Yet another Craigslist Wack-A-Doodle!

[Thumpin6string]

I have a TV listed on Craigslist for $35. I had a person contact me and ask if they bought it and since they had no car, could I bring it to them. The thing was that they live 100 miles from me. Needless to say, I said no. I also get a lot of the "is it still available?" and I reply "yes" and "if you are interested, please call the number in the ad". After that, crickets. Lots of flakes, but there are still a few legitimate buyers out there.

 

[Kukulkan61]

F*** him and feed him beans...

 

[dkelley]

I’m not offended by that...it’s just like it was stated before. They don’t answer back after asking. Ghosted.

Cool. Totally, in that situation, it's so common and so annoying. However, some people get offended by it. You did state that it kills you, and it's still listed so it's still available, right? Which isn't always true, unfortunately. I personally have forgotten to remove an ad after selling something, or had to rush off right after (to spend my new money!! haha) and not had time time remove the ad.

But yea i've actually seen ads on FB that in the AD said "don't ask if it's still available!, I won't answer!", to which I immediately ask the question "Is this still available?" And then follow up with the point that FB defaults the first post to say exactly that phrase. I had a good conversation, productive and intelligent, with a seller on FB about this stuff. Neither of us changed our minds LoL, but it was rational and educational for us both, which is what makes life great sometimes!

 

[dkelley]

Again, the question isn't the problem.

It is for some people, hence my post. I'm not making this up LoL. I've been told by many people they are offended by the question, and it was brought up in this thread earlier that the question is at least stupid or irritating, and some people will immediately write you off if that is your question.

 

[Axtman]

Again I was willing to work with the guy but after I stopped what I was doing and drove almost 50 miles out of my way, I did not feel like there was much room for negotiation.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Craigslist, man...

 

[Brad Johnson]

It is for some people, hence my post. I'm not making this up LoL. I've been told by many people they are offended by the question, and it was brought up in this thread earlier that the question is at least stupid or irritating, and some people will immediately write you off if that is your question.

My post was about the fact that it happens HERE, quite often, with no response. We're not talking about the same issue.

 

[Ellery]

So I listed a solid-state Fender guitar amp for $300 on Craigslist. I got a text from a guy that was interested in my amp. He asked me a bunch of questions about the amp (size of speakers, date, working condition, etc.) He explained that he lived about 2 hours away. He asked if I would be willing to meet half-way. After pondering I said yes. He recommended the mall in a half-way city. I recommended a Guitar Center near that mall. (That way if he wanted to try it out we could bring it into the GC.)

We agreed that we would leave immediately and meet about the same time. I got to the GC parking lot a little early and waited 15 minutes for him after driving for 45 minutes to get there.

He shows up and I show him the amp. I show him the footswitch and he asks what cord goes to it. I show him the 1/4 jack cord. He then asks if I have the power cord. I realize that I forgot the IEC cord in my dash to get out the door. He says, "I tell you what. I'll buy the amp for 20 dollars less or you can mail me the cord." I reply, "Nah........."

The nice older guy immediately angrily blows up, "I KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO DO THIS TO ME!!!" He then storms of to his truck and drives away.

I stood there stunned. Had he let me finish I would have offered to buy one at GC for $5 or there is a GoodWill across the street that will sell them for $.50 to $1.

The guy acted like I had done him a HUGE disservice and was trying to cheat him (out of a power cord?).

BTW, who doesn't have extra cords lying around anyway?

Had he met me at my house I could have given him one or two.

He may have been determined to negotiate a better price and got cold feet after you said no, the tantrum being his escape hatch.

 

[gln1955]

It is for some people, hence my post. I'm not making this up LoL. I've been told by many people they are offended by the question, and it was brought up in this thread earlier that the question is at least stupid or irritating, and some people will immediately write you off if that is your question.

I don't get it. Somebody asks if it's still available. The response is either yes or no. Is it such an effort to type that and hit send? Seems like some people want to sell stuff but put zero effort into doing it. They wouldn't last long in real world sales.

 

[DJ Bebop]

So I listed a solid-state Fender guitar amp for $300 on Craigslist. I got a text from a guy that was interested in my amp. He asked me a bunch of questions about the amp (size of speakers, date, working condition, etc.) He explained that he lived about 2 hours away. He asked if I would be willing to meet half-way. After pondering I said yes. He recommended the mall in a half-way city. I recommended a Guitar Center near that mall. (That way if he wanted to try it out we could bring it into the GC.)

We agreed that we would leave immediately and meet about the same time. I got to the GC parking lot a little early and waited 15 minutes for him after driving for 45 minutes to get there.

He shows up and I show him the amp. I show him the footswitch and he asks what cord goes to it. I show him the 1/4 jack cord. He then asks if I have the power cord. I realize that I forgot the IEC cord in my dash to get out the door. He says, "I tell you what. I'll buy the amp for 20 dollars less or you can mail me the cord." I reply, "Nah........."

The nice older guy immediately angrily blows up, "I KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO DO THIS TO ME!!!" He then storms of to his truck and drives away.

I stood there stunned. Had he let me finish I would have offered to buy one at GC for $5 or there is a GoodWill across the street that will sell them for $.50 to $1.

