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Students buying off of craigslist [/rant]

A

Andy348

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 18, 2009
423
0
Montreal
About a week ago I posted my MacBook up on craigslist to see what I could get for it and if it was enough to help my funds for a 15" new MBP. I put it up at $950 and said contact me with reasonable offers (I'm thinking $900, $850 maybe). This morning, I check my email and find an email saying this:

"Hi! I saw that you were selling a white MacBook and I wanted to know if you can drop the price to $650 because for me as a student I can't afford a computer really expensive! So please drop the price to $650 that would be the greatest deal ever! Thanks and have a nice day!"

I know, I know, I should just forget about it and click delete, but COME ON! Dropping the price 300 bucks because you're a student? I'm a high school student but I don't post that on my CL ads asking for more money, do I? Why do students just assume that they're entitled to a lower price from me?!?!

[/rant]
 
I have sold a few macs on craigslist/eBay.

I just go over to mac2sell.net, get the price, and start with that.

EDIT: Sorry, .net
 
You're mistake in the posting was to contact you with "reasonable offers". That guarantees that you won't get your $950 because you've basically stated you'll settle for less.

As for the student thing yes its annoying. Nevertheless, it works sometimes because certain people have this image of a struggling young person starving in their college dorm--but yet needing an expensive computer for some reason. The closer truth is usually the kid spent all his money on booze and his Dad who is a lawyer refuses to forward him another $1000 until he gets his grades up.

Colleges have computer labs--and even poor students usually have enough money left over from their student loans to cover an inexpensive, non-apple computer.
 
barkomatic said:
You're mistake in the posting was to contact you with "reasonable offers". That guarantees that you won't get your $950 because you've basically stated you'll settle for less.

As for the student thing yes its annoying. Nevertheless, it works sometimes because certain people have this image of a struggling young person starving in their college dorm--but yet needing an expensive computer for some reason. The closer truth is usually the kid spent all his money on booze and his Dad who is a lawyer refuses to forward him another $1000 until he gets his grades up.

Colleges have computer labs--and even poor students usually have enough money left over from their student loans to cover an inexpensive, non-apple computer.
Click to expand...
agree

there are always labs. and people for some reason want macs which tend to cost more

if they are that poor, go get a cheaper laptop

scratch that, go get a dektop as those tend to be cheaper for the ame specs as the laptop

the student argument is bs
 
As long as people hold garage sales, advertise in classifieds, or post something on Craiglist for sale there will always be that unique class of troll called the "Low Baller" usually they'll be serious about buying something but not necessarily anything they absolutely need and about half the time they'll just turn around and sell it for close to the price you posted. If somebody is willing to negotiate the price reasonably though it's a fairly good sign that they need it. Anybody asking for a 300 dollar discount on a 900 dollar item really is being unreasonable, at best asking 150 less is a good start for bargaining on a big ticket item when haggling is involved. The reason somebody wants to buy it cheap is so they can haggle with somebody else and make a slim profit.
 
barkomatic said:
You're mistake in the posting was to contact you with "reasonable offers". That guarantees that you won't get your $950 because you've basically stated you'll settle for less.

As for the student thing yes its annoying. Nevertheless, it works sometimes because certain people have this image of a struggling young person starving in their college dorm--but yet needing an expensive computer for some reason. The closer truth is usually the kid spent all his money on booze and his Dad who is a lawyer refuses to forward him another $1000 until he gets his grades up.

Colleges have computer labs--and even poor students usually have enough money left over from their student loans to cover an inexpensive, non-apple computer.
Click to expand...

Could not agree more. 2 out of the 3 universities I've attended (even my girlfriends university) had 24/7 computer labs, and the one that didn't had very reasonable hours and a system to loan out a laptop if need be. Are computers that much of an issue at college/uni?

At these places you need to evaluate whats important. If a computer is important then they shouldn't waste their money on other things.
 
There's quite a simple solution to your situation.

"Hi there. Thanks for your offer on my macbook, but $650 is just too low based on the machine's current value. I'm also a student and need to get the most I can for it. Best of luck in school."

Be realistic and be polite. You just gotta know going in that when you put something up on Craigslist people are going to send low offers. It's part of the process. Don't let it bug you and "kill em with kindness".
 
We do it cause it works more often than not.

Also if you dont have a computer college becomes significantly more difficult. I have yet to hand in a assignment this year in hard paper copy (three months of class). Everything is done online so you pretty much need a computer. Yes yo can go to the lab but with all of the work being done on the computer you may as well move a bed into the lab to because you will spending so much time there, and since that is frowned upon you need a computer.

The biggest reason hw is done online is that it can be ran through a plagiarism checker as plagiarism is a huge issue at colleges
 
pcb said:
We do it cause it works more often than not.

