# Do people no longer have a conscience?



## MedicKen (Dec 2, 2008)

I have been looking for some non woodworking items on Craigslist for the past few months and they finally came up earlier today. I called the seller and left a message as the ad said to do. About an hour later I received a call from the seller and we discussed the items and I told him that I would take them but I would not be able to get there until tomorrow to pick them up. We AGREED that he would remove them from the list and hold them for me. Well, guess what? I got a text message of all things stating that he sold them and they were no longer available. I asked why he didnt hold them? His response was he was another buyer offered to purchase my items as well as others and he HAD to sell it!! Do people no longer have a conscience, morals, ability to keep their word any longer? Or is it just me?


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## auggy53 (Jan 23, 2011)

you can thank the people that say they will buy and never show . so far people have been straight up with me as i have with others .


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## derosa (Aug 21, 2010)

The lumber I bought was still around because the seller had agreed to hold on to it for 2 days for a buyer; that was over a week prior to my buying them. It's the third item I've bought that had people claiming they would buy it and then never showed up. I only call when I have cash in hand and the time to go get it other wise I'm just teasing myself and the seller.


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## GregInMaryland (Mar 11, 2010)

A few years ago when I sold my motorcycle (sniff, sniff) I told the first person who I confirmed with that he would be the first buyer to look at it. The second or third or fourth person who contacted me wanted to get there first and was outraged that I wouldn't go back on my word to the first buyer. Get this, he told me that "he couldn't do business with me" That still cracks me up. At that point, I wouldn't have sold it to him even if he had offered more money. Fortunately, the first buyer purchased it and I didn't have to deal with it anymore.

There are many honest buyers and sellers out there, just as there are many jerks. You'll get what you need with a little effort and patience.


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

The old saying applies here… money talks…


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Both buyers and sellers in Craigslist dealings frequently flake. I wouldn't
agree to show/sell an item to one buyer and then sell it to another
in under 24 hours, but in practice, a huge percentage of potential
buyers flake-out.

I've tried to buy machinery many times from flaky sellers as well.

The flake factor goes both ways.

If you want clean deals, use ebay.


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## MedicKen (Dec 2, 2008)

Ebay? Sure, I love paying twice retail. Not!!


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## longgone (May 5, 2009)

I have sold numerous items on craigslist and I cannot tell you how many times someone said they were coming to buy something and they never showed up. *I tell people now that I do not hold items*. Unfortunately you cannot tell who is sincere and who is just talking crap from a phone call. When I want to buy something from craigslist I go ASAP with cash in my pocket.

On the other hand, I saw a metal storage locker a couple of weeks ago on c list and called and got directions and told them I was on my way. After talking to them and telling them I was coming, something came up and I could not go…I called back and said I couldn't come…a common courtesy call. To my surprise they said they would deliver it if i really wanted it. I said yes and gave them my address. They brought it by the next day without being paid first. *WOW !* The drove about 45 minutes to deliver it. I was so impressed wit their integrity and I gave them an extra $25 above the sales price.

I also recently needed some air conditioning service on my A/C at home and set up an appointment with a guy who never showed up. I called another A/C guy and we set an appointment for 3 days later. He never showed up. Finally the third company I called showed up exactly when the said they would.


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## klassenl (Feb 13, 2011)

I have had relatively good luck buying and selling on Kijiji (somehow Craigslist didn't take off in Canada). I haven't had any deal go bad, other than a guy buying my fridge who offered me $50 less than the $200 I was asking, then asking if I would deliver, and then breaking the outside pane of glass in my kitchen window and not even offering anything in compensation. All in all it was ok though, I got rid of the fridge, got my money, and the window was slated for replacement any way.

My most recent purchase was a jointer. The guy I was buying it from was in such bad health I didn't have the heart to even ask if he would move on the price.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Ebay can be very clean for the buyer - and especially with machinery
you can have an advantage from being local with reduced transportation
costs. If you win an auction fairly, the seller will very, very rarely refuse
to complete the deal.

The key to getting the bargains is flexible criteria and patience.


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## Tedstor (Mar 12, 2011)

The seller put himself in a bad position, and gained nothing by doing so. Whenever I sell on craigslist, I sell at firesale prices. The last thing I want is to have to relist an item multiple times, in the hope of fetching an extra 10-20%, and further subject myself to non-stop low-balling, no showing, and other general headaches. I try to list on Friday morning, and have the item gone within 24hrs. I often get people begging me to hold an item for them, even offering to pay a premium in some cases. 
Given I'm typically selling a kid's bike or some other nickel/dime item, an offer of an extra $5-10 hardly compensates me enough to chance having the "buyer" no-show. I'd rather sell to the first person that places the required number of greenbacks in my hand, and hauls the item away. 
Don't get me wrong, if someone says they're coming over immediately, I wouldn't sell the item to another person that might live closer. I'll give them a reasonable amount of time. But no way I'd ever hold something much longer than that. Certainly not overnight. Too many potential problems can result; as this thread illustrates.


