Selling used equipment and nasty/agressive buyers

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: linkbelt
Originally Posted By: Olas
If you don't like people's tendency to haggle, throw away instead of selling.


A capital idea!


Agreed.

Also, it's not often I come across a truly firm price, unless the item for sale was well below its true value and soon to be sold. Most "firm" sellers mark down the price within a week, maybe as a result of only being offered reasonably lower bids.

With that said I can understand the OPs irritation with the buyer. I sold a wheel/tire package to some kid who tried to knock 15% off the price after agreeing to meet up and buy at the listed price. He had seen tons of pictures, showing the tread depth indicator in the tire, closeup shots of some minor curb rash that exaggerated the severity, etc. The pics were also taken with brake dust, which I had cleaned up prior to meeting him. The wheels/tires were a steal, so his last-minute attempt to complain about previously evident flaws kind of [censored] me off.

Had he not vehemently stopped me as I loaded the wheels back up, I would have gladly walked away from the sale, just to spite him.

 

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted By: rickmeseke
I had a 91 miata with 300k on it. Ram great but rough body and the top leaked. I wanted 1500 for it. It is 25 years old and 300k and $1500 and people were complaining about it. One Guy just kept making dbag remarks I told him get off my property. A $1500 car not 15000


I'm sorry, but that car isn't worth $1500.00

 

[AuthorEditor]

Quote:
You just don't know who's who online.

You can tell a lot by the ads. Avoid the ones that sound like they're written by a used car dealer. Ordinary folks is who you want to deal with, unless you want to wheel and deal because the item is that important to you. You can spot the ad jargon a mile away. Chances are excellent if they are using ad jargon the price is too high for the item and they are expecting to have to wheel and deal. Also, there are lots of sellers that are semi-pro or pro at it. They buy and sell stuff. You want to buy and sell to individual owners, not pros. One hint for sellers of cars: provide the actual mileage of the car or I am not interested in your ad.

 

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted By: Rand
Its a craigslist thing.


+1 for the above comment.

 

[supton]

I did respond to one ad, hoping the $1 listing meant $1k. Nope. $1,500 firm. Well if it was firm then why not post it? I guess it was a fishing trip, to see if someone would offer a price higher than they wanted; but it peeves me. Worse is when they put in every car model they can think of, so that any search will turn up their ad. At least I can do this over email or text.

What's real funny is when they list a price of $1,500 but that they can go as low as $900. I can't tell if they aren't that bright or they truly expect to start a haggling game at $1,500--and you have to beat 'em down to $900.

I've only sold a couple of things but I've never met anyone at my house. Bought a few things at sellers houses, and the transactions have been just fine.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
One hint for sellers of cars: provide the actual mileage of the car or I am not interested in your ad.


How about decent pictures? I love it when it says "minor rust" but there isn't a spec of rust to be seen. Or whatever problem it is that they were nice enough to elaborate on. [Ok, not going to show a pic of every issue, but one side pic of the good side isn't going to get me to call.]

The best are the ones that say "car for sale" for the ad.

 

[zzyzzx]

I sell stuff on CL all the time. Mostly tools from an estate I am working on getting rid of stuff from. I do price stuff to sell, and it typically does, but the prices are really cheap, even on tools. Low value items don't even bother list and give to charity.

 

[HerrStig]

Saw an WTB ad in a hobby mag some years ago "Wanted Kenwood -----
must be MINT and CHEAP, you ship." The "prospective buyer" was from around here. I'll bet he's still looking.

 

[AuthorEditor]

Quote:
How about decent pictures?

True story. My Mom was interested in moving so I kept my eyes on local Real Estate listings. Week after week I would see this same listing, but it was really hard to make out the photo. It looked like a falling down tool shed or something, but at the price it had to be a really cheap house. Finally, I called the broker and went to see the place. The photo was of an old broken down garage on the property, and not the house itself! My mom ended up buying it--cheapest house in the neighborhood and a great deal!

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: Oldtom
Have you noticed people are nastier, more aggressive, and more insulting nowadays?


Yes. And with the internet, you're exposed to even more of them than usual.

My brother has sold some things by advertising online, his response when they try to talk him below his lowest price is: "The price is the price if you don't like it, don't buy it but thanks for coming to look." He says it works every time.

 

[bubbatime]

Oh Craigslist. You have given me so much fun experiences over the years.

Sold a large cabinet to a guy in a busted up, old as heck, compact car. Guy shows up with his entire family in the car, wife, 4 kids, grandma, cat, etc.

