Selling Online Etiquette Question

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by ChessieMom

LOTS of people have had no issues. Duh. But you ARE taking a risk by allowing a stranger into your home if you are there alone. Frankly I really don't care, that is YOUR choice. But for other people to say "I won't sell/buy to/from anyone that won't tell me where they live", well that is one of the most ridiculous head-in-the-sand comments I have read here.

Well let's see. Out of a billion transactions on Craigslist, 5 people get murdered, and 999,999,995 don't. It's sound's like pretty good odds to me.

[howard555]

Originally Posted by ChessieMom

Wow. That's crazy. People have been MURDERED by strangers that came over to buy something at their homes. I cant believe you are this naïve.

If you had a car for sale and listed it in the local paper you would have to give any prospective buyers:
a. your name
b. your address
c. your phone number

There seems to be little difference between local paper and CL as far as what you have to tell people who want to buy what you are selling.

[TheShadow]

I usually sell either on a neighborhood website, where everybody can find my address easily anyway, or on FB marketplace. These are generally household goods or furniture items. In the future, I will simply say that I'm not holding any item. The first person with the money gets the item. I won't be spending time waiting on people who say they'll come at a time and don't show up. I'm basically talking items that are $50-$200, so it's not worth my time to wait on someone. If they miss the item and it gets sold to someone else, sorry, you snooze you lose.

[rothbear]

Both hubby and I have gone to a "first come with payment, first served" attitude. I was actually giving a bunch of craft stuff away just for the cost of the large flat rate box shipping. Some woman in TX said she wanted it and I sent her a Paypal invoice. For the next 3 days I waited to get paid and each time she said she would send it. Finally on the 4th day I told her someone else was interested and I was cancelling the invoice. She immediatly tried to send the money but saw the invoice was cancelled and whined about she couldn't find the invoice to pay. She was just stringing me along as far as she could. I sent another invoice but was not happy about it. That locked in my decision on how to treat the sales.

[galaxyhi]

Originally Posted by TheShadow

I don't know if this really fits in this category, so Mods feel free to move this if you don't think it belongs here. I know that frugal living folks do a lot of buying, selling, and bartering for used items so I figured this was the best sub-forum.

I have a disagreement regarding the etiquette of buying/selling used items online, or even from an ad in a newspaper or flyer.

If I am selling an object, and place an ad, when someone calls and requests to come and "look at the item" at a later time (maybe 8 hours later, or the next morning), but no definite deal to purchase has been made, am I obligated to NOT sell that item if someone else can come earlier and wishes to purchase it? In other words, should I hold it, and possibly turn away other callers, until the first caller can come see it? Do I need to NOT show it to anyone else, or make a deal, until the first caller has an opportunity to see it and decide if they want it or not? Or is it that the first person who can show up with money in hand can take it away, as long as I notify the first caller about the sale before they come over?

While I've had to specify a later time to look/buy something, I usually specify when and why: like "I get out of work at X time and can come at that time".

But I also understand if I can't get there earlier, it might be sold.

If I'm interested, and available, but the seller says "well I've got a looker coming in 5 hours, I'll let you know if they don't buy"...well I hate that.

OP, best way to solve this dilemma is to put the following in your ad:

"First come, first served. No holds. Cash in hand"

Or:
"First to arrive with cash in hand gets it"

That way it tells any party that someone might beat them to it.

Then you are under NO obligation of any sort to hold an item.

Best

[galaxyhi]

As far as "security" for such transactions...

Even CL suggests you meet in a public place.

I put in my ad: "will meet you in the back of the big parking lot of X store in X shopping center".

IF the item is big and heavy, it's not so much being shot, but someone who might be "casing the joint" who might come back later when I'm not home and steal something else that I worry about.
So I try to have the item in my garage. Sure, my tools are there, but I built a wall of cabinets in my garage (all mismatched freebies or cheapies from cl.. including the counter tops) that house my tools, so they really only see the item they came for.
I specify the following in my ad: "must pick up at my (city name, no address) home. Must be able to TEXT me for directions and address".
When they give me a number to text, I ask what they will be driving, what time they expect to arrive at (give the street name only).
When they are ready to leave they tell me in a text, then and only then do I give house #, and tell them I will be waiting on the front porch.
IF there IS a problem, the police can track the cell number owner and address.
I highly doubt they'll buy a "throwaway phone" just to come buy my refrigerator!

One other note: if I'm willing to deliver, I specify that I will deliver only to ground floor front door of (name city/cities) I'm willing to go to.
If I want "gas money"..I specify the delivery fee.

Ive so far had no problems.
But I'm as specific as possible.

My only problem is: for every one item I sell to get rid of or downsize, I tend to find at least 2 things I buy off CL!!

Best to all buyers and sellers!

[jlawrence01]

In a couple cases, my friend would request a meeting at the local PD parking lot. That way, no one was going to play games.