Selling
I have zero concept of sentimental value and no hoarding instinct. I like to sell the things I don’t use any more. Recently I’ve been trying to sell an old Dell screen and a USB microphone.
I started at Gumtree (Australia’s Craigslist (although Craigslist does cover Australia (it’s just not very popular (which is vital to these sites usefulness)))) for two reasons.
It’s easier, list the item for free, interested parties inquire, if they want it they come and get it in exchange for cash. Very little time investment and minimal fucking around. I also like the concept of real life community a site like Gumtree fosters. More people should look locally for more things.
Both items were on Gumtree for a month with nothing but bullshit, time wasting, substance-less enquiries. I must have had 20 “is it still for sale?” emails. Of course it’s still for sale, that’s why it’s still listed under the fucking For Sale section of Gumtree. It’s like going to a supermarket and asking if those bananas are for sale.
I told each person that yes, it’s still for sale with not a single follow up. It’s like they were only curious if it was still for sale, not at all interested in actually buying anything.
There were a number of people asking where they could pick it up, I told them, they didn’t follow up. One guy arranged to meet me and never showed, when he finally answered my call half an hour after we were supposed to meet he made up some blubbering excuse and tried to organise another meet up. No.
Each week I’d lower the price — well below offers that’d previously been made with no follow up — there was no change in the response.
In an ideal world Gumtree is the place for getting rid of your stuff to people genuinely interested. In reality it’s 99% tyre kickers more interested in your time than what you’ve got to sell.
Fed up, I list them both on Ebay with a opening price and offer nationwide shipping. Bidding activity is strong, they sell at a price I’m happy with, the buyer pays immediately, the next day I ship them both at the expense of the buyer.
It cost me $8 and the hassle of shipping but was 100 times easier than entertaining the deluge of bullshit Gumtree inquiries.