What's happened to Craigslist?

[D2Cat]

^^^ :thumbsup: You want to plaster your info all over the place, be my guest.
If somebody can't at least start a transaction via email, they're really not a buyer.

If you're concerned with someone getting your number for other uses don't use all digits, write out some of the numbers (like: one, two) the same way you might do with an email address.

Guess I feel just the opposite of you, if the seller can't post a contact number, their not a serious seller.

 

[4570Man]

I won’t contact a seller without a phone number unless it’s on Facebook through messenger which is my preferred communication with on adds. I don’t use Craigslist anymore. Facebook is much better and has virtually no scammers. Sure there’s plenty of retards and time wasters but you can’t avoid that.

 

[SJay]

I agree Craigslist is slowing down. I found Facebook Marketplace about 1 month ago. Sold my old weight lifting equipment in 2 days - had over 25 responses - first person who looked at it paid the asking price. I like being able to see the persons profile. Now, if you could just get the idiots who post their items for sale to actually respond to questions - then it would be perfect. :banghead:

 

[oosik]

I've gone on Craigslist, in our area, once. I found nothing that even closely resembled what would interest me. I've never gone back.

 

[aczlan]

Now, if you could just get the idiots who post their items for sale to actually respond to questions - then it would be perfect. :banghead:

And take down the ad once the item sells...

Aaron Z

 

[LD1]

Craigslist is still the go-to place for the type of old farm equipment and implements I am always looking for.

Dont see too much on facebook. But I like craigslist and its simplicity. Facebook is hard to navigate, hard to search for something, tooooooo many individual local "buy-sell-trade" groups to even try to keep up with.....just a headache.

But c-list......easy searching. Filtering results. And its pretty easy to spot the flakes and not waste time with them. For selling.....if you are priced right and selling something farm & garden related in the farm and garden section.....it will go quick.

I advertize on c-list too for my brush mowing. Easy to just click "renew" on the ads every few days too. But craigslist is now charging $5 per post if you post in the "services" section of c-list......:mur:

Probably what bothers me more than the spam or flakes.....is the people that either post in the WRONG category, or post the same freaking thing like 10 times in different categories and cities. And I HATE it when DEALERS post in the "owner" area.

Like Cantrells farm equipment in Frankfort KY. They have 34 listings of farm equipment listed in COLUMBUS OHIO CLIST:confused2: And I cannot even filter out the results.....because they post under OWNER and NOT DEALER.

See it alot in the auto section where dealers wont post in dealer section

 

[aczlan]

Craigslist is still the go-to place for the type of old farm equipment and implements I am always looking for.

Dont see too much on facebook. But I like craigslist and its simplicity. Facebook is hard to navigate, hard to search for something, tooooooo many individual local "buy-sell-trade" groups to even try to keep up with.....just a headache.

But c-list......easy searching. Filtering results. And its pretty easy to spot the flakes and not waste time with them. For selling.....if you are priced right and selling something farm & garden related in the farm and garden section.....it will go quick.

I advertize on c-list too for my brush mowing. Easy to just click "renew" on the ads every few days too. But craigslist is now charging $5 per post if you post in the "services" section of c-list......:mur:

Probably what bothers me more than the spam or flakes.....is the people that either post in the WRONG category, or post the same freaking thing like 10 times in different categories and cities. And I HATE it when DEALERS post in the "owner" area.
Like Cantrells farm equipment in Frankfort KY. They have 34 listings of farm equipment listed in COLUMBUS OHIO CLIST:confused2: And I cannot even filter out the results.....because they post under OWNER and NOT DEALER.

See it alot in the auto section where dealers wont post in dealer section

Report them with the post IDs: craigslist | contact form
That should help.

Aaron Z

 

[GLyford]

Filters in the search bar make CL much more usable for me.

To filter out guys not following the rules like dealers in owner category, or multiple listings in all areas is either filter out the name of the town, or some buzzword that comes up often in their listings (like "custom"). Also, a lot of the shady dealers will list either "credit" or week or month payments rather than a total price. So I will filter out credit, week, month as terms too. For guys in neighboring states where I know I won't drive to crossposting into my area (ex. CT and NH) I will filter on those. If there are only one or two results left of theirs in the results at that point I will just hit the "hide" icon in the results list. Yeah they will be back tomorrow but it will let me run my search today.

