Tips for buying from Craigslist / Kijiji

[mikeyt24]

I Will add seller tips if people want some tips to get the highest price for their phones ... buying tips havnt been completed, but my fingers hurt so heres what i got before my fingers fell off.

note - the buying tips are from someone who buys phones to resell them

i thought i'd make a general outline for buying from Craigslist / Kijiji. This could be very useful and i think everyone who buys used / new phones from these sites should check this out / Add insight to it. - its mainly for getting the best deal / not getting hustled. - once you buy that phone, you may lose complete contact with the person so its important to make sure your product works the way you want it to.

I use to sell on craigslist often and as of late i have started buying. I buy phones for cheap and sell them for higher and make a good profit doing this ... eg buy a 10/10 used bold for 200, and sell it for 320. helps pay for school books

when buying, some important points are (assuming the seller says nothing is wrong with the phone / or states a minor flaw.:

* Always send this text: "'The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog'" - this will ensure that all of the alphanumeric keys are working and that the phone can send texts.

*you can send it to yourself (to see if the phone can receive texts) or you can ask the seller to send you a text.

*Always make a call. Always receive a call.

* Always test out the camera. I have owned phones where the camera did not work. People might be selling phones when the camera has some disfunction. Test out the camera. If you do not care for the camera, and it does not work, you can ask for a $50 discount on the phone on the spot since you'd have to get it repaired (even though a simple device reset can fix the camera).

* Test the browser

*Meet up in an area with good lighting. If you are meeting up at night, propose to meet up at perhaps a fast food restaurant as opposed to meeting up on the street where its dark, and nicks and ticks and minor wear will go unnoticed.

* Get the price lower a bit before meet-up.

Talk to them, show great interest in the phone and confirm yourself as a buyer. give them a meet up location and time (same day) - and pretty much confirm that the phone is yours. At this point, depending on the phone, you can get a lower price (usually on used phones). THIS IS FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SAVE A BUCK OR 50-100 BUCKS. i have saved a lot and got great deals using this tactic. Tell the person that you are 100% ready and you are in your car heading to them right now / about to get on the subway to meet them, etc.... But your bank account has a limit on your funds... lets say the phone cost 275 ... tell the person you only have 225 available, but you can pick it up right now ... if they are all like 'ummmm', tell them they can keep their cheap *** SD card and their flimsy *** holster / phone case (if you dont want it)


so pretty much, right when you are about to leave, get the price lower. If they are firm, and you still want the phone, tell them, ok hold on let me see what i can do, call back in 5 mins - and tell them that you cannot get the money, but you are available to get the phone right then and for 235 max ... or its no deal

a majority of sellers will let the phone go for 235... since a lot want $ as fast as possible.

- Always ask about the warranty. If at the point of purchase, you find out there is no warranty, ask for a lower price.

- Always be willing to walk away. The willingness to walk away can always get you a better deal. If you find a flaw with the phone when meeting up, and the price is higher than what you think it is worth, tell them them (so and so is really affecting the quality of the phone) ... you can ask them what their lowest price is ... or you can propose a new price (unless the phone is at a crackhead price, cause then they could find a new buyer at the snap of a second)

- Jump at crackhead prices that you see on craigslist and crackhead prices that a buyer proposes on spot. (that seem to be legit ads)

Questions to ask while buying:

Why are you selling the phone
How long was it owned
ask them if the phone had a previous owner before them
Where did you buy it from
Any problems with the programming
how new is the battery
How is the battery life
How can i contact you if i do not figure how to work something
Does the bbm pin work
ask them to show you the scratches, cause some are very hard to find.

if you are discontent with their response, tell them that you don't think the phone is worth your $, and ask for a lower price (be reasonable with the lower price.) Be ready to walk away aswell. If your price is reasonable, and they wont budge, and you think / know you can get a much better deal elsewhere, tell them to fucck themselves and to eat shyt. (not really, but you catch my drift).

well im tired of typing for now. everyone feel free to comment and add tips and stuff to getting good deals.

[Heavy Fluid]

As a seller, I will walk away from a lowball end of the deal offer. If I am asking $300, and you are ok with that, and then you offer me $275 at the deal, I will walk away. I agree to the price before meeting.

As a seller, I always meet in a public place, always. Grocery stores, malls, the provider's store if possible, to ensure that the phone is viewed in the proper lighting, and is as advertised.

As a seller, I am honest in my sale. If there is a nick or scratch, I point it out, and post pictures of it in the sale, so there is 0 confusion.

As a seller, I expect cash. No checks, no excuses, no money orders, just cash, and the proper amount. I am not a bank, I don't provide change. Bring the necessary funds.

As a seller, I appreciate communication. If you are running late, let me know.

As a seller, I expect that you will attempt to use the device. That is your decision. I would imagine that you would want to test it out, that is why the device is fully charged and ready for you to test.

