Craigslist results?

[Chris H]

Has anyone else used Craigslist to sell cattle, and what was your result?
I've had poor results in the past, mostly people looking for cheap, not quality. But I had good results this last couple weeks. I put an ad in for a set of 6 steer calves, avg 476 lbs. I got more interest than I had calves to sell, and ended up selling as a group and promising some fall steers to one of the respondants who was 2nd in responding.

 

[dun]

I've never bought aything from craigslist. I've tried to sell equipment and for some reason their email forwarding to reply doesn;t work cause I've never heard from anyone. I even tried responding my self and the email didn;t comw through

 

[MO_cows]

We have had good luck with craigslist for cattle and other sales as well as making buys. Our very first craigslist cattle sale has turned into a repeat customer. Just apply some common sense and reasonable caution like any other time you deal with John Q. Public. We haven't attracted anybody who made us uncomfortable or suspicious (yet). We don't give out the directions or address until we have had a few emails or a phone conversation.

The most calls and responses we ever gotten was when we gave away a loveseat, people sure love free stuff. And we were glad to have it out of our way and glad someone who needed it could have it, a win-win.

 

[stocky]

A few years ago, I started checking Craigslist, looking for cattle for sale. The first year, I bought 3 different groups, one was a herd of 51 head, and two groups of charlois bulls. After that, it seemed like there were very few realistic sellers. Now most people decide what their cattle will bring at the auction and then add about 25 or 30 percent and price them for that rediculous price on Craigslist. They hope to find a sucker and if no one bites, they take them to the auction. Seems like after Craigslist became popular, it became just like the ads in the newspapers were when people advertised there. If a seller prices something reasonable, it seems like there are good buyers and it is a very good place to do business, but just like was said before, use common sense in giving your personal info too quickly

 

[backhoeboogie]

mostly people looking for cheap, not quality.

Seems that is all I get from newspaper ads or craigs or anything else. I put that no haggle clause in my last ad. "A firm 10% increase in price to anyone who wants to haggle" and got comments over that. Most were humorous.

 

[J&D Cattle]

"A firm 10% increase in price to anyone who wants to haggle" and got comments over that. Most were humorous.

I like that idea. I'm always having to increase the price on items to satisfy the buyer who thinks they have to get you down a bit. It's a pain.

 

[Limomike]

I have used craigslist to sell a few heifers, and a couple of young bulls. All sold really fast, & worked out really well for me.

 

[chippie]

I bought one of our daughter's scramble heifers through Craigslist and I have sold items too. I placed a horse in a good home through Craigslist too.

 

[backhoeboogie]

"A firm 10% increase in price to anyone who wants to haggle" and got comments over that. Most were humorous.

I like that idea. I'm always having to increase the price on items to satisfy the buyer who thinks they have to get you down a bit. It's a pain.

Everyone wants to buy hay for less than what it cost to produce it. If I could buy stacks of 100 bills for 50 bills, I'd buy 'em out.

 

[Calman]

I will not haggle with anyone on the price they are asking,but if I think it's a little high and I want the item I will make a lower offer than they are asking.If they refuse end of story.

Cal

 

[HOSS]

We have had good luck with craigslist for cattle and other sales as well as making buys. Our very first craigslist cattle sale has turned into a repeat customer. Just apply some common sense and reasonable caution like any other time you deal with John Q. Public. We haven't attracted anybody who made us uncomfortable or suspicious (yet). We don't give out the directions or address until we have had a few emails or a phone conversation.

The most calls and responses we ever gotten was when we gave away a loveseat, people sure love free stuff. And we were glad to have it out of our way and glad someone who needed it could have it, a win-win.

Same story for me. I sold a cow to a guy who really liked my stock. He has been a repeat for 7 head so far. I always call him first when I am selling anything. He doesn't mind paying higher than market value (sale barn report) for good stock. I had several people in line in case that deal fell through. I think I got 11 or 12 calls the next day after posting it. t\2 from out of state. CL generated allot of activity for me.

 

[GMN]

anymore craiglist sellers are a bunch of scammers and frauds

 

[Chris H]

anymore craiglist sellers are a bunch of scammers and frauds

I'm a craigslist seller, and I'm not a scammer or fraud. You have to be careful, but that applies to anyone. I will say I didn't get much response until I posted pictures. It seems like we all make fun of some of the cattle available on craigslist, but I've also seen some pretty nice ones advertised.

 

[HOSS]

I believe Cattleman200 sells some of his Limi bulls on CL and he has some awesome stock. Some of the best I have seen in this area. Like anything else it is buyer beware. There is a ton of junk on there but like Chris says there are some real gems once in awhile.

 

[ga.prime]

I sold a '79 chevy pickup on there to the first person that called on the first day the ad ran. I've never bought anything on there or even looked for anything to buy on there.

 

[cow pollinater]

I bought a set of registered Angus cows on there the first or second time that I looked at craigslist. The guy was an Angus junkie from before CAB and was trying to reach out to people beyond the cronies as alot of the registered breeders trade back and forth. I bought those cows for grade prices and they're still making bulls for me. It was a fantastic deal and I've made a friend as he calls to check on us a few times a year.
On the other hand:
If I were a dishonest person I'd look up the market report and then market whatever junk I had that wouldn't match up to market price via craigslist. It would be REALLY easy to show a customer what a four hundred pound black steer is worth and offer to beat that price by just a little and then sell them a holsteinXjersey steer.

 

[tom4018]

We have sold several off there, one guy has been a repeat buyer for us on weaned heifers. Now I call hime first and he usually takes ones that I feel are good ones to keep for breeding. He won't take nothing but black and bwf so the rest go to the salebarn.

 

[fitz]

I had a cow/calf pair listed on Craigslist once at what I thought was a fair price. Everyone that called wanted to negotiate lower. Put them on trailer and went to sale barn. Ended up with exactly .59 less than I had them listed for. Just luck.

fitz