The unwritten rules of shopping on Craigslist
From a buyer’s point of view, Craigslist rarely has any rules. That does not mean that there are no unwritten rules. If you want to get the best deals and keep the regular sellers on your good side, read on.
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Craigslist sellers rarely sell on Craigslist for a living. They are trying to earn some extra money or dismantle their houses. They don’t have time to waste going back and forth exchanging 20+ emails only for the interested party to say “you know what, I guess I’m not interested anymore.” It’s okay to ask legitimate questions to find out if the item or trip is worth buying, but don’t mislead the seller. Yes, this really happens and some people do it just for fun. If you want to play, go play checkers with the boy next door.
Reply to your emails
If you contact a seller via email, they will reply via email, especially if you don’t provide them with a phone number. Guess what that means? You will receive emails, so be sure to check yours. Don’t take a new one from the seller when he decided to sell to someone else after a week without you responding to his emails. It was your fault and only your fault.
The price is firm It actually means the price is firm
Many people consider Craigslist to be a glorified garage sale. At garage sales, you haggle for a better price, and you can do the same on Craigslist. However, save yourself time and some unpleasant emails; avoid haggling with sellers who claim “price is firm.” They are broke or have a gambling debt that they need to cover. They are telling you up front that the answer is no. Try to haggle with a seller who says “price is firm” and you might get a “listen idiot, do you know how to read?” in response.
If you say you’re going to show up, do it
Ask any regular Craigslist seller what their biggest pet peeve is and most will say (other than people asking stupid questions), people who don’t show up. If you agree to buy an item from Craigslist and agree to meet with the seller, introduce yourself. If you have a last minute change of heart, have the common decency to at least send an email. This is vital if you meet your vendor in a public place. They’ll be foaming at the mouth if you leave them waiting in the Burger King parking lot for two hours and they never show up. You never know when you might run into that seller on Craigslist again.