craigs list, underpriced item strategy?

Chovie D · May 06, 2011, 07:38:26 PM

Okay, you see a really great vintage $1000 guitar on CL for $100. Do you call and say I will buy it for $100 or do you call and say "you are not asking enough for that guitar, may i give you $250?"

Im starting to think the latter is the way to go.
There have been a couple ridiculously underpriced items where I am positive I was first in line and suspect the item was sold to someone calling after me but offering more than the listed asking price.

thoughts?

Jake · May 06, 2011, 09:24:41 PM

I assume that you're also offering to blow these individuals as well?

crunkhero · May 06, 2011, 11:48:12 PM

I picked up a vintage Epi Rivoli off of CL a few years ago. He thought it was a MIJ 70's model and wanted $250. I contacted him and said I'd give him $300, as I had been saving up to buy an Epi Jack Casady bass and that was the amount I had available. He agreed, and when I went to pick it up he sublty dropped hints that he had been offered more money for it. I later talked to a dealer I knew and he had offered him $800 for it and was pissed that the seller wouldn't back out and sell it to him.

I think that this guy was happy to know that it was going to a good home, so I am always sure to mention when replying to ads that I will appreciate the instrument and put it to good use. This strategy has served me well in other instances also.

LogicalFrank · May 09, 2011, 09:57:16 AM

I never offer more than asked... But I also don't think I've ever lost a deal on Craigslist because someone offered more.

Hemisaurus · May 09, 2011, 10:39:32 AM

Get off your ass and get there first. I'd always sell to the first guy at the door, not the first guy that calls. If one guys says I can get there Saturday, and another says, I can get there in an hour, I'm selling to that second guy.

That's the way I always buy anyways, I just try and be the first to the door, cash in hand.

LogicalFrank · May 09, 2011, 10:43:05 AM

I show up late and ask the guy if he can lend it to me for a few weeks while I come up w/ the money.

Metal and Beer · May 09, 2011, 12:01:53 PM

I show up with 75 bucks and say "C'mon Hunter, we both know you're gonna buy dope anyway, take the sure bet!"

I'd never do that

Chovie D · May 09, 2011, 01:52:38 PM

IM confident I was the first caller (he said do not email..which is weird) and in the message I left I said I could come pay him cash immediately. To me... that IS getting off my ass and getting there first. i was gonna duck out of work to go get it even. I would NEVER let a deal sit there for someone else to grab from under my nose. Id never say I can pick it up tomorrow, its always "can i come get it right now?"

This is about preempting that possibility by offering more than what they are asking so they at least hold it for you long enogh that you can get to their house before one of the music stores offers em more. (I have seen them behind the counters surfing CL in the stores)

In this case it was a green russian big muff 'base peddle' for $40 in box.
IM thinking someone called right after me and said they'd give $60 or even $100.

In another case it was a gonkulator for $25 and some ashat tipped off the seller to he the ebay prices on em ,so this jackass started trying to bid us against each other. I told him this was cRaigs LIst not muthafuckin ebay and he could cram his gonkulator up his turd incubator.

Sometimes it works fine if you just pay the stupid low price, like I got a 69 showman for $100 and didnt think to offer him $200 so he would hold it for me. That was at 8 am on a sunday tho and I drove right to the guys house an hour away the second he said he would sell it to me.

so no one but Crunkhero has ever just preemptively offered more?

Hemisaurus · May 09, 2011, 02:07:33 PM

That's the way I'd do it too, maybe the guy was just a dick, there's been a time or two some guy hasn't bothered to turn up at an agreed meeting point and I've been left waiting and never got the gear.

What is it with these 'don't email' guys, it's craigslist, your on a computer, WTF! I don't want to call your cell.

LogicalFrank · May 09, 2011, 03:20:18 PM

I think only accepting phone calls would weed out a lot of people wasting your time... but also a lot of people w/ legitimate interest.

VOLVO))) · May 09, 2011, 04:09:21 PM

I always high-ball if it's something I really want. Someone was selling one of those Electra LP's with the built in effects units, and a box of all the effects units that originally were made for it. He wanted 400 bones, I offered 500, he said someone already was on the way with 400. I said I'd be there first, ended up getting there right as the other guy did. Bought it for 500, sold it to the other guy later that week without the effects units for 650.

I'm an asshole. So what, sue me, wanna fight about it?

justinhedrick · May 09, 2011, 04:46:44 PM

as yes. paddy danniger, the caddy manager . . .

Chovie D · May 09, 2011, 05:39:05 PM

Quote from: SunnO))) on May 09, 2011, 04:09:21 PM
I always high-ball if it's something I really want. Someone was selling one of those Electra LP's with the built in effects units, and a box of all the effects units that originally were made for it. He wanted 400 bones, I offered 500, he said someone already was on the way with 400. I said I'd be there first, ended up getting there right as the other guy did. Bought it for 500, sold it to the other guy later that week without the effects units for 650.