Also if you dont have a computer college becomes significantly more difficult. I have yet to hand in a assignment this year in hard paper copy (three months of class). Everything is done online so you pretty much need a computer. Yes yo can go to the lab but with all of the work being done on the computer you may as well move a bed into the lab to because you will spending so much time there, and since that is frowned upon you need a computer.

The biggest reason hw is done online is that it can be ran through a plagiarism checker as plagiarism is a huge issue at colleges
Click to expand...

The graphics lab at my first college had cots. :D
 
dukebound85 said:
agree

there are always labs. and people for some reason want macs which tend to cost more

if they are that poor, go get a cheaper laptop

scratch that, go get a dektop as those tend to be cheaper for the ame specs as the laptop

the student argument is bs
Click to expand...

No it isn't: it works. Not all the time, not really the majority of the time, but sometimes. They're just trying to get a better price, even if they can afford a higher one. You're going to blame them for wanting to save money? If the seller doesn't have the balls to stick with their original price they're going to get a great deal and it's all the seller's fault.
 
mscriv said:
There's quite a simple solution to your situation.

"Hi there. Thanks for your offer on my macbook, but $650 is just too low based on the machine's current value. I'm also a student and need to get the most I can for it. Best of luck in school."

Be realistic and be polite. You just gotta know going in that when you put something up on Craigslist people are going to send low offers. It's part of the process. Don't let it bug you and "kill em with kindness".
Click to expand...

Always the calm one. I agree it's a lowball, but it's better then most of the spam you get on Craigslist anyway. There are some students that are pains to deal with, mscriv knows one...
 
I hate extreme low ballers as well.

It has gotten worse lately. I usually put my phone number in so that communication is easier. I have started getting texts saying they will pay 25% of my asking price. I don't even reply.

I also love it when people try to make them paying in cash is the greatest benefit and should warrant a price reduction. What else am I going to take? seashells? puppies? Beads?
 
The common thought here seems to be lowballers.

Now is your Mac using Intel hardware really worth the $950 if its what ... 2yrs+ old? Did you mention anything like including adapters, all discs (not just OS X; i.e. iLife) or what have you? We're all aware that 1yr old or even current hardware for a MacBook Unibody will go for $950CAN on Apple's refurbished site.

I'm not saying take a huge hit > but you should consider a more reasonable deal. You didn't list if its still under warranty and possible for AppleCare; things to consider for someone buying & someone selling.

Face it ... with new adoption of Intel hardware the refresh cycles are becoming slightly more frequent than the G4's of the past and you shouldn't expect anyone to pay so much just to support you getting new hardware. To be honest you shouldn't rely on selling old hardware as your main source to fund for new hardware. Besides a kind reply in not accepting your offer goes a LONG LONG way. Just today I offered $100 for my first Apple computer, while the seller just under 30 days posted it asking for $200obo. He already had a deal for $175, and mentioned it to me - he just needed to await the particulars to be completed. I quickly responded that I'd offer $180 if it fell through. I didn't get an immediate reply but I pushed again, just once. His current deal fell through (after 1 wk of numerous emails of another willing to trade+cash for this PowerBook G4 Titanium). I was informed by the seller of the fall through and immediately replied stating I'd contact him within 1.5hrs. Met up with the dealer, machine was exactly as described, more than I had hoped, and was imaged so that when I powered it on I got to quickly fill in my details, powered it off, handed the gent the cash and we both went on our ways.

Moral of this post ... well I think you get it.
 
Xavier said:
I have sold a few macs on craigslist/eBay.

I just go over to mac2sell.net, get the price, and start with that.

EDIT: Sorry, .net
Click to expand...

Bloody hell, apparently my white 2008 MacBook with 4GB RAM is only worth £470! :eek:

Anyway, people do this probably along the "might as well try, if you don't ask you don't get" line of thought. Just ignore it.
 
Andy348 said:
"Hi! I saw that you were selling a white MacBook and I wanted to know if you can drop the price to $650 because for me as a student I can't afford a computer really expensive! So please drop the price to $650 that would be the greatest deal ever! Thanks and have a nice day!"
Click to expand...

Just counter offer at $875

mt
 
In selling my MBP on craigslist last year, I got a similar request. I was asking 1200 for my MBP but I agreed to chop 200 bucks off the price. She looked over the computer was happy and we agreed to execute the sale a day later.

Well she called me up and told me she only has 800 in cash and she wanted the laptop for that price.

At that point, I canceled the sale, since she was trying to take advantage of me. Surprise surprise, she called me a little later and had the total 1,000 and wanted the laptop. No dice, try to screw me over and then expect all is well afterwards, not thank you.

I sold it on ebay for more then the original 1200 I was asking on craigslist.
 
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