Craigslist ads

[CatCaretaker]

Is there some mysterious trick to getting people selling vans on Craigslist to respond?!! Or do they recycle past ads to make it look like there's more out there and whoever posted said van has long since stopped responding to queries about their ad. .

 

[Gypsy Clipper]

Start your inquiry with "Sold!!!When can we meet?"

Sent from my Alcatel_5044R using Tapatalk

 

[user 423]

Many won't respond to emails but only by text or phone. Or whatever they specify. Some sellers will leave an ad up long after the vehicle has been sold.

 

[Van on 66]

Is there some mysterious trick to getting people selling vans on Craigslist to respond?!! Or do they recycle past ads to make it look like there's more out there and whoever posted said van has long since stopped responding to queries about their ad. .

If you have a specific craigslist post you are having trouble with put the link on here so we can get a better idea of what is going on and give you some feedback.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

It could be how you're wording your reply, if it sounds like a scammer, an experienced seller will just move on to the next reply. Or if they post a phone number to call and you email, they may not respond. Others just stop responding once it's sold and they don't bother taking down the ad. And then there are the ones who just aren't good sales people and customer service isn't their forte.

I now just post a phone number and don't leave an option to email me. Out of every 25 emails i got, one would be a serious buyer. However, when I only leave a number to call, 4 out of 5 callers seem to be serious about purchasing. When I did respond to emails, the one thing that irked me more than anything and i'd ignore the email was people who made me a cash offer in the email. Example: say i post a craigslist ad for a used van and set the asking price at $5,000. Then get an email from a prospective buyer offering me $4500 cash. How can you make an offer on a vehicle you've never seen? Next! I never make an offer on an item until i've seen it in person.

 

[NickTheoBennett]

When I did respond to emails, the one thing that irked me more than anything and i'd ignore the email was people who made me a cash offer in the email.  Example:  say i post a craigslist ad for a used van and set the asking price at $5,000.  Then get an email from  a prospective buyer offering me $4500 cash.  How can you make an offer on a vehicle you've never seen?  Next!  I never make an offer on an item until i've seen it in person.

I completely get that and I understand that it is poor etiquette to talk about money before inspecting the vehicle.  However, I've done something similar many times so I thought I'd weigh in on behalf of other folks out there who might have committed this sin.  

In the scenario you laid out I might have only $4500 to spend and I don't want to waste time and an hour's worth of gas if you are unwilling to budge on the price.  Admittedly, in an ideal interaction I might be more general and just ask if you have any wiggle room on the price before I come to see it, but the sentiment remains.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Craigslist tends to be a sellers market. If I go to all the trouble to make the decision to sell a vehicle, take pics, writeup the ad, post it, then wait for replies, and meet people at my home, then I don't want to sit around and dicker with all the tire kickers. I set the price at a fair value, and expect that price when it sells.

All three times I have sold vehicles on Craigslist I had multiple callers lined up when I started returning calls. I ignore texts and emails. The ad states this.

My price is firm. I also state this. Still, I've had buyers show up and try to negotiate the price.

I show them the list of phone numbers and names, and tell them that if they wont pay what I'm asking, which is a fair price, then I will start moving down the list.

All thee buyers paid what I was asking.

For any genuinely good deal on something unusual you find on Craigslist, you should be willing to pay what is asked. Only if you find flaws and/or its a common item available elsewhere for less, should you expect to be able to 'haggle'. Of course it never hurts to ask!

This has been my experience...others may have other stories.

 

[Mamamia]

I agree!

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[user 423]

I dunno, it depends on what you're selling I guess. I've always asked a couple hundred more than what I'm willing to take and then wiggle some, let them feel good about getting over a little. When buying stuff, I've always been able to get the buyer to come down a few hundred with a cash on the spot offer.

 

[Born2Explore]

I like to think that I have a good amount of experience with buying and selling on craigslist. Bought my first car from craigslist back in 2009. Since then, I have bought and sold another 5 cars and 4 motorcycles. My wife and I also sold all of our 'stuff' on craigslist when we were downsizing earlier this year. I have honestly found that text messaging seems to be the quickest, and most effective way to communicate with a seller. The van I just bought last weekend I made the deal over text from 450 miles away with a 60+ year old man! As a previous reply mentioned, I always offer what I think the vehicle is worth up front. I do my homework/research, and if they are asking $5,000, but the van is only worth $4,500, I will be straight with them and offer that letting them know "if everything is as good as you say it is, I have $4,500 CASH right now and can come pick it up". Then if i get there and it is even worse in person and has issues they didn't describe in the ad, then i may offer $4,000 explaining that i would be taking a risk and/or have to do some work to it before i could safely put it on the road. Or if it is real bad, i walk away.

Most, if not all, people i have dealt with on craigslist are very nice people who just want to sell their stuff for a fair price. So I always go out of my way to be kind, calm, and courteous even if the deal falls though. 

Hope this helps some!!

 

[jonsun]

people on CL love to do nothing but sit around low-balling anything and everything. If you posted a corvette for $1,000 you will get 100 emails asking if you'd take $500.

that or your email goes right to their spam folder.

 

[kllcbosmetris]

Example:  say i post a craigslist ad for a used van and set the asking price at $5,000.  Then get an email from  a prospective buyer offering me $4500 cash.  How can you make an offer on a vehicle you've never seen?  Next!  I never make an offer on an item until i've seen it in person.

I don't understand people saying "$[amount] ... CASH!" I always think "Well, I am not a bank; I am a private individual, so of course it will be cash - as I don't do financing or payment plans. So, why do you say "CASH!" as if that is an added incentive. Of course it will be cash; I am not doing bartering here." I don't get it. I think the logic bothers me more than the low-balling honestly.

 

[RVtrek]

I don't understand people saying "$[amount] ... CASH!" I always think "Well, I am not a bank; I am a private individual, so of course it will be cash - as I don't do financing or payment plans. So, why do you say "CASH!" as if that is an added incentive. Of course it will be cash; I am not doing bartering here." I don't get it. I think the logic bothers me more than the low-balling honestly.

Somebody might want to pay with a check or money order or some such silliness like that.

 

[mr_elijah_gardner]

When someone offers me "cash" I tell them food stamps is double.

I've noticed alot of people don't pull their ads after something sells and they stop responding. That would explain the dead ads that you can't get a response from.

I have the best luck communicating using text msg.

I like the Facebook groups alot better. The search options aren't as good but the communication is.