no-shows

[Koogie]

I got screwed the opposite way this week.

I tried to buy a wood jointer off of Kijiji. I told the guy I worked a few blocks over from where he lived and could meet him any time on Thursday or Friday (this was Weds. night)

He said okay but the first time he was available was Friday noon. I said done deal, see you then, here is my phone number in case you need to change the time.

Thursday night he emails me to say he sold it to someone else. When he supposedly "wasn't available"

I felt like going off on him but let it go with a "thanks for nothing"

Sellers can be just as flaky as buyers.

[Amethyst]

Sounds like "unavailable" = "meeting with another buyer, who contacted me before you did."

When selling a car, or offering a property for rent, I tried the honest route - telling people "there's someone ahead of you, I'll let you know if it sells/rents" - and found that this tended to drive people away. Why, I don't know; but I learned my lesson, and no longer alluded to other buyers, just said "Here's when I can meet you."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koogie I got screwed the opposite way this week. I tried to buy a wood jointer off of Kijiji. I told the guy I worked a few blocks over from where he lived and could meet him any time on Thursday or Friday (this was Weds. night) He said okay but the first time he was available was Friday noon. I said done deal, see you then, here is my phone number in case you need to change the time. Thursday night he emails me to say he sold it to someone else. When he supposedly "wasn't available" I felt like going off on him but let it go with a "thanks for nothing" Sellers can be just as flaky as buyers.

[meleana]

Short answer is no.

[VungTau]

When I moved away from California a few years ago I sold and/or gave away a lot of stuff since I was going back overseas permanently. I listed it on Craigslist and Freecycle. What an diverse and whacky group of people who responded. 90% of communication done online, a few phone calls. Had all these situations and more:


- People who didn't show
- People who didn't show multiple times despite their pleas and promises

- People who came thinking it was free when I was charging for it
- People who came for a pickup and then couldn't remember what they came for
- People who came in a VW Bug to pickup a free couch and then wanting rope

- People wanting to trade pot instead of cash
- People picking stuff up and then leaving it outside in the street
- People mad because the free stuff wasn't as good as they hoped
- People who lost their keys between their car and my apartment



and plenty of people who did exactly what they promised with a smile


Now I remember it all as amusing and comical now but probably a bit frustrating too, haha!

[retire-early]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst Sounds like "unavailable" = "meeting with another buyer, who contacted me before you did." When selling a car, or offering a property for rent, I tried the honest route - telling people "there's someone ahead of you, I'll let you know if it sells/rents" - and found that this tended to drive people away. Why, I don't know; but I learned my lesson, and no longer alluded to other buyers, just said "Here's when I can meet you."

If the first potential buyer does not show , it saves the seller from having to go back and arranging a meeting with the second potential buyer. This wastes time. I don't have buyers clamoring for the items I am selling, but I can see the value of arranging sequential meetings.

.

[charais]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rk911 wawa

Wawa is a gas station on east coast like Sheetz or Royal Farms

[Koogie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by retire-early If the first potential buyer does not show , it saves the seller from having to go back and arranging a meeting with the second potential buyer. This wastes time. I don't have buyers clamoring for the items I am selling, but I can see the value of arranging sequential meetings. .

Well, I can tell you in this case all it does is p*ss off the second guy.

[retire-early]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koogie Well, I can tell you in this case all it does is p*ss off the second guy.

Yeah, but the seller is only doing first come first served.
The second guy doesn't know that.
I see nothing wrong with that as long as he gives advance notice of the cancellation which in this case was enough time to let the second guy know not to show up.

.

[Scrapr]

I do tend to have multiple people contact me when giving away stuff. In sold a few things while downsizing. Most I put on Craigslist Free/NextDoor section. I would arrange with the first in. Then tel the next one in that they are 1st up, etc. Then once the transaction happens i update down the line.

