All new! Things that piss me the hell off!

[katallison]

So, I'm sure this will be familiar to those of you in the crowd who have more experience than I with Craisglist, but, OK.


ADVERTISEMENT posted on Craiglist: "Hi, I am [ITEM, originally expensive and no longer needed by Kat], plz buy me or make an offer or whatever kthx!"
ME: (*waits for emails re: [ITEM]*)
ME: (*waits some more*)
email from DOUCHENOZZLE: "Hi, is [ITEM] still available? I would like to pick it up soon yay!"
email from ME: "Yay sure! I will be around tonight from 5 to 10, please let me know if you'd like to stop by and take a look at it!"
D.N.: "OK I will come by between 5 and 7 for sure! Plz do not be selling [ITEM] to anyone else cuz I want to buy it yayz!"
ME: "OK, here is [address] and [phone number]! I will be here for sure!"
ME: (*holds off on a variety of semi-urgent pre-VividCon pre-BigCrosscountryMove errands to sit around the house from 5 to 7*)
ME: (*waits* .....)


Me: (*waits* ...)


....oh hell, you know how this ends, right?

8:55 p.m. email from D.N.: "Hi, I will not be buying [ITEM] from you after all, sorry, kthxbai!"

ME: (*SEETHES*) You die! You die and you go to hell!

Ah well. The consolation is that *I* get to be at VividCon tomorrow, and Ms. the Douchenozzle most emphatically does NOT. Hah!

Comments

[nestra.livejournal.com]

I'm kind of amazed you got that last e-mail. My flakeouts usually just drop off the face off the earth, and I have to send a series of threatening e-mails. "If I don't hear from you, I'm going to sell it to someone else...I swear..."

[katallison.livejournal.com]

Yeah -- I know, actually, that I should be grateful she at least let me know. But, arrgh. My life is too COMPLEX already, dammit!

[nestra.livejournal.com]

Nah, I don't think you have to be particularly grateful.

[brooklinegirl.livejournal.com]

oh, yes, FABULOUS craigslist. when it's good, it's good, but HI, individual people? suck.

have FUN at vividcon, babe! YAY!

[jackiekjono.livejournal.com]

If I see anyone at vividcon with "Douchenozzle" on their name badge, I will point at you and laugh.

[renenet.livejournal.com]

::pencils "Douchenozzle" on Jackie's name badge::

[renenet.livejournal.com]

::pencils "Douchenozzle" on EVERYONE's name badge::

[namastenancy.livejournal.com]

I too am amazed that Douchenozzle bothered to reply. I'm checking Craigs listing for apartments for a friend of mine and I have yet to get a reply back when the landlord doesn't list a contact phone number, open house or address to check out. What's the point of listing an apartment for rent if you don't reply to potential renters? Or buyers?

[veredus.livejournal.com]

I totally sympathize and there's very little one can do in that situation. However, for the future you should put in your post that "No, you will not hold the item for anyone." because you have a "First come, first serve" policy. At least then, you will feel no guilt selling the thing to someone else if the first person doesn't show or gets there too late. Plus, just stating that policy will usually weed out most of the people who aren't serious about buying/picking up your stuff.

Also, reposting often will increase your chances of more buyers. I don't know how active your craigslist posting is where you live, but in nyc if you don't repost every couple of hours (hell, every few minutes sometimes) no one will ever see it.

In the end, if you use Craigslist often enough, you will get a sense of who will come through and who won't just by reading their initial email. A strange, but useful skill to have.