Not listing prices - Why do people pull that crap?

rockyridgefarm

Well-known Member
So I saw an implement I was interested in on CL. No price. I call the guy to find out how much he's asking for it. He starts in on his pitch about the implement. After listening a minute, I ask him again about his price. He tells me, and it's more than I can afford. I tell him so, thank him, and say goodbye. Before I can hang up, he starts in on a tirade about wasting his time and accusing me of being nosey. I apologize and say he could have saved both our time by just listing the price in the ad. He tells me to go to a fiery place and hangs up.

I know I'm not in the wrong here, but it burns me up. If his time is so precious, why wouldn't he price it so people can determine if they can afford it before they call? I don't see any way I could have handled this interaction without him blowing up at me. I'll bet he's an absolute JOY to be around in real life...

Then there's the guys that ask quadruple scrap price, but threaten to scrap it if they don't get their price by Friday. Does that really work?
 
I don't even call adds without the price anymore or where the
asking price is beyond reality and especially when the add
says to "make offer". I have no problem with someone who
wants to value his goods at his own price but if he is not willing
to list his price I figure he knows his price is too high.
 
I hear you.
Generally if they don't list the price you can bet it's way too high.
Sometimes I'll call just to be ornery.
"Hi, I'm calling about that tire you have on Craigslist. Do you still have it?"
"Yes."
"Ok, what are you asking for it?"
"$400"
"Four Hundred Dollars?? For a 50% tire with a boot in it?"
"Yep."
"Oh, that's way too high. Thanks."
"Well, you want to make an offer?"
"No. Thanks. Bye."
 
Not necessarily. I have two items for sale, and I don't know what they're worth. So I guess an auction is the answer. I'm not much of an auction fan. But if the weather would ever clear up, I'd like to find an auction nearby, and haul these away.

So I think there is a legitimate reason for not listing a price. But there is no legitimate reason for acting like an a$$ on either side of the deal.
 
Never have, never will respond to an ad without a
price. Why even consider a purchase without all the
information? I just figure they must be asking more
than the item is worth if they are ashamed of the
price.
 
I assume when someone doesn't show a price its a family member
listing stuff for someone who is deceased or they don't really want
to sell something.

The best are ads with no description just title only, something like MF tractor for sale, no pictures, and says no tire
kickers or time wasters. Cracks me up.
 
I AGREE!!! Its not fair to You what He did; But always remember...
1) If hours are not listed on a tractor? assume its really high!
2) No miles on a vehicle? Assume is been around the world ten time (250,000 miles)
3) & No price... Double what its worth! or somethings wrong!

It probably would be best not to even call unless You are absolutely certain the item is what You "Desparetly" need or want above the normal book price! By the way... I wouldn't buy a stick of gum on CL! State of Georgia had 2 major Craigslist Murders last month, maybe longer a Cell phone in which 3 people killed a man for His money (They had no phone) & a couple who were buying a dream retirement car in which case there was no car, & the crook shot the couple & took the $20,000 +/- they had on them. This wonderful couple ran a charitable organization giving refurbished bycicles to children in need, & spent a lot of money each year on bikes. REALLY SAD!!! If You cant pay for an ad; then ain't no way I am coming to You is my motto!!!
 
(quoted from post at 04:55:43 03/05/15)By the way... I wouldn't buy a stick of gum on CL!

I wouldn't buy a stick of gum of CL, either (I don't chew gum). But I do buy a lot of other stuff off there. I also sell a lot of stuff on there. Typically the stuff I'm looking for or are looking to sell aren't used as bait by criminals. Most recent thing I sold was a pair of John Deere 3404 "Z" weights. Most recent thing I bought was a 35 foot aluminum firefighter's ladder. The biggest thing is to be safe. Small items can be traded at a busy spot in town. You can Google Maps the location and see what you're getting into if it's a large item. I have a fairly strong BS detector, if they sound shady, I pass. AND I am always "Protected".

If you don't use CL, your options are very limited. My local paper may as well close down its ad section. It's mostly work-from-home or donate your car ads.
 
Its the same with most everything on cl, have been watching certain truck ad's. Some don't list a pic, only it runs good, no engine size listed, or just V6. Some don't have a phone #, if you e-mail, most times you never get a response, if you do, they won't send requested pic's.
 
I agree. Dealers do that frequently also. Don't list the price but "call". I might be wrong but looks like they know it's priced to high so are embarrassed to advertise the price.
 
(quoted from post at 05:29:30 03/05/15) I agree. Dealers do that frequently also. Don't list the price but "call". I might be wrong but looks like they know it's priced to high so are embarrassed to advertise the price.

Yahbut, if they have it priced too high, not listing the price only gets them more calls, not more buyers. I always price my stuff, even if I'm asking a high price (I had the 3404 weights listed for $140 a piece, AND they sold). I'd rather have one caller who buys it versus 25 callers looking to find out if they can get it for a steal.
 
A couple of local police departments are offering their lobbys as meeting places for cl exchanges. Gives a fairly safe place for dealing. Of course, large itens and contraband probably won't be part of such dealing.
 
