Craigslist

[mshel]

Has anyone here ever successfully bought anything off craigslist??? I have tried on a few occassions to BUY something and never get a response from the seller. Saw a compressor the other day that I would have bought and immediately sent the seller a email. Guess what, thats right, no response. So, I am beginning to think; why the $$ell do they advertise the stuff if they aren't going to respond to someone wanting to buy their stuff. I guess I will continue doing what I have always done when it comes to powetools, buy new and get the warranty. Sometimes this stuff just seems to eat at me until I vent and then I am good to go. Know what I mean Vern. Nuf said, rants over.


Mike

[nelsone]

I bought a lawn mower. Everything went great.

[DIYGUY]

Buying has so far been smooth as long as I am first in line. Problem has been getting there before someone else. Selling is a different story - lots of folks just waste your time. They either want to dicker, barter or just yank your chain. Some of the time things have gone smoothly, more often than I would like it has not. Guess that is just part of life.

BTW - if it is a bargain it is almost always gone before you get there.

[Travis Porter]

I bought a battery operated jeep for my little girl. I have gotten responses to a couple of emails I have sent. There was a Robland combo awhile back I got a response to, and a couple of other things, but there have been just as many times I have gotten no response as well.

[FredP]

i have got some good deals there but have had the same experiance you had on several occations. keep tryin. sooner or later that speacial deal will go through.

fred

[DaveO]

I have both bought and sold on Craiglist. Lately much more selling than buying, and you are deluged with e-mails from folks wanting what you're selling and offering some amount less than what you're asking. IMO if an item cost $100, and all you can offer is $75 (you just can't scrap together $25 more dollars to pay what is asked ) then you probably need to save your money.
I think that like Pete said, often items go to the first person who gets in touch with the seller (that is the way it goes in my case) and many people aren't considerate enough to take the time and reply to all the others who were interested.
Craiglist is the epitome of the old saying "You get what you pay for". Free buying and selling and usually cheap junk.
MTCW,
Dave

[TV]

I purchased a 1.5 year old 3 hp Jet cabinet saw/74" rails and a 2 year dewalt 735 planer on craigslist. Both good deals but I had to call one of them because email didn't get a response. I have sold several things as well, small items. Oh, I also found some walnut as well. I have had pretty decent fortune.

tv

[Douglas Robinson]

I bought a Campbell Hausfeld compressor that works great. All it needed was a valve. It had barely been used. ($60). I also bought a Festool Multifunction table for $250. It normally goes for $440. (the seller lowered it when he could not find one screw.) I was first or near first both times.

Doug

[mshel]

Originally Posted by Douglas Robinson

I bought a Campbell Hausfeld compressor that works great. All it needed was a valve. It had barely been used. ($60). I also bought a Festool Multifunction table for $250. It normally goes for $440. (the seller lowered it when he could not find one screw.) I was first or near first both times.

Doug

I would venture a guess that it really doesn't matter what order you reply, I think some seller(s) look at who is closer and selects that person first. Quick sale means quick cash right? So enough of Craigslist, I don't think I will bother in the future. As they say, there is no future in it.

Mike

[Bas]

Originally Posted by mshel

..never get a response from the seller.

About a month ago, I got rid of my lawn mower. It was broken, so I posted it in the "For Free" section. This was at 11:30pm.

I received five responses that evening.

The first responder picked it up at 9am the next morning. I deleted the posting at 9:10am. By then, I had received 46 responses. Now, I did send a note to everyone ("Sorry, item already gone, thanks for the interest"), but I was tempted to stop after #20.... So, while annoying, I can see why people don't reply to buyers.

Of course, some people are just rude, and can't be bothered to reply even if they only received three responses. The way I see it, I wouldn't want to buy from someone like that anyway.

Bas.

[yellofins]

I bought 3 things today off of craigslist.
First to reply or first with cash usually gets the item...
Ron

[SteveHall]

CL works for me, it's where I got my joiner, planer, scroll saw, dust collector, and drill press. The trick is to be first responder, don't try to work the price down, offer cash, and offer to pick it up same day. A lot of sellers prefer first pickup over first response, too.

[junquecol]

I have picked up a couple of tablesaw's and a 32' ladder. Missed one for $50, with "bad brushes", but being a belt drive contractor saw it doesn't have brushes. Missed a 14" bandsaw, which another member did get. Picked up a cast iron wing for a Jet saw that I gave to Pete. No problems so far, except band saw. Sent an E-mail within two minutes of posting, no reply. But there is a happy ending, another NC woodworker snagged it. Jeremy picked up his tablesaw off craiglist. There were two listed at the time. The cheaper was in the better condition. Oh yeah picked up a couple of older Sears RAS, for less than the recall amount. Both were in excellent condition. One of my clients rented one of her properties to a guy coming to Cary from Seattle.

[mburke911]

Hi,
I buy and sell on CL frequently (mostly buy). I have mostly had my transactions go smoothly, although a few have not. If your not near the top of the list your not going to get the item. Some sellers try to be fair, others don't.

Keep trying and try not to get frustrated. I look at it like this, if I get a great deal with a single email I am doing well. If I never hear back, forget it. Not worth getting upset, IMHO. You tried and for whatever reason it didn't work out.

Things happen in other peoples lives and sometime they just can't complete a transaction. I had one were a seller got ill and ended up in the hospital. When he got home he emailed and apologized and said he was still too sick to deal with Craig's list. What can you do... it wasn't his fault.

I do try to talk the seller down, but I wait until I get to see the item. Sometimes it's just not worth negotiating. Especially if the deal is already really great. My table saw was that way. It was about a year old, in absolutely immaculate condition with almost every accessory I could want. I went planning to try to talk him down, but when I got there I just paid the price and we both left happy.

All of this is just my opinion and may not work for others. Above all I try to be fair and courteous.

Mark

[mkepke]

I've bought quite a bit of nice stuff off CL. Lessee..38" drum sander, 1HP power feeder, 14" Delta bandsaw, Delta radial arm saw, Delta HD lathe, a couple hundred board feet of nice lumber (including that 9/4 x9" x10' stick of FAS cherry @ $0.50 a running foot )...

CL changes nothing about the basic buyer-seller dynamic.

These are my basic rules for buying:
1) have a ready supply of cash. Cash rules, everything else - including an emailed promise to buy - drools.

2) understand the subject area. You need to be able to recognize when something is a good deal. Conversely, you need to be able to recognize when something is a dog, not a diamond.

3) be persistent. Didn't get a response ? Follow-up. I will call, email, then call again. Sellers have a life - they don't religiously check their messages. But almost everyone answers their phone when it rings.

4) be patient. "Good things come to those who wait" - or at least, good things are available to those that wait. BTW, it took me four years of looking to buy a (used) powerfeeder. It took me 18 mos of looking to buy a lathe.

5) be decisive. Tire-kickers and think-it-overs do not score the good deals.

-Mark