I never understood why so many sellers get butthurt if someone asks if the item is still available. There are so many ads where the item is sold, but the seller never updates. So it's not lazy nor non-sensical to ask if the item is still available. I
Ridiculous descriptions from sellers
- Thread starter eporter
- Start date
Grassland
Well-known member
It's because when you reply yes, you will never hear from the asker again.
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Oh no, they almost always offer to send you a cashiers check, or to send a code to verify you are real! One must watch out for those sophisticated foreign spambots posting random used up trash on CL these days with overblown overland descriptions and high asking prices you know!
86scotty
Cynic
But that's beside the point. The first question if you are shopping for something is if it is still available. You might be considering 5 different ones. Considering that people never seem capable of deleting their ads that question is the first line of starting a dialogue for a possible sale. I just don't get why people get so angry about it. How else are you going to start a dialogue with someone.
Oh, I see, just respond to a for sale listing with "Do you come here often?"
I'm sorry but the "million mile motor 7.3 powerstroke" line still makes my eyes roll. Maybe your 300k rusted out Ford could make it that long but you not doing basic maintenance because you think its indestructible means it isn't worth 30k Kevin. Also found an 87 E350 ambulance for sale for months, trying to push it as a "million mile motor 7.3 powerstroke" and when i repeatedly asked for proof he sent me pics of the non turbo International 7.3. He then decided to hold an in person auction for a money grab because of all the "interest"....... 2 of us showed up, i started at $1, 10 minutes later the other fellow took me to $110 and i had to pass. I dont feel bad about it and the amount of laughing we got out of it was worth the gas money. He did sell it, to a very naïve 18 year old girl who had it back on craigslist a few months later for a "significant loss" that it "does not run" because "rod through the block" and her family "mechainic says it would be 4k to repair" I flagged the original listing everyday for weeks as fraud but i can only do my part
I find myself thinking of ways to start the dialogue without the "is it still available" because I don't want to rile up a butthurt seller (and lose the item I am genuinely interested in). My favorite line is, "I'm interested in your xxxx -- is it available for pick up today?" Basically, it's the same thing, but without the butthurt trigger that some people have.But that's beside the point. The first question if you are shopping for something is if it is still available. You might be considering 5 different ones. Considering that people never seem capable of deleting their ads that question is the first line of starting a dialogue for a possible sale. I just don't get why people get so angry about it. How else are you going to start a dialogue with someone.
Oh, I see, just respond to a for sale listing with "Do you come here often?"
Yeah, the “is this still available” has just become a generic spam phrase. I’ve ignored some emails from people who are legitimate buyers because they wrote only that. I only found out when they wrote second emails awhile later. At least take the time to write something about the item into the asking line. I do the same. I’ve had sellers say they only wrote me back because I was the only response that sounded like a real person… Gotta have that edge on the deals.
I always open with “Hi, I saw your Craigslist ad for (describe it differently than they did), I’m in (city), and have cash, and could meet you in (your city) any time after (travel time)”... I’ve found this eliminates most of the scam/son reactions, and most real sellers respond immediately. Those that don’t often never respond and I assume they were scammers or sold to someone else and didn’t take the ad down. When doing a long distance transaction, for instance I bought my AT Chaser from a member here 600 miles away, I send a detailed travel schedule and a photo of the cash fanned out on my kitchen table. Typically this cuts the “other guy got here first or offered more” ... although it has still happened. Mostly with Craigslist, never with members here.
“Was running great, until just the other day...”
That goes along with listing basic parts replacements as upgrades. For some reason Land Rover listings always seem to come with a long list of parts replacements that make if feel like a frame off restoration was performed.
Nobody ever questions why one was necessary?