I Hate Craig’s List(-ers)
It’s not just Merritt’s philanderers that have no decency on Craig’s List.
I’m in the process of selling my furniture. It got me through college and my first 18 months in the real world, but I’m moving and don’t have room for it. It’s all really old stuff that’s not that great. I really just needed to get somebody to take it off my hands, and if I could get a few bucks for it, great.
I thought it would be so easy to sell everything on Craig’s List this weekend, boy how I was so wrong.
I’ve had two people call and schedule times to look at the stuff, but never show up. One of the people called and canceled the appointment, but the other one couldn’t even be bothered to call and cancel after I waited for around for her an hour and a half. When I called to see what the deal was, the person who answered the phone said the potential buyer had “gone to the store.”
Fast forward to Monday afternoon.
A gentleman called me at 2:15 p.m. and asked if he could come look at the furniture. He said he could be there in an hour. I told him I was at work, but I could step out of the office for a short while if he was sure on the time. He said he was.
By 3:30, he’s still not there. I called him at home, but he didn’t answer. 4:15 p.m. rolls around, still no word from this guy. I decide to call it quits and head back to the office, when he finally calls me from his cell phone and says he’s almost here.
He didn’t show up until 5:30. He originally came wanting to buy my bed, but when he saw the other furniture I had for sale, decided he wanted to buy all of it. He went to a bank and got some cash, paid me for everything, and took as much as he could fit in his car with him last night, and said he would be back this morning at 9 a.m. with a truck to get the rest of it.
9:40 this morning, still no word from this guy. I call the cell phone. He says they just woke up, and would probably leave from their Mesquite home in 30 minutes. I reminded him he said I could expect him at 9 a.m., but if he really was going to leave in a half hour, I could stick around and wait.
Another hour passes, still haven’t heard from this guy. I call again, this time nobody answers. I leave a message telling them I can’t wait on them anymore and we’ll have to reschedule a pickup time.
This guy’s already paid me, so I’m not worried about him eventually showing up to get the furniture, but since when did it become acceptable to make people wait multiple hours past a scheduled appointment time?
This entire experience has put a bitter taste in my mouth towards Craig’s List-ers, and was a mistake I will be certain not to make again.
See, even the furniture buyers on Craigslist are unfaithful.
BTW, uh, nice stuff, Austin. Did you have posters on the wall with thumb tacks too?
Nope just a Texas flag.
I completely feel your pain. BTDT.
The first rule of listing on Craig’s is you set the conditions in advance on your listing - appointments, terms of sale, etc.
My rule has always been that I will show the stuff during a certain time frame like Thursday and Friday between 4p and 7P. But you must have an appointment and if you no-show up to 15 minutes after the agreed-to time without calling me to let me know you’re running late, you lose. You must come with a truck big enough to handle the purchase (and they know the size because I’ve given all dimensions in the listing) and you must come with your own manpower - I don’t do lifting. The sale is cash only, no checks, cash only, no trade, cash only.
Setting the conditions for sale in the ad upfront has always worked for me.
I set multiple appointments when possible and then call people to let them know if the stuff has been bought before their appointment.
Try again, be firm!
Love your Craigslist pointers, B. Friday morning garage sales work pretty well, too, and you set your your own date & hours. Austin, is that a cool Nascar design on your bedspread? Looks like checkered flags. Or is it soccer balls?
It’s a flannel Dale Earnhardt, Jr. blanket with checkered flag trim. My mom had it made for me as a gift.
I also have an accompanying Dale Earnhardt, Sr. blanket with the same trim. AND, I have matching pillows that are in the shape of the respective drivers’ racecars.
Are you replacing the ‘Bud’ bedspread with a National Guard one?
I like the couch right next to the bed. No fear of falling out of the bed from that side.
Don’t take a black light to that ‘bud’ spread or the couch for that matter.