craigslist - I don't get this---just a pet peeve

[lakelover]

Why do people edit their ads to have the title say "Free TV - taken" or "Free TV pending pickup"? etc etc

If it's taken, why don't they just delete the ad? Or if someone is supposed to pick it up (ha ha, we all know how reliable that is), why not just wait 'til it's gone and delete the ad?

Makes no sense to me.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: craigslist - I don't get this---just a pet peeve

Why do people edit their ads to have the title say "Free TV - taken" or "Free TV pending pickup"? etc etc

Makes no sense to me.

because, that's why :noidea:

 

[lakelover]

Re: craigslist - I don't get this---just a pet peeve

That's the only reason I can figure!

 

[roscoe]

Re: craigslist - I don't get this---just a pet peeve

Because they are ignorant (lacking knowledge or awareness) .

Just like the people that say no emails, but put the email link in their ad.

And like the people that think if you want to pay via paypal, that you are scamming them.

I have bought and sold expensive items on CL with payment thru paypal.
Sure is safer than walking up to a strangers house with $5 grand cash in your pocket.

You make your deal, log on and transfer the money, they get verification that it is in their account in seconds, done deal.

My bank even has a service like this now.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: craigslist - I don't get this---just a pet peeve

You wanna know what's worse?

When a seller takes the time to write out "No scamers". As if the would be scamer thinks "Oh boy, they must not want me to scam them. I suppose I'll find someone who does."

Sheesh.

 

[gm280]

Re: craigslist - I don't get this---just a pet peeve

I think the ones that says "The boats isn't finished and there is some work to be done yet". And then they say "don't low ball me because when this boat is finished I know the price I could get for it". Amazining how they think you are getting a tremedous deal but only after you finish their project. So they want very close to the finished price because you finshed their project for them. :lol: People are so funny!

 

[Silly Seville]

Re: craigslist - I don't get this---just a pet peeve

Why do people edit their ads to have the title say "Free TV - taken" or "Free TV pending pickup"? etc etc. If it's taken, why don't they just delete the ad? Or if someone is supposed to pick it up, why not just wait 'til it's gone and delete the ad?

Laziness and stupidity is the answer.

For those old enough to remember, there was a time when a seller had to PAY for ad space. Those ad's were articulate, on point and contained the appropriate information to garner a successful transaction.

When something is free, the bottom feeders go into a frenzy. This explains why we have the entertainment of threads like this. http://forums.iboats.com/boat-topic...ny-tlc-needed-boat-ads-craigslist-287916.html

I guess that may be the silver lining for those of us who still know how to place an intelligent ad with factual information and reasonable expectations. I have had great success on C-list after spending a lot of money on Fleabay and print ad's for over 20 years. My items sell because I exert the effort to make my ad's professional.

 

[coolbri70]

Re: craigslist - I don't get this---just a pet peeve

searching for a kicker, the ad says 5.5hp and i get peeved that there is no mention of brand, then i decide to respond figuring for 75 bucks i should go see for myself, in case they dont know what they have, might be a great deal

 

[ultra353]

Re: craigslist - I don't get this---just a pet peeve

Somtimes CL won`t let you delete the ad for 24 hrs after you list it. If it sells before the 24 hrs is up the only thing you can do is edit the ad. Not sure if this is the case but thats what i`ve come across.

 

[lakelover]

Re: craigslist - I don't get this---just a pet peeve

Somtimes CL won`t let you delete the ad for 24 hrs after you list it. If it sells before the 24 hrs is up the only thing you can do is edit the ad. Not sure if this is the case but thats what i`ve come across.

Well, I guess that might be the answer! It seems I've been able to delete ads with 24 hours, but I couldn't really say because I'm not sure if I've ever gotten rid of something that fast. Even so, who cares if they keep getting emails until they can delete it? Phone calls might be another matter. I use my throwaway email address with craigslist.

Another one that breaks me up is when people want you to haul away their old junk, and they try to make it seem as if it has some real value. Sometimes it does, like scrap metal, but usually something like "Free firewood" is a bunch of trees they want cut down. If it's "already cut", it's giant 30" x 6' logs. :lol:

 

[lakelover]

Re: craigslist - I don't get this---just a pet peeve

.... "No scamers".....

Yep, that's another good one.

 

[sccatfish]

Re: craigslist - I don't get this---just a pet peeve

I have limited experience with craigslist. I really only have used it for an enclosed trailer. The things I had to gripe about were:

Even if you've sold it, or you have someone else that is interested, email me back and tell me, don't leave me hanging.

Along those same lines, someone posted an ad without a price and wanted offers and said "no lowball offers". First, your definition of lowball is probably different than mine, but if you don't like my offer, at least tell me. If you say "no lowball offers" you probably have a price in mind anyway.

And why do people think I'm going to pay close to full retail for their used items?

If you're selling anything, make sure you definitely want to sell it before placing an ad, and if you're selling something like a trailer, make sure you already have it unlocked, or you can unlock it quickly (meaning you know where the key(s) is/are and you know how to unlock it), and that you take all of your junk out of it before trying to sell it.

