General question regarding Craig's List etiquette

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mpholway

Board of Directors, Events Director
Matt
Staff member
Corporate Member
To all,

Overall, I have had very good experiences with Craig’s List, as a buyer and a seller. I do have a question about an experience I had on CL yesterday.

An item was posted Thursday (yesterday) for $60 and I offered $50. I received an email in response that said “OK, you’ve got a deal.” I immediately communicated that I could pick it up Friday (today) afternoon. I received the following message 2 hours later “Sorry but they sold this afternoon for full price.”

Am I out of touch with what is appropriate CL protocol or am I justified in being a little miffed at the callous treatment of the “contract” that the email confirmed?

I would be very interested in other opinions regarding their expectations and/or experiences with CL.

Regards,

Matt
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
There are no rules on Craig's list, every deal is buyer beware. Sometime's you make out and sometimes you get made.
 

MarkE

Mark
Corporate Member
This has happened to me a few times. And also, the opposite, buyer makes me an offer, I accept and then they back out, or just never show up or respond.

I sell a lot on CraigsList. If someone makes me an offer and I accept it, I would never then sell it to someone else that made a better offer.

Like Mike said, there are no 'rules' on this, just personal morals and common decency.
 

Barry W

Co-Director of Outreach
Barry
Corporate Member
. . . . . .

Like Mike said, there are no 'rules' on this, just personal morals and common decency.

Would it not be an oxymoron to use "morals" and "Craig's List" in the same discussion?;)
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
And always carry a pistol in your pocket when you go somewhere to meet for a Craig's list deal.
 

Bear Republic

Steve
Corporate Member
I prefer to tuck one them evil AR15's in my pocket, when I unconceal it they are scared to death. :rotflm:
 

Jim M.

Woody
Corporate Member
Craigslist has become the Wild, Wild West of the classified ads. In the beginning everything was civil, now it's buyer-sellers beware.
 

Lowlander

New User
Chris
Where else does everyone post? Besides here ? I have found sites like OfferUp where people offer garage sale type offers, not worth the effort.
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
I don't use Craig's list for anything. My view is that things should be posted and understood as "or best offer" so there are no guarantees or "contracts" explicit or implied. There's no earnest money deposit up front and the sale rides on the seller's "ok, you've got a deal" (read "for the time being").

Matt feels jilted as the buyer and Mark has been jilted as the seller. I wouldn't call it immoral or unscrupulous but irritating for sure. Move on to the next play!
 

marinosr

Richard
Corporate Member
I buy and sell everything on craigslist, from potholders to a $2k oscilloscope. My policy is that the first person to show up at my door and give me our agreed price gets the item, regardless of who contacted me first.There are way too many people that tell you on Monday that they'll show up on Friday, and then bail. If someone really lowballs me I'll tell them that I may sell it at a higher price if they don't come soon, but I think this is a courtesy, not required. On the other end, I've had stuff sell out from under me on multiple times but it doesn't bother me.

And always carry a pistol in your pocket when you go somewhere to meet for a Craig's list deal.

Lordy I prefer my CL transactions unarmed, but that's just me. Maybe I should specify in my ads? If someone wants to rob me for the $70 I was going to pay for their lawnmower, they can have it. Common sense for high ticket items (meet at a bank parking lot and only get cash then, or ask for DL photo (send photo to wife) and go to the address on DL) is the ounce of prevention that's worth a pound of hollowpoint lead cure, IMO.
 

rcarmac

Board of Directors, Secretary
Robert
Staff member
Corporate Member
Past, I did a lot of buy/selling on Craigslist. At first I would sell working with the first person that responded. After so many flakes and no shows, I changed my approach to be the first person that shows up with case. No real holding anything for anyone. what I have done, is if someone offers me a lower price, I asked when can they pick it up. I let them know if I get a higher offer between then and when they can get it, then that's what I am going to do. I never give out a meeting address until the person confirms they are on their way or shortly before the meeting. Some people want to wait a week before coming to get the item, even on a discounted price.

