Saturday, May 6, 2017

'Nuf Said :: Craig's List Woes

May 6 2017,

* Content Warning - The section below may contain language that may be offensive to some readers. You have been warned *

May showers brings May flowers. Hopefully.

It's been raining and raining and raining. Great for the lawn, not that great for my mood.

I had two encounters this past week with Craig's List.

I am trying to sell two posters - for $3.00 for both. It is too nice to throw away. So a lady emails me on Monday night stating that she would like to buy the posters. The next morning, I had a doctor's appointment (went to see an audiologist), and I did not know how long that would take, so I said I could only meet after 9:30. She said 9:30 works - and I gave her the address of our local post office which is 5 minutes down the road from the house.

The next day, I went to see the audiologist and I was done by 8:10. I decided to run a few errands including grocery shopping and filling up gas in the next town over. I came home at 9:15, unloaded the grocery and headed to the post office. All this time, I had muted the ringer on the phone and had forgotten to turn it back on. When I got to the post office I checked my email and saw that two emails had come in from this lady, Christine. She wrote whether I could meet her further downtown, more towards the highway - which was 10 minutes away. Crap. There was another email and she said this is my number, and to call her.

Note. I don't give my cell phone out the people on Craig's List. I don't know why - but I don't feel comfortable. At this time, it was 9:25 and I started driving to the other side of town. I decided to call her. And she answered. She said that she had already past the exit and she was worried that I was going to mug her because she has never dealt with anyone on Craig's List who didn't give out their phone number. One. How the f*** am I going to mug her at a public place in daylight (note, there is a commuter rail next to the post office). Two. She f***ing changed the plan last minute.

On the phone I was courteous. I said, fine - I can meet you later at 11:30 at CVS.

I drove home.

Then I started thinking. Why the f*** should I go out of my f***ing way to sell this $3.00 piece of thing. So I texted Christine back and wrote, "Hi Christine. It's just not worth my time to drive over to Paparazzi/CVS. I had my whole morning planned. So driving over there is going to take me 10 minutes and 10 minutes back. I'm sorry that I was difficult with my cellphone number. Sorry we could not do this transaction." Her response was "Ok. Sorry too."

This is what I really wanted to write. "WTF! Why did you f**ing waste my time! Why do I have to drive out of MY way to meet you when we had it all arranged. Do you think that your time is more valuable then my time?"

Craig's List Encounter Part 2.

So the next day I got an email from another lady who wanted to see a painting that I have. I said fine, let's meet at such a such time at the post office.

She met me there - and she looked at the painting.

I was selling the painting for $250.00. I said that I was trying to really just recoup the cost of the frame. Framing something is expensive, and the piece measures 32" x 26".

She asked if my price was firm. I said yes. She then asked how i felt with taking the frame and just leaving her with the painting and paying $125.00. Um.... let me think about it. NO. WTF??? What the hell am I suppose to do with just the frame? Maybe I can put up the empty frame on my wall like what the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum is doing with the stolen painting.

She said she would think about it and we parted ways.

I don't like it when people still think they can haggle over the price when they meet in person. She knew she wasn't going to pay $250.00 for the painting. She should have negotiated over email instead of in person. She was just wasting my time.

Don't get me wrong. I love Craig's List. I've sold a lot of things on CL. It's just these two off people who just. don't. get. it.

Maybe - maybe it's ME who is not getting it.

'Nuf said.

Quilt & Bitch

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