(Another) Craigslist rant, short this time

[kb58]

I've been looking at used lathe ads:
1. How people expect to sell beat up equipment for 90% of new is just astounding, especially given how easy it is to check prices. A guy's selling an 8-yr old Grizzly G4003G, asking $4000, while a new one is $4500. Okay.
2. I am aghast at how lazy people about product descriptions. Half the time they don't even list the brand, let alone model number, and what else comes with it.

It's amazing how hard people make it to give them money, but I guess they'll just have to learn the hard way.

 

[T Bredehoft]

learn the hard way.

Or not learn at all.

 

[mattthemuppet2]

1. How people expect to sell beat up equipment for 90% of new is just astounding, especially given how easy it is to check prices. A guy's selling an 8-yr old Grizzly G4003G, asking $4000, while a new one is $4500. Okay.

that's a deal! Here in San Antonio people find the new price and ADD 10% to it for a used item. Yet if they're buying something off you then they treat you like they're doing a favour taking it off your hands for pennies. It's a weird place to buy and sell, that's for sure.

 

[RJSakowski]

The buyer can place whatever price he/she wishes on an item. The seller can set the maximum price he/she will pay for an item. Basic economics

When a price is set too high the item sits. After a while, the seller will notice that the item isn't moving and will either lower the price or withdraw the offer. Some times the seller will get their asking price and we would call them a smart seller.

What hasn't been stated by the OP is what accessories come with the lathe. It is fairly easy to run up several thousand dollars in accessories. A name brand DRO can add a couple of $K. Same for a name brand chuck. Throw in insert tooling and other extras and the overpriced lathe is beginning to look like a bargain.

 

[kb58]

No extras.

 

[C-Bag]

CL pricing is a total mystery. It's so crazy it makes me wish you could get polls on the motives. Are they scammers or just stupid? There's somebody locally that has one of the 500lb HF lift carts and is asking $500. It's been on CL constantly for over a year and it's all I can do is post do you know that's a HF(they say they don't know the brand) and sell for less than $200 new but I know it won't last an hour before its flagged. Go figgur. The ones that are flexible show price change in a week or two. The others who knows.

 

[magicniner]

1. Caveat Emptor.
2. We know, but you're "Preaching to the Choir", you need to tell them, not us!
3. Consider that idiots don't learn, discussing and bemoaning them not learning is a form of letting them drag you down to their level and beat you with experience
4. Ignore and move on, I know it's almost as if anyone selling something should be free to ask whatever they want and you don't like that but unless you successfully challenge them legally over their erroneous pricing you're wasting your time!

 

[Flyinfool]

locally there is a South BEnd for less than that. I am amazed at just how many lathes are for sale in my area right now. Including a 13 x 40 CNC for under 5K.

 

[Mitch Alsup]

I've been looking at used lathe ads:
1. How people expect to sell beat up equipment for 90% of new is just astounding, especially given how easy it is to check prices. A guy's selling an 8-yr old Grizzly G4003G, asking $4000, while a new one is $4500. Okay.

A new one was $3600 last year.

Mine is a very nice lathe indeed.

 

[Superburban]

I think some folks watch the pickers, and storage unit shows, and believe that the prices they say they sell things for, are real prices.

Anybody know how Craigslist survives? You do not pay to place the add, and you do not pay to read the add. As far as I know, they do not track you, and sell that info like facebook, and other places. Somebody is paying for the website hosting, and with the traffic, it cannot be cheap.