Re: Craigslist vs. Reality
Craigslist is very hit or miss with it seems a lot more missed in some categories.
Re: Craigslist vs. Reality
While not furniture related, my favorite example of a Craigslist posting where the seller just doesn't understand was a guy locally who was selling a $200 Pottery Barn gift certificate for $200 with a big, bolded, declaration that he would "UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ACCEPT LESS." Let's just ignore the fact that the $200 cash I'd be giving him could just as easily be used directly at Pottery Barn for the same redemption value (or at any of the other thousands of stores around town for that matter).
You can get some nice deals on Craigslist, but many of the people selling things there just don't get it.
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Re: Craigslist vs. Reality
I agree that some folks selling on CL don't understand the concept. On the other hand, I've gotten some incredible deals--so I think maybe, in part, it depends on how good your regional CL is. Here are a few things I've "scored": Our "new" solid cherry Willett TV cabinet ($150), a virtually unused Kindel love seat ($350), a Brass Beds of Virginia bed ($600--v. $2500 retail), Restoration Hardware cherry bedside cabinets in excellent condition ($50 each--v. $850 retail), a Baker Furniture ottoman at end of bed ($50 v. have no idea of retail price). Overall, I think persistence is key. Of course, not everybody agrees on what a "good deal" is, and most people don't have time to waste on a daily cruising of Craigslist in hopes of finding just the right thing at just the right time. :)
Re: Craigslist vs. Reality
Quote:
Originally Posted by
organic_smallhome
I agree that some folks selling on CL don't understand the concept. On the other hand, I've gotten some incredible deals--so I think maybe, in part, it depends on how good your regional CL is. Here are a few things I've "scored": Our "new" solid cherry Willett TV cabinet ($150), a virtually unused Kindel love seat ($350), a Brass Beds of Virginia bed ($600--v. $2500 retail), Restoration Hardware cherry bedside cabinets in excellent condition ($50 each--v. $850 retail), a Baker Furniture ottoman at end of bed ($50 v. have no idea of retail price). Overall, I think persistence is key. Of course, not everybody agrees on what a "good deal" is, and most people don't have time to waste on a daily cruising of Craigslist in hopes of finding just the right thing at just the right time. :)
I check Craigslist.org now and then but my luck usually is finding someone trying to sell something clearly used at close to new price.
Re: Craigslist vs. Reality
I had forgotten about this classic. It even has some on-point content.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Selling Furniture on craigslist
And there's just one last thing, kids - if it's too nasty for you to sit on any more, then throw it out. Burn it. Shoot it and put it out of its mercy if you have to. But unless you're unusually rich and/or persnickety - and I mean Howard Hughes persnickety - chances are the Craigslist public won't want to set down on your grotty couch from hell either. Even if you're giving it away for free! The "free" category is a place to give away stuff that people would actually want. It isn't there to make sad attempts at unloading filthy, squalid castaways that Salvation Army wouldn't take! That matter is strictly between you and your garbage man. I'm embarrassed for you when I look at them. Really I am.
Re: Craigslist vs. Reality
Okay, aaron, I am sitting here laughing myself off the couch. Thanks for the funny. :)
Re: Craigslist vs. Reality
I had a Shifman Masters Collection Queen Size Box and Mattress at home that I replaced with a new Royal Pedic set. THe Shifman was very expensive when new ($ 6,500 set) but it was 15 years old and ready for replacement by my standards of what I like in a bed. I was going to toss it in the dumpster, but then said "You know, this bed still looks good, and still sleeps better than half the new junk sold at Mattress Discounters, I'll just give it away FREE on Craigslist, someone can get another 5 to 10 years out of it."
So I took it to my store and put it in my Freightliner, confident it would be gone in a blink to a grateful citizen. Boy, was I wrong. Here's what happened:
* A phone call asking me to meet them Sunday Morning at 8 a.m., as that was the only time they could get there. I said 'I'm here Mon-Sat, 9:30 to 5:30, that's when you can come get it." They said those were impossible hours.
* A phone call asking me to deliver it to Richmond, VA (90 miles away) and they would give me $ 15 for gas money. Uh-huh.
* A very pregnant Middle Eastern woman showed up with a beater Toyota Corolla and she could not speak English. In sign language she wanted me to lift it and strap it on the roof of her car and tie it all down. That's not happening....
* A guy begged me to stay late one evening because he really wanted it, but could not get to the store until 6:15 p.m, 45 minutes after I closed. I agreed, and waited until 6:45 p.m. He never showed.
* Several people calling wanting me to send digital photos of the set on all sides before they would drive to the store.
By the third day of endless calls for something that was FREE, I pulled the ad and put it in the dumpster.
Re: Craigslist vs. Reality
Part of that is the problem of "free". Had you said $10, half (or more) of those people wouldn't have given the ad a second look. And that would likely include most of those who approached you with a sense of entitlement.
Back when I was developing seminars we had a similar issue - we wanted younger professionals to attend our seminars, those not sponsored by their employers, as it's part of how you turn them into life-long customers. If you gave deep discounts to that group, most who attended on the discount would have attended anyway. If you gave away free attendance, you would get a lot more people to sign up but, with nothing on the line, the number of no-shows was extraordinary.
