Craigslist

I have no idea who Craig is, but if I meet him I'll tell him his list is flawed!! I've heard people mention this site often, so when we started hunting for just the right dresser for Em and I couldn't find just what I was looking for, I decided to give this a try. Since I'm never opposed to purchasing previously used items, that aspect of Craigslist didn't bother me. I've used ebay quite a bit and for the most part I've been pleased.

After spending a small amount of time getting accustomed to the site, I soon navigated to furniture listings in my area. After finding nothing, I branched out a bit and found a listing for something I didn't need, but had wanted very, very much. A couple years ago, T had offered to purchase a very expensive Pottery Barn project table for me, but when he called to order it they had discontinued it. While slightly disappointed, I was probably more surprised that he was willing to buy it! It cost around $700, which was not an amount we really had, not to mention we didn't really have the space for it. Between scrapbooking and calligraphy, though, I was really excited that I might have my own workspace with ample room!

After branching out on Craigslist to Connecticut, looking for a dresser of course!, I found a listing for this: "Pottery Barn Bryce Project tables/stools/cart - $395". Now, I was surprised and figured it was worth checking out. In the listing, this person mentioned having 2 tables, 2 stools and one cart. She also included the catalog picture, catalog prices and description. I knew I didn't have room for all that, so I was glad that she also mentioned being willing to sell individual pieces if not all 5 pieces were wanted. Boy was I excited!! So, I contacted her!

My initial inquiry explained how I lived out of state, but had family in the same town where these tables were located. I told her I would be interested in one table, stool and the cart and was wondering what the price would be for those three items. Imagine my shock when she promptly wrote back that they would "let" me have them for $695! Hmmm.... I quickly went back to the listing to see if anywhere in there they mentioned that these items were $395 EACH. Nope, in fact, the only price other than original prices posted from the catalog was $395 for all those pieces. I nicely replied that I had misunderstood her listing and read it to mean that all 5 pieces were $395. I also said I would need to rethink that. In her reply, which sounded as though I'd insulted her, she simply wrote that these items were well worth the $400 asking price.

I must admit, this exchange left a bitter taste in my mouth. I know these tables are expensive, but they are used and even though she claims to have had them for one year, I happen to know they were discontinued over two years ago. I wasn't interested in starting a debate about the age of the desks, but with so many question marks - would they fit in my van, could I find someone in CT who could help me load them, was this person being honest - I decided to skip it. No skin off my back - it was a pipe dream!!

So, moving along. Despite my one brush with misleading advertising, I pushed ahead, continued to hunt for a dresser and came upon this morning a Pottery Barn bookshelf for $30! Wow! It was white, gorgeous and I just couldn't pass it up. I emailed this man right away, he replied that he still had it, sent me his number. I emailed back that I had no questions, I wanted it, when could I pick it up. He emailed he was available after 6 tonight, call for specifics. I called, and this is what this guy tells me:

"I'm sorry for any confusion, but I first listed the bookshelf for $30 and we had about 20 responses. My wife decided that we listed it for too little, so I relisted it for $50. Which listing are you replying to?"

Huh??? My first thought was, "How do these people live with themselves???" In all honesty, a Pottery Barn bookshelf in excellent condition for $50 is still a great deal, but not from someone with so little integrity. I had checked that listing TWICE and never saw the $50. I came home, checked again and there it was - he'd changed the listing that you see, but after you click on it, it still says $30 right across the top. I gave him no grief, replied to him, "Oh, I see..." That was that. Very disappointing, but not the end of the world. The Lord is probably trying to keep Pottery Barn out of my house!!

Now I am extremely leery of this Craigslist thing and I'd like to tell Craig what I think of his dishonest, scamming listers who lack an ounce of integrity. Funny thing, our pastor's whole sermon this Sunday was about this very subject! Maybe the Lord was trying to create illustrations for me of what integrity really means and how it feels to be the victim of people who lack it. I'd love to say that I am an extremely honest person who would never do such a thing. Truthfully, I'd never do what these two people did, but integrity involves more than just listing used items incorrectly online and then being dishonest about it. Integrity involves the hidden areas of all our lives that we do not reveal because we know they are ugly, sinful, or disgusting. We don't want anyone to know we are like that, so we pretend that we aren't. I won't try to tell you that I don't have anything like that in my life - of course, I'm not fessing up to the world about anything specific, either!!

In defense of some EXTREMELY honest friends, who have proven their integrity ten times over, I know there must some of these listers on Craigslist. I hope you find them should you respond to a listing. For me, I guess I need to stick to ebay, where I can read feedback about some of these sharks! I must be a sucker! I'm thankful for the reminder of what I DON'T want to be!