Craigslist war stories

[Alpinemaps]

That last sentence is gold. Don't worry about the ones that get away, enjoy the ones you score. There are always deals and you don't know if you don't try...

 

Exactly!  I just got a CL lot that I've been sifting through the last couple of weeks.  Inside are at least 12 sets that I recognize.  Going through everything has taken a long time.  And *none* of them are complete, but most of them were at 98%.  

 

I'm piecing things together from other bulk sets and my BL inventory.  I'll BL the rest that I don't have, because it will be easy.  But it's been fun to see that just about everything is there.

[wilandirene]

I personally love Craigslist buys.  Usually if I'm lucky enough to be the quickest response I get some amazing deals.  I went to pick up what looked in the ad to be a drawer filled with Lego for $20.  Didn't see anything special in the picture.  When I got there there was enough Lego to fill up more than 1/2 a garbage bag.  Inside was a few Star Wars sets (including Rogue Shadow and some set with Vader), Indiana Jones set, etc.  Probably 15-20 pounds for $20.  Nice score IMO. 

 

The one thing I don't like about CL deals (and I'm probably in the minority) is that I never have time to sort or rebuild them.  So I still have a TON of Lego unsorted to go through.  Oh well, my kids love playing with it all. 

[Alpinemaps]

I personally love Craigslist buys.  Usually if I'm lucky enough to be the quickest response I get some amazing deals.  I went to pick up what looked in the ad to be a drawer filled with Lego for $20.  Didn't see anything special in the picture.  When I got there there was enough Lego to fill up more than 1/2 a garbage bag.  Inside was a few Star Wars sets (including Rogue Shadow and some set with Vader), Indiana Jones set, etc.  Probably 15-20 pounds for $20.  Nice score IMO. 

 

The one thing I don't like about CL deals (and I'm probably in the minority) is that I never have time to sort or rebuild them.  So I still have a TON of Lego unsorted to go through.  Oh well, my kids love playing with it all. 

 

No, I don't think you're in the minority at all!

I've got around 75 lbs of CL buys sitting here, to sort through.  It's taken me about 6 months, and I'm about half way through.  Just the other day, though, I found another 15 lbs that I had no idea I had.  I had completely forgotten about it.

 

I'm trying to be a little more picky about what I'm picking up, so I won't have so much to go through.

[Jimking23]

Most of my CL buys were used lego sets I needed to assemble to confirm all pieces were present. I recently bought a small, mixed (no sets) container. Wow, just going through and separating the Legos from the mega blocks was a bit of work.

[wilandirene]

A lot of the CL buys I have are larger collections so it's a pain to identify all the different sets in it.  Many lots have 15-20 different sets.  I usually sort enough to sell off enough to at least cover my initial cost (not too hard since the buy in is low) then slowly work on the rest.  Between all the used an MISB Lego, I worry about slowly becoming a hoarder!

[tonysbricks]

Since this topic is still active...an update to the original situation that prompted my QQ.

 

I message the guy on a friendly account and see what he wants, its something like 2.5k. lol. I tell him I will keep it in mind if he decided to drop his price. He keeps posting it a few weeks and then it gets deleted. I message him asking if it sold, he says no he is going to sort it out and sell them on ebay individually for 3.5k and make the big bucks.

 

Around Dec the ad shows up again. I message him on my friendly account and ask how the ebay thing went. "Way too much work for too little money, not going to do it". He posted it for a few weeks before it disappeared. I would bet he got 800 tops. Probably passed up a few 1k+ offers from March to hold onto it for 9 months and end up losing money.

 

There is a lesson here, you greedy CL sellers.

[knarrff]

I've got around 75 lbs of CL buys sitting here, to sort through

That's a problem I would like to have. Craigslist around here is essentially empty when it comes to Lego: less than one post a month I would guess.

[hankdelsi]

picked up Parisian restaurant & pet shop used but complete for 200.

[Alpinemaps]

That's a problem I would like to have. Craigslist around here is essentially empty when it comes to Lego: less than one post a month I would guess.

 

You have to be quick around here.  Helps that I live in between two different CL areas, so I've got a lot of market near me.  I've also got a TON of thrift stores in the area.  Sometimes my CL finds are more just finds at local thrift stores.  You just have to be friendly with them, and let them know you're interested, and sometimes they will be happy to call you when they have a new drop off.

 

It also helps that I live/work near a military base.  They have their own "CL" like forum.  I troll there for finds as well.

 

picked up Parisian restaurant & pet shop used but complete for 200.

 

Wow!  Great find!  I'd love to pick those up used at that price.

