# Craigslist Douchbaggery. Add to my list. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 6, 2011, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337 "2011-04-06T00:32:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337/21 "2011-04-06T19:19:50Z")
A couple of weeks ago, I posted a cat tree for sale. Sold it the next day. Had no other replies for three days, and then I got inundated. Most of them just wanted to know if it was still available, to which I replied no (and got one “thank you” for my reply). One lady, though, wanted to know what the cat tree was made out of. You know, in case it was something that might be bad for her kitty. Never mind in the description, I’d linked to the original site where all the specs were. Never mind that I described it as covered in nylon carpet and sisal rope. Apparently, she wanted all the OSHA specs on all the ingredients which went into making it, with matching citations from the Merck Veterinarian Manual. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337/22 "2011-04-06T19:22:39Z")
> [@phouka](#): > > A couple of weeks ago, I posted a cat tree for sale. Sold it the next day. Had no other replies for three days, and then I got inundated. Most of them just wanted to know if it was still available, to which I replied no (and got one “thank you” for my reply). Why the hell didn’t you take it down after it was sold? ---
**Author:** ![Sully](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/48db29/32.png) [@Sully](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sully)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337/23 "2011-04-06T19:34:46Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > You want the blocks? [Come get the fucking blocks.](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2416/2201688044_b9a72418e2_o.jpg) Too bad you couldn’t email him and ask him if he still had the blocks. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337/24 "2011-04-06T20:09:46Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > 1. I don’t understand all the phishing emails. Why do these people send an email saying “Do you still have the item? I am interested in your product!” What does this accomplish? And when people send emails that are item specific like “I’d like the stroller do you still have it?” and I reply immediately and you disappear. WTF is that? Is it a new phishing scam? > > Everything I posted sold but there was a lot of frustration along the way. ANy one else have similar beefs? Yes, it’s phishing on all counts. What it accomplishes is that you answer and then your email is known to them. The CL encoding only works when they send you an email. Replies contain your real email address, which is why I don’t generally allow emails, only phonecalls. If you can’t be bothered to pick up the phone, then you’re really not all that interested. Another scam I’ve encountered recently: a supposed buyer sends an email saying that he has posted a message for you on the CL boards and provides a link. You hit the link, try to log on, and the guy now has your account information. Since people tend to use the same logons and passwords on accounts, you’ve just made yourself very vulnerable. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337/25 "2011-04-06T20:27:09Z")
Craiglist is an entirely owned subsidiary of the New York crime syndicate formerly known as the Five Families, or simply The Mafia. It is a corrupt, murderous faction that is littering the shores of Long Island with dead bodies. If you are looking for a cheap deal on a used sofa, you are helping to kill people. ---
**Author:** ![WPA-Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WPA-Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WPA-Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337/26 "2011-04-06T20:45:21Z")
I worked in retail for 25 years, and this is how the general public acts. All day. No matter what you sell. They act this way at restaurants, they act this way at fundraisers, they act this way at garage sales. The general public are cheap, pain in the ass bastards. Thank God I don’t work in retail any longer. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337/27 "2011-04-06T20:49:18Z")
> [@thirdname](#): > > The biggest dick move is when someone sets up a meeting, you take the time to wait for them, they show up and _then_ they haggle on the price. I’m ashamed to say I caved to this once because it wasn’t worth the time to meet with someone else. Haggling should be done before you set up a meeting. One exception, of course, is if the item has some sort of problem or defect that was not described in the ad. Some people “forget” to disclose certain information in the ad or in correspondence. > [@EvilTOJ](#): > > Another one regarding price. If I say it’s $200, don’t show up with $150 and say “oooh, all I have on me is $150” I will tell you the location of the closest ATM, go get the $50 or don’t come back. A friend of mine goes one further; if someone tries that sort of shit, he just tells them to go away. Of course, most of these assholes have no intention of going to get the rest of the money anyway, so telling them to take a hike doesn’t lose you anything, and provides at least a modicum of satisfaction. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337/28 "2011-04-06T21:07:28Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > Craiglist is an entirely owned subsidiary of the New York crime syndicate formerly known as the Five Families, or simply The Mafia. > > It is a corrupt, murderous faction that is littering the shores of Long Island with dead bodies. > > If you are looking for a cheap deal on a used sofa, you are helping to kill people. Assuming this isn’t a whoosh, got a cite for that? All Google gave me was some references to the Mafia running underage prostitution through it. Not particularly surprising, but also not a wholly owned subsidiary. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337/29 "2011-04-06T21:27:53Z")
