CraigsList....ever use it?

What a screwed up medium!

I posted my '96 Sub and my '96 T&C van for sale. Made some edits to the Sub, then reposted because within 12 hours it was so far down the list it was off the page. First, I get scam emails, then I get an email from CL telling me MY ad has been "flagged" and pulled. Yes, without explanation, pulled off the list.

I went to a little gem of a CL tool called the "help" forum to find out why. I read dozens of threads started by CL sellers wanting to know why their ads were flagged and pulled. I also read many, many dozens of obnoxious, rude, snarky replies calling the poster(s) names, telling them they are stupid, etc., AND that they don't like the way the ads are written. Say WHAT???!!!!

Yeah. Same for me with a little less crude responses. In my case my reposting violated some kind of CL 48 hour rule...even though I see hundreds of posted ads repeated time and time again, some multiple times in one day. Even though I was PROMPTED to edit and repost my original and follow-up ad. I reposted again 48+ hours later.

BUT...the real catch 22 here is that ANYONE can flag your ad for ANY reason. When there are a certain "magic" unknown number of flags, the ad gets pulled. SO...any competitor can put up flags on an ad and get it pulled. So can any idiot for ANYTHING he doesn't like about your ad. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Yeah...the "watchers" say it's "community policing".

REALLY? What "community"?

Have any of you ever run into such a thing on any other selling website or CL???

I use clist religiously.
I have very good success with it. I always sold what I wanted to on it.
Yes, it is a jungle. Yes, you will have is rudeness, scammers, flaggers. But it's free, so lower your expectations.
You need to follow simple rules. Do not post outside links. Keep your ad very simple. Keep pictures tamed down, and simply say - more are available upon request.
You are flagged by competition. Heard that there's even a software that will flag your post, if so wished. Simply repost.
Also, look into local ebay. It's nice alternative to clist.
Been using clist for years. If you were to react this bad to such things, you should not be posting on it. Like I said - it's a jungle, it's heightened human nature - but it works.

Thanks for your comments.

Here's the rub for me. I know what I want to present in my ad. I don't need a bunch of anonymous forum know-it-alls telling me what to include or exclude. I choose to put all the things I would want to know right in the ad...up front. I don't need people calling me to ask simple questions that are easily displayed for all to see. I size my pics for clarity and descriptiveness.

Why do I go to this trouble? As a buyer I HATE perusing CL or any other media ads that do not have the basics....mileage, maintenance, history of use, title, no pics or tiny/fuzzy pics, ALL the options or characteristics normally asked about, etc. AND...a phone number or email other than the coded CL one that only works with certain email programs.

Yes, CL is "free", but my time is worth a lot to me, too. The owners of CL aren't doing it for fun. They make their money along the way. The "watchers" who like to flag, criticize, or remove the ads of honest sellers (or buyers) are superfluous. From what I see, they are very selective in their "policing", but very broad in their caustic criticisms of those who make honest mistakes. They would do better by challenging the OBVIOUS abusers.

Here's my listing. I'm sure you will find it too wordy, but as I said...I like all the info I can get up front.

http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/cto/3023776924.html

not sure if you grateful or bashing me.

anyhow. I have been through same gripes before. I did excellent ads, with nice pics, detailed and very explanatory. Just to find 2 things:

1. no one reads ads. people, overall, are dumb, stupid, and can't differentiate between left and right. making very nice is waste of time and effort. best to place simple, a paragraph or 2 at the most ad, not to give phone number, only email, and take it from there.
2. my son opened my eyes for me. I had one of my ads flagged in a heartbeat. He looked at it, and said "It's too good for craigslist". He's right. I learned to water my ads down to basic necessary. People need to know 2 things: what is it, and how much. The rest comes from later emails.
Fare warning - as you appear to be easily irritated - when you get a potential "on the hook", make sure they have $$ available. Nothing is more irritating, then some ass hole that shows, takes you car out for a spin, complains for half an hour, just for you to find out that he needs to sell his junk, to buy yours. He leaves, and you find out that clutch is fried. I had it done to me. So, golden rule is - you have $$, you come over, you don't - well look place else for entertainment.

PS. Sorry. Your ad it tooo nice for craigslist.

96 Suburban for sale. Reason for sale - child is on its way, need bigger car( :0))
All options for the year.
115 000 miles. Excellent condition. Good tires. All maintenance records. More pics available upon request.
Price is slightly negotiable.
Only buyers with funds available, please. Thank you.
Please, contact via email through this ad.

I do see your points. Maybe I shouldn't go so much by what I want to see in an ad when I'm searching? Anyway, yes...the whole "test drive " thing is a pita for sure, and sometimes downright dangerous. I've had some bad experiences with lookers who want to drive (especially) high performance cars. Maybe I'll shorten it up and see if the "lesser equipped/language challenged" will respond.

I shortened it to this:

http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/cto/3023776924.html

Don't see any diff, but glad you getting the point. try mine, see what happens. c-list buyer wants simple, cheap(free better) and easy to digest.
like I said - your ad should accomplish one thing - get "potential" on the hook. then you go into explicit later via emails.

also, do you have a photobucket account?

you can link more pictures instead of just the 4 standard ones

I sold my neighbor's ford explorer that way; by adding 20 pictures to my craigslist posting

then start using vehicle-specific forums and this site's classifieds sections to get more potential buyers

there should be someone that needs that people-mover, boat/trailer hauler... good luck

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http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=1076627&highlight=ford+explorer

there's the link that i've posted that was similar on craigslist; (it already expired)

also, do you have a photobucket account?

you can link more pictures instead of just the 4 standard ones

I sold my neighbor's ford explorer that way; by adding 20 pictures to my craigslist posting

then start using vehicle-specific forums and this site's classifieds sections to get more potential buyers

there should be someone that needs that people-mover, boat/trailer hauler... good luck

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http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=1076627&highlight=ford+explorer

there's the link that i've posted that was similar on craigslist; (it already expired)

The "watchers" say that links are not allowed and will cause flags and removal.

I had what I thionk was a serious buyer (finally, after all the scammers and jokers) who actually came to my house to see it. I had gone upstairs to change clothes and use the bathroom, and I guess I didn't hear the doorchimes. He left, I called him, got the recording....long story short he had left his phone at home and decided he didn't want to drive back. Guess it wasn't what he wanted...or he bought another. Kinda sucks.

It's probably the missing center caps. ;)

CL is what it is. You are getting what happens to everybody else who sells on CL.

oh well, i sold it in 3 days, enough time to generate a list of potential buyers from craigslist... before those "watchers" flagged it down

if you get a photobucket with 20 pix on it, i'll help you post it on your local forums

It's probably the missing center caps. ;)

Darn. That must be it.