# Craigslist: Tips? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 10, 2010, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-tips/538962 "2010-05-10T20:52:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-tips/538962/21 "2010-05-12T15:36:08Z")
> [@HardlySanguine](#): > > Got a couple of these. What clued me in was the “phone 12-345-6789” at the bottom of both … I guess you’re supposed to email back saying that it’s not a valid phone number and then they know your email address?\*\* > > On a different note: Would it be terribly unethical for me to delete and re-post the ad each day so that it’s always near the top of the list?\*\* That’s actually listed in the “things you shouldn’t do” when you post a Craigslist ad. Every 72 hours is their repost time. ---
**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:** [May 12, 2010, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-tips/538962/22 "2010-05-12T15:48:19Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Here are the sort of typical scam responses I would get when I posted an email address (keep in mind that all of the following were easily ascertained by both the ad text and the photos): Is the item in working order? What is the color? Are there any defects? > > Questions like that don’t alert you to the person phishing. But they do alert you to the fact that the person is _either_ (a) phishing, or (b) a complete fucking dunderhead. Because if the details they’re asking about have been clearly and explicitly laid out in the ad, then you don’t need to reply to them anyway. If my ad says i’m selling a “Morey Boogie Board, blue, 42”, with leash and wrist strap. No marks, dings, or creases," and someone sends me an email asking “Hey, what size is the board?” or “Does is come with a leash?” then i’m not even going to waste my time responding to that person. > [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > As a frequent Craigslist buyer, here are things that turn me off: > > - saying “or best offer” or similar weasel words. Decide what you want and say so. If your price is out of line (many are) I’ll look next week, when you re-post with a realistic price after nobody responded to your first one. > - making it too complicated to contact you. Like posting it online, but requiring I contact you by phone, etc. Not responding to emails, or responding much later. > - insufficient detail in the ad. Like leaving out major details like brand name, size, etc. I’m not going to bother emailing to ask you what screen size the TV is, I’ll just go on to another ad. > - no indication of where you are located. Just the name of a big city like Cleveland is NOT enough. I’m not going to spend $10 in gas and 30 minutes drive time to get a $20 item. So not telling where you’re located right up front wastes your time & mine. All excellent advice. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-tips/538962/23 "2010-05-12T16:47:04Z")
I’d use my number. When I sold, I used my home phone and only got calls from people interested in buying. Spam bots don’t make phone calls. Even though Craig’s anonymizes your e-mail address, you will, as **Chef** pointed out, you’ll get e-mails which turn out to be efforts to gather your e-mail address for spam. I’ve received several e-mails that are non-specific, and go something like “What condition is your item in?” or “I would like to buy this.” Once you respond, they write back with obvious spam. Bastards! Feel free to use your e-mail address if it’s one whose inbox you don’t mind having crap in it. Otherwise, be careful about responding to vague or strangely worded messages. > [@HardlySanguine](#): > > I’ve never sold anything on Craigslist before (nor anywhere else) – I’m moving and don’t want to lug a TV and mini-fridge. > > I was planning on a short description, model number, and a picture. Pricing wise, I was thinking of putting, for example, “$200, or best offer,” with an email address. You’d think that would be enough, wouldn’t you? I now feel compelled to re-post something I wrote in another thread. The following actually happened: \*"I’ve found that Craig’s buyers are just as useless as the sellers. I was selling a mini-fridge some months ago, and described it thusly: “Three years old, works perfectly fine. Sorry for the fuzzy cell phone shots, but my real camera was dropped by a super klutz (me), so my phone is all I got these days for taking pictures. Bottom line is it’s a small, white Haier fridge. It works, it keeps your beer cold. Dimensions are 26"x18.75"x19.125” and included two photos: one of it open, and one of it closed. So some shit-for-brains calls me up with the most asinine conversation ever. Shit For Brains: So uhh… how old is it? Me: Three years old. SFB: How tall is it? Me: 26 inches tall… like the ad said. SFB: So did you say you bought it from Target? Me: No, I didn’t. I bought it from Amazon, and it’s a Haier. SFB: So you didn’t buy it from the store? Me: Amazon is an online store. SFB: So it works? Me: Yes. SFB: How old is it now? Me: Three years old. It’s a small, white fridge and it works. Its photos are in the ad. If you need to think about it, call me back if you decide to buy it. Gods! What else is there to say about a mini fridge? Some woman came by and bought it 20 minutes later. She put her hand inside to make sure it was cold, it was, so she gave me money and took it away."\* ---
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-tips/538962/24 "2010-05-12T18:08:28Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Here are the sort of typical scam responses I would get when I posted an email address (keep in mind that all of the following were easily ascertained by both the ad text and the photos): Is the item in working order? What is the color? Are there any defects? > > Questions like that don’t alert you to the person phishing. The only way I found out was because almost immediately after responding, I would start getting inundated with spam messages. > > If dialing a phone is too complicated for you, then perhaps you’re just not really interested in the first place. There is no lack of people who have no problem with using a phone, for me to bother concerning myself with someone for whom it’s just too complicated to bookmark a page. :rolleyes: I use Craigslist a lot. If you put in the description that the item is x years old, in good working order, have a picture that shows the color, mention that there are no defects, etc., you can just not respond to the emails that are from people who can’t be assed to read a thorough description and only answer the emails that have legitimate questions that weren’t covered in the description. Then you go in and edit your ad to add the additional information. ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-tips/538962/25 "2010-05-13T00:07:43Z")
I have gotten some great deals on Craigslist. Al Bundy lays it out well. Without a picture it won’t sell. My best Craigslist deal was a beautiful leather sofa for 50 bucks that looks brand new and is top notch leather. I got a 14.9 BTU Sears Kenmore AC, 2 years old for 100 dollars. You have to check the listings regularly because the good stuff goes fast. ---
**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:** [May 13, 2010, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-tips/538962/26 "2010-05-13T02:19:43Z")
> [@Perciful](#): > > I got a 14.9 BTU Sears Kenmore AC, 2 years old for 100 dollars. Wow! Not a whole 14.9 BTU! Will it cool both your feet at the same time, or do you have to swap back and forth? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craigslist-tips/538962.md?page=1)