 

[lakelover]

Re: craigslist - I don't get this---just a pet peeve

And why do people think I'm going to pay close to full retail for their used items?

That's a good one too. Right now I have a 16' aluminum utility boat listed near me, you think, OK, maybe that's a good price, until you see the picture of a dented old beat up thing with rotted seats and transom. Was $550, now relisted for $450....I might give $100 for it, but you know, "no lowballs".

 

[beardeddone]

Re: craigslist - I don't get this---just a pet peeve

You think boats or boat parts adds are sometimes a joke on CL, try buying a cell phone on CL, was looking to upgrade both mine and my wife's cell this past summer and had several I contacted who said they had offers for $175 when the add was for $150, I told him to take the offer as this wasn't ebay and am not bidding on this item.

This year I had my motorcycle for sale on CL and had several, what I would call scammers try to contact me wanting to pay via paypal and although paypal seems ok, it's not because if you sell something via paypal and the deal is done and delivery is made the buyer can file a complaint even if it is not a valid one and receive his or hers moneys back and usually do and it comes back out of your account and good luck trying to get your item back and if it is titled it's even worse.

A person really has to be careful on CL

 

[minuteman62-64]

Re: craigslist - I don't get this---just a pet peeve

I've been very successful with "Free Stuff" ads on CL (usually phone starts ringing about 5 minutes after ad goes on line - stuff gone within an hour) - but I usually have "useable" stuff and always post a picture so a would be scavanger can get an idea of what is being offered.

My peeve (now) is their flagging policy. Apparently anyone can flag your ad for deletion and there is no way to object. I actually had someone flag my last Free Stuff ad (fortunately after the stuff was long gone) and it was deleted. I presume someone was peeved that I indicated I wouldn't accept e-mail responses or that I didn't call back one of the dozen or so people who left messages after the stuff had been picked up.

For future ads I think I'll put in a note that if a message is left, and no call-back occurs, then assume the stuff is taken.

 

[roscoe]

Re: craigslist - I don't get this---just a pet peeve

You think boats or boat parts adds are sometimes a joke on CL, try buying a cell phone on CL, was looking to upgrade both mine and my wife's cell this past summer and had several I contacted who said they had offers for $175 when the add was for $150, I told him to take the offer as this wasn't ebay and am not bidding on this item.

This year I had my motorcycle for sale on CL and had several, what I would call scammers try to contact me wanting to pay via paypal and although paypal seems ok, it's not because if you sell something via paypal and the deal is done and delivery is made the buyer can file a complaint even if it is not a valid one and receive his or hers moneys back and usually do and it comes back out of your account and good luck trying to get your item back and if it is titled it's even worse.

On a direct money transfer, there is no transaction, merchandise, or delivery to contest, only a transfer of money, initiated by the buyer. They can't take their money back.
For additional piece of mind, if you need it, just transfer the money out of your paypal account after you receive it..


Bought a trailer this way on July 4th.
Checked out the trailer, made a deal, told the seller he could meet me at the bank on Tuesday the 10th for cash, or I'd transfer the $3500 to him. He opted for the transfer.

Sold the same trailer in September for $4250. THe buyer logged on to paypal with his phone, transfer was done in 2 minutes, verification sent to me, account balance verified by me. Done.

Bought a nice Merc 115 the same way back in June. Sure beats walking into a strangers
place (lions den ) with 2 grand in your pocket. Besides that, I was 200 mies from home visiting friends for the weekend.

My sister even accepts paypal transfers on her phone, when she sells her wares at the home improvement shows.

For people that understand how the system works, it is a safe and easy tool to use.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: craigslist - I don't get this---just a pet peeve

I have found that if you put something in for free its harder to get rid of it than just putting in a low price. I had a couch that I put in as free with no responses. I changed it to $50 and had 10 responses.

Also, if its something inexpensive, I just tell the person I am leaving it on my doorstep and if they like it, put the money under the mat and take the item. I did that with a few sinks after I did a remodel.

 

[frantically relaxing]

Re: craigslist - I don't get this---just a pet peeve

I don't do CL much, but a local TV station's free ad website LOVES for people to mark their ads as "SOLD" because when people see a SOLD sign, it means the ad WORKED. Good for business.

 

[tazrig]

Re: craigslist - I don't get this---just a pet peeve

I just sold 2 used power packages on cl. Complete with current pics, exact descriptions, full histories etc. what a cast of characters and scammers I had to deal with to get them sold. People who pretended to get very upset over the phone that I wouldn't sell to them for 1/3 the marked price. More than a few people wanted to dismantle them in order to check out everything under the sun before they would buy them. (i'm sure they would have been nice enough to put them back together before they left) People who wanted to give me checks from banks and/or travelers checks I never heard of, pay part now and the rest when they got them installed. My favorites were the ones who got absolutely furious because I wouldn't sell them just a part or 2 off the blocks. Interesting place for sure.