craigslist etiquette

[starwood]

I'm selling a bed and got an e-mail from someone with a couple of questions. I answered around 5:30 last night. In the meantime I got another person asking if it was still available. I told him someone else was interested but I would let him know if they didn't want it. I haven't heard back from buyer no. 1 and it is now 8:05 am. How long should I give them to respond before I e-mail buyer no. 2? I really would like to get this out of the house today otherwise no one can take it until next weekend because DH will be away on business.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

Sorry but when it comes to selling things especially on Craigslist there is no etiquette. I've had people say they wanted things, I would save the items and then the supposed buyer would never show, or never respond to emails.

I had some lady last week who drove two hours to buy a cedar cabinet I was selling then get here look at it and say she didn't want it. But in the meantime I was in correspondance with 2 other interested parties.

May not be good etiquette according to Miss Manners but I would contact the 2nd person....you snooze you lose.

 

[JoiseyMom]

DOn't wait for the first person. Go with the other person. Sell it to the first person that is willing to come get it!

 

[Dominus]

Unless you said you would hold it for them, you're free to sell it.

 

[Deon.Newmankgyxc]

i use craigslist every day

 

[Hannathy]

Unless you said you would hold it for them, you're free to sell it.

This. Unless the first person said I want it I'm coming first thing this AM, I would email the 2nd person. I do think if the person says I want it I'm on my way you should hold it but unless they have committed then you don't owe them anything.

I would not hold it without a commitment and then only for a reasonable amount of time, they can't teleport there!

 

[starwood]

I gave him until 10 to get back to me. I think that's reasonable.

 

[phred52]

In any comunication with prospective buyers I always include the fact that the first person to show up with the cash will receive the item. We used to be plagued with no shows and put off other potential buyers. No more. We lost out on too many quick sales. First to appear with cash get it. I do take cell#'s and notify other interested people once an item is sold.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

DOn't wait for the first person. Go with the other person. Sell it to the first person that is willing to come get it!

Yep. This. Because you never know if the first person is really going to show!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Unless they state something to the effect of "I am on my way and will be there by {specific time}" it will be sold to the first person showing up with the money. And if they do make such a statement, and the {specific time} passes it is then up for sale to the ffirst person with money.

If they say they live about 20 miles away and will be there within about an hour I will hold it. If they are 20 miles away and will be there in three or four (or more) hours I will be sold to the first person who arrives and will pay.

 

[elgerber]

I always put in my ad, the first person to pick the item up gets it.

 

[Evi]

You guys are hard core sellers lol. Honestly if you set a time and person didn't' show or contact you sell it to the second buyer.

 

[kim532]

This is great advic. I am starting to sell some items on Craig's list. I am definitely putting in my ads, the first to show with money will get the item.

I would have played email tag to much.

Kim

 

[VAfamily1998]

You guys are hard core sellers lol. Honestly if you set a time and person didn't' show or contact you sell it to the second buyer.

The problem is, sometimes that second buyer has already found something else....

When we first started using Craigslist, this was a commond scenario

Monday am:
Joe Buyer: Hi, I am interested in the table you are selling. I live in Bethesda, MD. I see you live in smalltown, VA. Where is that? Do you ever come to Bethesda?

Me: Hi Joe. Smalltown is (off X freeway at exit Y). We don't ever really get to Bethesda. Please let me know if you have any more questions or would like to set up a time to get the table. My phone number is xxx-xxx-xxxx.

Joe Buyer: Oh. Smalltown is really far from me. The earliest I will be able to come down on Saturday morning. Is that ok?

Me: That's fine. See you Saturday. Please call me for directions Saturday morning.

Then from Tuesday-Friday we'd get all sorts of people asking about the table--they live just a few miles away and "can pick up tonight!!!", etc.

and I'd hold them off, because Joe Buyer was coming Saturday morning...

Saturday would come, and Joe would never call...Finally by Sunday we'd ave given up on Joe, and contact some of those other interested people, but they'd already bought something else and no longer needed our table.
So we'd wasted a week on Joe...

Things like that happened several times to us.

 

[Jen_in_NH]

Unless they state something to the effect of "I am on my way and will be there by {specific time}" it will be sold to the first person showing up with the money. And if they do make such a statement, and the {specific time} passes it is then up for sale to the ffirst person with money.

If they say they live about 20 miles away and will be there within about an hour I will hold it. If they are 20 miles away and will be there in three or four (or more) hours I will be sold to the first person who arrives and will pay.

Exactly. If someone gave me a reasonable time frame they were going to be here within, I would hold it for them. After that, first come first served

 

[Dizneydaz]

I am actually waiting for someone to show up to buy DD's dollhouse right now so this is very topical.

I had several people email to ask if the house was still available. I emailed them back and that would be it, I wouldn't hear back again. I had 2 emails last night asking for it. I sent #1 an email letting her know I had another party interested and #2 got an email saying I had an email before her that I would give priority to. I got an email back from #1 and then (after getting home from softball) I called her cell phone and left my number. Her husband is on his way here, from 30 mins. away so it looks like it is defintely sold.

I would say that the first person who says they definitely want it, and are on their way, get it. If you get a phone number with an email call it to make sure they really want it.

I like using Craig's for selling items but it can take awhile. I listed a Portable Basketball System the other day on CL. I had an email about an hour after I posted it offering me 1/2 of what I wanted. ($20 vs. $40). I emailed back that since it was just listed I wasn't going down 50% (did he think this was a garage sale? where everyone always offers 50%) He emailed me back he would pay $30 and pick it up tonite. I replied, "No Thanks" He then replied he would wait until I dropped it to $30. I sent him an email a few hours later letting him know I sold it for $40.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I agree w/ "you snooze, you lose"

 

[cats mom]

I like using Craig's for selling items but it can take awhile. I listed a Portable Basketball System the other day on CL. I had an email about an hour after I posted it offering me 1/2 of what I wanted. ($20 vs. $40). I emailed back that since it was just listed I wasn't going down 50% (did he think this was a garage sale? where everyone always offers 50%) He emailed me back he would pay $30 and pick it up tonite. I replied, "No Thanks" He then replied he would wait until I dropped it to $30. I sent him an email a few hours later letting him know I sold it for $40.

I love that you e-mailed the bargain hunter back to let him know he missed out.

 

[starwood]

Well I never heard back from buyer #1 (who wanted it for $75 - I listed $85). Buyer #2 picked it up last night for $85. I had another e-mail this morning from someone who didn't want the mattress with it and offered $75. I just told her it wasn't available anymore.

I had this listed for over a month with only 1 inquiry that didn't pan out. I just relisted that and our old video recorder. I had 1 inquiry on the camcorder yesterday that I haven't heard back from yet. I really hope I can get rid of that too before Christmas.

 

[Dizneydaz]

I love that you e-mailed the bargain hunter back to let him know he missed out.

Thanks I enjoyed it as well!

I did sell the dollhouse last night for the full price and he was very happy to get it. Almost as happy as I was to sell it!