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In the future to prevent this dilemma, simply tell the first guy who offered and arranged a meeting, yea you got it unless someone else doesn't come and get it before then.
This will do a couple of things for you.
1) It gets the person psychologically, makes it urgent and scarce in their mind and they will make better arrangements to get it asap.
2) It allows for contingency of new offer to come asaply as well.
3) Re-email the first guy and say someone else has just offered more and/or will pick up sooner. This will give them incentive to do something if they want it badly enough.
Every time I've ever bought anything off of CL, I went to pick it up ASAP to prevent anything like this and make it as easy as possible for the seller.
Imho, I wouldn't feel bad or obligated to the first buyer if they don't have the same mentality as I do when buying shit. (because in most cases, I did my research and found a deal and want to snatch it up before anyone else does).
Got a fridge worth 100+ for 50$, got a bench press setup worth 1000$ for 100$, etc.
In the event that they both give a time to pick it up at on around the same time, or can pickup immediately, that would be a little more difficult. However, I'm sure a lot of people would honestly say to sell it to the guy who is offering much more than them if they were told someone else was willing to pay more etc. It almost becomes an auction at that point, nothing wrong with that.
TL;DR write more concise emails, and be honest with everyone.
PS- having bought and sold a lot of things through CL, I can tell you that lots of people flake, so first come first serve should always be the mode.
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TLADT24920 Posts
First guy for sure. You basically promised to sell him the item so there's no backing out unless he doesn't want it anymore/doesn't show up then you can at least make a case and go for the second guy.
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Where is Kwark when you need him?
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Tell the first guy that you're really sorry but that someone offered $850 for the item. Maybe you can turn it into a bidding war.
I don't think morally it's all that bad of a thing to go back on the first deal because the buyer never actually came to pick it up. Sure it's not completely right but due to the semi-anonymous nature of CL it's more about whether you could live with yourself after doing it. I know I could, $150 is $150
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On December 18 2014 10:13 MarlieChurphy wrote:
In the future to prevent this dilemma, simply tell the first guy who offered and arranged a meeting, yea you got it unless someone else doesn't come and get it before then.
This will do a couple of things for you.
1) It gets the person psychologically, makes it urgent and scarce in their mind and they will make better arrangements to get it asap.
2) It allows for contingency of new offer to come asaply as well.
3) Re-email the first guy and say someone else has just offered more and/or will pick up sooner. This will give them incentive to do something if they want it badly enough.
Every time I've ever bought anything off of CL, I went to pick it up ASAP to prevent anything like this and make it as easy as possible for the seller.
Imho, I wouldn't feel bad or obligated to the first buyer if they don't have the same mentality as I do when buying shit. (because in most cases, I did my research and found a deal and want to snatch it up before anyone else does).
PS- having bought and sold a lot of things through CL, I can tell you that lots of people flake, so first come first serve should always be the mode.
Guess I need to grow thicker skin. 
What's your definition of first come first serve though? First to arrive at your location with cash gets the item? First to contact you and make same-day pickup arrangement? So it's okay for someone who lives 5-min away to cut in line of someone who lives 90-min away, who could only come after work? (I guess this is kinda what happened here)
You do make a good point about the psychological aspect of things, on the trick to get people to act faster when they think there's competition, whether true or false competition haha. It's something I never thought of because I don't sell on CL that much [evidently]. Haggling is also something I rarely do, because if I felt something is overpriced, I don't even bother responding to the listing. Like you, I don't buy anything on CL for more than 50% of what it cost new.
Yep, there are tons of flakes. I've had a flaky seller who wasn't even there when I show up to his place. And don't forget the weirdos... who wanted me to bring the item to them at the airport. I've also had a woman called me a horrible person because I wouldn't hold an item for her until the weekend.
Lesson learned
(a) never accept the first offer on the first day of posting, especially on expensive items
(b) it's apparently better not to respond to emails promptly
(c) it's not personal, it's business - something Joe Fox (F-O-X) said haha!
