craigslist

[greenthumb]

Since I started this let me add to this thread, update put and end too it, that I had know idea would go in the direction and get as much interest as it did. The guy who wanted to use a check called me up yesterday said he had cash the forks so we agreed to meet this evening and they are down the road after a pleasant exchange he seemed very happy said he understood the check thing. He said the same thing I thought. It is just too bad a handshake means nothing anymore. He was a young guy from a small town about two hours away maybe that had something to do with it, Who knows? Bottom line cash is king.

 

[Mousefield]

Glad you got them sold for CASH. :dance1:

 

[deepNdirt]

:thumbsup:

 

[2manyrocks]

Glad everybody is happy.

Cookeville has an estimated population of about 29,000.

I figured CL would establish itself and then start charging for all ads sooner or later. I just wondered why they'd pick Cookeville.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Cookeville is more like Jackson located between Nashville and Memphis. They are back filling the gaps between the big cities I expect. I got our JD backhoe (Nashville listing) and equipment trailer (Jackson I think). Unlike E-Bay I think CL tries for the "home town" approach because it really is more of a face to face service because they take no money (like PayPal). I liked going and seeing the items and the people. Both were 110 miles from the house and that was more my limit too.

I think CL has a ton of untapped potential. The local services will fade with time if the trend holds. I expect the penny shoppers which I like will fade too because of the print time lag means items often are listed for months after they are sold. We bought our MH in 2007 the first day the ad came out put it was in print for two more months.

The backhoe was off CL before we even closed the deal but had left a 15% cash deposit. Thankfully I had emailed the listing to myself so I had it to show some friends that live other places. The trailer was removed before I got home with it too. CL gives the sellers control over their listings it seems.

We live in changing times which is both good and bad depending on who you are and what you do.

 

[Bird]

Cookeville is more like Jackson located between Nashville and Memphis.

You might say Cookeville is our favorite town in Tennessee. We've made lots of trips from the Dallas area to West Virginia to visit my wife's family, and we usually spend the night in Cookeville; plenty of good motels and eating places.

 

[2manyrocks]

I hadn't notice that CL has a site for Jackson, TN until you mentioned it.

Cookeville already has a substantial on line listing : Local Sales Network - find local products and services in the mid south! - Go LSN! which many communities don't have.

I guess it shows that CL doesn't mind taking on a more established on line competitor in the same market.

It has only been in the last few years that Cookeville has brought in so many eating places and motels. Although the traffic there is getting worse, it is still pretty convenient to get in and out of-especially compared to Nashville.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

2manyrocks the fact the Local Sales Network (LSN) being up and running would have attracted CL to Cookeville not the opposite. LSN has built a demand for online shopping and have conditioned the online users to be open to a service like Craigslist.

It is kind of like a chain is more likely to show up in a smaller town after McDonald's research lead McDonald to move to the town. It is cheaper to let someone like LSN condition the market for a new service then move into the market than to take the risk on an unproven market place.

Microsoft as done will using this approach as has the Burger Kings types. Breaking into a market that does not know what your services are all about is SLOW and EXPENSIVE.

 

[Bird]

It has only been in the last few years that Cookeville has brought in so many eating places and motels. Although the traffic there is getting worse, it is still pretty convenient to get in and out of-especially compared to Nashville.

We always left home early in the morning to be sure we got through Nashville before stopping, and just got in a habit of stopping in Cookeville. And yes, there's a lot of new places and chain restaurants the last few years, but 30-33 years agoi, we used to stay in the Best Western Thunderbird Motel so the kids could do swimming in their pool. But we had not stayed at the Thunderbird in perhaps the last 20 years until summer before last. It was obvious from the outside that it had been renovated so we spend the night of 7/24/08 there just to see how different it was. Not a bad place at all. And even 30 years ago there were several good places to eat; nothing like the number of places now, but still more than needed.

 

[2manyrocks]

The Thunderbird used to be about the only place to stay and I remember going there to eat years ago as well. I don't think I've been in there in recent years, but I've been to the motel next to it a few times for different seminars and a kid's birthday party or two at their indoor pool.

Now Cookeville has all those places to eat on interstate drive or whatever they call it running parallel to I40.

PM me if you remember the next time you're coming and we'll go eat somewhere together.

 

[Bird]

I suspect trips up that way will be few and far between in the future. Both of my wife's parents are deceased now, and the trip in 2008 was for her oldest brother's funeral. Most of her family has now either died or moved away from Princeton, WV.

 

[tallyho8]

Just remember that if they show up with cash, it's a federal crime to refuse to accept that as payment...

...Unless, of course, you're not in the US.

I tried to send a package UPS and Fed Ex and they wouldn't take cash.

I think that most car rentals will not rent to you for cash. You must have a credit cad.

 

[zzvyb6]

I use the cash angle quite successfully to get a better price. Let's say there's a $400 item for sale that I'd like to have. I take $350 in my wallet, nothing else. I wait a few days on the ad to let it 'cure' for a while. Then I call, get an address and look it over. If its exceptional I beg for a price reconsideration. If its average, I take out the $300 of my offer and show it to them. That's my offer. 9 times out of ten, they see, smell and have already spent that $300.

So you can use the cash angle to your advantage with a motivated seller.

No checks, cheques, or Civil War or Confederate money. Chechs welcome any time.

 

[tulenutn2o]

IMO, unless the ad stated so or you informed him that you would not take a check....he had every right to be disgruntled with you...

Seller can accept whatever he wants for payment. Personally, CASH is king unless I know the person, in which case, CASH IS GOD! I say if it upset the guy that much after offering to hold it until he got cash. He may of stiiffed you on the check.Better safe than sorry.

 

[dcyrilc]

I tried to send a package UPS and Fed Ex and they wouldn't take cash.

I think that most car rentals will not rent to you for cash. You must have a credit card.

For rentals you need the card for the reservation, but can pay cash when finished to pay the bill. Not sure about UPS/FedEx, I've never had a problem.

 

[dcyrilc]

I use the cash angle quite successfully to get a better price. Let's say there's a $400 item for sale that I'd like to have. I take $350 in my wallet, nothing else. I wait a few days on the ad to let it 'cure' for a while. Then I call, get an address and look it over. If its exceptional I beg for a price reconsideration. If its average, I take out the $300 of my offer and show it to them. That's my offer. 9 times out of ten, they see, smell and have already spent that $300.

So you can use the cash angle to your advantage with a motivated seller.

No checks, cheques, or Civil War or Confederate money. Chechs welcome any time.

If the Confederate money's in good enough shape, I'ld take it. I would even give 10% off of any portion paid with bills of $500 or larger too.