If I have the time and energy I will also flag the worst offenders.

The ones that I don't understand are the ones who keep reposting the same items in the wrong categories, like action figures in "trailers" and such.

 

[TractorGuy]

IDIOTS! That's what's happened.

^^^ :thumbsup: You want to plaster your info all over the place, be my guest.
If somebody can't at least start a transaction via email, they're really not a buyer.

I don't post my phone number or give it out period. When I post an ad I clearly state "Sorry, no phone calls or text. Communication will be through Craigslist messaging only." Had my number spammed and spoofed a few times so it's not worth taking the chance. People will still email and insist I call them back or email my phone number. Had a guy a while back that said he didn't want to go back and forth in email but he emailed me 4 times insisting on getting my phone number. I try to be cordial to everyone but I finally had to tell him to stop emailing me if he could not discuss the item or purchase through email.

I'm beginning to question if it's worth it to try and sell anything. Especially anything that isn't in pristine working condition. People either can't or won't read the ads. I pick up some junk for cheap or free and flip it from time to time. I post everything I know about the item and put a cheap price on it. One in ten will arrange to see and purchase. The other nine will want me to tell them everything it would take to make it perfect or offer 1/4th the asking price or just email asking if I still have it then never respond again.

Why do people ask if you still have something if they have no intention of getting back in touch to inquire about buying it? Then there are the people that seem sincere, get your address, and never come or let you know they are not coming.

You just never know though. The last mower I sold the guy kept putting me off on committing to a time. I had sent him my address on the second email and I guess he didn't read it. A week later he asked for my address again and I told him to message me when he was hooking up the trailer to come and I would give it to him. Last Sunday I got a message saying he was ready to come, I replied with my address, and he came right out and paid the asking price and loaded up. I thought for sure he was going to be one of the flakes that wasted a bunch of my time then drop off the map.

I have a 5' Caroni finish mower listed right now. Included several close up photos and all the information I know about it which isn't much. The gearbox and all 3 spindles turn, the deck is pitted but no holes, the blades are missing. Other than that I don't know anything about it. CLEARLY state in the ad I don't know anything else about it. Priced it at $175. Had a guy email this morning wanting to know if I still have it and how much the blades will cost. I respond and tell him it's still available and I don't know the blade cost. He replies that if I can't tell him how much the blades are he isn't interested. REALLY? You are inquiring about a junk finish mower and you aren't resourceful enough to look up replacement blades? I'm thinking this person should not even OWN a tractor. Heck he may not know a finish mower REQUIRES a tractor. :confused2:

 

[USAFpj]

I've had an immense amount of success and fun on Craigslist in Portland, Oregon and my home in SC. I'm the type of guy that researches a product to a ridiculous level, but when I'm ready to pull the trigger, I pull the trigger!

(2) things that I still chuckle at: I offered to pay $1200 cash for a cello in Portland back in 2010. I had a nice email/phone conversation with the seller, but he would not sell me the cello without talking to my supervisor or another reliable party because "nobody calls and offers the asking price!" :laughing: You may think someone is scamming you, but always remember that there are oddballs out there, like me, who don't tire kick... I guarantee he took a loss on that deal.

I just offered a guy full asking price for a military trailer back home in SC. Explained that I can't call because I'm overseas, which I'm sure he thought was a scam. Bless my Southern brother's hearts, but in my area, we think everyone is out to screw us. Even after giving multiple phone numbers and telling him where I live, nothing. The trailer is, and has been, on C-list ever since...

 

[LD1]

I've had an immense amount of success and fun on Craigslist in Portland, Oregon and my home in SC. I'm the type of guy that researches a product to a ridiculous level, but when I'm ready to pull the trigger, I pull the trigger!

(2) things that I still chuckle at: I offered to pay $1200 cash for a cello in Portland back in 2010. I had a nice email/phone conversation with the seller, but he would not sell me the cello without talking to my supervisor or another reliable party because "nobody calls and offers the asking price!" :laughing: You may think someone is scamming you, but always remember that there are oddballs out there, like me, who don't tire kick... I guarantee he took a loss on that deal.

