Bring change

The old Craigslist buyer scam of only bringing $40 for $50-$60 item seems to have changed.

Now I'm running into guys that show up for a $60 item but bring a $100 bill and two $20's.  Guess they seem to think that way it doesn't look like thy are trying to short you.....?

For safety I never bring much but I'm making sure I have change.
This morning I sold an item for $20 and guy only had a $50 and a $10.  Didn't even ask if I could break the $50, just tried to hand me the $10.  


What's messed up with guys trying to strong arm me on price is if a peron is cool, friendly, professional.....9 out of 10 times if they examine it and say its really not worth x-amount to them, will I take <lesser>x-amount.....I usually will.   No need to hustle me.   Some items I can't, mark up is just to small.  But most I add in a little room for haggling.

This mornings item I got for $1 just yesterday.  Totally would have taken $10.  I really didn't expect a call when I priced t $20.  But try to hustle me?  Nope.  Got change.  Enjoy.  See ya.

Really thinking of getting Sqaure so I can take debit/credit.

Okay, so specify for them to bring exact change in your ad or to not bother coming at all.

They are Craigslist buyers.  They don't listen. 

Thats like specifying in Ad that you CAN NOT meet on weekend.   Sure to have every reply say they will meet you on Saturday.

I think if I said bring exact change, instead they would show up with a deer hoof and a can of soup for barter........   

I think part of the Craigslist customer "thing" is that today EVERYONE is an "expert" on buying and selling...due to shows like Storage Wars, American Pickers, etc.

They all think THEY are the ones who know how to bargain, etc even though when they are dealing with "us" they are dealing with people who have both bought and sold more than any of them if they are just regular consumers.

I always ask a Clist customer on the phone (because I take calls not emails) what city they are located in as to me it is a dead giveaway that if they drive 20 to 30 miles or more that more than likely they are going to make the buy if the quality and price of the item are correct.  When I am making a BUY from Clist (not often) and they ask ME that question I always tell them I am coming from THEIR city so I have a little more bargaining power (I think).

I did have a customer get to me a bit a few weeks ago. I had an item listed at $350 and they were coming from 40 miles away...thought I had it made. She offered me $300 and I said "I'm pretty firm on that price." Her comeback was "Are you sure about that ?"  Pretty "ballsy" for someone who might be making an 80 mile round trip for nothing, but I hesitated before responding and she came up with "How about $325?"  That was fine with me and considering that I had only paid $30 for the item it was REALLY fine!

Meanwhile, Clist has been pretty dead for me the last 4 weeks or so. Either the wrong items, wrong pricing or ?? .

I like the 'city thing'.  Have to give that a try.

Been slow here too.  Most of my items are hard sells.  Totally 'want' items, nothing people 'need' or even FEEL they need.   Specialty tools and kitchen gadgets mostly.

Tho, did figure out why I didn't get a single bite on anything last week.
Use the CL App on iPad and somehow it got stuck on 'Dallas' and posted all my listing down there.

I didn't even use the App in Dallas and the LocationServices is turned off.  I had LocationServices turned on in OKC but turned it off when I got on train to Dallas.   No clue how all that happened.

Movieman, have you used the CL App yet and if so which one?   The LifeLike App has so many bugs it drives me crazy.......

I did have a customer get to me a bit a few weeks ago. I had an item listed at $350 and they were coming from 40 miles away...thought I had it made. She offered me $300 and I said "I'm pretty firm on that price." Her comeback was "Are you sure about that ?"  Pretty "ballsy" for someone who might be making an 80 mile round trip for nothing, but I hesitated before responding and she came up with "How about $325?"  That was fine with me and considering that I had only paid $30 for the item it was REALLY fine!

We had some commercial double sided and single sided gondola shelving on CL.  Guy calls and we agree to hold it for him and he agreed our price was firm.  He rents a Uhaul truck, and drives all the way up from the Portland area (we had our racking in Everett, about 30 miles North of Seattle).  He gets here and then he wants to bargain.  We were like "buddy, you just rented a uhaul and drove hundreds of miles after agreeing to the price.  The price is what it is, we aren't dropping it a dime".  He pissed and moaned, but what was he gonna do?  He whips out the cash and we loaded him up.

