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Want to be fair, but sheesh... (Craigslist rant)

bunnicula

bunnicula

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jul 23, 2008
3,816
817
Okay... so I took my 3GS to the Apple Store and got it replaced. It kept doing weird stuff in the middle of a couple of apps (Facebook and my local news station's app)... the guy at the Genius bar tested it, and said he did see those apps hanging on the diagnostic, and it didn't seem that it should be the phone, but if I'd already wiped and reset it (I had, it was my 2nd trip to complain about this), he'd give me a replacement phone.

Took shiny, new replacement phone (refurb/or new OEM, one never knows) home, stuck it in our lightbox, took photos, and posted it on Craigslist a few hours ago. (I have a 32gb ip4 now, so I don't NEED the 3GS)

It is a white, 16gb 3GS (like new... for real), including box and all cables, earbuds, and a hardshell black case that looks new.

I listed it for 400 dollars. Not because I expect to get that much (I want 300). But, because I know that people on CL are notorious lowballers.

I've had 2 offers since I posted it a few hours ago, and they've been for 220 and 225.

Is it really proper negotiating etiquette to just send a 5 word comment offering a person nearly half their requested amount for goods listed for sale?

I mean, no opening salutation? No fishing around to see how much less I might be willing to take?

This phone is in far better condition than the 3G I sold last year, OR the 1st gen I sold the year before, and I got 325 for the 3G and 350 for the 1st gen.

Am I missing something crucial? Is the 3GS really that undesirable?

From what I have observed, part of the problem in the market is that people sell their phones for next to nothing. It's like they have no concept of their value. Maybe they're college kids or teens whose parents spoil them buy upgrading their phones every year and they don't care what they recoup because it's just money for beer or pot... I really just dunno.

If the phone was damaged in some way, or even had signs of wear (there are none), I would've listed it for a bit less.

Eh... advice, anyone?

I'm happy to adjust my expectations. I'm not in a hurry to sell the phone. But, these offers of 220 and 225 are just crazy. I'd rather give it to one of my kids.

:rolleyes:
 
Get used to it.

Honestly, that's the best advice I can give. I listed my iPhone 3GS 32GB, Person A told me he wanted to buy it, and then Person B emailed me before I was heading out to sell it to Person A, and I replied politely to Person B telling him it was pending sale, but if Person A didn't show, he was next in line.

Person B's response?

"umm ok"

Like WTF? Is that all I deserved?

Like I said, get used to it. :)
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_0_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8A306 Safari/6531.22.7)

Offer to jailbreak and unlock in your post. Increases value.
 
So, you're asking $400 which is way too much and you're mad that someone is offering $225 which is way too little? :rolleyes:

Just counter their offer with something in the middle, which would be close to $300, which is what your goal is anyway.

And, maybe if your starting price was more realistic, you'd get better offers.
 
unfortunately that's how craigslist works. Like the post before just try to get used to it.
 
WilliamG said:
Get used to it.

Honestly, that's the best advice I can give. I listed my iPhone 3GS 32GB, Person A told me he wanted to buy it, and then Person B emailed me before I was heading out to sell it to Person A, and I replied politely to Person B telling him it was pending sale, but if Person A didn't show, he was next in line.

Person B's response?

"umm ok"

Like WTF? Is that all I deserved?

Like I said, get used to it. :)
Click to expand...

Why do people send emails that resemble text messages?

Are we devolving?

rudolf said:
So, you're asking $400 which is way too much and you're mad that someone is offering $225 which is way too little? :rolleyes:

Just counter their offer with something in the middle, which would be close to $300, which is what your goal is anyway.

And, maybe if your starting price was more realistic, you'd get better offers.
Click to expand...

I dunno, rudolf. If I asked for 325, people would offer me 175. I agree that 400 is too much. But, that's a hell of a price drop to 220, yanno?

damnyooneek said:
its a part of the business. you will get idiots. if you want to sell it for 300 have patience.
Click to expand...

:) thanks. You're right.
 
Selling something on Craigslist will get you anything BUT professional responses...It's just the nature of it - very casual, brief, nonchalant. However I will say that if you place a phone such as that at an egregiously high price you will get even worse responses. I don't see the problem with how people reply to your post as long as you eventually get the money and they get the product? Just keep in mind that is the nature of craigslist interactions
 
wrow said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_0_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8A306 Safari/6531.22.7)

Offer to jailbreak and unlock in your post. Increases value.
Click to expand...

I'm gonna do that. I meant to add that. Thanks for the reminder.
 
thecarrot said:
Selling something on Craigslist will get you anything BUT professional responses...It's just the nature of it - very casual, brief, nonchalant. However I will say that if you place a phone such as that at an egregiously high price you will get even worse responses. I don't see the problem with how people reply to your post as long as you eventually get the money and they get the product? Just keep in mind that is the nature of craigslist interactions
Click to expand...

Well, true. Maybe I'll drop it to 350 later.
 
That would be better I'd say, just look around at other 3GS on craigslist and make your price around that...Also you should state in your post multiple times its in perfect condition and unlocked. Then when someone replies with an offer (say youre selling it for 350 and they offer 275), you can always say that someone already offered that and 300 is the current "bid". Works for me quite often
 
thecarrot said:
That would be better I'd say, just look around at other 3GS on craigslist and make your price around that...Also you should state in your post multiple times its in perfect condition and unlocked. Then when someone replies with an offer (say youre selling it for 350 and they offer 275), you can always say that someone already offered that and 300 is the current "bid". Works for me quite often
Click to expand...

