Craigslist Etiquette - Need Help
 

I've sold a few bikes on craigslist and I'm having some problems with craigslist "etiquette". I do not place my phone # in the ad, but check my email frequently when I have something posted. If someone sends me a generic email showing interest I give them my phone # with a request to call me to set up a time if they are interested in seeing the item. Sometimes people respond quickly and sometimes days later. My problem is the person that calls two days after I send them my phone # seem to think I was holding the item for them and get angry if the item has been sold. In all of these cases the person has not expressed any committment to buy the item and I have not made any commitment to hold the item. If someone sends me an email and says "I want to buy this item when can I come out" I consider that a commitment, but a simple "is this still for sale" or a "I'd like to take a look at this" I do not. Am I doing something wrong?

When I'm on the purchasing end I often send emails to get further information (picture, size, year, etc) but if I'm interested in buying I will clearly state my desire to purchase the item and ask when I can pick it up (not come out to take a look, but to give them cash and pick it up).

I've been baffled by craigslist behavior lately. I send an email stating that I'm interested in buying the bike, and ask if it's still available and do they have photos.

No response. Yet the ad stays up. This is now the usual pattern for me.

Or, and this gets to what you're saying, one guy sends me his phone number, but doesn't answer my question: "What size is the bike"?

Why do I have to call him to find out that the bike is the wrong size? First, he SHOULD have listed the size in his ad. Second, if I state very clearly that I'm interested in buying is bike IF it's the right size, and to please tell me the size, why does he not just email me the size?

Though I've been on the short end of this, I don't see why anything shy of being at the place of sale with the money constitutes a commitment. It's too easy for a buyer to give all kinds of verbal assurance that they will buy, but then fail to show, or show and fail to buy because of some disappointment. As a buyer, I've had a couple cases of "OK I'll bring the item to a mutually convenient place, tomorrow" only to have someone show up at seller's door an hour later, and take the item away.

What upsets me about that is that seller hasn't given me a chance to be there first; but I've learned that it just has to be the way things are done. Otherwise, there's no "contract" and the seller can get hurt that way.

So, while you should be applauded for being accommodating, I don't see any reason why you should feel that a vague verbal commitment means anything more than interest.

I agree, I always list the size, model, number of speeds, some details about the components, etc

If someone sent me an email saying "if this is my size I'd like to buy it" I'd consider that a commitment to buy if someone just asks a question concerning the bike I'd answer the question along with my phone number if they wanted to set up a time to look at it.

If I see a bike on CL that I think is a great deal or a bike that I have a strong desire to purchase I simply contact the seller and tell him that I am willing to pay more than his asking price. Gets me to the front of the line quite often.

You are not doing anything wrong. You are basically doing the same thing I do. I respond to emails with my normal availability, my cell phone number, and a really rough idea were I live. Many of my bikes are sold to college students so they always don't have a car and I am miles from town so I basically let them know that ahead of time. I have met a number of people in town to sell bikes or parts and do mention that when they say they can't get up here. I also receive emails regarding bikes/parts that just ask for my address so they can come out. I give them my cell phone number only. If they are serious they will call and get directions and make sure to figure out a time that will work for both parties.

I respond to emails in the order I received them. But, if the first responder can't meet with me until a number of days later I am not going to hold the bike for him/her under any circumstances. The first person to grace my palm with the money takes it away whether they were first or not. It is as simple as that. I will tell of one thing that really ticked me off, and I let the seller know. I answered an ad to buy a bike, and the seller left a number. I called it and said I would like to come out and look at it and probably buy it being it looked to be my size (it really was). I said I was on my way and would be there in 45 minutes as it was a little bit of a drive. I get to within 5 minutes of his house and he called and said, "Oh I hope you haven't left yet, as I just sold the bike to someone else." When I first talked to him I gave him a time I would be there, and I was 100% on time as well. I let him have it as I just took basically two hours out of my day to come and get the bike only to have this $#@$#* to sell it just before I get there. I should have went to his house to tell him in person, but just did it over the phone. The new owner had the bike up on CL a few days later for way more that he bought it for without anything done to it of course. If I know someone called, received directions, and was on the way I would never ever do what this guy did to me. I have received calls on an item when someone is on the way or there already and I always tell them if they don't buy it I will let you know. But, the fact is they always buy it!

