From a buyer’s point of view, Craigslist rarely has rules. That does not mean that there are no unwritten rules. If you want to get the best deals and keep the regular sellers on their good side, read on.
Go only after the articles that interest you
Craigslist sellers rarely sell on Craigslist for a living. Either they are trying to make some extra money or get rid of their houses. They don’t have time to waste back and forth exchanging 20+ emails just for the interested party to say “you know what, I guess I’m not interested anymore.” It’s okay to ask legitimate questions to find out if the item is worth the purchase or the trip, but don’t push the seller. Yes, this really does happen and some people do it just for fun. If you want to play, go play checkers with the little boy next door.
Reply to your emails
If you contact a seller by email, they will respond by email, especially if they don’t provide you with a phone number. Guess what that means? You will receive emails, so be sure to check yours. Don’t give the seller a new one when, after a week of not responding to their emails, they decided to sell to someone else. It was your fault and only your fault.
The price is firm actually means the price is firm
Many people consider Craigslist to be a glorified yard sale. At yard sales, haggle for a better price and you can do the same on Craigslist. However, save yourself time and some nasty emails; Avoid haggling with sellers who claim “the price is firm.” They are bankrupt or have a gambling debt that they must cover. They are telling you in advance that the answer is no. Try haggling with a “price is firm” salesperson and you may actually get an email of “listen idiot, do you know how to read?” In response.
If it says it’s going to show up, please do so
Ask any regular Craigslist seller what their biggest annoyance is and most will say (aside from people asking stupid questions), people who don’t show up. If you agree to buy an item from Craigslist and agree to meet with the seller, introduce yourself. If you have a last minute change of mind, have the common decency to send at least one email. This is vital if you are meeting your salesperson in a public place. They’ll be foaming at the mouth if you leave them waiting in the Burger King parking lot for two hours just so they never show up. You never know when you’ll meet that seller again on Craigslist.