Craigslist 101

I’ve never enjoyed bartering. My missionary companion and I discussed this after attending an outdoor market where bartering was expected. We preferred to pay the asking price. We knew we were not getting a bargain, but considered it a no-bartering surcharge.

Nowadays, I like to sell the stuff I no longer need. I generally do this on Craigslist. As I have no storage and am putting my baby-bearing days behind me, I sell stuff as soon as we grow out of it. Having been a bad barterer, I understand where poor-bartering comes from. Let me offer a couple of tips that I have picked up on over the years.

1) First rule of thumb—do not respond to emails, even just to be polite, that say anything about sending an agent with a money order from some far away place. Pardon my generalization, but if the emailer obviously does not have a reasonably strong grasp of English, it’s best not to respond.

2) In the Craigslist arena, it is generally assumed that unless someone indicates their price is firm, making them an offer is accepted, frankly it’s almost expected. (The guys with the money order always want to pay you full price.)

3) If you want to make me an offer, please MAKE AN ACTUAL OFFER! Do not ask me “What’s the least you will consider?” I dunno, I’m not even sure myself. Make me an offer and find out. You are welcome to present a sob story with your offer—I have feelings too, but with your sob story, please make an actual offer.

4) If you ask me “What’s the least you will consider?” and I reply “Make me an offer,” and you again ask “How little will you take?” I will more likely than not, tell you a price that is higher than I would have accepted had you made me an offer. Again, this is the surcharge for people who refuse to barter.

5) Do not be afraid to insult me with an offer. I will either say yes, no, or counter-offer. If you’re embarrassed to offer, don’t. Pay me my asking price or go find someone listing the same thing in crappier condition for less—or wait to see if I lower my price on my own. It’s all a gamble.

6) If you do not like to barter, especially face to face, Craigslist is the perfect venue for pre-bartering. You can initiate an email exchange similar to the following:

“Hi, I’m interested in your item. Is your $50 price firm?”

“I dunno, make me an offer.”

“How about $30—if I still like it when I see it?”

“How about $40—if you still like it?”

“Sounds reasonable, when can I come see it?’

You can always decide it wasn’t what you were expecting and bid lower when you get there, but pre-bartering saves gas and discomfort.

7) Just as you are welcome to tell me a sob story with your offer, you are also welcome to explain to me why you want to lowball me. For example you may say—“Hey, I’ve noticed you’re asking $50 more than similar items on Craigslist, would you consider an offer of $40 less?” This gives me a chance to explain why my item is worth $50 more than the rest, or accept or decline your offer. You are still free to purchase the item from someone else. However, do not try and shame me into reducing my price. For example, if there are no comprable items listed, and the item is from IKEA and the nearest IKEA is a 10 hour drive, do not say something like

“Hey stupid, why are you selling an IKEA bookshelf for more than what it costs at IKEA?”

Because I will respond with something along the lines of:

“Hey stupid, if you could read and do math, you would have realized that this particular combination of shelving and accessories (as itemized on my posting and verifiable through IKEA’s catalog and website) is not only just one year old, and in like-new condition (as listed) but is certainly not being offered at more than what you would pay at IKEA—it is in fact (once you do the math), a few hundred dollars less. And that does not take into consideration the fact that you would have to borrow your friend’s truck because you’re too cheap to buy or rent your own vehicle, drive your mathematically challenged self 10 hours to IKEA, purchase the items, pay sales tax, drive them back and spend several hours assembling them yourself. Which, considering that IKEA uses only pictures in their instructions, you just may be able to handle. As a matter of fact, thanks for the tip. I think I’ll tack on a surcharge for labor, shipping and handling, literacy and mathematical ability.”

If you don’t like the price I’m asking either make me an offer or don’t. Please refrain from insulting me. Don’t you have a World of Warcraft game to play or something?

That’s it in a nutshell. Happy Craigslisting.

Some things I have bought on Craigslist:
Minivan
Supersaucer
Portable Dishwasher
Freezer
Play Kitchen
Lincoln Logs
Baby Backpack
Infant carrier
Dehumidifier
Vacation Rental

Some things I have sold on Craigslist:
Supersaucer (same one I purchased above—sold it for more than I paid for it)
Portable Bassinet
Changing Table
Kitchen Table and Chairs
IKEA bookshelf combination
End tables (these were surprisingly hot items)
Baby Clothes
Sit ‘n Stand Stroller
Infant seat with stroller and car base
Sideboard
Rocking Chair
Hutch
Another Kitchen Table and Chairs
My bed
Pack ‘n Play (currently listed)