Why is it that when someone answers an ad on CL and they sound so pumped up about the item (in this case a bike I have for sale) and want to come look at the bike then when I e-mail an answer to set up a time they never call or e-mail back. I have had at least 7 people say they want to see the bike and even one person tried to negotiate a deal in the e-mail ( I don't negotiate over the phone or e-mail) just gets my goat that some people never follow through on what they act like is something they really want. Ok I'm done griping now. So how was yer weekend

fine. I worked 7 hours on saturday and 12 today. but no one failed to follow through.

that's because Clist is the poorman's ebay. There's no penalty like bad ratings for posters, so there are lot of delinquents on clist.

Posters just post all they want.
I usually just put up some unneeded parts and don't expect too much.

It all comes down to a matter of priorities . . .

THEIRS!

Regards,
J T

I guess I expect a little more cause when I call someone or e-mail and want to set up a time I always follow through on it or call and tell them I won't be able to make it. I've waited for folks to show up and change plans so someone can come look at something I have listed and its frustrating thats all. Oh hey Luker I worked this weekend too its tough enough to get up at 4:00 am during the week but on the weekend thats a pain but hey its overtime so its all gravy

Craigslist sucks 99% of the time, buying or selling.

I've had a little luck, but to be honest, I think eBay's fees are worth reducing my wasted time. Because the overwhelming majority of people on Craigslist that say "I'll take it" actually turn out to be no shows, I've learned the hard way that you have to be there almost spontaneously to get the item. These folks turn honest sellers into cold-hearted souls, who will disregard any electronic agreement as long as someone shows up at the door with cash.

My least favorite experience is trying to purchase an old road bike from a fellow two hours away. We agreed on a deal, I'd pay the price he was asking and I'd be there on Saturday with cash, sight unseen. After several friendly e-mails asking for details (I was eager to find out more about it) I call on the Friday prior to remind him that I'll be arriving in the morning with cash. He says the bike is sold and that if I was really serious about it I would have been up there sooner. He should be glad he lived two hours away, the least I could do was send a nice e-mail detailing exactly how much Gran Sport components are worth. Not that I'm bitter.

I think it is the normal CL flakes. I think everyone that does any amount of selling on CL gets them. I know I sure get a lot of them. The oh oh I want to buy it when can I get it. I respond and never hear from them again. I make it a practice to respond to emails and give my cell number. If they call and want to come out then and only then will I give directions to my house. I have stopped rearranging my plans for 'buyers' because too many say they will call and/or come out at a certain time and never do.

I can say in my response for CL ads if I say I want it I really do, and then tell me what time and I will be there.

Weekend was good and I got to play bike polo again today after a couple month hiatus because of the weather here.

I have the opposite problem. I was interested in an 80s Miyata 914, was pumped up about maybe buying it in the $175 range. I first saw it maybe....a month ago? I emailed the seller a couple of times, as he didn't have a phone number there. On Christmas day, he puts up the exact same listing for the exact same bike. Keep in mind that this is two weeks from when I sent him the first email. I think maybe he might have not gotten my first one through the first listing, so I email him again. A week and a half passes, still no response. I have to head back up to school after my winter break, so if he does respond, I'll have to get my dad or a friend to go up there and buy it for me. However, that is assuming that the seller will eventually respond. It's been about a month and about six emails, and still nothing. He won't even respond when I ask if the bike is still for sale (which I asked a couple of days ago).

I have been through the frustrated seller thing before, but never the frustrated buyer. Usually people want to get rid of their stuff and get cash for it.

Ah, I think you've fallen into the junk mail filter. There are a lot of posters who don't respond simply because all the main from CList gets sent straight to junk and the posters are oblivious.
Best way to get around it is to use an email that your ISP gave you.

I once posted that I was firm on a price for a set of handlebars, that it was OK if someone saw them and didn't want to pay what I was asking, but that I wouldn't take less. It got flagged and I had to repost. Craigslist is full of jerks (just like this whole damn country). Just be the best person you can as a buyer or a seller, and don't expect much, that's the best you can do. Try not to let it ruin your day.

It is fun to buy stuff on craigslist and have the seller be pleasantly surprised when you are on time and don't try to talk them down on price. Like being a straight shooter is so tough.