I’ve sold 3 vehicles on craigslist within 24 hours of posting them and got my asking price every time. Why? Because I research the hell out of how much the vehicle is worth and save myself and the buyer a lot of time by pricing it as such. But I still end up with those same people that want to offer me 1/2 of my asking price or give me a sob story about how they reaaaally want it but they just don’t have enough money.:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337/30 "2011-04-06T21:37:34Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > You want the blocks? [Come get the fucking blocks.](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2416/2201688044_b9a72418e2_o.jpg) Along the same lines, [craigslist fridge rant](http://flashlightnews.net/forum/index.php?topic=726.0). ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337/31 "2011-04-06T22:09:16Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > Along the same lines, [craigslist fridge rant](http://flashlightnews.net/forum/index.php?topic=726.0). I sold a Barcalounger recently. The ad clearly said “bring someone to help you, as I cannot lift heavy objects at this time.” And of course a small woman shows up in a Subaru wagon, wants to buy it, and then asks if I have a truck. Nope. If I can get one, can you help me load it? Nope. Will you take ($200 less than advertised). Nope. You don’t seem to want to sell this very badly. I guess not, have a nice day. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337/32 "2011-04-06T22:20:07Z")
I can relate… I’m selling some kid stuff that’s just taking up space. Someone was interested. From her e-mail yesterday: “OK, I’ll come by and pick it up at 4:30 tomorrow.” Guess what came and went without anyone showing up? ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337/33 "2011-04-06T22:25:19Z")
She finally showed. One down, two more to go. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337/34 "2011-04-06T22:35:34Z")
On the other hand, if you’re selling, it’s totally cool if you want me to come pick up your item; my car is not so big but I can totally rent a van if it’s worth it to me (and I will figure the cost of the rental into the price I’m willing to pay). But if you offer to deliver the item for 20 bucks extra, please actually deliver it some time within 3 weeks of the first day you say you can deliver it. (Also, if you can’t deliver it for 3 weeks because you’re going to be hella busy over those weeks, apologize and let me know so I can evaluate whether I want to rent a fucking van and go get the item; don’t keep telling me you will definitely do it 2 days hence.) ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337/35 "2011-04-07T01:01:04Z")
> [@MrBerious](#): > > Obligatory: [http://www.dontevenreply.com/](http://www.dontevenreply.com/) > > Be warned you’ll waste a day on that site. Oh. My. God. The pool one! I’m dying. I hadn’t seen that site, thanks for wasting what’s left of my day. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337/36 "2011-04-07T01:26:52Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > \Too bad I had to weed through dozens of CL flakes to get to him. Unfortunately that’s the name of the used consumer market game. I mean, consuming used goods, not used consumers. Although the consumers might get used sometimes, too. I’m not judging. > [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > Craiglist is an entirely owned subsidiary of the New York crime syndicate formerly known as the Five Families, or simply The Mafia. > > It is a corrupt, murderous faction that is littering the shores of Long Island with dead bodies. > > If you are looking for a cheap deal on a used sofa, you are helping to kill people. {Mr. Burns fingers}Excellent.{/MBF} All the things listed in this thread are the reasons why sometimes I just donate shit to charity and just buy shit new - some things just aren’t worth the hassle. I could get maybe five bucks for our old tv, but I’m going to put it out in the back alley with a “FREE!” sign on it instead, because it’s just not worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337/37 "2011-04-07T02:17:17Z")
