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I've been downsizing and if it's some relatively cheap thing that most people wouldn't be interested in, I will hold it for someone to see. But if I get loads of messages from people who sound really interested, it goes to the first one who messaged me.
And I agree with the person who said to be wary of people who try to pressure you. I was getting rid of some costume jewelry and one idiot messaged me and ordered me to take pictures of each individual piece because she didn't have time to come and look unless she was certain she wanted them. Dumb of me, but I did it for her and then she continued to give me a hard time and finally she got nasty. There was no sale.
But when I sold a fairly old car, a lot of people came to look at it. I realized I couldn't find the title to the car and so most people didn't want it, of course. But then one guy came with a friend driving him because he didn't have a car at all, and he said that with a car (20?) years old you didn't need a title in this state. He bought the car and since he seemed poor and desperately needed a car to get to his job, I even gave him some money off. He was smart to know about the title (I checked and he was right), he needed it to get to work, it was just one of those things where you use your judgment.
Okay, I think in the future I will state just that I won't hold it, and the first $X takes it. I kind of thought it was silly that someone who only "might" have wanted the item got miffed because she said she would come see it tomorrow, and another person came over immediately and paid full price. It was a very inexpensive item, $30. Of course I texted that it was sold to all interested parties as soon as it sold. I wouldn't let someone make a trip to my home for for nothing. I just felt that holding something for 24 hours,and having multiple people come view it for a measly $30 was a bit silly. The item cost $150 new and I published good photos showing it to be in perfect condition, so I was ready to just sell it and be done with it. Honestly for the amount of hassle for $30, I don't know that I would bother selling again, and just donate it to charity next time.
I don't give out my phone number for this (among other) reasons when in process of finding buyers for things that I am selling. It's easier to sort through potential buyers via Craigslist or FB Marketplace. The low-ballers and "can you hold the item" folks go to the back of the line; the "this is what I'm willing to pay and when I am willing to show up to look at said item" go to the front. Just sold a washer and dryer, i.e., after sorting through about fifty responses, I took the one who simply asked me to take fifty dollars off the listing price and could pick up the set immediately. The small discount was well worth the ease of that transaction.
I've been on the buying end of these transactions and was once able to buy a nearly brand new dryer (at a discount!) that already had a potential buyer in place simply because I could commit to picking it that very day while the other buyer couldn't come until later in the week.
I always go with first come first serve. If someone says they can come tomorrow, I tell them to message me agin tomorrow and I’ll let them know if it’s still available.
My wife has a side business. When two contractors pull stuff out of a house and believe that it is worth salvaging, they bring it over and she sells it. They split the money. She makes 4-5 sales per week through Nextdoor and FB Marketplace
Here are the rules:
1) Cash only, no checks, no installment deals, no paypal, no credit cards.
2) If you call and state that you are interested, she will set up an appointment to look at the item THAT DAY. If you don't show, she calls the second person on the list.
3) She sets firm prices upfront to discourage the Craigslist crowd. The price is the price and there is no negotiations. She has found that she can gauge whether the price is right by the number of views, calls she has received and the like.
4) If the product does not sell in 5-7 days, she will reduce prices. However, the prices that she states are firm.
5) Nearly all deals are "no contact." The item is in our courtyard and we have a place for the buyer to stick the payment.
She decided early on that she did not want to conduct "Let's Make a Deal" games in our carport.
Many of our buyers travel 10-20 miles to get to our place so generally, they are motivated buyers.
My wife has a side business. When two contractors pull stuff out of a house and believe that it is worth salvaging, they bring it over and she sells it. They split the money. She makes 4-5 sales per week through Nextdoor and FB Marketplace
Here are the rules:
1) Cash only, no checks, no installment deals, no paypal, no credit cards.
2) If you call and state that you are interested, she will set up an appointment to look at the item THAT DAY. If you don't show, she calls the second person on the list.
3) She sets firm prices upfront to discourage the Craigslist crowd. The price is the price and there is no negotiations. She has found that she can gauge whether the price is right by the number of views, calls she has received and the like.
4) If the product does not sell in 5-7 days, she will reduce prices. However, the prices that she states are firm.
5) Nearly all deals are "no contact." The item is in our courtyard and we have a place for the buyer to stick the payment.
She decided early on that she did not want to conduct "Let's Make a Deal" games in our carport.
Many of our buyers travel 10-20 miles to get to our place so generally, they are motivated buyers.
^^^ THIS.
The "hold it for me" crowd are trying to game you. Even worse are the "hold it for me and I will pay you more than you are asking." Those are well-documented scams common to craigslist.
Your attitude works well if it is "I haven't got time for this s---. Come buy it or don't bother me."
The "hold it for me" crowd are trying to game you. Even worse are the "hold it for me and I will pay you more than you are asking." Those are well-documented scams common to craigslist.
Your attitude works well if it is "I haven't got time for this s---. Come buy it or don't bother me."
She was selling a sofa for $75 two weeks ago. As soon as she placed the ad, a lady called and said she was interested. She dropped by and liked it and she would be back on Friday with the money "after she got paid."
Friday came and went. The lady called Saturday stating that her car broke down and she would not have the money NEXT week. My wife said that she would NOT hold the sofa for another week BUT told the lady to call her on Friday if the sofa was not sold. She sold it the next evening to a different family.
She will work with people . Last week, she mailed out a lot of cabinet hardware to one lady who paid for the shipping. On the other hand, one woman wanted to meet up in Phoenix to pick up the goods (120 miles away OW).
As for Craigslist, we tried using that to sell furniture in Chicagoland when we were moving. People would agree on a price and the second that they arrived, they would want a 50% discount. My response? I would pick up my cell phone, call my office number, allow it to go to voicemail, and tell that person that the guy did not want the item that they came for and that you could pick it up. Then I would tell the guy to take a hike.
I won't hold anything without a deposit, except if a buyer calls to see if it is still available and is leaving his home immediately and will be there in half an hour. I will hold it for an hour. The next callers, I take their phone number and tell them I will call them back if the person doesn't show up.
But generally, I won't hold anything. Too many people promising to come who never show up. I suspect they are simply window shopping with no intention to buy and probably no money. Tell them to call before they leave home to make sure it is still available.
I've lost some rather large amounts of money because of holding for people who changed their minds and never told me. So, no more.
I am confused. People don't agree to buy things unless they see it so if you want to hold the item, let them know you will hold it for them until they arrive. If you don't want to hold it that's ok. I'd just let them know so they are not driving to your house for nothing.
I have a family member who sells furniture on OfferUp and FB, and you'd be surprised how often people will show up to buy without having seen it in person. A few times the seller even tried to remind them of the blemishes or flaws and the buyer replies with, "I don't care, I want it." Other times the buyer will offer more if the seller will hold for a day, most times it works out for the seller. But people are flaky, so it's up to the seller to decide how to go about the sale; if you don't want to hold an item, don't. It's perfectly ok to sell it to whoever shows up with the cash first, but as mentioned, be sure to let the others know that it's been sold.
Buyers, don't jerk a seller around. If you take a look at an item, don't say, "I'll be back with money" if you have no intention of doing so. It's all right to say, "I don't like it as much as I thought I would, I'm not going to buy it. Thanks for your time." Or "No, this won't work for me after all." If you feel weird doing that in person, then, "Ill have to think about it" will work, BUT then text/call the person to say no thank you. It's basic courtesy that seems to go out the window during these transactions for some reason.
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