CL TACTICS

[Rat Rod]

Wondering if anyone else has run into this when inquiring about a bike on CraigsList.

A bike is listed by an individual for a very good price. Contact is made with the individual and a deal is agreed upon and plans are made for pick up.

After an hour or so, that individual emails back and says that someone else emailed and said that the bike was priced way too cheap and that they were giving it away.

The only reason I can come up with why someone would stoop to something like this is that they are upset that they cannot get the bike themselves so they decide to blow the deal for everyone else.

Anyone else run into sleazy tactics like this?

 

[karfer67]

well the even worse part would be the seller not owning up to what he was asking and say "well a deal is a deal my bad for not researching what it was worth."

 

[KZ1000]

Yes, all the time. Always the same, "Somebody emailed me and said they will pay more than I have it listed for", several times you will see the same bike relisted later by the same seller. I think it is a way to get the seller to Hold the bike till that person can get there, then they lo-ball them

 

[user 135]

I was afraid that may happen today with the bike I bought. I talked to the guy and it sounded like he wished he put a higher dollar figure on it. Nobody messed it up though.

Fat Chance Wicked mountain bike with Girvin carbon fork. Lots of XT components.
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=25361

 

[jerrykr]

I personally have not encountered this but would not be surprised by much of anything.

Not much you can do, except:

Remind them of the deal you struck, and remind them that you are prepared to show up, on time, cash in hand. Money Talks BS Walks. If you get back on the original deal, inspect the bike about twice as much as you would normally have before you hand over the cash.

If they still balk, ask what the competing offer was, it puts the ball back on their side of the net. You are then perfectly right in commenting on your negative opinion of the offer, and if you are nice, wish them luck and success.

Don't forget, if you run into something you think is sleezy, you may be very lucky to get out of a deal with, so far undiscovered negatives, so easily. There are hundreds of deals on Craigs with new ones posted every day.

 

[slacker]

I think it is a way to get the seller to Hold the bike till that person can get there, then they lo-ball them

Bingo! I see this happen all the time. Offer major $$$ to eliminate the competition, then try to pick up stuff for cheap. Two or three guys in my area do it constantly. I have picked up a few bikes after they try to low-ball the seller. :roll:

 

[jerrykr]

Tell the seller, you think he will be ...... around, reiterate your offer.

I would not up my offer a penny.

 

[Rat Rod]

When this kind of stuff happens it leaves a bad taste in my mouth and I just choose to walk away.

I guess the person out there doing it will be happy that they won, but I'll let the Lord judge them on that one. :wink:

 

[KOTA]

Just sold two bikes today. I got at least 25 emails saying: I'm interested in your "item", is this it (link). Or you're selling it to cheap, go to this site to check this one out. Or What year is the bike and send a picture and info here ( add had 4 pics and was VERY well detailed)...........Just a bunch of emails trying to get me to go somewhere else. Finally got one that seemed normal...........she bought them both. But I never got spammed that much before, ALL had aol, yahoo, charter, etc email addresses.

 

[StephenH]

FYI, I normally use a Yahoo email when responding to ads, so that doesn't mean a lot.

 

[KOTA]

FYI, I normally use a Yahoo email when responding to ads, so that doesn't mean a lot.

You missed my point, unless you're spamming?....These appeared to be "normal" email addresses (peoples names). Many had duplicate contents...different originating addresses.

 

[ratina]

FYI, I normally use a Yahoo email when responding to ads, so that doesn't mean a lot.

You missed my point, unless you're spamming?....These appeared to be "normal" email addresses (peoples names). Many had duplicate contents...different originating addresses.

I get emails sometimes for stuff I'm not even selling. Obviously its spam, all of the contents the same. Subject is usually " RE:Awesome old bike" I've gotten some about kitchen cabinets, etc

 

[B607]

When this kind of stuff happens it leaves a bad taste in my mouth and I just choose to walk away.

I guess the person out there doing it will be happy that they won, but I'll let the Lord judge them on that one. :wink:

I'd say, "Okay, but next time something terrible happens in your life just remember me an how you ...... me around. Happy Karma!" yuk yuk yuk. Gary

 

[spistols]

I have heard of people finding lowball deals and striking the deal with the owner. Once arrangements are made to pick up the bike at the deal listed, the prospect buyers flag the ad, to have it removed, so no one else highballs it. Dirty pool.

 

[udallcustombikes]

I have heard of people finding lowball deals and striking the deal with the owner. Once arrangements are made to pick up the bike at the deal listed, the prospect buyers flag the ad, to have it removed, so no one else highballs it. Dirty pool.

It requires more than one person flagging an ad to get it pulled.

 

[JonnyButts]

I just ran into this same issue on Kijiji here (CL doesn't generate much in Canada) This fella had 2 schwinn cruisers, wanted 50 bucks a pop. I was cool with it, contacted him and while enroute I get an email on my phone telling me he's been offered more money, seriously wtf. If he had wanted more $ why not ask for more. I was more upset about the drive I had done then loosing out on the bikes. Guess a deal isn't a deal till the exchange is done.

 

[icyuod2]

I just ran into this same issue on Kijiji here (CL doesn't generate much in Canada) This fella had 2 schwinn cruisers, wanted 50 bucks a pop. I was cool with it, contacted him and while enroute I get an email on my phone telling me he's been offered more money, seriously ***. If he had wanted more $ why not ask for more. I was more upset about the drive I had done then loosing out on the bikes. Guess a deal isn't a deal till the exchange is done.

sounds like appling for a morgage.lol interest rates will keep changing until the deal is done.
kinda like buying my house.
priced low but they weren't excepting offer till sunday, had three that day and came back with a " we've been offered more money, can you do better?" only this is to the tune of $150 000.

when this is common practice with big business, i'm surprized your all so shocked when it starts to rub off of the little peeps.

sure its dirty, no doubt. but can you really blame them? when your being nickeled,dimed and taxed to death. when its all about the bengiman's. its gonna rub off.


i mean if you've ever squeezed an extra dime outta somebody, its charma coming back to get ya.
those bad deals have a way of amplifing themselves as time goes on. "he got a $1, mine must be worth $2." "i over paid(got rooked) so you should," ya have heard about the seven fold rule?

i must admit, i think a lot of these "i got offered more money" are b.s. got ya on the hook, now thier working thier charm's.

thats why i'm all about the barter system. both parties are always happy and it keeps the cash outta the equation.

lets not forget the smooth talking folks that try to talk ya out of a promised sale. "oh you sold it way too low, i'll give ya double." i have ran into those types, so i know there out there

 

[Rat Rod]

sure its dirty, no doubt. but can you really blame them? when your being nickeled,dimed and taxed to death. when its all about the bengiman's. its gonna rub off.

Sure, I can blame them...ha ha.

 

[icyuod2]

i'm just saying, we're all part of the problem.
as a socitiy we really need to rework our way of thinking.

 

[schwinnmesa]

You really know when someone is lying when they deny your offer (in which they say they've been offered more recently) and yet later they come back to you to accept your offer. I don't like it when people use imaginary offers to get you to pay more. Very crooked indeed. :x