The simple fact is craigslist is full of flakes whether they are sellers or potential buyers (all C&V forums members excluded of course).

Yep, it is full of flakes. Although I've been really lucky when selling, I guess, because people always show up when they say they will. Of course, I always list bikes at a good price-- usually about $25 less than they typically go for here. People show up because they know it will be sold to somebody else-- and quickly-- if they don't show up.

Your story reminds me of one bike I went to look at. I called the seller, and she said it was still available. I said "I'm leaving right now, and I'm taking the bus, so i will be there in 1 hour." I arrive at her place an hour later, right when I said I'd be there, and some other buyer is there looking the bike over. WTF? That was a long trip, and while bus fare isn't TOO expensive, the trip wasn't free, either. Anyway, he didn't want the bike, so I ended up buying it. Still, it could easily have turned out to be a wasted trip.

Like you said, Craigslist is full of flakes.

+ Craigs List is full of flakes.

I always make sure to stress I cannot hold bikes due to the enormous amount of no shows on Craigs List (I need to add this to the text of my ads). I let every "interested" party know that the bike will go to the first one that comes by with the cash.

I usually get at least 75% no shows.

There really is no etiquette on C/L. But unfortunately, it provides a ready access to buyers and sellers at no cost (other than a lot of hassle).

I too have been surprised by the lack of answer from sellers, who then continue to leave their ads up...

+1 great idea to offer more than the asking price. I probably could have gotten a couple of good deals that way.

You're doing nothing wrong, but I don't use the same technique you are. When I sell a bike, I never list it for top dollar. I sell it at an attractive price that usually gets about 8 to 10 responses. BUT, I never negotiate my price. In my ad I ALWAYS ask them to provide their phone number in their e-mail. No phone, No bike. I read the ads and respond to the one that is the most interested. I never give them my address until they're ready to come over and look at the bike. I've run into "Well I'll come by in two or three days". I tell them to call when they're ready to look at the bike and I'll let them know if it's still available. In most instances, the response I receive is "Oh, then I'll be over in two hours." If they don't show, I move onto the next buyer. If anyone feels they were not treated fairly I tell them you had a clear shot at the bike and decided not to take it, that's not my fault. I've only had to say that once. There is one courtesy I extend to any buyer, I never have an appointment with more than one buyer. Once I set a time, I hold the bike 'til they get there.
EDIT: I never provide my phone number in my ads. I only provide it when I reach them and I'm sure they are really interested in buying the bike.

Way too many flakes on CL.. Couple that with the scammers and it is making it tough to sell at times..

I have 2 main policies..
Cash pickup sale only.. No exceptions..
First person to put cash in my hand gets the item.

Do not hold items for people. I have lost sales in the past holding items for people.. If the person only corresponds via email just consider it a non-sale until they actually call you.. Once you speak to them, you get a better feel if they are serious..

If you know the true value and it is price appropriately stick to your sale price, do not flex at all.. If you have a 1000.00 bike and you say fine I will take 900.00, for sure the buyer shows up with 800.00..

CL equals online garage sale

Whenever I try to sell on cl, it's "local and cash only". Then if there are several interested parties, I tell them each where they are in the line of interested folk and ask if they want to be informed if the folks ahead of them don't buy it. If someone at the point where he/she is in the list and doesn't do anything, I email and tell them that I'll wait 'til the next day for a response via email and if I don't hear, I'll presume they're not interested any longer. Being in the Washington DC area, most folks are on top of their email and respond quickly.

Jeez, you want me to go find a ruler? I'm 5'-x and I can stand over the bar; is that a size? OK, alright, so how do you measure the size?

When I ask for size (whether on CL or eBay), I'm very specific about what I want to know. If seller responds with usable info, then I know something: I'm not dealing with a jerk or a doofus.

