My first craigslist find going bad

SaminVA

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I have been checking craigslist for over a year everyday on the lookout for any game that I might like to add to my collection. Nothing great has popped up until this last Sunday.
Someone listed a Atari Tempest for $200.00 and also listed a Heavy Barrel for $200.00 in another add. 25 minuets later he listed the same 2 games together in one add. Here are the links.
http://norfolk.craigslist.org/vgm/3323201989.html
Atari Tempest Arcade Game - $200 (Norfolk VA)
Was working about a year ago when I texted yet but I know has minor problems, minor face damage , very dusty but can be cleaned, very low price just trying to make some money, 3926811
http://norfolk.craigslist.org/vgm/3323211901.html
Heavy Barrel Arcade Game - $200 (Norfolk VA)
Operational, is working, 2nd player joystick doesn't work correctly, dusty but can be cleaned nothing else wrong, cry cheap just trying to make some money 3926811
http://norfolk.craigslist.org/bar/3323258926.html
Atari Tempest and Heavy Barrel Arcade Games - $300 (Norfolk VA)
old arcade both work but both need done cleaning and minor repairs, heavy barrel 2p joystick doesn't work properly
Texts and emails work better
3926811
Doesn't need to be fair trade
Will except cash though 1 for 150$ and both 300$
Looking for anything I will trade for something much less value trying to get rid
Texts with trade proposals
Will text back fast
I thought Wow a Tempest for $150.00 to good to be true but I sent an Email anyway
10/8/2012 2:50 P.M
Hello, I am interested in the Atari Tempest game. Is it still for sale?
I will pay $150.00 cash if the game is complete and the wood cabinet doesn't have any major water damage or other damage.
Where and when would be a good time for me to look at the game. Is their easy access to the game? no basement or stairs to move up or down.
I have a hand truck and lift gate on the truck.
Thanks
Sam
I got no reply from this email so I sent another
10/9/2012 9:22 P.M.
I am still interested in buying your Tempest for your $150.00 offer in this add.
Got a reply this time
10/9/2012 9:40:44 P.M.
Offer is at 250
What the heck kind of reply is this? So I sent another email
10/9/2012 9:59:11 P.M
Ok can you clarify what the $250 offer is for?
Your add says
"Will except cash though 1 for 150$ and both 300$"
Thanks
I get a reply
10/9/2012 10:25:29 P.M
Some guy went up to 250 it doesn't work he wants cabinet not broke just everything is unplugged inside real old
I sent a reply
10/9/2012 11:26 P.M
So does that mean you are taking bids on the game or is it already sold to some guy for $250.00?
If it's now an auction when is the dead line?\
I got a reply
10/10/2012 12:03:02 A.M
Yes auction and Friday 250 is already high

So I guess a craigslist for sale add is really an auction and the guy is taking bids
So I guess I should just walk away from this one.
What does everyone think?
I am sure this happens all the time it's just my first time.
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If this is the word for word exchange with the seller, just the short responses from the seller would throw up a red flag to me. It just seems kind of scammy to me.
 
If this is the word for word exchange with the seller, just the short responses from the seller would throw up a red flag to me. It just seems kind of scammy to me.

Yea it's word for word, cut and pasted.
I was thinking the same thing, just doesn't smell right to me.
 
I would walk away, and flag his posting..... I'm sure that other people have flagged it if he gave the same kind of response.

For sure not all cities CL are the same caliber of people, and with it being a user policing site it seems to attract a lot of scammers, and bots collecting mailing lists. Which again seems to depend on the caliber of users to clean the bots postings out, but it seems in some cities that it may be the users behind the bots because they don't seem to get them down for days... if ever.

But atleist you did not end up going to get the thing and then find out it had turned into a bidding situation.

I once responded to a machine ad on CL, We agreed on the price he was asking and set up a time to meet to view and pick up the machine providing it matched his discription and was indeed the machine in the pic.

Only to arrive at the house and find a bidding war going on... Since he apparently gave many people the same time to come close the deal. I just got back in the truck and left.

Sales are not supposed to be auctions, particularly at somebody's house where probably atliest some of the people there are the sellers buddies only shell bidding to try and drive the price up.

Just my opinion.
 
Got a reply this time
10/9/2012 9:40:44 P.M.
Offer is at 250
What the heck kind of reply is this?

Your reply is:

That's an auction. I'm flagging your ad for immediate removal from Craigslist.

...and then you never talk to him again.
 
Hey Sam,

Where in HR are 'ya? We hail from VB, near the Lynnhaven Inlet

I replied to this ad as well, and yes, he is taking bids...

If he wants an auction, he needs to list it on an auction board. One cannot run a legit auction from Craigslist .

I stopped responding to him.

Saltbreez
 
One thing I do with jokers like this......have a "throw-a-way" e-mail address....offer WAY more money than its worth....then when you win his "auction".....disappear!

Edward
 
Hey Sam,

Where in HR are 'ya? We hail from VB, near the Lynnhaven Inlet

I replied to this ad as well, and yes, he is taking bids...

