Meanwhile, you ask a question or two about it (size, smoke free home, anything else not answered in the ad) or even say “When is a good time to look at/pick this up? Will pay cash.”
Crickets. Online classifieds are a lot more frustrating than they used to be.
Not sure if they already sold it (and still left the ad up) or if it is a scam and they don’t reply because my offer (see in person, handle pickup myself).
because my offer (see in person, handle pickup myself).
It’s been a long time since I’ve used any sort of online classifieds, and this line confused me. Do people expect stuff mailed nowadays or something? The last time I bought something through a local online seller was during Covid, and even then, with facemasks and sanitizers, I met up with the seller in-person (in a populated public location.)
Or is it still normal to personally pick up items that you inspect in-person with legit vendors, it’s just scammers that expect something different?
It got weird after COVID. Of the stuff I sold, a lot of people would ask if I could deliver. Even for small items, and far more often than they would before the pandemic. Of the stuff I buy, people would ask if I wanted it delivered. I understood for large items like couches. It made no sense for stuff like DVDs. (Porch pick up or neutral location for me always.)
So I just offer it right out the gate now. If they’re “selling” something and it’s a scam, it filters them out. If I’m buying something, it lets them know I’m not going to ask them to jump through hoops.
Meanwhile, you ask a question or two about it (size, smoke free home, anything else not answered in the ad) or even say “When is a good time to look at/pick this up? Will pay cash.”
Crickets. Online classifieds are a lot more frustrating than they used to be.
Not sure if they already sold it (and still left the ad up) or if it is a scam and they don’t reply because my offer (see in person, handle pickup myself).
It’s been a long time since I’ve used any sort of online classifieds, and this line confused me. Do people expect stuff mailed nowadays or something? The last time I bought something through a local online seller was during Covid, and even then, with facemasks and sanitizers, I met up with the seller in-person (in a populated public location.)
Or is it still normal to personally pick up items that you inspect in-person with legit vendors, it’s just scammers that expect something different?
It got weird after COVID. Of the stuff I sold, a lot of people would ask if I could deliver. Even for small items, and far more often than they would before the pandemic. Of the stuff I buy, people would ask if I wanted it delivered. I understood for large items like couches. It made no sense for stuff like DVDs. (Porch pick up or neutral location for me always.)
So I just offer it right out the gate now. If they’re “selling” something and it’s a scam, it filters them out. If I’m buying something, it lets them know I’m not going to ask them to jump through hoops.