Craigslist Rant
 

So I list a mattress on Craigslist this morning. About an hour later, a guy calls and sez he wants to come look at it. I give him my address and he sez he'll be here an hour. This damn kid has the audacity to show up 3 minutes late, offer me $20 less than my asking price, and has the gall to drive over with a pickup truck and a friend to help load it. WTF?

The least he could have done was to ask YOU to help him load the mattress...or maybe even ask YOU for gas money for driving over to your place!!! :mad:

Randy

Sounds like me: I just bought an electric oven this morning. in and out in less than 5 min. In the future I will give it my best hillbilly try! Should have had it delivered!

You're a bad negotiator, and you expected 'the good will of nice people' to carry you through this transaction, and you failed.

#1, list everything for 10% more than you want to get out of it.
#2, People are paying cash, and don't want to carry 10s and 5s. List things for $550 if you want $500. List things for $225 if you want $200.
#3, if the kid brought a friend and a truck, you should know that he's not willing to walk away. Stick to your price.


It's a little dance. Learn how to dance!

And, at the end of the day, your mattress is gone, and you have cash. Have you ever tried to throw away a mattress? It sucks, so you did at least that part right!!!

It's great when folks show up and pay asking price, but it's the exception.

SmileWavy

You gotta feel for someone who buys a used mattress. Pee stain already installed ;)

rjp

Did you throw in the bed bugs for free??SmileWavy

LOL, yup in my view a used mattress is right up there with used underwear or socks.

It sounds like this sale worked out fine. I sold an audio equipment rack/cabinet on CL a few years ago and it was pretty much a nightmare. Way too many wackjobs.

He's gonna wish it was just a pee stain...

I still got about $80 more than comparable items I saw listed, so I think I did OK.

Well geez; I take back my "Failed" comment! You did good.

I can't believe you are complaining! Should that have been in green?

Funny thing, since my first reply on this post today, a guy emailed me about one of my Craigslist sales, came over, bought the item, and left. About an hour from first contact to cash in hand! Now me and my five friends named Ben Franklin are just hangin out. Oh yeah, I listed for $550, so I guess my streak where I think I'm a pro at craigslist is still goin.

+1

That is exactly what I was thinking.

Thom, It sounds like you got off easy. Most Craig's list buyers are flakes.

I buy and sell on Craigs list all the time. I don't haggle over price much. Bought a "new" queen mattress + wood frame + head/foot board for my daughter. They asked $275. Went and saw it. Bed was true to listing (guest room = little use) and fantastically clean. I paid $275 cash and was out of there. If I tried to do that new it would be minimum $1K. A new girly paint job on the wood bed and she loves it.

Time is money (to me). I won't even call or email on something that does not have a picture. I am picky. I sell good quality stuff only - marginal stuff goes to the dump. I expect the same when I am the buyer. I have yet to have a bad experience with Craigs list.

Who the F buys (or sells) a used mattress? Eww.

My thoughts exactly.

Used once. Never slept in... :eek:

3 minutes late! Get the duck out!

I always list my prices as FIRM. It saves a lot of hassle. I'll list on the high side and drop the price $20 after a couple of weeks. If someone calls offering less, I tell them to keep an eye on the ad and if the item hasn't sold in a couple of weeks I'll lower the price. Low ballers are done at that point. Serious buyers come out and buy.

My favorites are the ones who show up at my house after reading "FIRM" and then offer less. "Sorry you spent 45 minutes of your day to drive all the way here and missed that part of the ad, but I really meant firm." They always buy at the posted price.

And, yes, prices should be such that folks can pay with $20 bills if possible.

LOL on used mattress. We sold my daughters single + wood bed for $200. The day it arrived it was covered in a water proof mattress pad. My daughter slept on it for 5 years. Today she weighs 75 lbs tops. It was for all purposes clean and unused.

Yes there is a ton of **** out there and most used beds I would never consider. But there sellers out there who are OC like me and you can find a good deal. You need to be diligent but they are out there...daily.

Do you sleep in hotels? Their beds are disgusting by comparison.