E-mails only until it looks serious, then and only then does it involve the phone.
 






 

I've changed it to $1200 - we'll see what happens.  And communication by e-mail only.

If I was closer, I'd hit it for $900.  I miss the KZ750 Spectre I had about 10 years ago, even though it was in rough shape.

I loathe Craigslist. Stopped using it a couple years ago, tried it once more about a year ago and got met with the same fucking retards once again. I hate it.

I was in KCMO today for work.  I just realized I could have ridden that home to Dallas.    

Damn, and I'd have given you a discount.

So I finally had someone that took the time to call, ask about the bike and then actually show as scheduled.  He started picking apart every single thing talking about how "rough" it was and how it had been "left out in the weather too long."  He said he'd driven 3 hours and had brought a trailer so I'm sure he had good intentions, but expecting a 32 year-old motorcycle advertised as "good" not to have any scratches, chipped paint, rust or oxidation is a little much.

Based on advice from members in this thread, I upped the price and made replies only by e-mail a few days ago.  Not one e-mail since I raised the price....

Don't put it on the EE....

I go through spells buying/selling CL and Armslist.  The last time I moved I tried selling a bunch of older furniture, electronics, collectibles, and such.  I priced the stuff really low, wrote good listings with 3 pics (most you could do at the time I think), and was trying to just spare the landfill and hopefully get a few bucks for my time.  The derp was amazing.  What was more amazing was how much derpier it got once I got so tired of the derp that I decided to just give the stuff away.  

Example:  a nice (I.e. not out of a box) computer desk.  Worth $100 easy, originally tried to get $20.  E-mails come in with "I'll give you $10 if you bring it to me", or ""are there any scratches on it".  Okay, can't get any buyers and I'm moving next week, so I list it for free.  E-mails come in "can you bring it to me", "can you hold it until the end of the month", " do the drawers all work", etc.  I finally do the curb alert thing and drag it out to the street, continue to get moronic emails.  Thankfully one of the neighbors comes over and asks how much I want for it.  I told him it was free as long as he took the monitor that was sitting on top of it.  Never would have believed it would be so hard to give stuff away.

Still hasn't sold?  Wow, the economy really is in the dumps!

Get an account on advrider.com and post it there.  It will sell right away!!  Not to mention it is a great website for motorcyclists.

Nope, still hasn't sold.  I'm now advertising a $100 discount off the final price if the buyer actually shows up at the agreed-to time.  We'll see if that helps.

Selling tactics reek of desperation.  Seller has to project confidence that his product is worth the asking price, i.e. "excellent bike, great deal".  A buyer wants to feel good about buying the product.  Sure; the buyer is going to pick it apart but if you've succeeded in getting him there, you have a chance of making the sale.  And DON'T JERK PEOPLE AROUND WITH THE EMAIL THING.  PUT A PHONE # IN THE AD.  Buy a burn phone if you're worried about whatever.  My success in selling stuff is BEING ACCESSIBLE.  People don't have the time or attention span to send an email and wait for contact.  Not everyone has a smart phone to get mail on but almost everyone has a basic phone for calls.  If I'm inquiring about something, sure I'll send an email but I'm on to the next ad right away.  And if that seller has a phone #; he's getting a phone call while I'm waiting, or maybe not, for an email response.

You might have to make the price more attractive.  In the northern half of the US, the prime motorcycle selling season is early Spring through Memorial day.  People must think Winter starts after the 4th of July.  Stupid but that is how it works.

And don't whine in your ad about no-shows.  Suck it up and sell your product.

I like your style!    Inconsiderate and unreliable people suck.

I generally try not to ask questions about info that was posted in the ad.  I do like to have a little bit of back and forth with the seller, just to try and figure out who I'm dealling with.

Not sure how some of you guys survive daily life.  Craigslist is just a cross section of the populace.  Same level of stupid walking/driving/talking around you on a daily basis.



I use Craigslist all the time.  Buying stuff.  Selling stuff.  Giving shit away.  e-mail only, and the retards just get deleted from my inbox.  Problem solved.



I bet any other type of sales position will describe the exact same scenario (ie, stupid/broke buyers).  If Craigslist idiots are the biggest problem in your life...I'd like to have your life.

Fuck that.  My time and tranquility are more important than having my phone ringing off the hook due to dumbasses.  Buyers are screened via e-mail...those who pass the initial screening may move on to phase two...text or phone call.  :)  I would say that the majority of the things I sell go straight from e-mail/text to meet-up.  Very few involve phone calls.  Which is fine by me.





Then again, when I list stuff on Craigslist, it's because I'd like to get it sold...eventually.  If I needed to sell something today, I might act differently.  E-mail thing piss you off?  Not my issue.  I'll sell it to the next guy, who isn't still pissed about all those horseless carriages buzzing around on the roads.  ;)





 

Could not agree more.  Last night I sold a dual recliner couch.  A lady called and said she would be there at 1, I leave work to be home and wait,,,,,and wait.......and wait. I go back to work around 2:30.   Then about 4:30 a guy calls and wants it, comes over immediately, pays, loads and leaves.   About 5:30 hits and the 1 o'clock lady shows up.  I tell her someone just left with it.  She gets pissed and says, well thanks for letting me know.  I say, thanks for showing up at 1.  All kinds of attitude ensues.  I say, get the hell off my property, I hate people like you.  She call me an asshole, I call her a bitch and more insanity ensues as she threatens to "turn me in."

So, yes. Inconsiderate and unreliable people suck...something fierce.

Was selling a foosball table once.

After a week of nothing I get a response: "Hi, I'm in (your location) too.  Is the foosball table still availible?"

Deleted without responding.  Thought about it and figured usually scammers don't put specifics like location and item in body of email so I emailed him back.  It was a real guy.  We exchanged a few emails.  I give him my address and tell him a time frame he can come out.  Dead silence, no response or confirmation of the time/date.  Few days later at the prescribed time and date, a guy showed up with cash and no BS.  Guy gave me two signals he was either a scammer or flake, but turned out to be neither.

I always entertain trade offers.  You never know what the guy might have.  I've made out pretty good with trades.

I think you're being dramatic. Did I say that they were the "biggest problem" in my life? It's simply a GD thread I started to share my experience.  No more, no less.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

That's cool, I don't see anything wrong with asking about stuff either I didn't mention in the ad or whatever.  Or just trying to get an impression of a seller; due diligence is fine.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

Not desperate. In fact at this point I don't really care if it sells.

I did the email thing because people were texting & calling me at inappropriate times. If someone can't reply through email then it's doubtful they'll drive an hour to my dinky little town to buy.  I have no interest in getting a burner phone.

I thought my price was reasonable, but others disagreed. So I raised it to see what would happen - which was nothing. The silly 'discount' thing had at least 3 people so far e-mail me saying they were interested & found the discount hilarious.  Several others have replied and appear interested. We'll see....

I agree completely with your comments about prime selling season and peoples thoughts of when winter starts.


Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

Sold to a really cool guy who showed up on time with cash for $750.

Thanks for the good advice & humor guys.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile