I hate not getting a reply.

I also hate when I do get reply that it has been sold and the ads stays online for several weeks. I just keep calling until they remove it.

I finally got a reply from someone last night..and after a few emails back and forth I asked for address to come check it out, and all of the sudden no response.

Strangest "dealing":

Free Mario Bros pin, something about husband blah blah just want to get it out, etc.

Me: "Uh yeah, calling about the CG ad for the pinball machine?"
Them: "Umm.. <giggle giggle> I'm not selling it right now."
Me: "You just posted the ad 30 seconds ago."
Them: "Theres uh.. <giggle giggle> a snake in it right now."
Me: "I'll take the snake too, when can I pick it up?"
Them: <click> dialtone

Ad removed shortly thereafter. Ha.. funny joke.. what?

So are you a reptile fan, or did you just want the pin regardless of the fact there may be a spitting cobra in it?

Mystic! That is brilliant...the seller throwing out a line so people call THEM for a prank phone call! I wish I had thought of it

I'd take a free pinball machine regardless of the wildlife living inside of it.

Should have been one of these...

image-1.jpg

I love it when they say, turns on, but whatever doesn't work. "should be easy fix" if it's an easy fix, why not do it, and get more money.

I love it when they say, turns on, but whatever doesn't work. "should be easy fix" if it's an easy fix, why not do it, and get more money.

Sorry for the double post, stupid phone

Three days ago, I called & emailed a dude with five games (all of which are 50% over boston pinball prices) for sale and he hasn't gotten back to me yet.

Here is my Top 5 craigslist Pet Peeves:

5. When they say its "100% working" and when the machine won’t start up its obvious that it’s not.

4. When they say it’s in "Collector Quality Condition" and by the sheet rock screws and painted duct tape holding the cabinet together it’s obvious that it’s not.

3. When they try to convince you that they have 5 other "Very Interested “people willing to pay X amount of dollars more but are willing to sell it to me for X amount of dollars more than what its worth as long as I take it at that moment.

2. When you drive 250 miles to look at the machine that you called about and made an appointment to be there on the same day at 6:00 PM, you find out that they are at work until midnight.

1. After you wait for hours for the person to run home on their break they do the top 4 pet peeves on my list and threaten me and my GF when I politely pass on the so called 100% working, Collector Quality, overpriced box of mouse turds held together by Duct tape and Sheetrock screws.

_{Post edited by ssathre}

^^
Are you sure you aren't talking about Sioux City and not CL? ha

My pet peeve is how everything is in "mint" condition yet there are lights out, PF wear, BG flaking, etc.

OUCH!

I was going to use my Sioux Falls CL, BSD experience that I told you about. But the Gorgar story out in the middle of nowhere in "whereinthefucarewe" Nebraska took the prize.

I must be in the minority. I've purchased two pins found on CL, and both were good experiences. Of course, we talked a lot on the phone before we set up a meeting. You can usually get a good feel for how it's going to go once you've had a chance to talk.

don't get me wrong. I have had good luck with CL as well, like you said you have to get a feel for what your looking at and who your dealing with. but sometimes one sneaks under the radar.

Here's a gem:

appleton.craigslist.org link

Translation: I'm getting mobbed by people calling about this game so I'm going to wait and see how high I can jack up the price.

Yeah. I love the " Taking it of the market to get it appraised now"

Yup. Too many stupid people acting desperate on the phone will kind of get the seller to rethink his sell price.

Ok, I have a pet peeve. When people place angry ads on craigslist, obviously not selling anything but venting about other people selling items on CL. Then it gets flagged by someone, and it continues.

ps - I believe flagging CL postings are childish unless they are abusive in nature or truly mega-overposted.

Zing!

Pictures that when viewed are sideways, hate that.

Pictures that are wallet-size.

Pictures that are out of focus, poor picture quality, when I say poor I mean REALLY poor
quality.

No pictures

No price listed

Those would be my top 5 peeves.

"It worked the last time I plugged it in"

Is your house without power?

"RARE!!" (People pull that one with EMs all the time)

Just because its old, doesn't mean its "rare".

I collect EMs. this is pretty much the standard posting.

only 4000 made!!! Worked last time i turned it on.
just needs some adjusting.

only $1400 as seen on EBay

seeing this every time i search:
columbiamo.craigslist.org link
this has been reposed everyday for the last month or so and it's just annoying. no is going to play $7 for some shit toy pinball machine.

Sometimes you can score a good deal, and then it slips away...

There was a JP for sale about 2.5 hours away from me. I offered a low price thinking there is NO WAY in hell he would jump. A few hours later, he calls me on my cell and accepts it. I said I would be there with CASH THAT DAY but he wouldn't get home til 9pm (or later). He said that we're cool and he'll hold it for me until the next day at 5:30pm when he gets home from work.

Well, I get an email around noon the next day about him having 2nd thoughts (since he was offered more money than me) and would not sell to me at our agreed price.

I see his way since he probably made a couple hundred more than what I offered. I am also mad I didn't PayPal him some cash (but I don't know if that wouldn't have saved the sale). I also should have gone out that night no matter how late and loaded the thing. I was just upset that I missed out on it. Was this the first guy to do this to me? Nope. Lost a Golden Tee 97 vid this way too.

If my sob story can help anyone out, do this when replying if they don't leave a phone number:

>>>>CUT HERE>>>>

Hey, I saw your Craigslist ad for the PINBALL NAME. If it is still available, I can pay AMOUNT in cash and pick up today. Give me a call/text to XXX-XXX-XXXX.

Thanks!

YOUR NAME

>>>>CUT HERE>>>>

Be direct. Clear it with your significant other. Be prepares to move on it. If someone says you can have a "100% working" JP for $1300 don't make the same mistakes I did.

Yep. Email auction. Nuff' said. Wife called on a 500 buck Hurricane the other day, was getting info and pics, then said someone offered 600. I played along and told her to offer 605 contingent on no more BS and haggling. Wife never got an email back giving the go-ahead.

F'k em.

Don't you love when they take pictures and don't even bother cleaning the dust off the machine??

Mine is the no reply back, it drives me effin crazy to think its still sitting there and my email went into spam folder or they are just to effin lazy to reply back.
It's really not that hard to tell me sorry bro it's gone.
I know people check their email obsessively like I do especially when they are wanting money.

PLEASE RESPOND BACK!!!!

Or when people flag my ad when I ask for broken pins or looking for a specific title.
I pretty much hate Louisville Craiglisters

My biggest pet peeve is when an actual deal comes up - respond first, actually talk to the seller and make an arrangement to pick it up as early as they're available, tell them I'll bring cash and give them their asking price. Deal - done. About an hour later they call and say "oh, I have decided to take it off the market for <insert reason here>". Usually it's "someone called me and said I should get at least 3x what I've asked for it, even though they don't want to buy it".

If you put something up for sale with a price - know what it's worth to you and honor any deal you've already made. If you sell stock and it doubles in price the next day, do you get anything for it? Nope.

Here's a TOM going for $2400 in the OC area, don't know if it has issues or not.

orangecounty.craigslist.org link

Seen this happen time and time again

1. People who say "My loss is your gain"
2. Flagging something as rare when it clearly isn't.
3. People who use the word Mancave in their listing.
4. Those little toy pinball machines picked up at KayBee Toys for 5 bucks that keep clogging up my craigslist.

Down here we have other collectors that put false ads up, just to see who is also looking to buy machines. They never leave a phone# and will not answer your emails. I guess they think if they keep doing it ,no will respond to any ads for pins for sale. I respond to all of them....nice try.

My CL pet peeve, two words: F'n' Auctions

Just got done with a major score via a CL deal. From experience, the key is to avoid telling the seller that you are coming from out of state if you are. You take a significant risk of wasting a lot of time and gas getting there and having the seller reschedule (but you can mitigate that by having many conversations and ensuring a time that works out great for their schedule). If someone knows you are driving 200+ miles to look at their machine, they are going to second-guess the value and think eBay asking prices are good indications of what they will get for their machine.

I recently drove 800 miles (roundtrip) in one day to pick up these machines. When I got there, the seller was extremely reluctant to sell the machines and told me that he would like to keep them for the holidays so family can enjoy them.. and he'll contact me in a couple of months. He saw I rented a uHaul trailer and told me immediately that I should not have done that.. as he was unsure if he could let them go. I then pulled out the out of state card (as well as some major charm)... he felt guilty.. and I left with a Twilight Zone and STTNG