OK I do A LOT of Craiglist adds as well as answer them. I do some other sites as well. In this day and age its emails and texting. I am always a prompt email returner, I always give my number, and address if someone seems interested. I am finding about 60% of people will answer my add, get to the point of setting up times and dates. Then all of a sudden disappear. They dont return calls or text, and decide that your email is too bothersome and block or ignore you. Why is this acceptable? where were some of these people raised? the majority of these people are mothers of children. This is really un-acceptable in my book.
As far as me, I am always 100% on my word if i answer an add I am always there. When i say I am coming, I come. I dont say "ohh I will be there at 2" and then show up or call and cancel at 11pm. YIKES.
Now for the question: are you a prompt customer with good manners, or are you the one that generally dumps the thing if its too inconvient for you? I wont judge ya or get mad I promise its all fair game :)
yeah I am ticked cause, I have a baby guinea pig that I put out there early as to have a solid home for it when it came time to leave its mom. These particular people were calling and requesting pictures, telling me what there kids named it, when they would come, all that jazz. They were suppose to show TODAY at noon and its now 2:30? and they wont call wont text wont email argh... well its going to the next very happy family thats been waiting!
Dawn, yes I know thanks, I do only after some correspondence. As for the TYPE of adds I am answering it requires I give an address its hard to sell my stuff out of the back of a van in the middle of Target. Death by Craigslist is pretty uncommon. Besides I never meet them alone or with my kids if they come to my house i have people over. Thanks for the info though
I am a prompt customer and have excellent manners, almost to a fault. I will make myself extremely inconvenienced and even miserable just to keep my word. Drives my husband nuts....
I can't help it - I am a woman of my word.
Oh, yes, the wonderful world of Craigslist. I have limited my sales on there just because it's too much of a hassle to deal w/ flaky people. And yes, they ARE mostly moms, unfortunately. Hey, I get that you're busy, people, but so am I!! Anyway, no, I'm one of those very conscientious people and if I say I'm going to be there at 2 p.m., I'm there at 2 p.m. sharp.
Oh, and I also do the first come first served now. Too many burns in the past.
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I have only sold and bought a few things on craigslist. If Im selling something and someone is interested and makes an appt, I tell them straight out its first come, first served so if you really want it, you better come and get it cuz I'm not holding it for you.
If I'm buying something on craigslist, I make it perfectly clear that I WANT it and I am coming to get it at the time I say. I don't want to lose out and risk someone getting there before me and I miss out! =)
I have noticed that there are ads and no one answers them. They will post, and within 15 min I answer, and no one answers back. I cannot stand it. I am a "free" shopper, mostly due to funds, but the amount of "fake ads" compared to actual ads that are posted now are scary. When I say I am going to be there...I'm there, but only if they answer!! Frustrating!
I didn't have much trouble til the last 6 mo. or so freecycling. I got tapped on the nose, so to speak, because I reoffered something someone stopped responding to me about and never picked up, but hadn't waited a week. I'd waited several days and she was obviously not going to respond, so I ended up giving it to someone else who had previously asked.
If you are clear, write in full sentences, include a phone number and your NAME, I am much more likely to want to deal with you. Phone numbers are optional, IMO, but if I'm ever not able to get something I tell them promptly. Even in general customer service, I try to be clear. "I have x account and x shipping confirmation number. I paid x for expedited shipping and was promised a delivery date of y. It is now two days later and I have not received my items...." So many people talk/type like you can read their minds.
Oh, and if I have issues? I put them in my "don't" folder and next time I get a response from them, I DON'T!
Here's why: People are jerks, plain & simple. Seriously. I've driven myself nuts repeatedly over the years thinking exactly what you said. "If I'M doing what I said I would do, WHY ISN'T EVERYONE ELSE???" They're not because they're jerks. Your time & effort means nothing to them. Why would it? They're only concerned with themselves.
I hear ya....and always go by my time/date schedule, or will call/email well in advance to cancel.
I have had it with craigslist people....I can not wait 2 hours from the time they said they would come over or not show at all. I now give everyone a 1 hour time frame. You either show, or the next person will be contacted.
I am so tired of the craigslist losers, I actually have a list of people who haven't shown up or whatever in case they try to buy something again. I am in shock how many people say they want something and then never show up. Luckily my family has a business so I have them come there since I would never meet someone. It is very frustrating though.
I would definitely be prompt and courteous. I do freecycle a lot and always get no shows. There have been so many times someone responds to my posting saying how desperately they need what I am offering. Then when I offer I don't hear back from them. Some people will say then want it badly and can come right now, but if I offer they just disappear. What is up with that? I get some people who set up a time and then just don't show. Then I have to go back and start all over picking someone new. I even keep a list of no shows so I know never to offer to them again. If people do email and say they can't come I don't consider that a no show because they did contact me. My only creepy experience was one lady I gave a bunch of stuff to. A week later I offered more stuff and she emailed right away saying she could come NOW and remembered where I live. Yikes. I did not respond to her and I hope she realized how weird that sounded! My best experience was a lady who brough us cinnamon rolls when we gave her an item (store bought and wrapped, so they did get eaten, lol!).
I gave up offering things on freecycle for this very reason. I understand things come up, people change their minds, but it seems courtesy isn't so common these days.
I love craigslist/freecycle type things. I also was burned a few times and it keeps me from the site for a bit but then I got back because I have something to sell or give away or I"m looking for something in particular.
I don't like the spam I get from the site but its worth it to not pay rediculous fees and shipping costs from other sites like Ebay.
I don't give people my address and I try to meet somewhere halfway for us both but that has bit me, too. I have shown up somewhere twice for one person who cancelled but rescheduled and after I got a sitter and went to meet them they cancelled the second time. It was annoying because they only cancelled 15 minutes after we were supposed to meet. If they would have just called a bit earlier I would have saved alot of trouble.
I used to give out my address but then got nervous at people knowing where I live.
Another bad experience was when a woman had multiple things for sale and I told her I would like a few certain items and she said ok and told me when to come to I went, on time, and she had already sold the specific things I was interested in even though to me we had agreed that I was going to purchase them from her. Weird?
I just figure for every bad experience I have had a really good experience to match it. More good then bad so far but enough bad to keep me from giving rave reviews for those sites.
You are describing exactly why I don't bother with craigslist anymore. Maybe it's just Omaha but I'd say my failure rate is over 60%! I get sick of dealing with someone and even turning people away for someone to say ah nevermind or do just what you described.
Me personally I'd never behave like that. First of all it's common sense it's rude in my opinion. Secondly, I don't like being treated like that so naturally I wouldn't do it. Drives me nuts!
Hi Martha,
I feel the same way as you. I don't have time to mess around with emails. I tell people if they are interested in something I am selling, to leave their name, number and a time they think they would like to come and get the item in the original contact email. I say in the add that any email without this info will not be answered. It usually works well 9/10 times. I learned the hard way with waiting for people to show up, no shows, flakes, or people that want to talk you down on the agreed price! If I am buying something or are interested, I email back asap and am courteous.
M