I have started to notice the Facebook Marketplace growing. I just recently purchased something from it. Looks like that might be a little better than CL.
 

ntboardman

New User
Nick
Personally, when posting something on craigslist i will tell any buyer "the first person here with the money will take it home" if they decide to come earlier or later or wait, that's fine, but with the number of people who say i'll give you $xx and then don't show up, its smart to have 2 or 3 people in the queue.
 

chris_goris

Chris
Senior User
To all,

Overall, I have had very good experiences with Craig’s List, as a buyer and a seller. I do have a question about an experience I had on CL yesterday.

An item was posted Thursday (yesterday) for $60 and I offered $50. I received an email in response that said “OK, you’ve got a deal.” I immediately communicated that I could pick it up Friday (today) afternoon. I received the following message 2 hours later “Sorry but they sold this afternoon for full price.”

Am I out of touch with what is appropriate CL protocol or am I justified in being a little miffed at the callous treatment of the “contract” that the email confirmed?

I would be very interested in other opinions regarding their expectations and/or experiences with CL.

Regards,

Matt

There is no etiquette online period. Social media etc has hardened people from personal social interaction. As for your experience, They should've at least contacted you and offered it to you at full price first, that's the gentlemans type arrangement, but as I said, there is no etiquette. I had a similar thing happen several years ao but much worse. I was buying a shaper online, contacted the owner, told him I was coming to get it (2 hours drive) and before I got there, he sold it. He told me this when I was close when I called for further directions.... imagine my aggravation!
 

nn4jw

New User
Jim
For woodworking equipment and such I'd just use right here. For smaller, mailable items, Ebay. Most other items either go to Goodwill or the dumpster. It's not worth the hassle or risk these days for me.
 

zdorsch

Zach
Corporate Member
I agree with others—there seems to be no official etiquette, but I try and treat people the way I would like to be treated. For instance, if I list something on Monday and the person wants to meet me Friday, I kindly explain that I will sell to the first one with cash in hand for a fair price. If I sell it before Friday, I’ll call and tell the person as well. I also don’t generally call people unless I can go that day or the next day.

The other sites, like OfferUp, letgo and Facebook marketplace seem to have more people that contact without real interest. What mean is “I’m interested” or “Is it still available?” Both of which I respond to and rarely get a response back.
 

Jeremy Scuteri

Moderator
Jeremy
That guy who sold the item after making a deal with you is a total jerk. Of course you can't do anything about it, but you are not wrong to feel a bit ticked off.
 

DSWalker

David
Corporate Member
Don't sell a lot on CL, but when I do it's first come first served. No holds until you text me with an ETA in less than 2 hours. Then I'll hold till that time period is up. Then on to the next offer. I won't usually lose a sell in the two hours I'm willing to give someone to show up.

When buying, I never expect a seller to hold anything for me unless I tell them I"m on the way and provide an eta.
 

Rick M

New User
Rick
Yeah, the guy should have stuck to the deal. You make a deal, you stick to the deal. Not defending him but having sold a lot of things on Craigslist, no one that made an offer over email or phone has ever shown up to buy. Even when I've accepted low ball offers, the guy never showed up. So I rarely bother with CL anymore, too unreliable. Matter of fact I have a pile of stuff to sell and haven't wanted to mess with CL or ebay.
 

Jim Roche

New User
jim
I've bought and sold on CL and have had a lot of good experiences. I have noticed that when buying or selling woodworking related items, almost all the transactions have been good and in fact, I've made some friends in doing so. Buying or selling other items such as electronics or the like, buyer beware!

Food for thought on the "1st come, 1st served" concept in my opinion. I've seen this happen twice on deals I was buying. The 1st one was I was interested in buying a Lathe from an individual in Hillsborough, I arrive and am being shown the lathe when somebody else shows up to see the lathe. I ended up buying the lathe and the seller told the other potential buyer: "I told you, 1st one here with cash gets it!" The other buyer was mad and I don't blame him...if I drove 45 mins to that kind of welcome, I'd be upset too.

It happened one more time when I was buying a gas powered edger. I showed up and was being shown the edger and another party showed up a few after. I bought the edger and the other party was really upset. The seller and the other party are exchanged several words and for a moment there, I thought they were going to exchange punches!

i think someone upstream said it best, treat people the way you'd like to be treated and stick to woodworking equipment, they're a more genuine crowd :gar-Bi


Jim
 
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