Guy doesn't argue the price. Looks it over for 1.3 seconds, says, "I'll take it." Hands me the money on the spot. Asks me for help loading the cabinet onto the roof of his car. Guy wants to load a very large, several hundred pound cabinet, on the roof of a 76 Corolla. Not going to happen. I scratched my head in bewilderment.

I asked the guy where he lived and he said just up the street, so I offered to deliver it to his house with my truck. When I delivered it, guy thanked me, shook my hand, asked me to stay for dinner, and tried to give me another $10 for delivering it for him. I declined.

This guy was FLAT broke. I'm talking, probably makes $100/week flat broke. And has all the mouths to feed and rent to pay. And he was the nicest guy and floored me when he offered full asking price and even offered more money for delivering it to him.

Now lets compare to that the usual Craigslist idiot.

Sold a push mower to a guy. Price was $110. Guy in a BMW shows up. Looks at the mower for 45 minutes, tries it out, mows my entire front lawn as a "test-drive". Complains non-stop about this and that. Asks me for help loading the mower into his trunk. Loads the mower. Then says, "It's used. It has a lot of problems and will probably break at any time. Here is $50 dollars."

I about blew a gasket. "The time to negotiate a deal is BEFORE the darn thing is loaded in your car. You either pay me the full $110 I am asking for it or we will be unloading it from your trunk and you can leave." Guy gave me $120 and asked for change. I told him I don't have any change. He looked at me flabbergasted. He told me to keep the change and he left. So the guy paid me $120 for something that was priced at $110. Idiot.

 

[Uber_Archetype]

Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
I have about $3000 worth of radio control cars I need to sell in the near future, and eBay and Craigslist threads like this one always make me wonder if it's just easier to keep all of it.

So you have three $1k cars, or a hundred $30 cars?

 

[road_rascal]

Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
I have about $3000 worth of radio control cars I need to sell in the near future, and eBay and Craigslist threads like this one always make me wonder if it's just easier to keep all of it.

I've sold a lot of RC planes/helicopters/trucks throughout the years and I've never had a problem with buyers. I usually price most of my stuff about 60% of what I put into them, which is about what the going rates are at swap meets and auctions. I've also sold around 4-5 motorcycles, a scooter, snowblower, lawn mower etc and didn't have any issues with the buyers. A solid description and plenty of photos helped.

 

[Wolf359]

I never bother with saying firm. I typically look at other ads and price mine in the middle and also double check ebay prices. I price them to sell and I always say best offer. I usually get my asking price. And yeah, I have an SLR so I always take the best pictures, got about 7 lenses so it always looks good.

As for negotiating, the key is always be willing to walk way. I negotiate when it's not quite what they say it is. Then I don't care if the guy sells it or not, I just throw out a number I think is fair. It usually works. However several times I see a good price, I don't bother, I just buy it. got a bunch of ipod touches once for about $30 when they were going for $50-$60.

 

[cjcride]

Originally Posted By: Oldtom
I have not heard from the buyer, so, I assume the mower is running fine. I even gave the guy my cell number in case he had a problem. I need to stop being so trusting.

Yes.
This is not Mayberry anymore.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: Olas
If you don't like people's tendency to haggle, throw away instead of selling.


Haggling is one thing...being outright rude and obnoxious about it is unacceptable...

 

[Olas]

Subjective tbh, one mans direct is another mans rude.

 

[hatt]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Selling on Craigslist is almost the same as selling a house. Seller lists selling price, buyer offers a purchase price, usually lower than asking price, buyer and seller negotiate(counter offer(s)). If both settle on a price then the deal is done, if not wait for a new buyer.

Yes, once in while a buyer agree to seller asking price, but not very often.
I sell homes for listing price all the time. Homes sell for market price. If you price your home at market price it sells for that price. If you price it higher, it doesn't.

 

[Prune_Juice]

Originally Posted By: Olas
Subjective tbh, one mans direct is another mans rude.


So true.

 

[AuthorEditor]

Quote:
If you price your home at market price it sells for that price. If you price it higher, it doesn't.

The big problem with CL is that much (most?) of the stuff is not priced correctly. Most people have no idea of the correct market price in the first place, and a lot are doing just what people wrote here: they price high and hope the right person comes along willing to pay, or they haggle. Personally, I price low and stuff moves with little hassle, or I give it away to a charity auction, that sort of thing. Seriously, look around and find a worthy cause and donate it.