Question For Those Who Sell on Craigslist

[romantico]

I just signed up this past weekend on Craigslist. I have some items I'd like to sell and ebay is really pissing me off these days with their fee's. So, I listed a few items. I was advised to accept cash only and in person. A person emailed yesterday and asked if one of the items was still available. I responded quickly and said,yes it was. I waited to hear back from him,but he never got back yesterday or today. I just got an email and here is what he wrote:

Thanks for responding, I'm ok with the price. I would like to send
payment asap. Please let me know if a certified check is ok. After my
check clears my shipper will come and pick it up at your location. I
would have loved to come and take a look but I can't. My shipper will
though. If you can get back to me with your details I'll get the check
out asap. Need your full name and address, and your telephone
number..thanks


This is a different name than the one yesterday and something smells fishy. I intentionally priced the item high expecting to drop it down some. I have not responded. ANy advice or suggestions would be helpful and appreciated.Many thanks!

[ThomasQED]

1. It's a scam.

Craigslist works, but you will get a lot of spam/scammer/idiot mail before you sell your item. Just ignore them.

A real buyer will sound more like a real person and email a few times if necessary. Then you go meet the person in a public place somewhere and sell your item for cash.

[Duer 157099]

2. As posted above, scam, very typical for CL

Just ignore them, they *will* come. But so will legit replies. Get a phone number and speak to the person before proceeeding.

Just be careful, use common sense. I've bought and sold and freebied on CL for years and years, it's a great tool but like any other tool, needs to be used correctly and carefully.

Good luck; be patient.

[Brother Buzz]

3. Fake chashier check scam

100% bogus check
http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/cashier.asp

[PJPhreak]

4. As a long time CL Shopper...

I have bought Cars,Motorcycles,Bicycles and belive it or not My house off CL...anyone that is truly interested in what you have for sale will always include their phone number in their E-Mail to you.

I would never buy an item from a CL Seller unless I or someone that I know personally and trust very well went to look at the item,Take for example Bicycles...Their a lot of Classic and Vintage Bikes for sale on Cl all the time.Some folk know what they have and what they are worth,others not so much.That being said I would never trust someone I did not konw with a purchse like that.

Cash Only and in Person,Do not Ship,No Checks,Money Orders,No Cashier Checks.

The best rule of thumb...Its all about the Benjamins!!

[underpants]

6. I have bought a TV and mower on CL. Sold a truck on CL

I have had almost no difficulty of any kind but you are right.

[jp11]

5. Scam, the don't need more than your first name and you can even lie if you want

JMO but I wouldn't deal with shipping stuff as the point of CL in my mind is to avoid that and deal locally.

I often contact several people about items I'm interested in due to lack of pictures, proper description, good information about where they are actually located, it being an 'old' ad, etc. Sometimes I will hold off on getting back to person A if person B got back to me first and I've setup a time to see/buy that item.

I'd also suggest you let people know to bring exact change because you aren't a bank and won't be making change for them.


Some issues I have with people listing stuff to sell:

No pictures/lousy description/lack of details(sizing manufacturer, etc).

People don't put their proper city in the listing, but instead put a county/part of a state/or just the state which doesn't help me know if I want to drive there.

I give days/times I'm free and ask if they are available, assuming the items is still up for sale, ask if any of those are okay then they respond w/o giving me an address/phone number, preferred time, etc, I get 'yeah that's okay'.

As a general rule I don't give out my phone number on first contact until I get a response that the item is available and the person isn't halfway across my state or just farther than I'm willing to drive to look at something or even buy it.

I also don't deal with any listing that says 'pick it up off the porch, go around back' etc, that can easily be a fake listing from a neighbor or someone who doesn't like the person who's property they are sending you to go and steal something.

I dislike listings with just a phone number as again it might be a prank to have people calling someone about something they aren't selling, also if they say call with a strange window like 8pm-12am.

[romantico]

7. Thanks

Thanks everyone! Very helpful and I already deleted the email. Many thanks again!

[InvisibleTouch]

8. CL is wonderful if you're buying; a nightmare if you're selling.

First of all, you will get about 5 scam replies right off the bat for nearly every item you list for sale. You'll learn to recognize them fast ... they usually sound like they've cut-and-pasted your listing title into the body of their e-mail. Or they'll send one word, for instance, "Available?" ... *or* they'll send a string of nonsense text. All of those mails are designed to get you to reply and ask for further clarification, so they know they have a "live one" - after which point they will try to sell you some guaranteed get-rich-quick-with-no-work scheme. It will "only" cost you 99 cents to get started. Hidden in the fine print is that your credit card will thereafter be charged $80 a month unless you cancel ... but, er, there's no obvious contact info given for how and where to cancel.

Next you have the people who may be window-shopping or vaguely interested. You'll agree upon a time with them for when they want to come by and see/buy your item - and then you will never hear from them again. No explanation, no apology, no "I realized I couldn't afford it right now" - nothing. All you've done is wasted your time waiting for someone who never showed up.

With lots of perseverance or if you have something to sell that really is in high demand, you will eventually unload your stuff. For my part, anything I *can* sell on Ebay, I will put there first. Yes, the fees are getting silly, but at least you won't have to deal with the idiots that populate CraigsList.

Having said all that, I do have to say that my *buying* experience on CraigsList has always been very positive. I've found things I very much needed, at great prices. I think the sellers are just so happy to have a legitimate buyer who actually shows up, that they're totally pleasant to deal with.

[romantico]

9. Thanks.

I am beginning to get the emails you describe. All of them ask, if the item is still available.I think in my next ad I'll be sure to give phone number when responding and if they do not,all emails will go ignored.Thanks again for the advice.