Craigslist Etiquette?

Williams 728
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Good advice from everyone. Unfortunately I don't really have a way to transport a kitchen table + 4 chairs to a Walmart parking lot. Out of 10 or so responses, one guy was legit, came and looked at it in my garage but didn't buy.
 
TheZymurgist said:
There are some variations from state to state, but an agreement is generally binding whether it's verbal or written. Those that say it isn't final until the deal actually takes place are wrong. If two parties agree to exchange goods for legal tender, it is binding..
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Pfft. In what universe?

Verbal offers are not binding, nor are they enforceable. A meeting of the minds may have been reached but they are definitely not binding unless they are enforceable, and that takes a properly written contract of sale signed by both parties. Hundreds of years of precedence in transaction law back me up. Even if goods & services for remuneration takes place, some states have rights of recision laws that offer you a legal "out" to get your money back (see lemon laws, etc.).

Nobody got "screwed" here because the OP isn't out any money and the seller got exactly what he wanted (a sale). The seller did what I would've done (or anybody else) that sells on CL: Take the money from the first person that brings you the cash. First come, first served. No matter how much OVER the asking price was offered by the OP, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

When i've sold things on CL, i've had requests to purchase emails from dozens of flakes. I'd say about one in ten actually shows up with the money. Selling on CL is a HUGE PITA and you never know what psycho is going to show up for a prospective buy. Be safe, meet in a public place with plenty of people around and go armed.

Done. Fin. End scene.
 
mccumath said:
Not as much as it might sound. I just don't trust random strangers that want to buy stuff from me on Craigslist. Better safe than sorry.

You buy and sell on Craigslist the way you like, and I will do it the way I like. Most likely, it will work out fine for both of us, don't you think? Just figured I would offer up a little advice on how I prefer to do business on Craigslist.
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Millions of transactions are done every day between random strangers; its called retail. The only difference between me and an actual business is the amount of stock. I only have one or two of something; a small business may have many thousands of dollars of stock, yet we don't consider that dangerous.

I still don't see how selling on craigslist makes me a target or a mark. No difference between that, selling something as a small biz, in a garage sale, etc.

But you are right, to each their own.
 
Zuljin said:
Lemme tell yall about my flaky experience with Free Cycle.

We had two queen size metal bed frames, boxes and mattresses to give away, for free. Everything on Free Cycle must be free. It's a cool idea. Goodwill wouldn't take them. Something about not having the resources to resell mattresses. The local church didn't want them either.

So I post on Free Cycle. It was no time before some sketchy sounding chic called. All strung out sounding and just generally weird. And kinda wired. But hey, if she can get these things outta my way, she can be as sketchy as she wants. She'll pick up tomorrow. Needs one for her and one for her kid. Great. Then the next day. Then no word. Then that Saturday. And her messages were like she was holding two conversations at once. I'm not sure if they were with actual different people. I called her back each time and got her voice mail. Now it's next Monday. I've told people it was taken all this time too.

Next woman who calls, I tell her come and get it. She and her husband and kid show up that evening. In a van. Loaded with stuff. I mean, sat down on the shocks, hardly room to sit in it loaded. Toys, pots, pans, boxes, clothes. I dunno. Were they Free Cycle hoarders? Their plan was to put the frames in the van and strap the two boxes and two mattresses to the top of the van. Now, imagine the height of these four items, on top a van. We had to use a ladder to stack them. They cinched them down with straps hooked to the bottom of the van's body. It was a road hazard if I ever saw one. They nearly lost it twice going down the road out the neighborhood. I told my wife we'd have to watch the news to see if anyone was wiped out on the highway by errant bedding. That almost happened to me once. I didn't hear about it, so i guess they made it okay.

Never did hear from sketchy chic again.

But this van. Seriously. It could have been an episode of Hoarders all by itself. They had to be getting gallons per mile loaded down like that.
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Very few people on Freecycle are actually on that site to find stuff they need/want. Most are scarfing up whatever they can find to resell.

