Don't Be Pregnant On Craigslist & Other Online Sales Tips

I am going to blame a silly mistake I made a few years ago trying to make a sale on Craigslist on pregnancy brain. I had purchased a scooter earlier that fall and then bam found out I was pregnant and no longer had any use for it. There was no way I was risking my safety on such a thing. Since I was moving back east, it only made sense to sell it and get my money back. 

So where do you go when you need to sell something? Craigslist. Seemed like a no brainer to me. So I had made a listing to advertise my scooter and here’s where I made a silly mistake….I mentioned I was pregnant in the listing. In hindsight now, trust me I know what a ridiculous, “too much information”, dumb move that was. At that time I think I worded it that I was moving back east to have my first child or something like that, but basically I was insinuating that there was nothing wrong with the scooter but that it was just an inconvenience and wasn’t working with my new life. I didn’t want people to think I was trying to get rid of a scooter because there was something wrong with it, I was selling a solid item. 

I got normal responses to it, asking questions about the scooter, setting up times to see it and then the usual lowball offers. Then I got a few responses that made my jaw drop, eyes wide, “WHAT THE…?!?!!” type of reaction. Someone wanted to rub my pregnant tummy. Yup. Did I just read that? 

Last thing I expected when trying to sell my scooter was an offer from someone willing to step in and I suppose be a father to my child if I was single and take care of me the rest of my life. Well I’ll be darned….I miss where exactly I said I needed that in my ad….

While this happened online. This actually happened in real life too. Pretty similar to this guy's statement above, a man approached me at the bus stop with the same type of offer. I was waiting for the bus to go back home after a routine doctor checkup at the hospital and he hit on me like I was the hottest girl in the club. While I was rocking my huge belly. He even invited me to a Hookah lounge he worked out...just what every pregnant women wants to do. Go out at night, surrounded by smoke. Um, no thanks, I have a date with me and my sweats and Bravo. Guess there is a weird pregnancy fetish out there! MEN....

Never the less, lesson learned. I edited my posting right away and the additional items I was putting up for sale, I made sure not to drop any hints of pregnancy or any hints of anything personal!! This leads me to some basic online selling tips:

1. Keep it simple. State the information you need to. Item, price, condition, location, environment is helpful (smoke/pet free) and quality pictures. Is your price “firm” or are you willing to accept “OBO” (or best offer). Make it clear. 

   

   
   

2. Know your low. Everyone has the lowest offer they are willing to accept. Make sure YOU know what that is. I always post knowing that I will get less than what I put something up for. So I allow that wiggle room. Although on occasion you just get your asking price!

   

   
   

3. Avoid drama. I have seen way too many postings on public forms that get out of hand from crazy comments, people looking to stir up trouble and the usual ridiculously low ball offers. Stay out of it. If one of those really low ball offers pops up, I like to respond with a simple, “Sorry I can’t do that.” 

   

   
   

4. Exchanging information. When it comes to Craigslist, they use an automated, anonymous reply email which is great. I personally prefer email over anything else to communicate. Most, not all, people have smartphones nowadays so it’s almost as quick as a text, it goes right to your phone without having to dish out your private phone number. You never know what crazies are out there. If you are going to post in groups on Facebook, please go to your settings and double check all of your privacy settings. You can use the “view as” tab to see if you have protected yourself enough. ALL of my information is only visible to my friends. Anyone else can only see my cover photo and profile picture. Random people WILL click on your name if you post in these big groups to try to look into your background. You really don’t want that personal info out in the open.

   

   
   

5. The meet-up. So you’ve made it to this part. Don’t meet at your house or go to a stranger’s house. It sucks to have to think the worst, but in this type of selling format it is best to be as safe as possible. I meet at my local police department. If someone has a problem with that, then I probably don’t want to be selling or buying an item from them. There you have full surveillance cameras, emergency help if something goes wrong and you will weed out any people that could only be looking to cause harm to you or steal from you. There are too many stories of people showing up with cash to buy something and they get mugged, or someone comes to “buy” an item and they just take off with it. Homes have been burglarized shortly after a sale from thieves checking out potential targets. These people will most likely NOT want to meet you at a police station, in broad daylight, in public. You can even get there a bit early, poke your head into the police station and let them know what you are in the parking lot for if you want to feel safer. Make sure you let someone close to you know where you are going and when your transaction is done.

   

   
   

6. Payment. Just do cash, in person. Honestly it’s the best way to go. Checks can bounce. Not worth taking the chance. If they can write a check, they can get cash. If you are selling, write them a receipt. If you are buying, request a receipt. If you have email exchanges about price, any guarantee from a seller, etc that in essence counts as a contract in regards to the transaction. Another reason why I like communicating via email, you have everything in writing. Know the terms of your sale. 

   

   
   

I hope everyone has smooth, non-creepy, safe transactions from online sales and maybe learned a thing or two from this. The internet and the people in our world will never cease to amaze me!


Do you have any crazy, creepy or down right outrageous online sales experience like this? Please comment below! Would love to hear about it!