(quoted from post at 05:37:39 03/05/15) Hay rocky post a link to the ad and well all give him a call. and I bet next time hell put the price in there. Bob

I appreciate the offer, but I don't play that game. What he does is on him. What I do is on me.
 
My grandpa told me that a list price is to be thought of as the start of the conversation. Craigslist... The joy I have had buyingselling on there. Had a gun pulled on me once. Gotta love craigslist.
 
That's nothing new I had that same thing happen to me years before craigslist was even invented. I called about an item in the local paper with no price. Guy got mad at me when I ask the price ! What nerve.
I always try to list an asking price. If the phone does not ring then I lower it and try again until it sells. If it sells too fast then I wonder if I started too low ?
 
I am to point if someone lists something for sale and the add doesn't have a price or phone number and says need gone ASAP or it will be scraped Friday I wont even look at it. One of the things that burns me up is an add on CL like IH 1066 chick on it and it reads IH 1066 Good Tractor and that's it! And they really think it will sell fast because it says Good Tractor!

I found an add one time that said: 1850 Oliver Brand New Motor runs real good, Good rubber Good metal real good paint good seat need minor repairs. $4500 phone # and address. So I called and drove an hour to look at it. Pulled in knocked on the door guy comes out says tractor is in the barn, Behind a locked door. WHAT A WASTE OF MY TIME!!!!! To start with it was brushed painted JD green and yellow that looked like crap there was an oil pooled under the tractor ware it leaked oil every ware! The tires were 10% at best and were dry rotted so bad I didn't know how they held air. The seat was a captains seat out of a van and the sheet metal well everything was beat and banged up to the point it needed to be replaced. Then he tried to start it. 1/2 a can of either and 10 min later it started I think, Oil started to spuew out of the muffler and coat everything in coal black goo. He shuts it off. What do you think? You don't want to know what I think. Ah come on man its a good tractor! So I let him have it for 20 min about his good tractor. I mean I ripped him a new one! Pure JUNK! Bandit
 
I totally agree with you. I won't reply if they don't list the price.
No price listed, its more than likely more than its worth.
No miles listed, its going to be high.
No hours listed, its going to be high.
Way before the day of CL in the 50-60's my Dad would list cattle, hay and such in the local paper. He would never give a price and would get mad when callers would just ask the price. I never could figure that out.
 
Same answer as Drew Carry gave when someone asked him why he dated strippers....

Because I can.

Don't like the ad, don't call. That simple.
 
Just violated my rule about calling if no price.
It is an adv in Antique Power for an unstyled
John Deere model I want badly. Ask price first,
double what is reasonable. As I hung up he was
babbling about how it was so great eight years
ago. I vow to never again answer ad with no price.
In the past Old Abes News had a policy of not
printing any ad with no price. Sure wish Antique
Power , Green Mag and others would adopt that
policy!!
 
I feel your pain!' Another is people ask what sumthing is worth and don't provide any info, picture or general area where its located.
They ask a vague question, and it deserves a vague answer.
 
Well its usually like most have said no price means way too high of a price.There is a flip side though
I saw a Craftsman FF 18 garden tractor with 3pt hitch these are the nice big tractors Craftsman built in the early 80's listed on CL so I called.Talked to the fellow about the tractor and equipment then he asks "Do you want it?" Well I said I guess that depends on the price.He said I'm giving it away do you want it?I said you're kidding right? He said no really I'm giving it away I bought it for my son to ride around on an he's tired of it now.So I went to pick it up real nice fellow helped me load it so you you never know.
 
I think you were dealing with an idiot. If there is no price I figure I can't afford it and don't bother to even ask.
 
It's funny. You can read the responses to your post and tell which people are the ones who pull that nonsense. I have never understood the concept that you KNOW you are asking too much so you don't put the price in the ad hoping you can somehow persuade the poor person whose time you are wasting to give you twice what it is worth. Other concepts I do not understand? "Well that is what they are asking on Tractorhouse!". "I'm not going just give it away!" Or..."if I can't get at least that for it then it can just sit there and rust!" I could go on...

I never call anyone who doesn't list a price. They are simply dishonest people at the core.
 
Mr. Wilson, for many years I have talked to Pat Ertle about the no price in their ads, but it fell on deef ears. The other tractor books GM,etc. no interested either.
Its the same on every forum, even this site, people seem as if they have something to hide, An incomplete question should be acknowledged with a vague answer.
 
I always list a price when I put in an ad but to say anyone that doesn't is a crook isn't right either.I've bought some tractors and equipment that was listed by someone that had no idea what the item was worth lots of time someone selling things from an estate or similar situation.Others just want to just get rid of something and will take about ANY offer they get.Phone call only takes about 1 minute if one in 50 pays off good its well worth my time.Called about a broken plow a few years ago ended up buying a David Brown 1200 and some equipment at the right price.Rode down with a friend of mine to look at a Buck goat and bought an Oliver 1365 in good shape for $500 from the goat owner.Never hurts to poke around and talk to folks.
 
What about...."all original" and then says new paint, new tires. Or "tires have good tread"....which ends up with the tires having decent tread but being cracked all over, and cant forget the classic... "mechanically sound"...has knock in motor.
 
