a77impala

I responded to an ad and was given address, I replied I was on my way, 20 minutes to his house. I got there, it was an apartment complex, walked around thinking was waiting for me, nobody.
Got home got a text, are you coming, I replied what's your apt. number. I never heard from him again. I think he was jacking people around. Bike had been listed a month.
This is in Austin TX.

wphamilton

So it sounds like the way to get good deals on craigs list is to look for really bad ads with poor photos that have been re-listed, contact the seller to find the biggest jerks, and make the trip if they won't answer a question. Because those guys can't sell a good bike for what it's worth.

Sorry if it's snarky, but I can't help but think that something is wrong with this picture.

auchencrow

It's nice that he called you his "pal", but I bet he's a little "pal-challenged" in real life.

turky lurkey

Yes and it should be pretty darn obvious to everybody what the size of the bike is without asking.

D1andonlyDman

There's actually quite a bit of truth to that - It's similar to the early days of ebay, before ebay became dominated by full-time sellers. The best deals are invariably those where the seller is the most clueless to what they have for sale. If there is any useable picture or glimmer of useable information about an item that is itself highly desirable at it's asking price, the folks who will get the deal are those who are knowledgeable enough to recognize the value proposition from the least information, and make the effort to get there first.

iab

Bad customer service is not just limited to big bidniz (ebay, etc) or gubmint (USPS, etc).

Just my opinion, but looking out for #1 has only gotten worse as time moves on.

curbtender

People who are in the midst of moving or cleaning don't really care, it's the mission to unburden themselves. I see it all the time. $40? And have people come and offer $30? Easier to just dump it. Trash removal has it's perks.

IcySmooth52

I find CL will put a smile on my face with some ads and/or customer communication.

An example of such an ad: Antique bikes for sale from Percy
-$500 rust-buckets, and he thinks because one's a 1940's nazi bike makes it worth such?

As for communications, many have played out like this: Sending them an email with questions, and a ridiculous response like many others have shared above. So I send them an email back telling them how bad I feel for them, but do it with a smile. "Sorry you have such a lack in selling skills. Unfortunately you've lost my possible sale, but I wish you the best with others!"

ionikos

People can be rude everywhere. I live in Amsterdam and use marktplaats (CL equivalent) where I have purchased all my bikes. When I ask a few too many questions, they pull the pin and tell me to learn Dutch. Soo funny when I saw that response. I was on the way to pick up a bike and I get a msg the bike was sold to somone else.
I have picked up a lot more better deals since then...so there is karma.

+ 11 not you're size

r0ckh0und 

When I see a potential CL deal, "when can I come pick it up?" Then I go look it over before handing over my cash. Many one time sellers and quick flippers will tell you their bike is ready to ride, just needs air in the tires. I have gotten rude responses as well, I usually just move on. Not worth the aggravation.

The Golden Boy 

Proper response:

"What are you wearing?"

Follow up with lengthy discussions about underpants. Make sure you refer to them as "underpants."

If he doesn't reply- more underpants discussions. Keep it up for a month or so, until you get bored. And then pop in a year or so later, and show the Buzz Aldrin Jockey ad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnIH5rt6giY



By the way- I had a guy hounding me to buy a bike for $100. I had a bike up for like $250 or something and the guy kept emailing that he was going to buy it for $100. I think I was polite the first time and ignored him after that- but he kept going.

cruiserhead

$40 bike
I'm with the seller on this.

After selling stuff on CL, you get all kinds and someone that picky over a $40 bike will never be satisfied.

MrCoffee

Exactly. If a seller puts up an ad for $40.00, that means they want the bike gone. Nothing more.

crank_addict

Somtimes its the other way around - rude buyers won't get it for any amount. Keeping it bike related, here's another twist of how a seller may react.

I replied to a CL ad for a super low priced Motobecane. It was quite a distance but worked out well in planning for other stops. I had to make it worthwhile, otherwise wasn't worth my time even if it was free. Anyhow, told the buyer I'm leaving right away. Cool. Get there, took less then a minute glance at the filthy neglected bike, no quibble, handed the cash, loaded the bike.

Now that the biz was done, had a pleasant conversation with the seller. In the meantime, spotted another interesting bike in the barn. We're talking real barn find's.... the bird droppings, grimey, spider webs, etc.. The seller then says he listed this bike as well. Funny though as I didn't even know it was for sale or spotted the ad. I was quite surprised just to see this ride and then asked the price? He gives me the history of it and then the price, which was the same as the first bike. I replied briefly of the condition, told him even as, is worth far more and quite collectable but that I'll gladly take it.

Fast fwd: His cell phone rings and apparently its another buyer for this second bike. Obviously I couldn't overhear the caller but the seller was kindly telling him 'sir, its sold'. The phone call continues..... and then the seller abruptly ends it. The seller tells me that the phone caller was unloading on him, the collectable story, blabbing he was foolish for selling so cheap, lalalala. But also offered considerable more for this bike.

