? For those who have sold on Craig's List

[Harters2WDW]

For those of you who have sold things on Craig's List...where do you meet to hand off item, collect cash? Thanks for the advice!

 

[caribear]

For small items that I can transport I meet in a busy shopping center.....like a supermarket or Target parking lot where there will be lots of people present. We sold a very large little tikes playset and a mattress last year and we could not move those items....so we had people come to the house. I make sure DH is home if people are coming to the house. I also do not give out my address unless they are serious about coming over. If I am firm about a price I make sure to put that on the listing. I also do not give out my home phone number...just my cell.

 

[ascwilson]

As the PP mentioned, we've met at a drugstore parking lot, place of work, or the house, depending on the item we are selling, or buying. When we sold a snowmobile they had to come to the house, but when it was a stroller, we met at work. If they come to the house, I ensure my husband is home too. I agree that we only give out our address when we are sure they are serious. We also use a secondary email account just to ensure we don't get a lot of spam email.

 

[SOnotLayuh]

We normally meet in the middle of the day in a busy parking lot too.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

There is a well lit gas station nearby a local public place. I meet there, during the day. I make that very clear in the listing and I don't give out my home address. It helps weed out the weirdos. I had one or two refuse to buy from me if I don't give my address and I then refused to sell vs. bend to them.

 

[mtblujeans]

We live out of town so we always let the prospective buyer know that we will be meeting them in town to show the item we are selling. We have had callers 'disappear' once they realize they will not be coming to our home to see the item.

 

[DisneyAndRedSox]

There is a mall right off the highway that has a Best Buy, I tend to meet in their parking lot. People actually appreciate that I am meeting them there since it is easy on and off the highway.

I have also sold baby gear and little kids clothes, typically expecting/new moms and a couple new grandmas that live in my town or near by- I have given a few of them my address. Two people who bought stuff are now facebook friends of mine- turns out one is a WDW nut like me and the other one is now a regular "customer" buying DD's old clothes 2x a year.

 

[thistle922]

For smaller items, I meet at a mall parking lot during the day, or another similarly busy place.

For our washer and dryer, they *had* to come to the house, so I didn't give out anything other than my general location until I'd spoken with the girl on the phone and nailed down a time for her to come pick them up. When she was scheduled to get them, I made sure that someone was here with me (my husband had school that morning, so I had my dad come over).

 

[IDoDis]

I just have buyers come to the house to pick up what I'm selling. That's how it used to work years ago when we'd put ads in the paper, so how is it any different now? Of course I always make sure DH will be home. I don't have the time to go out somewhere and wait -- and get stood up. I've been stood up at home several times and one time years ago I agreed to meet someone at a park, but she never showed up. What a waste of time!

On a good note, I usually sell everything I list. Craig's List rocks!!!

 

[Sbacer]

Subscribing to this theme

I have been on Craigs list a lot and have been "nervous" about going ahead with it but have seen a lot of interesting things that I could have bought- now I see it can be a 2 way street.

 

[horseshowmom]

I've never sold on Craigslist because we live too far out to make it worthwhile, but I wouldn't let someone come to the house unless it was unavoidable. For example, last summer we bought a round bale horse feeder (large and heavy) so we had to go to the guy's house (truth be told, I figured that anybody who actually knew what a round bale feeder was in order to list it, was probably okay! ).

I've gotten to where I just won't take the chance of somebody coming to the house. When I buy a new car, I trade the old one in unless I have a good idea of who might buy it (even though I could probably make more money selling it myself). I just don't want to deal with running ads and with the people who answer them. Meeting them somewhere else would be much better.

 

[katesorad]

I've done quite a few Craigslist transactions in the last few years.. mainly selling, some buying, and I've even gotten a job and a few babysitting gigs off the site.

When I meet someone to sell or purchase, I always ask to meet in a very populated area; usually a Target parking lot is best. Though, I've had people come to my apartment if they had to come at weird hours (early or late.. DH is always home in the AM), but never while I was alone.

I've had a few creepers try to get me to "babysit" for them, but they never invited me to meet them, their spouse, or their children before the actual date to babysit.. so I turned them down. But I do live in a large military area, so moms with hubbys on deployment really find my babysitting service nice, because I don't charge too much.. and I'm really good with the kids, and I wear them out so they can nap when mommy gets home And I always always ALWAYS meet them in a public place with their kids; usually Starbucks, to get to know them. After that, I make a date later in the week to tour their house, meet their pets, neighbors, etc., before the actual babysitting. Safety is #1 for both them and me.. the extra precautions really do benefit both parties!

 

[mamaLori05]

For small items that I can transport I meet in a busy shopping center.....like a supermarket or Target parking lot where there will be lots of people present. We sold a very large little tikes playset and a mattress last year and we could not move those items....so we had people come to the house. I make sure DH is home if people are coming to the house. I also do not give out my address unless they are serious about coming over. If I am firm about a price I make sure to put that on the listing. I also do not give out my home phone number...just my cell.

This, only I give out my dh's cell and make sure they always talk to him. I do most communicating through email (without any contact info) until I know they are serious about the item.

 

[CoolDisneyCat]

for people buying cell phones, may I make a suggestion..

meet your cell phone carrier's store. you can have the phone checked to see if it is stolen and in working order before paying.

 

[Tikitoi]

For those of you who have sold things on Craig's List...where do you meet to hand off item, collect cash? Thanks for the advice!

For large things like furniture, I've had people come to my house. Which I pssed off as it being a friends house.

But for smaller things like clothing I've met at a store around the corner from my place.

 

[Brer Shay]

I'm another one that meets in a busy shopping center parking lot. I've also had people come to my office, again a generally busy place. Never sold anything on CraigsList that was too big to carry with me.

 

[Harters2WDW]

Thanks. This helps a lot!

 

[mom2aredhead]

I actually gave up on Craigs List and just donate things instead.

I found it to be such a hassle. People calling and e-mailing 100 times

"...I'll be there tomorrow...I can't make it until Thursday...Is it still available...Can you hold it for me...Can you lower the price...I want it...I don't want it anymore" then they fall off the face of the earth.

I'll just take my charitable tax deduction, thank you very much.

 

[MissAndrea]

I pretty much do what everyone else does. Small stuff- meet in a parking lot. Large stuff- come to my house when hubby is home but always have it in the garage. I've never had anyone come into my house. I just think of it like I'm having strangers over for a garage sale. Kind of the same thing.

 

[lucyem]

For small items that I can transport I meet in a busy shopping center.....like a supermarket or Target parking lot where there will be lots of people present. We sold a very large little tikes playset and a mattress last year and we could not move those items....so we had people come to the house. I make sure DH is home if people are coming to the house. I also do not give out my address unless they are serious about coming over. If I am firm about a price I make sure to put that on the listing. I also do not give out my home phone number...just my cell.

This is exactly what I do. I also put in my listing "cash only".