Craigslist - and the $5 listing

[kballowe]

I listed a motorcycle on Craigslist St. Louis, and they charged me $5.

I heard that they were now charging $5 on some items, but it also appears that the listing is only good for 30 days, and then they charge another $5 to renew.

It used to be that every few days, you could "repost" the listing, which would then move it back to the top of the 1st page of listings.  That option is still available, but they want $5 each time you hit the "repost" button.  Edits are still free.

Meh, still cheap.  I got only two spam emails this time, so that's good.

Maybe it's the time of year, but the motorcycle listings seem to be a fraction of what they were.

[bigbikerrick]

Yep, and It seems more people are going back to using Cycle trader.
Rick.

[OldMojo]

It was discussed here recently how everyone is moving to Facebook marketplace. I'm not on Facebook and had hoped to keep it that way, but apparently there's something to it. When I got my Griso, the owner posted it only on Facebook. No CL, no Cycle Trader, not here and not MGNOC. I caught wind of it through a friend who is on FB.

I understand how it can be less hassle for sellers, but it's an unfortunate development for those who don't wish to join the collective.

[Lannis]

Everyone's got a business model that they hope will be the most effective way to go for their target market.   Free with adverts, free but sell your personal data to the world, free and run on donations OR pay as you go or buy a subscription or pay if it sells.

People will migrate to the one that works best for them, although sometimes it's "best" for the short term and they regret it later.

Lannis

[Big_Jim59]

I used to use CL all the time to sell motorcycles but not too much anymore. After you have waded through the spammer and the email collectors then you have to contend with "what's your lowest price?" If you come out the the house, are serious and flash cash you may be surprised at how much I will take but I am not going to negotiate with a guy sitting behind his computer screen in his PJs. It seems that CL has become a repository for low-life individuates that will say they are coming out and then no show. I used Facebook Marketplace with much better results.

[Tom]

The local area may charge.  Different for other areas.  CL was charging local car dealers here and not private individual listings.  They do not charge for rental listings.  San Francisco area CL was charging the car dealers $50 per ad.

[Motormike]

I still think Facebook Marketplace is garbage.  Go to any major city, pull up motorcycle listings and then search for BMW's.  You won't get a single BMW motorcycle, just cars.  Garbage.

[greer]

Pull up motorcycle listings then make certain to specify BMW Motorcycle in the search bar.  You'll still get a few cars, but a slew of motorcycles.

I tend to avoid FB other than the Marketplace.  We sold a garage door in less than a day and then a CB500X with zero hassle compared to Craigslist.  I just bought a humdinger Kenmore vacuum for $55 from an 80 year old who is downsizing.  The Marketplace is my first stop nowadays.

Sarah

[larrys]

I found my Monster on CL. The first email I sent to the seller was not responded to. The second email that I sent I did get a response. When I met the seller in person he told me that he thought my first email was a scam. That's an indicator about how messed up CL has become.
Larry

[Motormike]

So what prevents Facebook Marketplace from being filled with just as many scammers?  Anything?

[rocker59]

So what prevents Facebook Marketplace from being filled with just as many scammers?  Anything?

I would imagine is has to do with needing a facebook profile, the ability to report abuse, and facebook actively working to reduce scammers.

On Facebook, the transaction does not have to include email addresses and phone numbers, things which scammers are mining in Craigslist.   All a scammer needs is a throwaway Gmail email address to communicate on Craigslist.

Anything can be exploited.  Craigslist used to be OK.  Over time, I'm sure the scammers will find ways to exploit Facebook Marketplace.  Hopefully Facebook will continue to be more proactive than Craigslist has been about addressing the problems.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Pull up motorcycle listings then make certain to specify BMW Motorcycle in the search bar.  You'll still get a few cars, but a slew of motorcycles.

I tend to avoid FB other than the Marketplace.  We sold a garage door in less than a day and then a CB500X with zero hassle compared to Craigslist.  I just bought a humdinger Kenmore vacuum for $55 from an 80 year old who is downsizing.  The Marketplace is my first stop nowadays.

Sarah

Sold my V7 Stone in 5 days on FB Marketplace. I had it priced right, but still - at the end of riding season it's usually a long slog to sell a bike. No hassle transaction too.

Lots of good deals I would have missed out on if I wasn't on Facebook. It's just another tool for me.

[John Croucher]

Want to have fun with people, post something for free.  You will get 100 replies and if your lucky, one person will show up. 

Tried to give a boat and trailer away.  Ended up selling it after taking the free add down and put a price on it.  First person that contacted me bought it. 

Tried to give a 100 y.o. barn away.  People came and pulled boards off and was going to take them.  I told them all or none, anything less is stealing. They would drop the 100 year old boards and leave.  Currently burning it a pile a day.  Ain't got time for b.s.  Getting old.

I found that it is easy, fast and I have to pay for garbage service anyway, just throw crap away.

[M0T0Geezer]

Craigs List at $5 does not seem unreasonable.

Biggest rip-off?  eBay charged me $77 to list my Norge, even though it did not sell.

So: Bye Bye eBay!  I am a non-FaceBooker by choice.

Guess I'll put it on over at Cycle Trader.

It's still available here on Swap Meet:

https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=103456.0

'Geezer

[philwarner]

It was discussed here recently how everyone is moving to Facebook marketplace. I'm not on Facebook and had hoped to keep it that way, but apparently there's something to it. When I got my Griso, the owner posted it only on Facebook. No CL, no Cycle Trader, not here and not MGNOC. I caught wind of it through a friend who is on FB.

I understand how it can be less hassle for sellers, but it's an unfortunate development for those who don't wish to join the collective.