I knew this was the deal with Freecycle when I posted a list of 10-12 things....there were 5-6 people who responded immediately saying they would take it all (what is the chances they needed EXACTLY everything in my list?).

Put another list of things up on Freecycle a month later; SAME 5-6 people emailing me for the whole pile!! That was when I stopped Freecycling.

I'm guessing that is what those people in the van were doing. They aren't horders; they are business people!
 
I've always found Craigslist to be much more hassle than it's worth. Sure I've snagged a few good deals from sellers there, but it's always been such a headache, or urgent 'get there first before anyone else buys it' that in the long run the stress involved really isn't worth it.

Not one single transaction has ever gone quickly & smooth. There's always some level of bs or flakiness involved.
 
aiptasia said:
Nobody got "screwed" here because the OP isn't out any money and the seller got exactly what he wanted (a sale). The seller did what I would've done (or anybody else) that sells on CL: Take the money from the first person that brings you the cash. First come, first served. No matter how much OVER the asking price was offered by the OP, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
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Not "anybody else," I would not have done what the seller did in my scenario. If I told a guy the deal was on and to contact me to arrange a meet, I would have waited for that time before moving on. It is, as the title of this thread suggests, what I consider reasonable etiquette.

That might be wrong, or foolish, but that doesn't mean your hardline approach is correct for everyone either.
 
aiptasia said:
Pfft. In what universe?

Verbal offers are not binding, nor are they enforceable. A meeting of the minds may have been reached but they are definitely not binding unless they are enforceable, and that takes a properly written contract of sale signed by both parties. Hundreds of years of precedence in transaction law back me up. Even if goods & services for remuneration takes place, some states have rights of recision laws that offer you a legal "out" to get your money back (see lemon laws, etc.).

Nobody got "screwed" here because the OP isn't out any money and the seller got exactly what he wanted (a sale). The seller did what I would've done (or anybody else) that sells on CL: Take the money from the first person that brings you the cash. First come, first served. No matter how much OVER the asking price was offered by the OP, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

When i've sold things on CL, i've had requests to purchase emails from dozens of flakes. I'd say about one in ten actually shows up with the money. Selling on CL is a HUGE PITA and you never know what psycho is going to show up for a prospective buy. Be safe, meet in a public place with plenty of people around and go armed.

Done. Fin. End scene.
Click to expand...

Are you a lawyer? Have you even taken a law class??

Verbal agreements are absolutely binding. Google it. Yes, you have to prove the agreement was created, as I stated in my original post. I also stated that the vast majority of CL deals are not worth taking someone to court over.

This is just one example from the state of Florida:
http://www.floridabar.org/tfb/TFBCo...6a653200b74c8a2085257405007a3ac3!OpenDocument

"To be a binding contract, there must also be an offer and acceptance that involves the exchange of promises to act and/or provide goods, services or money. The act, promises, goods, services and/or money are called “consideration.” In order to have a binding, enforceable contract, there must be consideration. In addition, an agreement to do something or pay something can also become binding if one party acts to his or her detriment upon the promise or agreement to perform by the other party. Similarly, in some cases, giving up the right to act in reliance on a promise may be sufficient consideration for a binding, legally enforceable contract.

A binding, legally enforceable contract can be in writing or oral (verbal). Depending on the nature of the transaction involved, certain types of contracts in Florida are required by law to be in writing in order to be enforceable. Generally other than those required by law to be in writing, verbal contracts are enforceable in Florida, especially in situations where one party has performed his or her obligations."

Many states follow this or similar contract law.
 
By the way, Blue. I'm the same way. I will try to gauge how much interest someone has and if I feel they will follow through, I'll hold it for them. Unless I really want to get rid of something quick, then I will state in the post that I won't hold it, and it's first-come-first-served.
 
