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Post by jazzguy on Jan 11, 2024 13:22:36 GMT -5
The longer I'm on it the more I hate it.
I sell a lot of odds and ends there but people can really make it a frustrating experience.
I'm selling a brand new box fan for $15
A guy says he wants it and I see he's close to my supermarket so I tell him I can meet him there. We decide on a time, he says should be fine I'll email tomorrow morning to confirm. Tomorrow morning comes and goes, no confirmation. I email does he still want it, he says yes. A little while later he emails and asks can I come to his place or meet somewhere to test it. I say it's brand new but maybe they have an outlet in the supermarket if he really has to test it. He emails "this is getting too complicated I'll pick one up somewhere else"
This after going up in the cold attic to get it. I could see if it was a car he wanted to test drive or an expensive piece of stereo equipment. But it's a brand new $15 box fan. I'm surprised he didn't ask me to gift wrap it and give him a warranty.
They should rename the place Flakelist.
Rant over. I guess it could have been much worse like some stories I hear.
Any annoying CL tales you care to relate?
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Post by Pinetree on Jan 11, 2024 13:47:23 GMT -5
"Musicians are flakes" - Gina D.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Jan 11, 2024 14:00:53 GMT -5
Had all my VHT Special 6 head, an Egnater 1x12 cab and a Fender Pro Jr. on CL in Florida for a bargain price. Guy expressed interest in buying them all. Phone conversation, learned he was a field tech like I was and planned to be in area, set time. Called me back to say he got rerouted to a different area, could we make it tomorrow? Been there, done that, understood and said yes. I told him to please let me know if anything comes up because I took the CL postings down. All set.
Never heard from him again.
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chucksmi
Wholenote
Posts: 173
Formerly Known As: Offshore Angler elsewhere
Age: I saw Jerry Live
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Post by chucksmi on Jan 11, 2024 14:56:32 GMT -5
I picked up a mint (basically unplayed) LP Studio with HSC for $600 on Craigslist, so no complaints here. Sold a US Strat got top buck too.
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Post by Vibroluxer on Jan 11, 2024 14:57:03 GMT -5
The longer I'm on it the more I hate it. I sell a lot of odds and ends there but people can really make it a frustrating experience. I'm selling a brand new box fan for $15 A guy says he wants it and I see he's close to my supermarket so I tell him I can meet him there. We decide on a time, he says should be fine I'll email tomorrow morning to confirm. Tomorrow morning comes and goes, no confirmation. I email does he still want it, he says yes. A little while later he emails and asks can I come to his place or meet somewhere to test it. I say it's brand new but maybe they have an outlet in the supermarket if he really has to test it. He emails "this is getting too complicated I'll pick one up somewhere else" This after going up in the cold attic to get it. I could see if it was a car he wanted to test drive or an expensive piece of stereo equipment. But it's a brand new $15 box fan. I'm surprised he didn't ask me to gift wrap it and give him a warranty. They should rename the place Flakelist. Rant over. I guess it could have been much worse like some stories I hear. Any annoying CL tales you care to relate? That cracked me right up!! Complicated, indeed! |
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Jan 11, 2024 16:13:52 GMT -5
I sold a bunch on CL before moving to Florida from Michigan. I had one guy who was a return customer on several occasions. For the most part it was a positive experience where both I and the interested buyer "vetted" each other prior to meeting. I did a number of sales from my house (I was moving anyway) and went to a guy's home to sell him my old Ampeg Reverberocket II. All those transactions went great. I did have one flake who engaged in a texting marathon and then vanished like my one Florida experience.
This is all the better part of a decade ago. After the Florida experience I haven't tried. I sold a bunch of lower value stuff on Reverb without a hitch. The most tedious transaction was a guy who bought my old inoperative Tascam Portastudio which between cost and shipping was practically a giveaway. Making all kinds of demands after the sale about it "better not be scratched up" and "it better be packed good". He was delighted when he received it and even sent me pics when he refurbished it.
I've contemplated parting out some of my partscasters through Reverb, or selling them on CL. But honestly, the stories I hear and knowing what the world has become with scammers, miscreants and head cases, I just don't want to wade into that cesspool. My entire inventory doesn't add up to much, maybe a nice ash can to put me in with an open house estate sale. I'm OK with that.
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Post by Taildragger on Jan 11, 2024 16:47:01 GMT -5
I like the guys who ask you every question you already answered in the ad description and then offer you "half" when the description also stated that the price is firm.
I've bought some stuff but haven't tried to sell anything lately because that often winds up just being more trouble than it's worth.
I mostly troll the "free" section now, where I once in a while find something nearby that I can use.
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Post by LTB on Jan 12, 2024 23:42:54 GMT -5
Craigslist was fabulous when it first came out. Now too many scams make everyone skittish.
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Post by Taildragger on Jan 13, 2024 0:51:35 GMT -5
Craigslist was fabulous when it first came out. Now too many scams make everyone skittish. As in, "the few ruin it for the many"? That seems t'happen with lots of stuff, don't it? |
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Post by Ragtop on Jan 14, 2024 6:07:37 GMT -5
I got lucky yesterday. A Martin OM-18V appeared on Denver CL. I jumped on it early and drove 3 hours to get it. Then 3 hours home.
The price was more than reasonable and the seller was a good guy. The guitar is a 2002 in EXC condition.
There are good deals to be had on CL, but you gotta be ready to buy. This guy had another buyer lined up already in case I backed out.
