teacher who met a guy on craigslist... I hope not many people would go that far.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, ebay is nice, but sometimes very inflated in prices - at least photographic gear. Oh well. Stick with what works.
Looks like other people are realizing the same thing.
ReplyDelete