D

I have had many disinterested sellers. There is an older Trek that I would like to buy. Very cheap also. I told the guy I would buy it if it is in my size. I ask for a couple of sizing questions and other questions trying to determine which model it is. We change a few emails. I never hear from the guy again. I assume he sold it. About a month later, the same bike is for sale. Now even cheaper. I tell him I want it, I give my phone number in a couple of emails. I tell him to call or email me so we can set up a time for me to come out and buy it. I don't hear from him again. Oh, and it always took a couple of days between the time I sent the email to his response. I have given up hope that I will be able to buy the nice Trek.

I am also hoping to find a Raleigh or Schwinn 3 speed. The problem is my short legs, I need a really small frame. I see a couple of Raleighs in an ad and ask them the standover size. I tell them I will buy it if it is in my size. I don't hear from them for a week. Finally I get a response. Unfortunately, it was too large for me. I responded with a "thanks" but told them it was too large for me.

Another time I saw an old steel Giant. I don't know anything about steel Giants. But it was cheap, like $30. It looked like it would be my size. I sent an email a couple of minutes after it was posted. I tell them I will buy it. I figure it is only $30 and even if I don't like it, I could probably use it or its parts somehow. I wait and wait. Finally I send another email and they tell me it is sold. Why don't sellers remove their ad if it is gone?

I check Craig's List all the time, but I have never been able to buy anything off of it. But I do like reading all the
"Red Bicycle, make offer call if interested" ads. Oh, you have a red bike!? Great, I'll be right over. I've been looking for years for a red bike. No pic, no make or model and never ever a size.

There's a guy in Cincinnati selling a Fuji that he painted to look like a Bianchi. He calls it a BianchiWTB. He is not trying to fool anyone, he says what it is in the ad. The title is Faux Bianchi or something like that. I have always wanted to write to him and ask if I can pay with Faux money.

What do you mean by this? I am at university right now so I'm on their connection. Do you mean to use my school account to email rather than my gmail account? How will this make a difference if I am replying through CL?

It won't, unless the poster put their email address in the ad or have it listed. Otherwise, your first email has to be done through Craig's list.

Your email might be getting dumped into spam, but if that is the case, so would everyone else's. If there is no other way to contact the seller, you could just post on Craig's list and say that you want the bike. The seller might see it.

Change your default email to be the school email, send the message to the CL seller, then change it back to gmail.

Or, you could get someone here to make initial contact for you.

Yes, CL seems more like a flea market with many people passing by saying "We'll definitely be right back to buy that..." never to be seen again.

Everything that I have ever posted on CL has sold to the first or second person that has been interested for the asking price, except one. I had a semi-complete mid 80's DA group that I posted. I got a reply from someone I knew, who after setting up a time to meet didn't show and when I saw him again said that he had found another option. I actually sold a set of NOS Athena hubs to a guy in Hong Kong who saw my posting on Richmond CL.

I guess I've been lucky as a CL seller in that over three years of flipping bikes, I think I've only had one buyer not show. But I can say that as a potential buyer, I will often make contact to find out if a bike is available, find out that it is, and then think, "Do I really need another bike?" and not follow through. Now that's not to the point of making specific arrangements to come see it, but it's likely annoying to some sellers.

Neal

I've been very lucky as a buyer on c-list, so far.....

I've answered 4 bike ads and said when I'd be there and each time I've been told that "I've had quite a few e-mails and phone calls about this, but you were the 1st so it's yours" .... or had those types of comments....especially that green Proteus from Baltimore....two hour drive, gave them my cell #, told 'em I'm on my way.....paid the asking price and was out of there.....

I haven't tried to sell anything yet......

My experience is that CL attracts flakes, both buyers and sellers. More serious traders seem to reside on ebay. If Craig's List had a feedback feature, it would probably cure a lot of the problem.

This wasn't CL, but I was selling a semi-exotic bike on another site and a guy calls from 5 states away on Thanksgiving, no less, and asks questions for 30 minutes. The call doesn't seem to be going anywhere, so I finally ask him if he's interested or not, when he informs me that 1. the bike is not his size and 2. he already owns one just like it and just wanted info to help him sell his.

I like Craigslist. You have to accept that it will involve people flaking out periodically, but I prefer to deal with people locally. Prices on eBay often don't seem all that great to me, and shipping costs are often stupid.

Free email accounts like hotmail and gmail get filtered a lot by some junk filters because that's what a lot of spammers use.