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Davywhizz
Wholenote
"Still Alive and Well"
Posts: 443
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Post by Davywhizz on Jan 14, 2024 7:13:10 GMT -5
We seem to have CL in the UK now, not sure how long it's been here. I've used Gumtree (same sort of thing) many times for buying and selling and it's always been OK. I got some patronising emails telling me how much my items "usually sell for", which was always about half the listed price. I tried to stick to local handovers, but once shipped a Telecaster after receiving a payment.
My last transaction was a PRS sold to a guy in Belgium. I was determined not to mail it whatever happened. The buyer was very keen and came up with a plan, paid me by bank transfer and I met a taxi driver in a pub to hand over the guitar. He was a friend of a friend of the Belgian and was due to visit. So everyone was happy.
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Post by Taildragger on Jan 14, 2024 11:12:21 GMT -5
I was actually was complimented and thanked by a CL seller last week because my emails to him were polite, concise and rational and I showed up at his house at the time I had told him I would be there.
He seemed stunned that it could happen that way.
Go figure: I just thought of it as how a person should behave...
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Post by jazzguy on Jan 14, 2024 12:07:59 GMT -5
I was actually was complimented and thanked by a CL seller last week because my emails to him were polite, concise and rational and I showed up at his house at the time I had told him I would be there. He seemed stunned that it could happen that way. Go figure: I just thought of it as how a person should behave... Just shows to goes how most people act, he was expecting rudeness and ignorance |
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Post by rickyguitar on Jan 14, 2024 12:13:50 GMT -5
Sold an LP on Craigs List a few years back. Real easy deal. Only transaction for me.
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Post by Mfitz804 on Jan 14, 2024 12:15:59 GMT -5
Almost every in person deal I have ever tried to make is a problem. People cancelling, delaying, failing to show, etc.
I’ll still do them when I need to, but 99% of the time I would rather ship.
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Post by LTB on Jan 14, 2024 12:31:07 GMT -5
Almost every in person deal I have ever tried to make is a problem. People cancelling, delaying, failing to show, etc. I’ll still do them when I need to, but 99% of the time I would rather ship. Have to wonder how many of those were people trying to set up best place to try and rob you and you kept that from happening. |
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Post by jazzguy on Jan 14, 2024 12:50:38 GMT -5
Here's a recent one.
Someone advertising a near mint blackface Fender Vibrolux Reverb for $900. I said can I pick it up tomorrow he says sure. These go for about 4K today in that condition. 2 pics shot outside in the ad, front and back. I knew it was a scam so I asked for more pics.
He sends a few of a beat up VR, pics shot
indoors.
I emailed gee, it got a little beat up since the first couple pics were taken.
He says the wear shows up more indoors. (Hah!)
I said if you're going to run a scam at least use an amp in the same condition.
"You're disrespectful, goodbye"
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Post by Taildragger on Jan 14, 2024 13:46:06 GMT -5
I have only done two CL purchases outside the county in which I live. I want to be familiar with the neighborhood where I'm going and I know where the sketchy areas in our county are. When in doubt, I check the Google maps "street view" to get some sense of what sort of area it is (also makes it easier to identify the house when you get there).
If the transaction involves more than $50, I arrange to meet them in a very public place, especially if their address is rural and remote.
I always screenshot the ad, note the street address and tell the wife where I'm going so that somebody knows where I went in the event that I don't come back after the passage of a reasonable amount of time. I usually then call her when the interaction is done and before I start back.
All this might sound paranoid, but some people seem to think that they can get away with pulling really stupid stuff, especially when they're on drugs.
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Post by Mfitz804 on Jan 14, 2024 14:21:30 GMT -5
Almost every in person deal I have ever tried to make is a problem. People cancelling, delaying, failing to show, etc. I’ll still do them when I need to, but 99% of the time I would rather ship. Have to wonder how many of those were people trying to set up best place to try and rob you and you kept that from happening. All of them lol. |
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Post by Larry Madsen on Jan 14, 2024 14:31:43 GMT -5
I was wanting to purchase a “music related” item on CL not too long ago.
I asked a question and received an answer.
I responded to the seller asking how I could meet up with him to make the purchase.
Never heard back.
I suppose he could have sold it to someone else, but I always wonder if the seller somehow thought of me as a “scammer”.
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Post by jazzguy on Jan 14, 2024 14:38:16 GMT -5
I was wanting to purchase a “music related” item on CL not too long ago. I asked a question and received an answer. I responded to the seller asking how I could meet up with him to make the purchase. Never heard back. I suppose he could have sold it to someone else, but I always wonder if the seller somehow thought of me as a “scammer”. another pet peeve of mine when attempting to buy something whether on CL or elsewhere. people just delete the ads. is it too much trouble to email back and say the item is sold? |
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chucksmi
Wholenote
Posts: 173
Formerly Known As: Offshore Angler elsewhere
Age: I saw Jerry Live
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Post by chucksmi on Jan 15, 2024 7:38:33 GMT -5
Interestingly, I saw a piece of SONAR equipment for my boa that was advertised as NIB but at a great price day before yesterday. I responded and within minutes the poster got back to me. I asked for a photo of the equipment with a piece of paper with the word "string" on it in the picture to prove it wasn't a scam. Never heard back.
I find the custom picture of the item the best way to sniff out scammers.
I recently had a friend ask me about a boat listing on a website for selling and buying boats. The lister said the Boat was in New Jersey, and the deal was bangin'. I looked at the pictures and there were palm trees in the background and the boat had no registration numbers on it. Obviously a recycled picture from some dealer. Scams are everywhere.
Chuck
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