Craigs List

[gene]

You gotta love it.

I'm selling an item on Craig's List. I sell personal things from my shop, not my home.

I use the email through Craig's List, not my personal email. I got an email reply from a guy who had his company name and address on the email. The company is an LLC and the address was hyperlinked. I clicked on the address and bing.com maps showed exactly where that address was located.

Sounds legit.

Out of curiosity I googled the address with google satellite and the address is an empty parking lot. I checked the LLC company name with the state and there is no company by that name.

I almost emailed back saying I only take cash and I would meet him at his business address at 11:00 p.m. LOL

I did email back to say the item is still for sale. I haven't heard back. I wonder if he will want to pay with a company check?

I was talking to a homeowner recently who lives in one of the 10 richest neighborhoods in the country and he said you cannot prevent getting ripped off totally, all you can do is make it is small losses when and if they occur.

gene

[Mojo]

I hate selling stuff on Craigslist. Some items bring out the dredges of society who waste a lot of your time and energy. I have had a couple of them show up at my house and I always have my 9 mm on my hip and make sure they see the gun and the two big german shepherds we have.

For some reason you post something you want to sell and all of a sudden you get 20 responses from people wanting to trade you junk for your item.

I found that some items make it easier to take to the Salvation Army, get a donation slip and drop it there. I write it off on my taxes and it saves me from having to strangle some POS who wasted my time and is a royal PITA.

Chris

[MinUph]

I used CL for many years without issue. I have stopped for a year or so as it just isn't worth it. People get shot, robbed. I just dont want these people at my home or shop anymore. I just as soon see the service close. The last thing I sold was a cell phone and met the kid in a parking lot. All went as planned but after the sale I said to myself I wonder if this will end up in some terrorist hands to use in a plot. I won't do that again.
  I use FB sale groups and some other online services now. Can't say I get as much response but oh well. There is always the Salvation Army as Chis mentioned.

[sofadoc]

I used to buy and sell quite a bit of stuff on CL and Ebay. Never had any problems. 

But it does seem like the last couple years that deals that are truly advantageous to both the buyer and seller are drying up.

Some CL sellers will simply copy and paste an ad from a retailer and post it as their own. They're banking on you not knowing the true value of the item, or not realizing that you can get it at a sale price from the retailer.

And used items on CL and Ebay now cost as much or more than just buying a new one.

Unless things change back to the way they used to be on those sites, I don't anticipate using them much anymore.

[65Buick]

Yes CL can be a bit iffy now. I don't sell, just buy.
Fortunately there are other online places like FB local groups and other community oriented type places now. Some require sign up or some other method to try to weed out flakes and spammers.