I just offered a guy full asking price for a military trailer back home in SC. Explained that I can't call because I'm overseas, which I'm sure he thought was a scam. Bless my Southern brother's hearts, but in my area, we think everyone is out to screw us. Even after giving multiple phone numbers and telling him where I live, nothing. The trailer is, and has been, on C-list ever since...

Unfortunately, not able to call because you are overseas..........That is how MOST c-list scams actually start. Being over seas, or out of state, or out of country.....offering to send MORE than you are asking......wanting you to cash the check....etc etc...

I feel sorry for the folks that are legitimately overseas. But the spammers ruined it.

 

[USAFpj]

I feel sorry for the folks that are legitimately overseas

Yep, I get it. I wouldn't sell to me, either!:laughing:

I tried like heck to sell a $200 engagement ring on C-list one time, and the Nigerian scammers were hitting me HARD. After about 2 weeks, I get a shady text from someone who wants to know if I would trade the ring for a handgun? Spidey senses are tingling that this is a bad deal that won't go anywhere good. I'm intrigued, so I take 'back up' in the forms of manning and weapons, and agree to go somewhere public and during the daytime.

This poor middle aged lady had a home break in, and her wedding ring had been stolen. She also happened to have a new Glock that she could not secure the slide, as her hands were tiny. She desperately wanted a diamond ring, and I desperately wanted that pistol! We had the trade, and it makes for a funny Craigslist story..

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

There is a group of ads in many of the CL areas here that has been repeating for a couple years now that is just an attempt to collect phone numbers and emails.

Ads are for construction materials like asphalt grindings, curbs, concrete blocks etc and all say limited quantities. I had replied to a couple for different product and ended up getting spam text messages for the next month. They never did reply to the actual request though.

Since then I check the “other ads by this user” and only use the CL email which at least weeds out some of this. Those are outright fraud but what annoys me more are
dealers and businesses that spam the listings with the same ad 20 or more times and put in all kinds of unrelated words making the search function useless. CL should have a way to ban them or filter ads from users with more than say 20 active listings.

Sad but there will always be someone looking to abuse an otherwise useful service.

 

[aczlan]

...what annoys me more are
dealers and businesses that spam the listings with the same ad 20 or more times and put in all kinds of unrelated words making the search function useless. CL should have a way to ban them or filter ads from users with more than say 20 active listings.

the problem is, a lot of those dealers are posting as dealers and Craigslist is getting paid for their ads. As such they have no problem with that. If you want to filter them out, pick just ads by owner and exclude ads by dealer.

Sad but there will always be someone looking to abuse an otherwise useful service.

Pretty much.

Aaron Z

 

[Jstpssng]

the problem is, a lot of those dealers are posting as dealers and Craigslist is getting paid for their ads. As such they have no problem with that. If you want to filter them out, pick just ads by owner and exclude ads by dealer.


Pretty much.

Aaron Z

One reason that I stopped looking on CL when auto shopping is because a lot of those dealers are way down in NH or Mass; if I wanted to check out their ads I would go to CL-NH or CL-Mass. There may be a way to filter them out but I haven't found it.

I haven't had the problems that others cite from giving out my phone #; yet have found that by stating I can't receive texts or emails it seems to filter out the tire kickers. I have about a 95% success rate selling to people who pick up the phone and actually take the time to talk to me.

 

[gojira]

One reason that I stopped looking on CL when auto shopping is because a lot of those dealers are way down in NH or Mass; if I wanted to check out their ads I would go to CL-NH or CL-Mass. There may be a way to filter them out but I haven't found it.

I haven't had the problems that others cite from giving out my phone #; yet have found that by stating I can't receive texts or emails it seems to filter out the tire kickers. I have about a 95% success rate selling to people who pick up the phone and actually take the time to talk to me.

I've been through that where a lot of the NH car ones are in the Boston area or down by the Cape; unless it is really special, I'm not making the trip.

