Craigs List

[Amanda]

OK, so I want to unload some stuff and wanted to try Craig's List. I have a 20" TV/DVD and a guy contacted me about it. I called him back and he at first seemed confused and then asked if I would be available Friday afternoon. I told him yes but I would have to check my work schedule... then I threw in that my boyfriend might be home (!).
I told Nick I'm afraid this is some scammer who will come and rob me or something and he thinks I'm nuts! He asked if I lived alone! I said no I live with my boyfriend. I'm nervous now! Any of you deal with Craig's list?

I'm thinking of moving the tv to the back patio so he (and supposedly his wife) don't come in to my place!

Kristie will you come over and protect me from the scary Craigs list people??!!
Amanda

[Kristie]

yellow/red flag = "he asked if i lived alone".... i'd steer clear of anyone asking if you live alone.

why don't you meet him in a public place? you can easily fit a 20" tv in your car i'm thinking....

if your gonna sell stuff from home in a way other than a garage sale.. then i'd say get yourself a body builder friend or someone who has some serious guns on him and call him your "husband" while people are in the house. get someone scary... haha

[trigeek]

Craigs List is a pain in the rump. I agree with Kristie, get a big body builder to scare off the craig's crazies.

I like your idea Kristie, I'll sell my PotteryBarn rug out of the trunk of my car. And I'll donate the rest of the stuff I was considering on selling on the List. It is the giving season!

[Eastbayk]

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Craig's list. It's how I cleaned out my entire house before I moved to FL. Of course, I was in San Francisco where it started and where it is HUGE. Craig's list in any other part of the US just doesn't compare yet. But it's worked for us here in Jacksonville OK. I've sold everything from a Ford Explorer to a bag of hangers on Craigslist (sold and bought furniture, dishes, kid clothes, electronics, motorcycles, found a roommate, dated a guy, enjoyed the rants and raves...) I've rarely run into problems.

I aggree that you should always try to meet in a public place instead of at your house, if at all possible. Or have someone else at your house if someone does come by. People asking personal questions would be a huge red flag! There is a huge flake factor of people too, quite a few would say they were going to come by and would not show up, so be forwarned. The best way to actually get someone is to give a phone number to have them call you or call them. Arranging things by just email (my prefered method) is harder because not everyone checks their email regularly. People sometimes respond to a bunch of ads and then don't know which one you are calling them back about, so it pays to be clear what you have. If you post an item, always say cash only (who wants to deal with a bounced check!) and it will sell better if you post a picture.

Another place you might try is www.freecycle.org. It's a place to give and get for free!

Kim

[rgphib]

I agree with finding a public place to do the transaction (that sounds like a drug deal huh!). DH bought me some winter alloy rims for my volvo and we did go to the guys house. But DH always has people meet him somewhere we he is selling an item. He meets in a public place (like a resturant parking lot) and also only accepts cash. He just got rid of some rims he bought for his volvo (and made 75$ more than he orginally paid 5 years ago!) and some snow tires that we decided not to use (also made 75$ more than he paid!). My SIL buys some kid stuff off craiglist (used outside toys mostly).

Craiglist is great, but I would be careful.

[pilots_wife]

He asked if you live alone? WTF? Thats just plain creepy! I've sold stuff from Craigs List before and I just always stick it in my car and meet them in a grocery store parking lot. Its always worked out that way. But, I've thought of big items that I can't fit in my car, and I would have someone - preferrably a big guy - come over during the sale and pickup. Good luck!

[Amanda]

OK- my muscular guy-- Nick-- isn't coming home for a while and I don't know any body builders!

Update- I called the scary guy back and I guess I sounded kinda scary, so he said he changed his mind.
I have 2 others who emailed me and want to see the TV. That's another thing- people don't want to buy a TV out of a car- they need to plug it in and see if it works!

I emailed one of the people who responded and I made myself sound like a guy with a BIG family! I know- I'm goofy.

What I might do is have the person meet me at the clubhouse at my complex and have the Pres of the HOA meet me there too- he's old, but a real nice guy who lives near me and can be intimidating when he wants to be!

Thanks for the feedback gals!

[Kristie]

Originally Posted by trigeek

Craigs List is a pain in the rump. I agree with Kristie, get a big body builder to scare off the craig's crazies.

I like your idea Kristie, I'll sell my PotteryBarn rug out of the trunk of my car. And I'll donate the rest of the stuff I was considering on selling on the List. It is the giving season!

That's what i do...I donate all my old stuff.. simply because selling it at anything other than a garage sale is a pita.. AND because i get more money for it if i just take it off next years taxes! our accountant tells us to donate stuff as much as possible because it can really add up.

[pilots_wife]

Good luck! Hope it all works out

[Amanda]

Well, after the first guy changed his mind, I got contacted but then he dropped off the face of the Earth. Another guy emailed and offered me money and said he would pick it up, but now he's not responding to my emails either.