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## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

I put a Bose stereo system on Craig's List. Got a call from someone who said he would be there at 4 pm. Got another call from someone who wanted to come right down. I told him to come at 5 pm and leave his phone number with me in case there was a problem. True to form, the 4 pm guy never showed and I sold it to the 5 pm guy. Then the 4 pm guy called me to say he'd be down tomorrow… told him it was sold. He really didn't want to pay my asking price so he was stalling to see if he could get it cheaper if it didn't sell right away. I sold at my full asking price as it was a good deal to begin with. There is no way that the seller knows if the buyer is serious unless they show up ASAP. What if you got there and didn't like what he had, the condition of the item, etc. The seller would have lost a sale. I understand that we are busy people and can't always do things on other people's schedules but if I want something, I'm on my way right after the contact.
Just my thoughts on this….


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## gillyd (Feb 26, 2011)

As most people have said, when buying on the CL you have to have money in hand and be in your car after you agree.


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## rivergirl (Aug 18, 2010)

Well stated gillyd!


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## Murf2499 (Sep 18, 2010)

Whenever I have sold something on C-list I tell every caller the same thing; The first person here with cash and prepaired to take the item with them gets the item. Althow some complain that I will not hold it, in my book it's the only fair way for everyone involved, including me. It also eliminated most people from trying to nickel and dime me.


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## agallant (Jul 1, 2010)

It is annoying but there have been a few times where I agreed to hold something for someone and they never showed up. He should have asked you to call back when you were ready to pick it up and pay rather than promising to hold it for a stranger who asked him to reserve the item and remove the listing. Ether way you are both wrong. Your expectations are too high and he should not have agreed to hold the item.


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## greasemonkeyredneck (Aug 14, 2010)

I have a boat listed on Craiglist right now. I've had two people call and commit to buying it based on the photos alone. I've had four people call and say that they'd be out the next day to see it. I've had two people call and say they'd call back and set up a time after work that day to see it. I've had one guy who had me agree to hold it while he drove from three hours away to look at it. 
So far I have had exactly zero people actually come to my shop and physically see the boat.


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## agallant (Jul 1, 2010)

It is kinda funny. Sometimes I would rather take a bath on something than deal with Craigs List. I tried to sell my jointer on it. I had about 6 people come and look at only to tell me that they don't want it because of the bad reviews online. Why did they come to look at it only to say no based on a review they had already read before they came. The other people who looked at it were retired old men who just wanted something to do. I mean the thing is bran new and is $450 new I was asking $300 for it. I will let it go for $200 just to not deal with the CL crowd.

-AG


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## Cosmicsniper (Oct 2, 2009)

It's impossible to shake hands over the phone or via email. Otherwise, as dbhost says, "Money talks."

I'm not saying it's right, just the reality of the Internet and the way people relate to each other now.

Now, what would make me upset is if I drove a 100 miles to pick something up, only to find that it was sold. I think it was pretty nice of the seller, in this case, to at least give you the courtesy of a text message…something that many people wouldn't do.


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

I don't blame the guy for selling it out from under you, but he was wrong to say he'd hold it in the first place.

I've never sold anything on Craig's list, but I've sold a few cars through newspaper and/or internet advertising, and I can't tell you how many times people call and say they're coming to look and definitely want the car, and then never show up.

He should have just been up front and said he would sell it to the first person with cash in hand.


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## NathanAllen (Oct 16, 2009)

Think of craigslist as a garage sale, if you aren't there with the cash in hand it was never your item. It would have been nice if they had held, but as a buyer and seller both getting a reasonable price without having to hang out waiting for someone or having it sold as you're on the way there it almost a rarity.


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## DanLyke (Feb 8, 2007)

I've bought various things off of Craigslist, but mostly I give things away on Freecycle. After all the hassles I have giving things away, I feel your pain, but I also totally sympathize with the seller.

The number of people I've had tell me that they're really excited and will be there in 45 minutes, and then never show up, and not even respond to messages the next day asking if they're still interested, is huge.

The further off when they say they can show up, the less likely they will be to show up, or the more likely they'll be to say "I don't really need it" when I call them to remind them several days out.

Those people are also the most likely to start saying things like "can you drop it by?"

So, yeah: If you really want something off of Craigslist or Freecycle, you should be talking pickup in minutes, not hours or days, and you should give the impression that this is really important to you. Otherwise I'll totally give priority to the person who actually shows up sooner, and especially priority to the person who will take more things at a single visit.


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## DrDirt (Feb 26, 2008)

I had the same thing happen on the Fine Woodworking Forum.
Guy in PA was selling his fathers 2436 Oneway lathe and wanted it to go to a good home for 3000.00. I told him i would take it (between drooling) but could not make the drive from kansas to Penn. until memorial day.
That was fine - he said he was going to store it at his parents farm.
Got an email a week later - that moving it to the farm wasn't possible and could I come get it a week earlier (that weekend). I asked if someone could help me load it when I got there - and he said someone was already going to come the next day with a friend with a liftgate. "Sorry you thought that we had a deal"

peoples word doesn't mean anything anymore.