[wilandirene]

You have to be quick around here.  Helps that I live in between two different CL areas, so I've got a lot of market near me.  I've also got a TON of thrift stores in the area.  Sometimes my CL finds are more just finds at local thrift stores.  You just have to be friendly with them, and let them know you're interested, and sometimes they will be happy to call you when they have a new drop off.

 

It also helps that I live/work near a military base.  They have their own "CL" like forum.  I troll there for finds as well.

 

 

Even in my area, deals come up but you have to be quick (like within 15 minutes of the ad going up) otherwise the competition gets to it.  I still remembering messaging someone within 5 minutes regarding their 10179 for $100.  They initially responded via text but the conversation went dead 15 minutes after.  Too bad, I could have probably matched any reasonable offer......never even got a chance to negotiate!Th

 

Thrift stores are barren here, only found a couple of base plates and that's it.   

[iahawks550]

I emailed the guy who had all of the great LEGO sets that was advised against selling him so cheap. I asked who gave him information about their worth, and whether he was given links to check out the value himself. (Since he already figured out they were worth much more than he was asking)

 

He said someone on the east coast had seen the CL ad and emailed, seeing if the would ship it. When he said no, it was for pickup only, the guy emailed back and told him the lot was probably worth 3-4x what he was asking.

 

That's funny. Guy can't great deal, so he makes sure that no one else does either.

[terrymc4677]

I emailed the guy who had all of the great LEGO sets that was advised against selling him so cheap. I asked who gave him information about their worth, and whether he was given links to check out the value himself. (Since he already figured out they were worth much more than he was asking)

 

He said someone on the east coast had seen the CL ad and emailed, seeing if the would ship it. When he said no, it was for pickup only, the guy emailed back and told him the lot was probably worth 3-4x what he was asking.

 

That's funny. Guy can't great deal, so he makes sure that no one else does either.

The Craigslist Robin Hood strikes again!

[MartinP]

The Craigslist Robin Hood strikes again!

Oh no. Not again! He hasn't been active for a few months from what I have heard.

[labfreak7]

So I saw this ad on CL for a garage sale that has many lego sets in the boxes with the manuals (used). I email the guy about them, and get no answer. Then, I get up early and am the first one there. The guy tells me that he got a lot of emails about it, but sold them to his neighbor. I was not happy. 1/2hr drive for nothing

[MarleyMoose]

Answered an ad that was right down the road about a moving sale. They said they had lots of toys including LEGO, KNex, Lincoln Logs ect. I went over to check it out this morning. They had many totes some labeled with the KNex and a 20G tote marked LEGO $40 that was full to the top. Opened it up and low a behold it was 90+% megabloks. Such a bummer.

[MartinP]

Answered an ad that was right down the road about a moving sale. They said they had lots of toys including LEGO, KNex, Lincoln Logs ect. I went over to check it out this morning. They had many totes some labeled with the KNex and a 20G tote marked LEGO $40 that was full to the top. Opened it up and low a behold it was 90+% megabloks. Such a bummer.

That's disappointing. At least some of the CL listings around me state that they are megablocks.

[JMight30185]

Most likely the same guy who I wrote about in another post.

Seems like this person is very patient and still makes money and regardless of the AD being up for awhile knows this site and other lego sites.

Makes me so mad,that if it is the same person still making 600 or so a week doing this and has listings all over the country since we tipped them off on these forums.

The sad thing is that they will most likely get that 800 and not by one of us but some buyer who really wants the set and thinks they are tricking them in a lower offer and getting away with it.

I learned from this site what to watch out for on craigslist etc and am grateful.

So the moral is try to warn people and hope they don't get taken,even with the warnings from craigslist not to use shipping and local only

[Kriterian]

Does this kind of stuff work? Do people really not check to see if a set is still in stores for a cheaper price? Grand Emporium I can understand, since he had it for $200 and it did go into a shortage recently.

 

 

I've been collecting Lego for a while and have a number of extra sets, brand new, in unopened boxes. Most are hard to find, and many have been retired. Sets include Technic, Advanced Models, Modular Buildings, Star Wars Ultimate Collector Series, Creator, etc.

• 10197-1 - Fire Brigade - 2,231 pieces - SOLD
• 10211-1 - Grand Emporium - 2,182 pieces - SOLD
• 10224-1 - Town Hall - 2,766 pieces - $240
• 10232-1 - Palace Cinema - 2,196 pieces - SOLD
• 10212-1 - Imperial Shuttle (UCS) - 2,503 pieces - SOLD
• 10225-1 - R2-D2 (UCS) - 2,127 pieces - $210
• 10214-1 - Tower Bridge - 4,287 pieces - $300
• 8110-1 - Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 400 - 2,048 pieces - $300
• 10220-1 - Volkswagen T1 Camper Van - 1,332 pieces - $160

 

•  

[Huskers1236]

Probably, but not really fast sales I would assume.  I keep a similar ad on our local Craigslist but it's full of EOL and used sets.  I will sell some sporadically, and my prices are much more in line with current prices, lower in many cases since I have no fees and no shipping to hassle with.