I'm an asshole. So what, sue me, wanna fight about it?

VOLVO))) · May 09, 2011, 05:43:33 PM

He offered!

Lumpy · May 09, 2011, 06:27:16 PM

"No email" probably means he listed the amp using the public library, or a neighbor's computer. That would also explain the disconnect with Ebay prices.

When you offer the dude extra money, you're possibly tipping him off for the first time, and possibly spoiling your own score.

I don't know if there is a winning strategy for buying stuff on Craigs List - a lot of flakes listing stuff there. A weirdly low price indicates a hight flake potential, IMO. I haven't done a lot of buying on CL (I have done a little) - probably 75% of my attempts to buy have failed. I'd say the biggest tip is to be first in line - monitor CL a lot.

When you're GASSING you either have to spend money, or time (or be super lucky).

Chovie D · May 09, 2011, 06:56:05 PM

I think most of the time the low price is because:
1. the seller isnt a musician and is clueless (or a thief)
2. The seller WAS a musician YEARS ago and hasnt touched the gear since and therefor ...is clueless.
3. The seller is the parent or wife and is therefor...clueless.

in this case the seller stated that he had bought this 'base peddle' back in the ealry 90's. so that falls under #2.

a while back I saw a 60's fender stringmaster dual 8 for $200, it was listed as a "doubleneck fender guitar" belonging to the sellers late husband. price was $200 and they really go for $1600. I simply emailed the widow an ebay link t one for sale and told her what it was worth. so #3. sometimes you pass on a deal like that when your gonna be raping an old lady whose husband just died...it comes back around to you later in $100 showmans and rams head big muffs.

you are right tho, in some cases it may be a tipoff. they might say "woah, i better research what this thing is really worth and get back to you". then they come with the real price and your like...thats not why I check CL.

LogicalFrank · May 09, 2011, 09:13:21 PM

Quote from: Lumpy on May 09, 2011, 06:27:16 PM
I don't know if there is a winning strategy for buying stuff on Craigs List - a lot of flakes listing stuff there. A weirdly low price indicates a hight flake potential, IMO. I haven't done a lot of buying on CL (I have done a little) - probably 75% of my attempts to buy have failed. I'd say the biggest tip is to be first in line - monitor CL a lot.

I rarely have trouble buying. Either the dude doesn't respond at all or it goes smoothly. Selling, on the other hand, is miserable...

Also, am I wrong to think if you dicker over price and agree upon something, that is the end of negotiations as long as the item is as described? I don't mind if some dude wants to come check it out and negotiate from there but if you've already done the whole offer/counter offer deal, that's it.

Jake · May 09, 2011, 09:59:23 PM

This thread brings up a sore event for me. I was up early one Saturday morning in March and this was posted at 8:20am...

...I sent him an email at 8:22am telling him I've got the cash and am ready to go. I KNOW I was the first one to email him. I mean, 120 seconds after it was posted on a Saturday morning? Anyways, a couple of hours later, listing deleted. He musta got a ass ton of offers. Never even responded. Pisses me off. Those things go for $1800 – $2400 all day.

Chovie D · May 10, 2011, 09:29:51 AM

no problems selling thus far. I price $100 over what i want to get figuring they need to haggle me down, or at least feel good that they tried. I dont sell often tho

LogicalFrank · May 10, 2011, 09:51:09 AM

Yeah. I always put some wiggle room on my asking price so I can get what I want for it and my buyer can feel like a shrewd negotiator. I assume other people do the same when I'm buying too. I only pay the asking price when it's a super good deal to begin w/ (like 1/3 or more off what you'd expect to pay on eBay).

Metal and Beer · May 10, 2011, 11:01:41 AM

I never low-ball sellers, but I do find it funny when they're pre-emptively offended by that. "No lowball offers!!!!! I'm sick of that!!!!1". Just chuckle and say no, Chuckles.

LogicalFrank · May 10, 2011, 11:30:46 AM

I like it when sellers say stuff like, "I am moving tomorrow so this has to go! NO LOW BALLERS!" It is like declaring to a roomful of rapists that you are about to take a roofie but please don't get any ideas.

Jake · May 10, 2011, 12:07:43 PM

When I list, it's usually at the lowest price I can live with and put "price is firm" at the end. I usually have a pretty good idear of what it can fetch, so I'm not really selling myself short by trying to get more. That's what eBay is for.

chlorpromazine · May 11, 2011, 05:57:47 AM

Quote from: Jake on May 10, 2011, 12:07:43 PM
When I list, it's usually at the lowest price I can live with and put "price is firm" at the end. I usually have a pretty good idear of what it can fetch, so I'm not really selling myself short by trying to get more. That's what eBay is for.

Exactly.