Although he already offered it to me and I agreed, I told him he's more than welcome to take the phone caller offering whatever, etc. (nor did I offer more than the original agreement). The seller replied, 'hell no and wouldn't deal with the caller for any amount'. The seller was straight up, had his prices set and didn't really want to talk money. It was more about his reflection of the times he had with them and family, fondness of these older bikes and just glad that someone was going to preserve and ride them again.

IcySmooth52

That's when you put his email on lists of spam and "Sign Up To...!" to give him more back than he can give you. Then make his email address allocated to the spam-folder.

oddjob2

And some CL listers are great! I wanted to look at a 1990 XL Fuji Ace on Thursday enroute to Toledo meet a buyer for my Waterford Schwinn Paramount, who was coming up from Dayton. Nice buyer, on time too!

The Fuji seller couldn't meet on Thursday due to his work schedule. After the fact, he asked if I was still interested, to which I frankly answered yes, but I was unwilling to make a 60 mile round trip (having made a record distance trip a week ago for a Miyata 912 and a PX10). He offered to meet me 1/2 way, so I now have a clean Japanese made steel "Black Lightning" in the work queue.

The Golden Boy 

The VAST majority of people I've dealt with on CL have been great. I think I have a very...poor perception of people at large. I think I go in to every CL transaction as if I'm going to get dicked around- and aside from that incident above- everything has been pretty swell and as far as I know every transaction I've had has been good. My only bad transaction was with an ebay guy- but I was somewhat at fault as well. It was nothing a little relatively prompt communication from the seller would have nipped in the bud.

mightymax

This would have been only my third transaction on CL. The first two over the last two months were very pleasant. I drove 160 miles round trip for another Schwinn World Sport the guy wanted 75 dollars for. His ad stated the small details like 25 in frame and rims good but needs tires. My wife and I made an afternoon of it.
It was a nice couple about ten years our senior. They invited us in and we actually stayed over a half hour and had a nice conversation. The second time was three weeks ago when I bought some tires from a guy. He actually had a bike shop in his garage. Well I ended up buying tubes as well and we talked a good 20 minutes. Nice guy and when I need stuff again I am calling him. Then there was yesterdays adventure.

I never thought asking a few simple questions regardless of how much it was, should illicit a rude reply. I was looking to buy this bike to use. Not flip, not part out, and not use as a 40 dollar paperweight. 40 bucks is nothing to some people and the world to others. Me I have to be frugal. If the guy wanted a quick sale he had one. All he had to do was reply with a simple. "I cannot answer your questions but do you wish to look at it?" That would have been adequate. I have a customer service job and I find people just need to be rude to me at all times no matter how nice I am to them. I expect that at work but didn't expect that from somebody wanting to sell something and had a potential buyer right here right NOW! So looking at some of the replies that are above I just been schooled on CL ettiquette and just like Ebay it will be a learning curve.


Thanks everyone for your input. I came away from this a more savvy bike guy.

I learned if it's a good price don't ask questions and I can always part it out which I have not tried to do with a bike yet....


Cheers

elboGreaze

I emailed about a bike listed on CL, great price X , and I hit it within 20 minutes of the post . Guy emails back about an hour later , " sorry wrong price listed" . Checked the ad and it is now X + $100 . Prob got 5 or 10 hits in the first hour, decided to boost it up . Still a decent buy , but I backed off because of the bump .

Sullalto

I just want to know how y'all estimate size off pictures. Perfect profile, sure, could whip out the ruler or count pixels against the wheel, I suppose. But otherwise?

oddjob2

Steering or head tube is the key. If the DT and TT almost touch at the head tube it is a 48cm frame. Every inch of space between the DT and TT is another 2.5 centimeters.

oddjob2

Wow, 160 miles for a World Sport is a World Record, no pun intended!

Acquire, refurbish, and sell enough bikes and you will have a decent bankroll to capitalize your new hobby. After you get 20-25 transactions under your belt, you can buy with confidence.

tmh657

I have had issues selling inexpensive bikes. I list a $30 mountain bike that I got in a deal with a lot of other items just to move it. It seems that some folks who have extreme difficulty parting with $30 can be quite difficult to deal with. I now follow the advice of some other BF members. Donate it or put it on the curb with a FREE sign.

RobbieTunes

Bad experiences, yes.

How about, when you call, some guy says "Is this Robbie?"
Pretty much stops me in my tracks.

A county of 1 million people, and I'm the repeat customer for repeat sellers.

mstateglfr 

I get that you want the frames gone and felt they were priced accordingly, but why would you want a ton of people wasting their time, and more importantly yours, in visits only to find out the frames aren't the right size or need for them.

Just seems like a lot of wasted time and effort when a simple reply with the frame size or emailed pics will keep them from wasting your time with a visit.

Hey, I may just be odd though and not want to spend time meeting with people who may not even fit what I am selling.



ETA- I wouldn't be surprised if over half the requests i have sent as a buyer came back as 'bike is gone'. It may annoy you that people ask, but its valid, given everyone else who doesn't delete sold bikes.