As a seller, you can ask my why I am selling it, but I could be lying. I might just not like the phone, so I might just make something up like I got a great deal on another phone or whatever. Take the answers to questions with a grain of salt. It really doesn't matter why I am selling it.

As a seller, be aware of your surroundings, and the people there. If you meet in public, make sure that it is away from a door, or put yourself between the phone and the door, so that there is no chance of the buyer running off with your phone.

[Houshinto]

I have noticed, there a lot of low ballers out there.

Some who feel entitled to ask sellers on CL and KJ for garage sale prices.

That being said, I wouldn`t pass up the opportunity to get a great deal eg. a BNIB 9780 for $120 in June.

Felt like a steal.

[Heavy Fluid]

When I was selling my 9930 a few weeks ago, I had it listed at $350, and I knew that I wouldn't get that much for it. Even though the listing specifically said no trades, I got offers of trades for iPhones, Droids, and an XBox 360. Now for the lowball offers. I got an offer of $125, $175, and one for $250. I list my item a little higher, so that after the negotiations, I can get close to what I really want for it. I ended up selling it for $325, which I thought was a good deal.

I just ignore offers for trades now, when I put right in the ad that I am not interested in trades. I also ignore lowball offers, and state so in the listing. It makes it so much easier to deal with.

One last thing that I have learned, is to not take it personally. There are people out there that think that Craigslist is fair ground to just offer whatever they feel like offering, with no regard to what the product is worth. If you can learn to ignore people like this, you will eventually weed them out, and the people that are truly interested in your item will come through, which is exactly what happened with me.

[mikeyt24]

great stuff.

As i seller, i list my item higher.

I have a 10/10 bold 9780 that i listed for $350.

i got the phone for $200 so quite honestly, even $275, i would have been happy with

With a higher price, you get much less responses. ALSO, with a higher price, you get higher offer lowballs.

Someone might offer me $250, thinking they are lowballing, and if i wanted to quicksale ... i would bargain up to $275 ... if they are hard headed, i will accept the 250 (quicksale only)

Post more tips guys, this thread can be very useful.
I will polish the initial post in a bit

[Maiev]

Tryin to sell 9900 in Toronto and these days, people copy all the emails of ppl that sell 9900

sale-ballear
sale-basdfa

and send em all to everybody who's selling 9900, then conveniently, somebody "reply all", to all the 9900 sellers with a lower price and of course another person also reply all and say they'd buy it for 300

Please don't fall for those :P such made up conversation.

Anyway, as a seller of phones, I always make it clear that low ballers won't even get a reply. If you have the bargining power, I'd do it :P

[oldtimeBBaddict]

Originally Posted by mikeyt24

great stuff.

As i seller, i list my item higher.

I have a 10/10 bold 9780 that i listed for $350.

i got the phone for $200 so quite honestly, even $275, i would have been happy with

With a higher price, you get much less responses. ALSO, with a higher price, you get higher offer lowballs.

Someone might offer me $250, thinking they are lowballing, and if i wanted to quicksale ... i would bargain up to $275 ... if they are hard headed, i will accept the 250 (quicksale only)

Post more tips guys, this thread can be very useful.
I will polish the initial post in a bit

You sound like the kind of buyer I would absolutely avoid. While I agree with setting the price a little higher to give a little haggling room, if you pulled any of the stunts that you mentioned in your original post, the deal would be off. Once the price is set, that (to me) makes a contract. I agree to sell it to you at a set price. You agree to buy it at that price. No last minute changes because you can't get hold of the necessary funds. That just screams "scam" to me. All of this is presuming I have given you full disclosure about the condition of the phone.

[Heavy Fluid]

Originally Posted by oldtimeBBaddict

You sound like the kind of buyer I would absolutely avoid. While I agree with setting the price a little higher to give a little haggling room, if you pulled any of the stunts that you mentioned in your original post, the deal would be off. Once the price is set, that (to me) makes a contract. I agree to sell it to you at a set price. You agree to buy it at that price. No last minute changes because you can't get hold of the necessary funds. That just screams "scam" to me. All of this is presuming I have given you full disclosure about the condition of the phone.

You sound like my kind of seller. I would give you + rep for this post.

[nifty5]

Originally Posted by oldtimeBBaddict

You sound like the kind of buyer I would absolutely avoid. While I agree with setting the price a little higher to give a little haggling room, if you pulled any of the stunts that you mentioned in your original post, the deal would be off. Once the price is set, that (to me) makes a contract. I agree to sell it to you at a set price. You agree to buy it at that price. No last minute changes because you can't get hold of the necessary funds. That just screams "scam" to me. All of this is presuming I have given you full disclosure about the condition of the phone.

As a guy that has bought & sold over 100 phones over the last 10 years I too would avoid that guy. If you are meeting to buy the item & I have been open in answering all your questions, pulling the "bank only gave me $200" crap tells me your a chump.

Not sure if this should be the type of advice that has the CrackBerry stamp of approval on it.

