Let's Talk About Kijiji

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

My Dad asked me to sell his snow tires online. He just got a new car. I am really kind of dreading it.

1500 two years ago, on rims and most of the tread left, and I'm told that it should run about half of the original price. I'm sure all I'll get are calls for 100 bucks, and do I deliver.

That would be my cheapskate brother in law. Tried to buy a fridge. Ask was 400 and he offered 100. Then he offered 125. Then said 150 was the most he would pay. The seller told him they wouldn't let it go for less than 300. He balked. A couple weeks later he saw it was still for sale so he offered 100.

He wound up buying a much older fridge for 100 from somebody else.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

My Dad asked me to sell his snow tires online. He just got a new car. I am really kind of dreading it.



1500 two years ago, on rims and most of the tread left, and I'm told that it should run about half of the original price. I'm sure all I'll get are calls for 100 bucks, and do I deliver.

I remember when I sold my old winter tires (not on rims). The guy came by and was like, “I am going to need to put them on rims and that will cost me some money, so could you drop the price?”

[jayswin]

Oh man, the "Here's my personal reason why I can't pay what you're asking" is the worst. "I also have to get the brakes replaced on my son's car so that has to come out of my budget for this car".

Okay, so is my car out of your budget because of this? Oh wait, I'm supposed to take the hit because of your other car?

[jmac98]

Shouldn’t be long before people start asking for the item for free in exchange for a shout out on their social media platforms.

In all seriousness, to anyone buying or selling, please meet at a neutral site away from your own address to some place open and visible with a public presence. We get far too many calls for people unhappy about their purchase returning (or threatening to return) to the sellers address. Or people meeting up and getting robbed for their item.

Meet at a district office during their open hours as a good practice. If not, some place with high people traffic during light of day.

And for the purchasers, it’s buyer beware for online garage sales. If you bought a lemon, you now own a lemon. It is a civil matter. Do your homework and due diligence prior to purchase. Open the box and be sure there’s not a rock inside (it’s happened), get a vehicle inspection, plug in the stereo and test the speakers, check the serial number to verify the model of those ear buds, etc. Above all, don’t etransfer in good faith. Show up in person and exchange in real time.

Happy shopping. It’s a nightmare.

[Rando]

Selling a few items now, first time encountering a buyer trying what I can only describe as a spam + gaslight approach. Spamlighting?

The item isn't worth what I'm selling, always start a little high, but he came in hot with a 1/3 offer then spammed with links and false information about how it's only worth what he's offering and I should be lucky they even gave that. Claiming it can't do X and Y (it can) saying the batteries are discontinued (they aren't) showing me screenshot prices from the lower priced American website.

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by Rando

Selling a few items now, first time encountering a buyer trying what I can only describe as a spam + gaslight approach. Spamlighting?

The item isn't worth what I'm selling, always start a little high, but he came in hot with a 1/3 offer then spammed with links and false information about how it's only worth what he's offering and I should be lucky they even gave that. Claiming it can't do X and Y (it can) saying the batteries are discontinued (they aren't) showing me screenshot prices from the lower priced American website.

Clearly he desperately wants it, I'd raise your price.

[dubc80]

Here's a different kind of Kijiji experience...

Tried setting up my artificial pre-lit Christmas tree on the weekend. Fired it up and one of the strings of lights is out.

No problem, head to Can Tire to get some extra bulbs, fuses, electrical current detector, etc and try to fix it. D1ck around with it for a few hours to no avail and give up. Kids (and wife!) are getting restless so I just went and bought a new one.

I listed the old tree on Kijiji for free as I thought someone with more time would be able to perhaps fix it, or use it. Its still in good shape.

I got many messages from people which legit made me sad. People down on their luck, lost jobs, low income. People who really wanted it, but had no car and no way to come pick it up.

A new immigrant family with 3 kids ended up coming to get it. I helped them load it into their old Dodge Caravan and you could feel their excitement as it was their first tree.

I'm happy that my crapped out tree will bring them joy and brighten their holiday season.

Be grateful.

[Jimmy Stang]

I was expecting the worst when I gave away a couch and chair on Kijiji a couple of years ago (after a few attempts to sell cheaply). The first person of about 25 who responded was very keen, communicative, etc. and quickly hashed out a plan (needed to borrow a truck, etc.). Later that night they showed up from across town, super polite, I helped load them onto the truck, and they drove off into the night.

Later I got a nice message thanking me for the couch and chair, saying that they were great and the best furniture they've ever had. It really put it into perspective that the old, uncomfortable set with cracking leather (but still perfectly usable) was absolutely loved by the new owner. I was honestly expecting a nightmare of no shows, dumb questions, etc. but I still can't believe how positive it actually was.