Meanwhile, Clist has been pretty dead for me the last 4 weeks or so. Either the wrong items, wrong pricing or ?? . 

Craigslist has been slow for a while now.  Not just me either, I've talked to at least 5-6 people locally that agree it has really fallen off.  Also, I've noticed that on my ads for anything that's over 100 bucks, most of the offers I'm getting are people that want to trade stupid stuff.....it's like nobody has cash any more! 

Movieman, have you used the CL App yet and if so which one?   The LifeLike App has so many bugs it drives me crazy.......

Nope, and after reading this thread earlier I went back to that old thread about iPad and Clist and revisited it.
You were talking about problems with it then as well.

I just use Safari on my iPad 1 and use Clist as I do on my home computer. I don't post on either Clist or eBay from my Ipad. I use my laptop at home for that; it's not just because my iPad 1 doesn't have a camera; I like the better control I have on the home computer and all the picture opportunities I have (zoom, html usage, etc).

As mentioned by another poster in that old thread, I need to clean, try out, etc any item I am going to put online, so I don't feel an immediate need to photograph and post it just after I buy it.

@ Movieman, The Teacher, et al.

Craigslist has definitely slowed down. I have purposely raised my prices after doing some product research and seeing the current prices at local stores for new Chinese garbage.

Not sure what else has happened in the economy. Ive noticed many larger furniture stores are advertising layaway and no interest financing for their furniture. I also think Craigslist is becoming a haven for other people who are trying to be "resellers". Although the numbers of people at storage auctions has fallen, I think the "resale" lifestyle is becoming popular in American society. It amazes me how many customers at different venues (flea market, yard sales, Craigslist) are "resellers".

I have a kinda wierd theory that is not meant to be an explanation for all the reasons why people are getting into reselling.

I think many people in this country have really been adversely affected by the economy over the last 5 years and those people who were consumate consumers can no longer just go out and buy stuff they want and shop for entertainment; so to feed their emotional "fix" to shop, they tell themselves they are shopping to "resale" and make money, when in reality they are just fullfilling the need to shop.

I have a kinda wierd theory that is not meant to be an explanation for all the reasons why people are getting into reselling.

I think many people in this country have really been adversely affected by the economy over the last 5 years and those people who were consumate consumers can no longer just go out and buy stuff they want and shop for entertainment; so to feed their emotional "fix" to shop, they tell themselves they are shopping to "resale" and make money, when in reality they are just fullfilling the need to shop.

You have described my friend....

Started bringing him along since he knows electronics, motorcycle's and various other items I'm not good at.

Problem, he buys everything but never sells.  He rents a room so all his crap is piled outside his room, my rec room, garage......

I finally had to tell him he couldn't come with me anymore untill he purged.  He's like a horder!

He's also one of those people that when he does sell he wants top dollar.  He prices by what things are listed at, not sold for.   He got some 70's stereo equipment for $25. "Worth" a $150.  But not selling.

try for $150......but after 3 months....lower your price! 

Sure, I have items that aren't selling and I won't lower price.  Eventually the right buyer will come along.  But they are smalls, take up no space and you can be damn sure if I need money or space they will be discounted.

He needs to learn the difference between 'possessions' and 'inventory'.


Sorry.  This turned into a Rant.   No buried feelings or resentments coming out here.  Move along. Nothing to see here, folks.  Have a nice day.   

On the app thing. Have to agree with Movieman. I have gotten to where I can tell if the ad was posted from an app or from a computer. From the app not a good ad.

Agree on money being tight for a lot of people. Why we have kinda stopped. When there are over 50 yard sales every weekend in your area, something is up. And when you go they want retail. 


CL is starting to pick back up for us.. Totally different dynamics down here. Summer months stink.

Summer hot, rainy, and vacationers. Winter months nice weather,(minus the hurricanes LOL) snowbirds here for the winter so sales pick back up.

Did notice the flea market close to us is picking back up.

Recent sale lady asked on the phone if that was a firm price. Yes.  so she said ok I will bring the correct amount + the delivery fee which she set at $50. I would have set it at $30... But hey took the money.

Last two sales have been paid in all $20's. Don't like taking $100's a lot of counterfeiting going on down here. Have the pen, but they are using $5's to make $20's ect.