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

I guess it comes down to Money Talks- first one with the money walks away with it and the buyer should have told you that. I had a 3 day sale one time and we had to have everything gone by Friday. One guy called and said he would be there Friday at 7 to buy an air stapler. I got up at 6 to be ready and he never showed and we were stuck with the stapler because I told a guy on Thursday night that I had a buyer and could not sell it to him. It works both ways but cash is king in those kind of sales.

I have had very good luck with Craigslist for buying and selling. I know if I'm not the first one there with the money , I lose and so do guys buying from me.


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## Greedo (Apr 18, 2010)

i have a large pile of reclaimed construction lumber listed on a second hand site, someone came by and we agreed on a price. and he made me swear on my word that i wouldn't sell to anyone else.
it's been 3 weeks now and no more news form that guy, thats just incredible.
now i relisted the ad.
on the other hand i got a great deal yesterday after someone was selling a brand new festool sander for half the price, when i called he said someone had called already and was coming in the evening, but said if i came first, i would get it. so i went and got it inmediately. i wouldn't have been happy as the other guy, but you just can't thrust people over the phone. firt one to show up with the money gets it.


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## DonnyBahama (Jun 21, 2011)

Ken, it's a double-edged sword. I have a BIG conscience and I'm a very honorable person. But there are so many people out there that aren't - buyers AND sellers.

When I was selling my motorcycle (because I URGENTLY needed the money), I promised someone (who was coming from a fair distance away) that I would hold it for her. She went on and on about how it was *exactly* what she was looking for, etc. etc. I turned down 3 or 4 cash offers over the two days it took for her to get there. Once she got there, her husband "didn't like the way it handled" so she didn't buy it. (It was a lowered cruiser, advertised as a lowered cruiser - THAT'S HOW THEY HANDLE!!!) I tried calling the other buyers back but no luck. I sold it 3 weeks later - out of sheer desperation - for HALF of what it was worth.

Now, I won't hold anything for anybody unless they are ON THEIR WAY - and even then, if it takes them 15 minutes longer than it should, the item for sale is up for grabs. (I even have another story about THAT but I won't go into it here.)


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## SchottFamily (Jul 30, 2011)

You're only as good as your word, but I understand the mentality. I sold classic cars for years through online postings and there were countless "buyers" who never showed up or never came though. I've also bought more than a few cars after the original buyer never came through - and that was eBay, CList, and regular old ads. It's a sad commentary on our society. One's word doesn't mean what it used to.


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

I contacted someone with what looked like a good cabinet saw for sale…
Got the Model#, reasearched it… called him back and told him what I had found out (being honest about it)...
He said "WOW! It's a better saw than I thought… I think I'll KEEP it now!"...

Another guy had a nice saw for sale… I call, express interest in it, agree to buy it… and he says…
"I don't think I want ti sell it now."

Not only immoral… but Brain Dead too!


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

All anybody has to do is look around at the state of our government and politicians, the state of marriage and divorce, the failures of our educational system, the number of people in prison, etc., etc., etc. to see that things are not what they once were in this country. It's a very unfortunate thing indeed that sometimes it is difficult to find people who will stand by their word.


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## Grandpa (Jan 28, 2011)

I feel like a lot of the problem goes back to using email and texting. People don't know how to talk to other people face to face these days and they have no idea about what keeping your word even means. I have never bought or sold on Craigs list but I have sold over the phone. I tell people that I am making a list of callers and I will hold the item 30 minutes past their time and the first one with the money gets the item. I have been stood up by people and I didn't appreciate it but I feel that I do owe them the respect of holding the item until their appt plus a few minutes in case they can't find my house. There are just too many people that decide they really don't want the item so they just forget about it or somone comes by and they decide to go hang out….Not my idea of what you should do but that is life in 2011.
On the flip side I was doing some remodeling of my own house and I needed it finished quicker than I was getting it done. I called a contractor and he said he could do it but he was busy on that particular evening with another appt. Tomorrow evening is Fri. and I go out with my wife on Fri. How about Tues. he asked. Fine. We decided on 5 PM Tues. That was 2002 and I am still waiting. He never called and of course never showed. He did buy a lot of advertising from me though. I talk to a lot of people and I recommend contractors but I always tell them to my story and to only call him if they don't care about the deadline because I am first…..10 years first.


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## Knothead62 (Apr 17, 2010)

I had a lady who wanted a light fixture at a business where I worked. I didn't get a deposit (my mistake). After about two or three phone calls/voicemails, I took her name off the box and let it go to open inventory.
I would get a phone number, remind them a couple of times, and if no response, sell it to the first one with the money that showed up.
My father said my grandfather heard of a saying in the Old Country (Austria-Hungary)- You can't even trust your own rear end because it will crap on you.


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