I'm of the opinion "first come, first served" but I also make sure buyers know that. I wouldn't tell someone to contact me at a specific time and then sell out from underneath them. If I do get a better offer I'll let the original person know and give them a chance to match it. I've had too many people flake out on their agreement to purchase to turn away any potential buyer. When I'm the buyer I try to make the sale happen as soon as possible in order to avoid someone else getting my "deal of the century." I usually tell the seller I can come by that day.
 
broadbill said:
Very few people on Freecycle are actually on that site to find stuff they need/want. Most are scarfing up whatever they can find to resell.

I knew this was the deal with Freecycle when I posted a list of 10-12 things....there were 5-6 people who responded immediately saying they would take it all (what is the chances they needed EXACTLY everything in my list?).

Put another list of things up on Freecycle a month later; SAME 5-6 people emailing me for the whole pile!! That was when I stopped Freecycling.

I'm guessing that is what those people in the van were doing. They aren't horders; they are business people!
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Yeah. I had a feeling that stuff may have gone to Traders Village or a monthly garage sale that weekend. Or eBay. Hey, it got it out of my hair. But yeah, it's against the spirit and terms of Free Cycle.
 
I've done well on Craig's List both buying and selling. I usually talk to the seller and make sure the item is what I want and in a condition that I can live with and if it is, I make arrangements to pick it up. I only get things in a pretty close proximity to my house, just in case the item is gone, or the connection screws up. I don't haggle. If it is a fair price, I give the asking price. If it is not a fair price, I don't respond to the add. I show up when I tell the seller that I will be there and have not had anything sold out from under me. I expect a person to hold an item for me if I tell a person that I want the item and set up a time to get it, but can understand if they get a better offer that it may be gone. It would be nice to get a call from the seller to let me know, so I don't waste my time going to pick up and item that is gone. I made a call to a seller to cancel after making arrangements to go look at a bar stool that I changed my mind on...

When I sell, I advertise the price as firm. On the items I have sold my selling prices has been much lower than a new item or many of the items I see advertised. I don't haggle at all. I sold a one year old gas dryer for $90 bucks-about a quarter of what it would cost new-and had a guy try to get it for less. I told him that the price was firm and before I would take less money for it, I would flag down the gut that looks for scrap on trash day and give it to him. He gave me the $90.

I don't Freecycle because I don't want to donate to some guy's flea market sales. I give things that to Goodwill and If I have anything that I would free cycle I give it to the guy that checks the trash on trash day looking for scrap. It may be the same thing, but seems different to me for some reason. Ha!

TL;DR version: I try to be decent when dealing with people on CL and I expect the same in return, but I do realize that not all people think the same way as I do.
 
"On the items I have sold my selling prices has been much lower than a new item or many of the items I see advertised. I don't haggle at all"

Very much in agreement. This is not an occupation, it's a place to rid yourself of something you no longer want. Pricing just gets it out of there faster, which isn't that what you want as well?

I am amazed here locally at how CLpeople price their beer brewing stuff. 95% of them at retail +/- 5% compared to LHBS pricing, so often times they are competing with brand new stuff for a few pennies difference. I don't think I want to pay 95% of brand new cost for a well used item.

What I find after viewing CL for the past 9 months or so, is 90% of the stuff advertised is still there, still way too expensive. At least up here around Seattle.
 
I have been able to sell Everything/Anything on Craigslist. I approach this incredible resource with a little common sense. Price it right. Tell a story. Use lots of pictures. Even put a link to what the retail sellers on the net want for it.

I sold a 10 year old used toilet in 1 week on CL. $$$$$ talks.

I've had very good luck. The ideas on this thread are RIGHT ON! Use them.

Good Luck.
 
strantor said:
I hold nothing for nobody anymore. First come first serve, and I don't care if you have to call around to friends and family to find a truck/trailer.
Click to expand...

That's fine, if that's stated/agreed up front. But if someone says something otherwise then I expect them to be a man (or woman) of their word.
 

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