[13echo4]

[QUOTEp=opldtimpeBBapddict;6963258]Once the price is set, that (to me) makes a conptract. I agree to sell it to you at a set price. You agree to buy it at that price. No last minute changes because you can't get hold of the necessary funds. That just screams "scam" to me. All of this is presuming I have given you full disclosure about the condition of the phone.[/QUOTE]
I do a lot of business on CL. Nothing is ever set. No contracts. I buy and sell on CL. As a buyer I look thru the ads for something I'm willing to give the asked amount for. I ask for a meeting. Looking at whatever it is I'm trying to buy I there is something I want to haggle the price over I will. I never ask what the lowest is they will take. I make an offer. Depending on how much money we're talking about I always offer alittle less than the most I'll pay. I won't usually go over what I set once looking at the product. If it comes to it I'll say "$? Is the most I'll give. I have no problem w/ you walking away. I do this so much I know once I have said product in my hands I know right about what the price is going to be. As a buyer I know everything about what I'm buying. Or at least everything I could find. I don't need the seller to tell me anything. This helps in makeing the honest offers. Let's say the BB phone isn't running the updated software and the finish is running dull in place where its been in someones hands for hours. You know its been used and not in a case. Bring attention to these things. The seller sees you know the device and sees your offer for what it is.
Here's an example. If you answered an ad about a BB 9800 for $50 on att. You meet the person in the mall. You start looking the device over you notice the finish is shiny and the screen doesn't have any scratchs. You think its lived its live in a case. Start by going to the help screen and see what os version its running. If its not up to date we can conclude 1 of 2 things. Either this phone was bought and shortly after put away for another device since it looks so good or its lived a nice sheltered life and the person its a crackberry or power user. In this case I wouldn't give anymore than $40 for this phone. I would offer $35. If they came quick with a no. I would say I'd give $40 and no more and I was sorry for wasting tbeir time. If the say anything other some version of ok I'l walk away.
As a seller again I make it appoint to know everything about what I'm selling. I hate surprises. I update everthing install everything it have installed. I find out what the usual price it goes for in its condiction. I shave alittle a little money off it and run the ad with pictures. I have my lowest price I'll take in mipnd. I will never peverp dispclose this price. Its a line in my head that I'll stay above.
I nevef fell pressured to sell or buy. This is just business to me. Where I make the most money off of CL is I run ads to fix computers and cellphone etc. I have another ad to buy broken devices etc. I buy stuff to fix and other stuff for parts then resell it on CL.
As a seller I carry change. That just makes the sell easier and it shows how experanced you are. By saying you don't carry change tells me you don't do this much. Most people don't carry $275 in te right amount of cash. If they stopped by an atm machine they got $280. Come on its to much work for you to think in advance to carry $25? Better get ready to make cange then withthe price. Yea its easy to walk away but when you keepwalking away it starts costing you. Act like you ave alittle sense about yourself.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Heavy Fluid]

Some of the above, I agree with, some however, I don't. The buyer needs to be as responsible as the seller. Know something about what you are buying. I don't have 2 hours to sit and show you how the device works. Also, as a buyer, you should know that you want to buy it when you meet. Don't waste the sellers time going back and forth trying to decide. If you are meeting, I am expecting you to buy. I have provided pictures and all of the pertinent information needed. The condition is as described, if not better. There are never surprises when I sell.

[13echo4]

Originally Posted by Heavy Fluid

Some of the above, I agree with, some however, I don't. The buyer needs to be as responsible as the seller. Know something about what you are buying. I don't have 2 hours to sit and show you how the device works. Also, as a buyer, you should know that you want to buy it when you meet. Don't waste the sellers time going back and forth trying to decide. If you are meeting, I am expecting you to buy. I have provided pictures and all of the pertinent information needed. The condition is as described, if not better. There are never surprises when I sell.

I agree with everything you said.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[medicinILL]

Not sure if this would go here but if I was to buy a phone off any site, I would ask for ESN # just to be sure that the phone isn't blacklisted, you know? Everything else on the phone might be working fine but then you go and try to get it connected and BAM! You find out it's a stolen phone :\ or something of the sort. Better safe than sorry, right?

[Heavy Fluid]

^ I often offer to meet at the providers store, such as Verizon, to ensure that the ESN is clear, and that the buyer can activate it while I am there. This way, there are no surprises or any disappointment. I will then close the transaction, take the cash, and be on my way. After the test call goes through, and it is on your account, it is officially sold.

[m0c21]

As a buyer, the phone is activated and working before I pay.

As a seller, I will not go lower than the agreed upon price. Only happened once but someone agreed to a price and upon meeting tries to ask for less. My response was that I have another buyer for the same price that he agreed to. I don't care who I sell it to so he can take it or leave it. Guess what, he took it.

Also, I do not appreciate the lowball tactics you are trying to give out. To me they are unethical and if I better not see a higher incidence of people meeting to buy only to ask for a lower price.