I watch CL for interesting bikes but I'd probably have to give myself a lobotomy before trusting another CL seller. I have attempted to buy several bicycles and even a few Porsches on CL and only one seller actually followed through although even that took a little extra effort on my part.

I once tried to buy a Panasonic Team Japan from a guy in Chicago. He didn't want to ship it and he wanted cash for it. Since I wasn't local I told the guy I would buy it and arrange to have a Chicago area friend pick up the bike and pay him in cash for it. My friend went out of his way to help me out (trading work hours with someone and going to an ATM to get the cash) and everything was set. I keep the seller in the loop and sent a confirmation email to him the afternoon of the day before it was to be picked up. No response. I sent another one later that night and he finally responds with "Sorry, sold it yesterday" Wow, class act there. It is a shame that so many peoples moral compasses don't point to true north.... that is just one of many flake experiences where I have been told "OK, the bike/car" is yours only to have the seller unload it just prior to my arrival or payment.

I've pretty much given up on it... ebay has been far better to me. ;)

I'm more than willing to work with clueless sellers since it increases the odds that they are selling at the wrong price. Many of these folks aren't very knowledgeable about bikes and have no idea what size their bike is or how they would measure it. So when I ask about size, I ask them if they know what size it is, and if they don't know that, what the stand over height is, and if they can't measure that, I just ask them how tall they are and if the bike is the right size for them, too big or too small.

Couldn't agree more, and another irksome trend is when a potential buyer starts out with a lowball offer without even seeing the bike in person. That never ends well...

As a buyer, I've learned to confirm the asking price over the phone because in several cases where I didn't, the seller feigned surprise that they somehow botched the price when creating the ad. None of them ever accidentally overprice it of course... The bait-and-switch pisses me off so much that I walked away from the last deal after the seller made a bunch of noise about his "mistake", but then grudgingly accepted his own asking price. I checked the ad later in the week and he hadn't changed the price.

Yeah, I'm specific too. If ask about frame size, I tell them how to measure frame size. Usually, just ask for standover height, and usually add in parentheses that it's the distance from the ground to the top of the top tube.

And guess what? I bought a bike off eBay, and the quoted 31 inch standover height turned out to be 33 inches. :mad:

I just ask for standover. Most anyone can manage that. Not very specific, but it's a starting point.

Not everybody. See my post above yours. :mad:

I am going to use the Roccobike rules set forth from here on out. Very good.

Once I've set a time with someone I tell any other callers that I have someone coming out to look and can call them back if the person decides to pass on the item. I also send emails to anyone who has inquired about the item after it has sold to let them know it is gone. I've had a few people call to set up a time and then try to low ball me once they show up, I guess they are betting on my not being able to pass up the cash when I see it (Their mistake). I'm also surprised by the number of people that have shown up expecting to write a check for the purchase. I now explain that the listed price is FIRM, please bring cash for that amount.

Too bad. Whenever I've sold anything the first person to get the cash in my hand is the person I've sold it too. You have absolutely no reason to hold a bike for anyone.

Thanks for all of the feedback!

I live in a large metropolitan area where CL breaks it down into specific locales. I notice that when I list an item, it first appears in the directory specifying all locations, then after a few minutes the ad moves to the locale I specified like South Bay.

The result is that the first reponses are nearly guaranteed to be people who are too far away to pickup so I email back my city and suggest if they are not too far away then write back for the address.

I have had some positive experiences with CL. Once I was selling an item for $80 but the buyer wanted to meet at a location about 40 minutes away. I was going that way so I agreed to do it. When I arrived he took the product, handed me a $100 bill, and said he appreciated the delivery.

First question: why not put your phone number in your ad? Why make it harder for someone to buy what you want to sell? If you're afraid of the boogieman maybe you shouldn't be in the marketplace.

Second question (for sellers and buyers): Why assume or expect the other party will be as knowledgeable about bikes as you are? Measuring frames is an arcane process in the world at large, and a lot of folks don't even know how to tell steel from aluminum. In either buying or selling, this disparity in knowledge works to your advantage in most cases - don't ***** about it.