Really should have post it on ebay, let the system deal with bidding wars, and just pay the 10% fee. I would still come out way ahead, based on what it's going for, and what it sold for on ebay in the past 90 days.
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What's that from (C)?
PS- most recently I had a couch, from an office that was nearly brand new. It was worth over 200$ and I was listing it as 60$ with lots of pics and specs, and offering to help lift/move but not haul it.
I listed it for over a month, with tons of flakers until finally a smart lady came to swoop it up.
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Someone said in the previous page: "it's business, not personal." But that quote is from the movie You Got Mail.
Yea, letting the item just sit there for weeks is what I'm trying to avoid. I priced an item for 800, when it's going for 1.1k on ebay, to move it fast... and ended up being a ginormous loser. Anyway, it was sold to the first person, who didn't even show up themselves. They sent their son, who was an hour late, which annoyed me even more.
(I think it's their son anyway, based on the brief talk with him, and when he was on the phone with a woman confirming things. It also sounded like this wasn't his only CL pickup either, which is none of my business. Maybe they are professional flippers.) =o *I immediately regret my decision*
What a weird and unfriendly person that was, probably impatient because mom sent him driving so far to pick things up. I saw him looking around my garage for whatever reason. Dude also scratched it against my garage door while hauling it onto his truck and he didn't even care. The whole thing is just so weird.
Thanks for listening and the feedback, guys. I know what not to do next time.
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On December 18 2014 09:25 Elurie wrote:
LaNague, Craigslist isn't ebay, it's not an auction, there's no bidding or no legal contracts or 3rd party arbitration (unless you make your listing that way). CL is a site for free classified ads. There's a paid option, but I think it's for job postings only(?). People sell houses on CL, I actually bought my car from CL in a city 3 hours away back in 2008.
It's not much different than a garage sale, where someone agree to buy your stuff and you agree on a price. But they will only pay you when they come back later with a vehicle to haul it. Fair enough. It's technically not sold until cash is in your hand and item leaves your property. So while you put the item on "lay-away", someone else walked by your garage and offer to pay more because they really really want the item. You tell them oh sorry someone else called dibs. Whether the first person will actually come back is still unknown.
So now you're at the mercy (too strong of a word, I know) of the first guy showing up when they say they would, with the amount of cash they said they would. And if that doesn't work out, then you hope the second guy hasn't walked out of the deal because he's pissed you made him wait.
It's also entirely possible that the two people are actually working as a team! Wouldn't surprise me one bit haha. Anyway, only 1.5 more hours to go!
In some countries written / verbal agreements like this are applicable in a court of law. (Both ways, so if he agreed then didnt buy, you could pull the same shit.)
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On December 18 2014 07:31 Alzadar wrote:
Basically it's $150 vs being a trustworthy, dependable person.
When you put it that way, $150 sounds pretty attractive.
I'd just say "Hey dude. Someone offered me the amount that I was actually asking for. Sorry." I also wouldn't worry about him having your address. 999 times out of 1,000 he'll be a rational person and that won't be a problem. Civil gun ownership exists for the 1000th time.
Edit: I see you went the "trustworthy, dependable" route and learned a lesson about people who low-ball.
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I was right. They are flippers. It's already up on ebay for $1599.
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On December 19 2014 05:51 Elurie wrote:
I was right. They are flippers. It's already up on ebay for $1599.
now time for a story twist: you buy it from this very auction for 2,1k!
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Why would I do that? To give these dicks more money? You know them? Are you one of them? Feel free to gloat. I'm a fucking moron for letting them have it for $700, someone else would be an even bigger moron if they pay more than what the manufacturer charge for a new one. I hope their dirty storage gets flooded, too bad monsoon season is over. Fuck ethics.
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On December 18 2014 22:19 Elurie wrote:
Someone said in the previous page: "it's business, not personal." But that quote is from the movie You Got Mail.
Ever see The Godfather?
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EPT
