Craigslist Frustration!

[andrews_dad]

See, I couldn't do that to someone. I hope you at least called the guy you were supposed to meet and let him know you sold them to someone else and didn't just let him show up for nothing.

Yeah, I called him. He was a co-worker's friend. Gues he's not MY friend now. I felt bad about it, but it was $50 more bucks that I needed! Sorry, man.

 

[TheLittleRoo]

For me, I have sold tons of stuff. If I bargain with someone, I tell them if someone else comes in higher I would take that over a haggled deal. If I do get another offer, I go back to the person I haggled with and say, "I just got an offer to buy the item for $20 more - if you can match it it is yours - otherwise I have to go with the higher offer".

What she said! Actually, I'm going to steal this as my new CL policy. Short, sweet and to the point.

 

[mtomlin66]

Okay, I've been searching for months for a dresser and mirror for my daughter's room. I have found some, but they are too large. Others were already spoken for or not exactly what I was looking for. So yesterday I found a set of dressers, a mirror and nightstand that I liked.

I emailed the seller and asked him for measurements and the dresser would fit. I asked him if he would accept $175 - he was asking $250. He emailed me back saying that he would accept $225. So I didn't get back to him last night. Then this morning, I got an email from him saying he would accept $175 if we could pick it up today. I asked for his phone number and my husband called him to make arrangements for picking it up after work. Everything was all set. My husband, in the rain, removed the seats from his van and lugged them to his office. He called the man right before he left work to verify directions and let him know he was on his way. The guy said he was starting to bring the furniture outside right then. Well it was raining here, so my husband asked him to wait until he got there so it didn't get wet. He also wanted to look at it to make sure it was in working order, not all scratched, etc. Then my husband stopped at the store on his way to the guys house to pick up something. When he came back to his van, there was a voicemail from the guy saying that when he brought the furniture outside, his neighbor said he liked it and would pay the full price!!

Thank goodness I had not told dd10 about the dresser! I thought for sure we were getting it, as long as it worked and everything. I told Dh that maybe he scared the guy off because he said he wanted to look it over first to make sure it was okay. Maybe it was broken or something. But still, who does that to someone? Dh could have driven all the way to the guys house if he hadn't gotten the voicemail. He had just talked to him five minutes before and everything was all set. Grrrrrr.

As a seller, this may have been what scared him off. I can understand why you are upset, but I have to point out that based on your post it seems that you had already made a firm commitment to buy the item - sight unseen. Your husband's comment would make me think that he did not consider it a "done deal" and that if it did not meet his expectations that you were not going to buy it. To me this sends a mixed message.

You're right the seller had a responsibility to you, but at the same time, if your husband planned on "checking out the furniture" then handing over the cash, that seems a bit hypocritical. After all, didn't you make a promise to buy the set, sight unseen? If your husband had changed his mind once he saw the set wouldn't the seller have the right to be posting on here saying "who does that to someone?"

I'm not trying to be harsh ... just trying to share another perspective. It's often difficult to see things from someone elses point of view.

 

[TupperMom7]

Well, I've found another item that I think I like even better than what we were going to buy from the deal killer. I told her briefly what happened with the other guy - that we had said we wanted to see it before we bought it, and she said she always looks at things before she buys them on CL too! We are going to look at it this weekend.

 

[mchelle77]

Let me get this right. You took your 4yo to a stranger's house. The stranger allowed her 11yo to let you in without her there and take you and your child down to the basement? I think I'm a trusting invididual but I think both of you need to think.

I didn't say I took her by myself. I said I "dragged her with me", meaning I dragged her away from what she had been doing. I'm from Boston - I'm NOT a trusting individual when it comes to strangers.

The basement was through an outdoor entrance on the side of her house on a VERY busy street, and the stroller was just inside the door. So it's not like anyone was endangered. Try to refrain from judging someone without all of the information - which I didn't post because I didn't think was relevant to the story I was telling. I was discussing a craigslist transaction, not anyone's parenting skills.

As for her, what she does is HER business, not mine. Or anyone else's, in my opinion.