My last Kijiji experience was a dumb kid who drove from Airdrie with his dad to buy my winter tires/rims only to learn, literally standing in my garage, that cars have different bolt patterns and specs, and those details are kinda important. So you win some and you lose some.

[GrrlGoalie33]

My worst selling experience involved only a small amount of haggling. I was selling a goalie chest and arm unit for a pretty good price. Someone messages me about it fairly quickly after posting and we settled on a price fairly easily.

Then he started getting pushy about needing to meet up at the place of his choosing immediately. When I told him I don't drive and won't meet alone and I would meet at arena X at this time, he got even more aggressive telling me that as the seller it was my responsibility to meet at the time and place of his choosing without any hassle. I reiterated I could only meet at arena X after dinner, he got really aggressive, so I stopped communicating.

Not long after, I get interest from another guy who ended up being the nicest buyer or seller I've ever dealt with!

[Rhettzky]

I think the block feature on kijiji is highly under-rated. Major lowball offer? Blocked. Acting like a struggler? Blocked. Sound kind of shady? Blocked. Ask a reasonable question and willing to pay full price but your name is Bryan? Blocked.

It's the best.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

I think the block feature on kijiji is highly under-rated. Major lowball offer? Blocked. Acting like a struggler? Blocked. Sound kind of shady? Blocked. Ask a reasonable question and willing to pay full price but your name is Bryan? Blocked.

It's the best.

Yeah. Bryans are the worst. Like, come on, you are old enough to legally change your name to the correct spelling. Now it’s just you that’s being difficult.

[Winsor_Pilates]

I got my dog on Kijiji; I thought it was only useful for pets.

[TheIronMaiden]

The issue is that people want to go on Kijiji for deals, but they aren't willing to wait for one. If you want a good deal on Kijiji put in the work for one. I wanted a nice typewriter, and instead of low balling people who knew what they had, I waited. After about a month, someone posted an ad for one that was probably 200 bucks short of what it was worth. I picked it up that day, they were happy with their 60 bucks, I was happy with my typewriter.

Then again, some people are impulsive, impatient and entitled, so it's not surprising so many people have had bad experiences.

[Madman]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

I got my dog on Kijiji; I thought it was only useful for pets.

What the heck does your dog buy on Kijiji?

[Flamenspiel]

You also have to be patient as a seller to get your price, I just sold an item that had been listed for 7 months.

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by dubc80

...
A new immigrant family with 3 kids ended up coming to get it. I helped them load it into their old Dodge Caravan and you could feel their excitement as it was their first tree.

I'm happy that my crapped out tree will bring them joy and brighten their holiday season.

Be grateful.

We've had a very similar experience selling some but mostly giving stuff away on Kijiji from my son's apartment when he moved back with us. Some people's inquiries where absolutely ridiculous (e.g. "I'll take your table and chairs if you deliver it to my house in Falconridge"; or "I can take it in a couple of months, if you store it in your garage"; not even the offers themselves, but the aggressive disappointment when you say "no, thanks".) And then a new immigrant family from Nigeria shows up with some older church guy helping them around and they take almost everything - old mattress and boxspirng, chairs, table, rugs, cutlery, pots and pans - whatever they could fit in their Caravan. And so happy about it - laughing, joking to each other. I couldn't stop smiling.

[GordonBlue]

I have an extra Christmas tree that the lights still work I was thinking of giving away.
the only reason I haven't yet done so is I just assumed the person who got it would immediately turn around and sell it.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by jmac98

Do your homework and due diligence prior to purchase. Open the box and be sure there’s not a rock inside (it’s happened)

Well, you say it's a civil matter, but this is pretty clearly criminal fraud under $5000 (assuming whatever was in the box was worth less than $5000).

Honestly, prosecuting the type of sociopath who would attempt something like this is, for me, not a terrible use of police resources.

[jeffporfirio]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

I have an extra Christmas tree that the lights still work I was thinking of giving away.
the only reason I haven't yet done so is I just assumed the person who got it would immediately turn around and sell it.

The St Vincent de Paul society at all Catholic churches are at moment filling Christmas hampers for families in need. If you give your closest Catholic church a call and ask for the person in charge of St Vincent de Paul, I'm sure they'll pick it up and get it to a family in need.

[OMG!WTF!]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Well, you say it's a civil matter, but this is pretty clearly criminal fraud under $5000 (assuming whatever was in the box was worth less than $5000).

Honestly, prosecuting the type of sociopath who would attempt something like this is, for me, not a terrible use of police resources.

Think the poster may have been talking about the lemon car as a civil matter. Plus one for prosecuting fraudsters though.