I sold a lot of old car parts from cars I'd sold through CL before we moved the last time. I had a set of low doors and side curtains for a TJ Wrangler. I got an email from a woman who said she'd take them as she needed a set for her Jeep. The next day she sends, "Oh you are in NH, and I'm in upstate NY - can we meet somewhere?" I said I'd drive up to Lebanon NH (right on the NH-VT line) as that was about half-way for each of us. The day we meet she sends, "Oh I can't make it so I'm sending my brother to get the doors." OK, now I'm thinking WTH is going on and starting to get the bad feeling... so I drive up to Leb with the doors, and my wife, so if things went bad, my wife would be in the car driving off calling 911. I get up there and there's two big guys waiting - her brother and his buddy. They had the cash, everything goes off fine, so I tell them about having the bad feeling with all the changes from his sister and the brother says, "Um yeah my sister is a little... flakey." LOL

 

[TractorGuy]

There is a group of ads in many of the CL areas here that has been repeating for a couple years now that is just an attempt to collect phone numbers and emails.

Ads are for construction materials like asphalt grindings, curbs, concrete blocks etc and all say limited quantities. I had replied to a couple for different product and ended up getting spam text messages for the next month. They never did reply to the actual request though.

Since then I check the 登ther ads by this user and only use the CL email which at least weeds out some of this. Those are outright fraud but what annoys me more are
dealers and businesses that spam the listings with the same ad 20 or more times and put in all kinds of unrelated words making the search function useless. CL should have a way to ban them or filter ads from users with more than say 20 active listings.

Sad but there will always be someone looking to abuse an otherwise useful service.

I fell for one of those once. Ad was for free fill dirt. Number got spoofed! They used MY number to robocall other scams so I had people calling me saying they received a call from me I didn't make. I have searched all over and copied all the ad numbers to report as scam. First time I did it CL deleted ALL the ads I reported. Since then it's been hit or miss to get rid of them.

Another pet peeve of mine is the tractor dealers filling up the bottom of their ads with irrelevant key words. I will search for an item and get a hundred returns that have nothing to do with what I want because some turd put that in the list of key words in his ads.

 

[jaxs]

There is a group of ads in many of the CL areas here that has been repeating for a couple years now that is just an attempt to collect phone numbers and emails.

Ads are for construction materials like asphalt grindings, curbs, concrete blocks etc and all say limited quantities. I had replied to a couple for different product and ended up getting spam text messages for the next month. They never did reply to the actual request though.


Sad but there will always be someone looking to abuse an otherwise useful service.

Ar,Ok and Tx CL is overrun with those ads. Doesn't matter what you say in the CL email relay,the response is always the same"send me your email address for more pictures and information" or "text me for more information and pictures".

 

[LD1]

the problem is, a lot of those dealers are posting as dealers and Craigslist is getting paid for their ads. As such they have no problem with that. If you want to filter them out, pick just ads by owner and exclude ads by dealer.


Pretty much.

Aaron Z

The problem around here is most dealers don't post in the dealer section. So filtering does nothing.

I hate dealers loading up posts in owners section, and I also hate people posting from out of town or out of state. If I wanted to shop a different location, I'd look in that areas Craigslist.

Heck, may be someone on here, but there are ALWAYS a bunch of farm equipment posts from some dealer in Flat Gap KY.

I like to search Mansfield and Columbus OH areas, by owner only. And when I start seeing 20 items in a row from this KY dealer it irks the crap out of me.

Spammers I get. Ignore them and move on. But people/dealers being idiots....no excuse.

 

[goeduck]

The problem around here is most dealers don't post in the dealer section. So filtering does nothing.

I hate dealers loading up posts in owners section, and I also hate people posting from out of town or out of state. If I wanted to shop a different location, I'd look in that areas Craigslist.

Well said. The multiple posts of the exact same thing is a bother for sure. Sometimes you see where they drop the price of one or some of them but not all of the multiple posts. I responded to one once and the guy wanted to negotiate from the higher price. I mentioned the lower price and he said that was just to get attention. I never got back to him after that stunt. There are flake buyers and flake sellers and I agree things have gotten worse. It used to be a fancy classified add type of thing where you were dealing with honest people, now you still have them but you have all this other stuff going on. I will say it was a great move for CG to drop the personals section.