The guy acted like I had done him a HUGE disservice and was trying to cheat him (out of a power cord?).

BTW, who doesn't have extra cords lying around anyway?

Had he met me at my house I could have given him one or two.

I have a box of those IEC cords my wife wants me to get rid of. Your in Seattle? I would have sent you 4 of them for free just to keep the wife happy

 

[Alivefor5]

Obviously the buyer and seller did not reach an accord.

(I'll leave now)

 

[Axtman]

I am still curious what he meant by, "I knew you were going to do that!"

As far as cold feet, there is no crime in POLITELY backing out. I would have been a little miffed but understanding.

The whole drive down I said to myself, "This is really stupid. I won't ever do this again." I should have listened to myself.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I don't get it. Somebody asks if it's still available. The response is either yes or no. Is it such an effort to type that and hit send? Seems like some people want to sell stuff but put zero effort into doing it. They wouldn't last long in real world sales.

It doesn't make sense to be annoyed by a basic question about something you have for sale. The question itself makes perfect sense, especially on what appears to be a great deal. The converse could be typing out all of your questions about an item only to find out it's already sold. Might as well get the basics out of the way first... am I too late?

 

[Yango]

I’ll bet the guy drove the whole way to the meet, repeating “he’s going to screw me...he’s going to screw me...he’s going to screw me...” to himself.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I am still curious what he meant by, "I knew you were going to do that!"

As far as cold feet, there is no crime in POLITELY backing out. I would have been a little miffed but understanding.

The whole drive down I said to myself, "This is really stupid. I won't ever do this again." I should have listened to myself.

People anticipate problems. This guy appears to have been reaching but that's sometimes what people do. He might've been looking for an out... to save face.

 

[Axtman]

I remember YEARS ago my pastor giving a sermon about negative thinking. He told a fictional story about a guy whose car got a flat on a country road at night in the rain. As the guy was approaching the farm house he kept thinking of all the negative things. I'm going to disturb the guy. He won't want to help me. He won't lend me his jack. Etc. He finally reached the house and knocked on the door. The top window flung open and the farmer said, "Hello?" to which the guy replied, "YOU KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR DAMN JACK!"

 

[Rabidhamster]

The “is it still available?” thing kills me. It’s still listed isn’t it?

Those guys are only selling your email address. The Craigslist email relay hides your real email address until you reply. So all they have to do is get you to reply to any fool nonsense they come up with.

 

[ashtray]

I’ve told this story before, but recap:

I drove an hour+ into LA to buy a tube amp. Got there, parked (tricky), met the stranger inside his place (weird). Tried the amp out - it didn’t work. *facepalm* It was a newer Mesa amp and he was asking $800.
The guy apologized and I got back in my car, empty handed. Halfway home (30 minutes later), the guy calls and said he is taking the amp to the Mesa shop in Hollywood, and they think it’s probably just a tube - and to meet him there. The shop was 45 minutes from my position. I turn around and head to Hollywood.
I get to the Mesa shop, find a spot and feed the meter, walk in the shop and the seller says it was just a bad tube - BUT he likes the amp, and new ones are $1,200 so he can’t sell it to me for $800. *unspeakable contained rage*
I get back in my car and drive the hour+ home. The whole thing was about 4 hours since I had left my house till I got back home, and the guy screwed me over twice.
I never tried to buy that model amp since. (10 years now)

 

[Michedelic]

Totally OT, but since we’re all here...is there any way to get Reddit to over-hype the value of 4x12 and 8x10 cabs, since you couldn’t give ‘em away in the past few years?

 

[noeinstein]

So I listed a solid-state Fender guitar amp for $300 on Craigslist. I got a text from a guy that was interested in my amp. He asked me a bunch of questions about the amp (size of speakers, date, working condition, etc.) He explained that he lived about 2 hours away. He asked if I would be willing to meet half-way. After pondering I said yes. He recommended the mall in a half-way city. I recommended a Guitar Center near that mall. (That way if he wanted to try it out we could bring it into the GC.)

We agreed that we would leave immediately and meet about the same time. I got to the GC parking lot a little early and waited 15 minutes for him after driving for 45 minutes to get there.

He shows up and I show him the amp. I show him the footswitch and he asks what cord goes to it. I show him the 1/4 jack cord. He then asks if I have the power cord. I realize that I forgot the IEC cord in my dash to get out the door. He says, "I tell you what. I'll buy the amp for 20 dollars less or you can mail me the cord." I reply, "Nah........."

The nice older guy immediately angrily blows up, "I KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO DO THIS TO ME!!!" He then storms of to his truck and drives away.

I stood there stunned. Had he let me finish I would have offered to buy one at GC for $5 or there is a GoodWill across the street that will sell them for $.50 to $1.

The guy acted like I had done him a HUGE disservice and was trying to cheat him (out of a power cord?).

BTW, who doesn't have extra cords lying around anyway?

Had he met me at my house I could have given him one or two.

"I KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO DO THIS TO ME!!!" I think this indicates he had already decided how the transaction would go and then acted to make it conform to his prediction.

Jumping to conclusions is the only exercise some of us get