Yeah, things have to be worth at least $50 for me to bother with Craigslist. However, my experience with CL has been overwhelmingly positive, I use it all the time and almost never have problems. I think it’s better in some regions than others–New England CL is awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Randy\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@Randy\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337/38 "2011-04-07T02:44:00Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > […] > ANy one else have similar beefs? Yes! In fact, I posted a [whole OP about it](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=514996) a couple of years ago. Choice selections: > [@I pit inconsiderate people on Craigslist](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-inconsiderate-people-on-craigslist/493949/1): > > I’m in school in Philadelphia, and scored a summer internship in Chicago. So now I’m trying to arrange my housing for the summer. I have two major goals:[ol][li]Find someone to sublet my apartment in Philadelphia for two-and-a-half months. (Check. See below.)[\*]Find someone who will sublet their apartment in Chicago to me for two-or-so months. (Not-check. See below.)[/ol][/li]Starting with step one, I posted ads on Craigslist for my place. I included a thorough description without flowery extraneous language. There were pictures. There was a clear procedure for getting in touch with me through e-mail. It was a great ad. > > I started getting e-mails immediately. Each person who e-mailed me got a prompt response (within an hour or so), individually tailored to that person. Even if the person’s e-mail was one line (“im intrestd in yr apt. mor pics plz?”), I would write a couple paragraphs discussing start and end dates, setting up a viewing, answering any questions s/he had, etc.. Of the 15-or-so e-mails I got, probably half never responded to my return communication. Of those who did, I finally found someone to take my place. The minute we solidified an agreement, I took down my Craigslist ads, and sent out a brief e-mail to everyone who had contacted me, telling them that the apartment was taken. > > In short, I was an exemplary Craigslist user. > > Then came the time for ME to find a place. There weren’t a lot of good ads on Craigslist Chicago: most are missing crucial information like the timeframe, the number of bedrooms, whether it’s furnished, or whether there are roommates involved. But every few days, a good-looking one pops up. Whenever one catches my eye, I write a brief but pithy e-mail, introducing myself and requesting more information. I always provide both a phone number and an e-mail. I’m always polite but brief, with no typos and with proper grammar and whatnot. > > And guess what? NOBODY FUCKING RESPONDS! I’ve sent out a dozen e-mails to Craigslist ads, and nobody has the decency to get back to me. No calls. No text messages. No e-mails. Not even “sorry, it’s taken.” And their ads don’t get taken down, so they still pop up on searches. It’s incredibly frustrating. > > Listen people, if you’re going to put up an ad, take the time to respond when people get in touch with you. Jerks. > [@I pit inconsiderate people on Craigslist](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-inconsiderate-people-on-craigslist/493949/3): > > Oh jeez - that reminds me. > > Whenever they post a phone number in their ads, I always call that instead of e-mailing. I always get voicemail. I always leave a cheerful, articulate, concise, informative message. AND THEY NEVER FUCKING RETURN THE CALL!" > […] > […] some ads say “3BR” but are priced like one-bedrooms. Does that mean it’s a great deal, or does it mean there are roommates? Nobody fucking knows the important stuff to put in ads. They’ll tell you about the great coffee shop around the corner, but won’t say what they’re charging. I eventually found a pretty great sublet for that summer, but the guy who sublet it to me tried to screw me over at the end of the sublease. Le sigh. Oh, and back to the current thread… > [@phouka](#): > > A couple of weeks ago, I posted a cat tree for sale. Sold it the next day. Had no other replies for three days, and then I got inundated. Most of them just wanted to know if it was still available, to which I replied no (and got one “thank you” for my reply). FOR GOD’S SAKE, WHEN THE THING SELLS, TAKE DOWN THE AD! ARGH! ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337/39 "2011-04-07T03:46:59Z")
> [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > Oh, and back to the current thread… > FOR GOD’S SAKE, WHEN THE THING SELLS, TAKE DOWN THE AD! ARGH! I’ve only used CL twice. Both times, I took the ad down as soon as the item was sold. People still contacted me weeks later. Its even worse with newspaper ads. I once had someone call me 5 weeks after I ran a 3 day ad to tell me how much they wanted the beater I had for sale. :smack: Freecycle is even worse. I’m giving this shit away for free. I’m not going to deliver it. I’m not going to rearrange my schedule for someone who probably won’t show up just because their lives are so hard. When I replied to an ad from someone who had storm damage and NEEDED a TV dish, who said he would drive a 100 miles for one and remove it from mountings in his ad, guess what? He wanted me to take time off from work and have tools available for his use. I told him that I couldn’t do that, but that I’d alert my neighbors and that he could come and get it anytime. That was in October. The dish is still in my yard. I’ve given up. I’ll donate it to charity or drag it to the street and put “Free” sign on it. That backfired once as well. I put a vaccuum on the street and had someone take it, then come and knock on my door because all he got was a working vaccuum and he thought there should be more attachments and bags. Sometimes, I really hate people. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337/40 "2011-04-07T04:56:11Z")
I hate Freecycle, too - the moderators or whatever they are around here are total sanctimonious assholes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-douchbaggery-add-to-my-list/577337.md?page=3)