If I really want a listed item I'll call, price or no price. If the price is too high , and I really want it, I'll schedule an appt to go look. Then I'll start the negotiating process. Cash in hand and a little salesmanship has gotten me some good deals from "too high" listings.

I've pd too much for some of the 2 point fast hitch implements
for my Farmall Super C's. BUT I have them! I've also pd far
less than what I would have.

Also like previous poster I've had some some stuff given to me
just for calling.

I also keep it friendly, made an offer and asked them to call me
if they decide to sell it for my offered price. Not often but I've
bought some stuff at my price.
 
For me, a poorly written ad isn't a deal killer, but it is a warning to expect just about anything. Sometimes a deal can be worked out, sometimes not.
 
Agreed he is a jerk, but I wouldn't get bent out of shape over it. He starts getting nasty on the phone, just hang up and move on. Dont need to listen to that.
 
I had a jockey pull that on me with a tractor one time. He started right in with "Well you know,an average tractor like that is worth xxxx,but this one isn't average......".
 
How boot the one that a man wuz selling the original hatchet that George Washington shopped the sherry tree vith down..
It was all original, except the handle has been replaced a couple of times and the head once.
 
First life is too short to get upset with stupid people. And I can say that sometimes they upset me too but you have to move on. I don't like adds with no prices but I call them. I called for a set of 14.9x38 tires, no price no condition. Well the guy was nice, said they were 50% with some cuts. After listening to him I could tell they were normal field wear. Then I asked for the price and OMG he said that he just wanted to get rid of them. I left immediately. Sold those tires for 500.00. In my opinion it only takes a minute to call and you really loose nothing. I'm the same way with emails. Don't like them but will respond to them but don't expect a response. Out of ten email adds I might get two response. If someone emails me about one of my adds I will respond the first or second time but after that I politly tell them to call because its an easy way to do lowball and play games that they wouldn't do on the phone.I'm in the process of buying a JD that was advertised too high. Called talked to the guy and we have reached a price. Now when I look at it and it looks like the pics I'll have it. I just don't trust pics.
 
I hardly never answer a add like that. How about everyone here calling him. letting him go through describing the item. Then say sorry it's too much. Maybe he will get the message. Stan
 
Yep I answered an ad a couple years ago that said
"Old lawn mower hasn't run in two years" Got in touch with the seller turned out to be about as nice of a 318 John Deere as you'd ever find with a deck and 3pt hitch used my jump box and drove it on the trailer all for $200.
 
If it's something I really want I'll call price or no price. Sometimes you run into a deal. I got a nice Milwaukie 1/2 angle drill cheap that way. No price listed, no picture and all the CL ad said was angle drill. Called the guy and ask the price. He had just buried his dad wand was trying to close out the estate. He was coming up here from Chicago (8 hour drive) on weekends. He had no idea of the value and was only about 2 miles away. I drove over, looked it over/test ran it. Then I told him it was worth more than what I had on me. He ask how much I had. I had 80 on me. He said "well that's the price" plus he threw in a box of bits. The bits weren't much but a few were good.

Most often the price is way to high on things I call on but that's life. I've gotten a few that the seller had either read a book on selling or had been in sales just by the pitch they gave before giving the price.

Rick
 
The fact that the man didn't list the price isn't
really the issue.

The issue is, he had a lotta damn gall to rip YOU
for wasting HIS time, when HE was the one who
failed to list a price. Apparently he has it in
his head that if you have to ask the price, you'll
buy no matter what number he quotes.

Last year, I sold a stepside parts truck. I had a
$300 price listed in the ad. You probably
wouldn't believe how many people I had call up and
offer me half the price, without ever seeing the
truck up close. I tld 'em I'd negotiate if they'd
come look at it, but I didn't negotiate sight-
unseen. Made a couple of 'em mad. The guy who
bought it paid my asking price, and told me he was
glad to get it for that. Now, if he had wanted to
negotiate, I likely would've come down, because he
took the time to look at it before telling me what
he thought it was worth.
 
(quoted from post at 06:26:32 03/05/15) I have no issue with ads without prices because I NEVER call such ads.

Dean

Same here, no price, no photo, no call. Life is too short to waste time on stupid people orthose embarassed to say how much they think the item is worth. The only thing worse is the ones listed for "$1". They had to enter the amount and they lied. That wont be the first lie.
 
I don't like CL ads without a phone number. I have a difficult time responding to CL email. Sometimes I can't. A while back a guy had something i wanted, so I put on an ad describing his item and specified I can't respond and gave my number and he called me. I also carry a 38 revolver in my pocket when I meet somebody in an isolated place.
 
I guess its at your Moms place, the garage that your grand dad worked out of, there close to Kittermans.
What does it matter? I sometimes fix up old pickups. Didn't mean to offend you.
 
Sounds like my jerk of a neighbor who tries to jockey machinery for a 'hobby'. Sells seed corn too and then tries to rent the land away from the customer he sold the seed to the next year.
 
That was dad's truck. Even though he passed away in 1991, Mom's not ready to do anything with it yet. So it's her call, not mine.
 

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