Author Topic: Antimustachian Time Management, Craigslist Edition  (Read 3305 times)

LiveLean

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Antimustachian Time Management, Craigslist Edition
« on: June 25, 2018, 10:23:49 AM »
I've had a surf/SUP bag for sale on Craigslist for $100. It probably sold for $200-plus new once upon a time and I bought it for $125 on CL four years ago, barely used it since.

A guy peppers me with a dozen texts before agreeing to buy it, mentioning that he lives an hour away (probably more in traffic). I mention to him that we're too far apart (distance wise), but he insists he'll come get it. I knock it down to $75.

We agree to meet at a strip mall by my house. He says he'll be in a Ford Explorer (of course), but he later changes his mind and says he'll be coming in the F250 (of course).

Naturally there's an accident and it takes about 90 minutes. The F250 is totally tricked out (of course). He examines the bag thoroughly, no problem, saying he's not sure which of his dozen surf or SUP boards (of course) will fit in the bag before finally determining none of them will. (I had provided very detailed dimensions.)

He apologies profusely and says he can't buy it. I shrug and drive two minutes back home. He presumably heads home, completing a trip that cost at least $30 in gas and 3-4 hours.

ysette9

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Re: Antimustachian Time Management, Craigslist Edition
« Reply #1 on: June 25, 2018, 12:45:57 PM »
Good grief.

JAYSLOL

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Re: Antimustachian Time Management, Craigslist Edition
« Reply #2 on: June 25, 2018, 07:51:04 PM »
Wow, what a waste.  I sell stuff on Craigslist equivalent sites and it never fails to surprise me how far some people will drive for a deal on something they don't need in a huge vehicle.  I sold a couple paintball guns ($120) and a guy wanted to drive 9 hours each way to come get them.  I refused to give him the address and waited a week to sell them locally.  I wouldn't have driven more than an hour if they were free.  Another time I sold some old coins ($200, but nothing valuable, no silver just older coins worth a little over face-value), and a guy wanted to drive 5 hours (in the middle of winter) to come by for them.  I convinced him not to make the trip in poor weather and sold them locally too. 

LiveLean

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Re: Antimustachian Time Management, Craigslist Edition
« Reply #3 on: June 27, 2018, 12:18:26 PM »
I also sold a couple of paintball guns a few years ago, though my buyer was more local.

People clearly don't manage their time. Then again, I had one couple drive 2 hours to buy an $800 piece of specialized exercise equipment I had for sale. It was originally $4,000, but I had gotten it free through a business connection several years earlier. They were skeptical about why I was selling it for so little. Was something wrong with it? I was honest, telling them that I started it at $2,000 on Craigslist and had just kept lowering it. They were physical therapists and thrilled to buy it and wanted an excuse to visit the coastal area where I live anyway.

But usually people wast their time.

Dicey

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Re: Antimustachian Time Management, Craigslist Edition
« Reply #4 on: July 06, 2018, 10:21:33 AM »
OTOH, it's hard to make the time committment, see the item and decide it doesn't suit your needs. I feel added pressure when I've responded to an ad and taken up the seller's time. Much harder to decline the transaction, IMO.