I recently started checking FB Marketplace and find more listings than Craigs list for almost anything, but find the means of communication only through messenger to be a negative.  No phone numbers and often folks don't answer or FB does not notify you by email if they do and I am not a daily messenger user.  Still, FBMP has more listings if you can jump through the messenger hoops

[John Ulrich]

I've had good luck with Craigslist selling and buying for years.  My Goldwing sold in a couple days to the first responder.   I got rid of 300ft of damaged fence within minutes, saving me of having to pay to dispose of it.  Sure you get a few responses from spammers but we all know how it hit the delete button.   Yes, Marketplace appears to be the new place to go.

[kballowe]

It's been a week since I listed that motorcycle, and it's still shown on the first page.
Not much activity on the Craigslist St. Louis motorcycle section.

[rocker59]

I recently started checking FB Marketplace and find more listings than Craigs list for almost anything, but find the means of communication only through messenger to be a negative.  No phone numbers and often folks don't answer or FB does not notify you by email if they do and I am not a daily messenger user.  Still, FBMP has more listings if you can jump through the messenger hoops

If you have a smartphone, and if you have the messenger app installed on your smartphone, you get real-time notifications when someone messages you.

[frozengoose]

I've had good luck with Craigslist selling and buying for years.

Second that. I've sold a pickup, a couple of cycles, a 4 wheeler, some tools and shop manuals. Also bought a pickup and 4 wheeler. No problems and was never charged for an ad by Craigo's.

The one weird thing that happened, I responded to an ad for a trailer frame in the free section, it looked pretty good to be given away, but thought I'd look at it anyway. The poster responded with "send me the code so I know you're not a scam." Didn't know what he meant so sent the ad #. He replied "not that, just send the code." So gave up and deleted it. Anybody know what this code thing is?

[Lannis]

Anybody know what this code thing is?

"The crow flies at midnight"

[frozengoose]

"The crow flies at midnight"

Well maybe in Virginia, but up here it'd be  "ravens fly at forty below."

[britman]

Just from a personal viewpoint, I have found more project bikes on Facebook Marketplace than Craigslist lately.  I am on the road tomorrow to pick up a 73 Honda CL450, 14K, clear title, and runs, found it on FB at a great price.  Craigs is still my go to place and I am more at home there since I am not even a member on Facebook.  I am using my Wife's account, seems people with respond to a Barbara quicker than a hairy arse Old George. 

[Bpreynolds2]

Not a fan.  I can't see the benefit, more the opposite in fact.  The $5 charge was supposed to limit the spammers and get more "real" postings.  Guess what?  Almost nobody in this town is now using Clist to sell bikes, but the spammers still seem to be.  Dunno how.  You used to see about 10-20 legit bikes posted on Clist a day in Louisville, now you might see that many in a week's time.  I "guess" folks are now going to FB or Cycle Trader as mentioned but when I check those sites for here in Louisville they are not showing any kind of increase per se.  I do, however, see an uptick in the classifieds of Advrider and here as well, so maybe?   

I was also hoping that maybe the $5 charge might include some kind of added protection for the seller in terms of filtering but I recently sold 2 cars on Clist and got all the same and regular BS you had to deal with when it was free. 

[britman]

Want to have fun with people, post something for free.  You will get 100 replies and if your lucky, one person will show up. 

Tried to give a boat and trailer away.  Ended up selling it after taking the free add down and put a price on it.  First person that contacted me bought it. 

Tried to give a 100 y.o. barn away.  People came and pulled boards off and was going to take them.  I told them all or none, anything less is stealing. They would drop the 100 year old boards and leave.  Currently burning it a pile a day.  Ain't got time for b.s.  Getting old.

I found that it is easy, fast and I have to pay for garbage service anyway, just throw crap away.

I had the same experience with a truck bed cap.  Posted it for free, people would actually bitch that the rear glass had been replaced with plexi.  Finally bought some new saw all blades, it became transportable, off to the landfill......

[rocker59]

Perused Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace for Guzzis and Indians last night.

Almost nothing within 150 miles on Craigslist.  Several local choices on Facebook.

Interesting.

[Big_Jim59]

Want to have fun with people, post something for free.  You will get 100 replies and if your lucky, one person will show up. 

Tried to give a boat and trailer away.  Ended up selling it after taking the free add down and put a price on it.  First person that contacted me bought it. 

Tried to give a 100 y.o. barn away.  People came and pulled boards off and was going to take them.  I told them all or none, anything less is stealing. They would drop the 100 year old boards and leave.  Currently burning it a pile a day.  Ain't got time for b.s.  Getting old.

I found that it is easy, fast and I have to pay for garbage service anyway, just throw crap away.

It's sad. I had an old engine hoist. It worked but leaked badly. I put it on for $20 because i know a "free" listing would bring out the people that not only wanted it but wanted you to deliver it and load it too. I sold it the same day on FB Marketplace.

[Big_Jim59]

When I respond to ads on CL I make sure I include the description of the item I am looking at and a note about where I live or something personal so they know it's not spam.

[britman]

I got back in after dark last evening with my Facebook Marketplace find.  I picked it up just outside of Cumberland Maryland and went up the back roads through West "By God" Virginia.  (Those are some of the most desolate, isolated, two lane mountain roads I have ever traveled.  I am really going to try and take the Goose up that way when the weather breaks.)  The bike is a 1973 Honda CL450, pretty complete, 14K, has the original Maryland title from when purchased new.  Like all it was rougher in person than the photos on FB, but great compression, fires, and will run.  The young fellow who bought it from the original owner two years ago had been trying to do some work to it here and there but I am truly glad he lost interest.   I had been looking for something like this on Craigs for weeks now and pickings were very slim.  There were several possibilities on FB including two vintage Triumphs sitting under a tin shed for past 10 years with titles, I was a tad too late on that one....