[wilandirene]

Just had to share my insane luck with CL last night.  I saw an ad advertising a person GIVING AWAY his childhood Lego FOR FREE.  Needless to say I was skeptical but I messaged him immediately anyways.  Turns out I only lived 5 minutes away, so I made arrangements to swing by, hoping that it wasn't a scam or practical joke someone was pulling on a friend.  When I got there I picked up approximately 1 medium garbage bag filled with Lego, plus an empty Harry Potter 4709 Hogwarts Castle!  I quickly gathered it, said thanks, and drove home as quickly as I could.

 

When I emptied the bag, about 1/2 was filled with Mega Bloks and generic bricks, but the other 1/2 (haven't finished sorting yet) had parts/minifigs from HP 4709, 4714 Gringott's Bank, a couple more HP sets, and my personal favorite, Batman 7780 Batboat Hunt for Killer Croc.  This is the sweetest find for me ever, especially at the price point   It's perfect timing too as my 9 year old is starting to read the Harry Potter series so most of these sets are keepers.

 

Hoping the sets are mostly if not fully complete.

[Ciglione]

Just had to share my insane luck with CL last night.  I saw an ad advertising a person GIVING AWAY his childhood Lego FOR FREE.  Needless to say I was skeptical but I messaged him immediately anyways.  Turns out I only lived 5 minutes away, so I made arrangements to swing by, hoping that it wasn't a scam or practical joke someone was pulling on a friend.  When I got there I picked up approximately 1 medium garbage bag filled with Lego, plus an empty Harry Potter 4709 Hogwarts Castle!  I quickly gathered it, said thanks, and drove home as quickly as I could.

 

When I emptied the bag, about 1/2 was filled with Mega Bloks and generic bricks, but the other 1/2 (haven't finished sorting yet) had parts/minifigs from HP 4709, 4714 Gringott's Bank, a couple more HP sets, and my personal favorite, Batman 7780 Batboat Hunt for Killer Croc.  This is the sweetest find for me ever, especially at the price point   It's perfect timing too as my 9 year old is starting to read the Harry Potter series so most of these sets are keepers.

 

Hoping the sets are mostly if not fully complete.

 

You lucky B****** !

[Jimking23]

Probably, but not really fast sales I would assume.  I keep a similar ad on our local Craigslist but it's full of EOL and used sets.  I will sell some sporadically, and my prices are much more in line with current prices, lower in many cases since I have no fees and no shipping to hassle with.

CL drives me crazy. I'll list a set at a reasonable price, allowing room for a buyer to talk me down. Seems, I only get unreasonable offers for a fraction (like 50%) of the asking price. I listed a SSD (open outer box, all internal boxes sealed). Received a offer of $300.

[wilandirene]

You lucky B****** !

 

Thanks! 

[minicoopers11]

That's a problem I would like to have. Craigslist around here is essentially empty when it comes to Lego: less than one post a month I would guess.

I am in the same boat as him. So much bulk to sort through...probably more than 75 lb if I weighed it all out. It's ridiculous.

[seapotato]

Ooh, was this in Vancouver? Saw the ad and the guy said I could come pick up but guess you beat me to it!

Just had to share my insane luck with CL last night. I saw an ad advertising a person GIVING AWAY his childhood Lego FOR FREE. Needless to say I was skeptical but I messaged him immediately anyways. Turns out I only lived 5 minutes away, so I made arrangements to swing by, hoping that it wasn't a scam or practical joke someone was pulling on a friend. When I got there I picked up approximately 1 medium garbage bag filled with Lego, plus an empty Harry Potter 4709 Hogwarts Castle! I quickly gathered it, said thanks, and drove home as quickly as I could.

When I emptied the bag, about 1/2 was filled with Mega Bloks and generic bricks, but the other 1/2 (haven't finished sorting yet) had parts/minifigs from HP 4709, 4714 Gringott's Bank, a couple more HP sets, and my personal favorite, Batman 7780 Batboat Hunt for Killer Croc. This is the sweetest find for me ever, especially at the price point It's perfect timing too as my 9 year old is starting to read the Harry Potter series so most of these sets are keepers.

Hoping the sets are mostly if not fully complete.