[Lienlord]

I've sold a crap ton of stuff on FB Marketplace and love it!
When I get the usual, "Is this available" I reply with a standard yes and the general area we live. I say we offer contactless pickup from our porch and for them to let me know when they would like to pickup and I'd set it out and send address.
When they say they're heading that way I put it out and send address. I tell them I accept all forms of electronic payment or they can leave cash under the welcome mat if it's what they want after checking it out.
There's nothing sweeter than seeing something you didn't want anymore taken off your porch, then lift up the welcome mat and pull out cold cash!

[teachme]

Others have provided some good ideas to reduce no shows. We sell a decent amount of stuff on CL and due to my rural location I drive to a suburb of a large city to meet which is 40 minutes away.

My usual process is to work out price and meeting time via text. Once that is arranged tell them I will text them the day of meeting before I need to leave (letting them know it is a 40 minute drive) and I will not leave until they respond. Once I get their text and as I'm leaving indicate the make, model and color of the vehicle I'll be driving and ask what they'll be driving and confirm arrival time.

The success rate for this process selling a couple items a month on CL has been high. Have had 1 no show in the last year. Granted I do not sell sub $100 items very often so it could be the buyer is more inclined to show up.

[retire-early]

Quote:

Originally Posted by teachme Others have provided some good ideas to reduce no shows. We sell a decent amount of stuff on CL and due to my rural location I drive to a suburb of a large city to meet which is 40 minutes away. My usual process is to work out price and meeting time via text. Once that is arranged tell them I will text them the day of meeting before I need to leave (letting them know it is a 40 minute drive) and I will not leave until they respond. Once I get their text and as I'm leaving indicate the make, model and color of the vehicle I'll be driving and ask what they'll be driving and confirm arrival time. The success rate for this process selling a couple items a month on CL has been high. Have had 1 no show in the last year. Granted I do not sell sub $100 items very often so it could be the buyer is more inclined to show up.

I did not do text this most recent time because the item was listed on Facebook Marketplace.
Everything was through Facebook Messenger.
It saved me wasting my time the second time which I believe was in retaliation for my telling No-Show #1 that it "waste of my time".
Too much of a coincidence that No-Show #2 was also interested in the same item. People are vindictive.

[teachme]

Quote:

Originally Posted by retire-early People are vindictive.

Unfortunately and add a dash of petty in for just the right recipe.

Good news is I've heard Karma has no expiration date.

Best wishes on future sales/purchases.

[John Galt III]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmallCityDave What's almost as bad is sellers that don't respond to calls, emails or texts. I thought about re-posting their add at a much lower price with their contact information.... while that would be funny it wouldn't be right.

As a seller, I get emails all the time asking if something is still available. Seems like a normal question. I tell them yes or no. Once I was unable to delete my ad from Craigslist, after I sold something, so I got a lot of inquiries, and had to inform them it was sold. Some of the customers emailed me back thanking me for informing them the item was sold.

[Music Lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Galt III As a seller, I get emails all the time asking if something is still available. Seems like a normal question. I tell them yes or no. Once I was unable to delete my ad from Craigslist, after I sold something, so I got a lot of inquiries, and had to inform them it was sold. Some of the customers emailed me back thanking me for informing them the item was sold.

"Hi, is this still available" is the default reply on Marketplace so most people just use that. I always put in the ad "If this ad is up the item is available" which reduces that reply some.

[retire-early]

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Galt III As a seller, I get emails all the time asking if something is still available. Seems like a normal question. I tell them yes or no. Once I was unable to delete my ad from Craigslist, after I sold something, so I got a lot of inquiries, and had to inform them it was sold. Some of the customers emailed me back thanking me for informing them the item was sold.

I don't know about Craigslist because I don't use their app.
But it is extremely easy to do on Facebook to ask if something is available. It is just one click.
I have had people ask about availability and disappear.
On Craigslist website, you have to copy and paste a long URL of the seller's email address because the address is hidden and write an actual email. It is a more convoluted process.