Aaaah. Nice idea!
 
bunnicula said:
Why do people send emails that resemble text messages?

Are we devolving?
Click to expand...

I agree with you, one of my pet peeves is teenager slang text messages, it bugs the crap out of me. Even when I owned the RAZR, I always typed full and complete sentences. lol, ttyl, jk are fine with me, but when I get a message that says "eye h8te da person", I either reply to the person and explain how that should have been spelled "I hate that person" or I don't reply at all.

ok, that was my rant. Back to the subject.

My uncle just sold his 16g black iPhone 3GS for $275 in San Jose, Ca just last week. He wanted $200 for it, so i advised him that craigslist people always low ball the initial offer, so I told him to list it for $230 and "lower the offer to $200 as a deal" but he also posted that he would except the best offer.

Within 2 hours he got 75 emails and he accepted the highest offer of $275 (no negotiating, that was his first offer), So I don't think $300 is unreasonable if people are still wiling to pay for it, also considering you just got it replaced at Apple.
 
Who cares? Providing the details are there why do you expect sole warm and fuzzy letter?
 
jessica. said:
Who cares? Providing the details are there why do you expect sole warm and fuzzy letter?
Click to expand...

No. I just expect a polite discourse. It's a business transaction. It's not two teenagers setting a time to meet up at the mall.

LOL! saving!

What really gets me is how my coworkers use text speak over Office Communicator. They've got a full keyboard.
 
If you have an exact amount you are looking to get just put that price and mention the price is firm in your ad.

Craigslist is low ball central so just let everyone know right up front you are looking to get and be done with it.

I got even more ridiculous offers when I had my original 2g for sale a few years back. Some guy offered 80 bucks and a Motorola Razer and got all pissy when I told him I was not interested.
 
eBay it. People are trying to make profit there so people will know their prices better than Craigslist. Craigslist is a place for a bargain, not a fair trade. eBay is also much more secure.
 
bunnicula said:
No. I just expect a polite discourse. It's a business transaction. It's not two teenagers setting a time to meet up at the mall.
Click to expand...

I truly do understand but if they ask you if you're willing to accept a certain amount of money then why wax poetics? I'd just e-mail and say "if your item is still available would you accept $250 for it?"

I'm not writing you a love letter or anything. Let's just get down to business and that business is that you have an item I want that I don't want to pay full price for. If you're willing to deal it will unfold right away. I'll get a phone you get your money.

I'm not saying text speak is ok. People who write me using text speak and those who simply can't get through a damn sentence without using "lol" as a fill word are useless to me. However, if they want to buy my item then they can be ignorant. Money is money.
 
I hate super short emails when on craigslist. Take an extra 10 seconds and type something moderately intelligent, right?

I was recently looking at Javelin (the car, not the spear) about an hour away from me and had quite a bit of good conversation with the guy via email. I ended up not buying it anyway seeing as i wont have a job at the end of the year (business is closing) and i havent been able to find anything decent around here yet.


But i digress.

What also really pisses me off is when people post listings for cars or something else where the price is based mainly on condition, and they include no photos. If you want me to spend several thousand dollars on your hot rod take a minute and post some photos!
 
Be happy you got offers that high. :p I offered a really old macbook for $500 and at first I got offers as low as $125. Eventually real offers started coming around. Between all the comically low offers and the paypal scams someone will be interested in buying your iphone for a real price. :)

SnowLeopard2008 said:
eBay it. People are trying to make profit there so people will know their prices better than Craigslist. Craigslist is a place for a bargain, not a fair trade. eBay is also much more secure.
Click to expand...

LOL! Try reading this thread and see if you still think so.
 
you get all sorts of responses. back when i was in college i had bought one of those nvidia tnt2 video cards that came overclocked (xentor?)


anyways, posted it on ebay for under retail, $200 or something. i had rma'd the card twice already. received a brand new one in box, shrink wrapped. i got a message on ebay from a guy saying i should sale iT as used because i iwned it, honor a rebate that was going at the time which, and a whole host of other things. in the he wanted to buy my video card at $45. and part of his justification for this was that i would learn a lesson about selling online.

i told him what i thought once i got back from the bar that night.
 
I once put up my Nintendo DS, which was basically new (less than a week old). I had three games for it as well and people emailed me offering $25.

I also enjoy those people who lowball and act like they're doing you a favour: "I'll come pick it up right now for half the price you listed. Hurry up I'm a busy person."
 
rudolf said:
So, you're asking $400 which is way too much and you're mad that someone is offering $225 which is way too little? :rolleyes:

Just counter their offer with something in the middle, which would be close to $300, which is what your goal is anyway.

And, maybe if your starting price was more realistic, you'd get better offers.
Click to expand...

A jailbroken and unlocked 32GB 3GS in mint condition goes for around $450 on eBay. That's about $385ish after eBay/Paypal fees and insurance so maybe about $50 less than that for a 16GB on Craigslist, assuming the OP jailbreaks and unlocks it.

OP, either put up with the lowball offers on Craigslist or sell it on eBay.
 
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