If he wants an auction, he needs to list it on an auction board. One cannot run a legit auction from Craigslist .

I stopped responding to him.

Saltbreez

Hi saltbreez, I live over here in Hampton Va.
Yea I am done with that seller, the add did not look right to start with and I really don't need a new project till I get a handle on the one's I already have but you don't see a vector classic like Tempest popup around here everyday. In fact it's the first one I have seen around here sense they were in the arcades back in the 80's.
 
Hey Sam, we need to hook up, there is a couple of KLOV'ers over southside. Actually, this is the second Tempest in a month to have crossed the HR craigslist, buddy of mine Rob, got the first.

Hi saltbreez, I live over here in Hampton Va.
Yea I am done with that seller, the add did not look right to start with and I really don't need a new project till I get a handle on the one's I already have but you don't see a vector classic like Tempest popup around here everyday. In fact it's the first one I have seen around here sense they were in the arcades back in the 80's.
 
Hey Sam, we need to hook up, there is a couple of KLOV'ers over southside. Actually, this is the second Tempest in a month to have crossed the HR craigslist, buddy of mine Rob, got the first.

I must have missed the other one.
Yea that would be cool to have a get together. I hope to have one if I ever get the game room like I want it. It's a mess right now, so is the garage.
Do you know David Hernly known on KLOV as Auric and runs the Aurcade web site http://www.aurcade.com/
He lives not to far from me in Newport News and has an open house in his arcade once or so a year. I have met a few local collectors their.
http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=232761&highlight=newport+news
As far as this CL add, I am over it. If I respond to an add and they don't give me a location and time to look and buy at their listed price then I know it's not worth the hassle.
 
I've had occasional luck with craigslist and eBay, but I heard this in my last cab pickup:

"Very good condition!" (reality: super dinged up paint, have to SLAM on the jump button, missing 1 + 2 player buttons, poorly wired exterior service switch, ground plug broken off!, no keys, etc).

"You just need to adjust the color pots on the monitor" (reality: helped but needs cap kit)

Craigslist horrors are endless. It was super cheap though
 
Somebody needs to post the CL to English translation guide again.

Some of my favorites:

CL: It was working the last time we used it.
Translation: The last time we plugged it in was 20 years and 4 garages ago.

CL: I had a repair guy out and he said it was a fuse.
Translation: I don't have a f*ing clue what the problem is and I am too f*ing lazy to look.

CL: We had this for the kids and they don't play with it any more.
Translation: The kids are 37 and 39 now.

CL: I just need the space.
Translation: I want big bucks for it.

CL: I can hear the game, but I can't see it.
Translation: The monitor is either:
a) broken
b) in bad need of a cap kit
c) had the screen turned all the way down
d) unplugged
e) missing
f) all of the above

CL: Not sure what game it is.
Translation: It has been converted so many times it's schizephrenic. Mortal Combat cabinet, NBA Jam stickers, Bubble Bobble CPO, Yie Ar Kung Fu bezel, roller controller, two empty holes in the control panel, one "25 cent" and one "tokens only" coin slot and NEW GAME! bezel. With a 2 prong power cord and no board inside.

ken
 
Usually anything i find on CL either the seller never answers there phone or they do not respond back to emails. I mean seriously if it sold, pull the cl ad. If it sold answer the phone and say sold. If you too busy for phone calls, put the time and days you can take phone calls in the ad
 
I already dealt with this guy . Claimed we had a deal and was supposed to set a time to pick it up.When I tried to get a specifc date and time he kept acting shifty.
 
I already dealt with this guy . Claimed we had a deal and was supposed to set a time to pick it up.When I tried to get a specifc date and time he kept acting shifty.
Ok you must be the "Some guy went up to 250" he was talking about. :D
Sounds like he was still taking bids. I wonder if anyone bought the Tempest and what the final price was but I am not going to email him to ask. Probably wouldn't get a reply unless he's still looking for the highest bidder. :(
 
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THAR'S GOLD IN THEM THAR CABS, I'm tellen 'ya


Ok you must be the "Some guy went up to 250" he was talking about. :D
Sounds like he was still taking bids. I wonder if anyone bought the Tempest and what the final price was but I am not going to email him to ask. Probably wouldn't get a reply unless he's still looking for the highest bidder. :(
 
>>>>>I will pay $150.00 cash if the game is complete and the wood cabinet doesn't have any major water damage or other damage.
Where and when would be a good time for me to look at the game. Is their easy access to the game? no basement or stairs to move up or down.
I have a hand truck and lift gate on the truck<<<<<

First off, you are giving out/asking for way too much info in your first or even on a second reply to the guy.

You should just send an email telling him you are interested and ask when can you see it. Asking about damage, easy access, and stairs is enough, even individually, to scare off a seller from responding. And you hit him with the whole damn boat load at once.

And do you think he cares whether or not you have a hand truck and lift gate?
 
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