Does anyone have any experience buying and selling items on Craigslist?

[Bear_Tracks]

I've been browsing Craigslist for god knows how long, and I see so many brilliant deals and I can spot scams from a mile away (well maybe not that precise).

There is one deal that I've been looking at and honestly I have to say its an amazing one, to say the least. It's a guy who lives two blocks away from where I live who is willing to sell two brand new Macbook Pro retina displays for $2000. They're both in the box, brand new and they are the most recent model. They usually sell for $1300 each (plus around $100 tax depending on your state). I'd be saving $600 by purchasing two of these, and could probably get away with selling both of them for $1000-1150 even after taxes and paying to ship/paying for the boxing, and still cut an almost $200-350 profit (potentially). I'm dying to do this, as the guy is even willing to meet up at the Apple Store.

If you guys don't know, Apple products are really desired technological devices and sell really quickly, especially if they're discounted. I really want to just contact this seller, but I'm a little hesitant (for no reason though, as it seems legitimate, there are numerous pics of the box, guy even posts his building and places he's willing to meet and so forth). Also while $2000 is a lot, thankfully I have a few thousand leftover in case of anything. This is a gamble, but I'm very sure that I could make this back.

Anyone here have any experiences purchasing stuff from Craigslist, such as tech devices?

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[log]

i bought a moniter from some guy--just gave him 50$ cash and left with the moniter. it was pretty straight-forward.

but yea those are probably stolen macbooks

[Bear_Tracks]

i bought a moniter from some guy--just gave him 50$ cash and left with the moniter. it was pretty straight-forward.

but yea those are probably stolen macbooks

I appreciate the feedback, but that could be said about many/most Craigslist items (the way the person obtained the item they're selling). I can only go with the assumption that they bought it legitimately.

[Darryl McKoy]

I can only go with the assumption that they bought it legitimately.

That's not really true. You can also go on the assumption that they've been somehow illegally obtained and therefore not purchase one.

[Bear_Tracks]

That's not really true. You can also go on the assumption that they've been somehow illegally obtained and therefore not purchase one.

If they were stolen, I can just retain my innocence, as I had no idea that the items were illegally obtained at the time of the initial purchase.

If I am buying items at a yard sale, it's quite possible that the items were stolen. Do I know for sure though? No. It's like when I visit a fast food joint, do I know for sure that my food fell on the ground at some point? Or if an employee spat on my food purposely? I have no idea, and while it isn't likely -- it is possible.

[Darryl McKoy]

If they were stolen, I can just retain my innocence, as I had no idea that the items were illegally obtained at the time of the initial purchase.

Do you legally retain title of the goods should the rightful owner come forward to claim them?

[Foxscotch]

If they were stolen, I can just retain my innocence, as I had no idea that the items were illegally obtained at the time of the initial purchase.

if you're sitting here contemplating it on the forum I'm not sure the police will buy it lol

[Bear_Tracks]

Do you legally retain title of the goods should the rightful owner come forward to claim them?

I'm not sure what the law is in your jurisdiction (or in Australia, for that matter), nor am I 100% what I'd be obligated to do, if this were to be something which did happen to me.

I will say this though, and that is that due to having no knowledge about the item being stolen -- I'd have no obligation whatsoever to give any form of compensation to the victim (the person who sold the item, if hypothetically I were to purchase an item, later knowing that it was stolen due to the victim finding out about me) as I had nothing to do with the theft of the item in the first place. Sure I'd feel sorry for the person, but I could not afford to forfeit my money because of their unfortunate loss, in an event such as this where I'd be innocently purchasing two electronic devices, later having an individual coming forward to me complaining that the two purchases I bought voluntarily not knowing were stolen, were in fact stolen from said person who comes forward to me.

if you're sitting here contemplating it on the forum I'm not sure the police will buy it lol

I'm not contemplating anything. I am just giving a hypothetical, and by law - I would assume that I'd be innocent as I would of had nothing to do with the actual theft of the item.


NOTE: This is a complete hypothetical everyone. I am just discussing what I BELIEVE what would happen, if I were to purchase these two Macbook Pro's and then later realize they were stolen because of someone coming forward to me telling me that the person I purchased the computers off of stole it from this said person who comes up to me. Complete hypothetical.

I'm probably not going to even bother purchasing these two MBP's, as not only is it extremely risky and I cannot afford to gamble this much -- but I also don't want to get into any legal troubles.

[Foxscotch]

that could be said about many/most Craigslist items (the way the person obtained the item they're selling).

yeah, after you said that, I don't think any jury is gonna be on your side

[Bear_Tracks]

yeah, after you said that, I don't think any jury is gonna be on your side

Why do you say that?

[Darryl McKoy]

I will say this though, and that is that due to having no knowledge about the item being stolen -- I'd have no obligation whatsoever to give any form of compensation to the victim (the person who sold the item, if hypothetically I were to purchase an item, later knowing that it was stolen due to the victim finding out about me) as I had nothing to do with the theft of the item in the first place. Sure I'd feel sorry for the person, but I could not afford to forfeit my money because of their unfortunate loss.

The only reason I ask is because I know it's not always that simple. There are certainly cases over here where you would basically have to forfeit the goods (however there are government funds which were established to compensate consumers in scenarios such as this). It's certainly worth investigating beyond your assumptions.

[Bear_Tracks]

The only reason I ask is because I know it's not always that simple. There are certainly cases over here where you would basically have to forfeit the goods (however there are government funds which were established to compensate consumers in scenarios such as this). It's certainly worth investigating beyond your assumptions.

Ok thank you. On another note, have you ever purchased anything type of used item before from an individual seller on a site such as CL before? Ebay perhaps?

[Darryl McKoy]

Ok thank you. On another note, have you ever purchased anything type of used item before from an individual seller on a site such as CL before? Ebay perhaps?

I purchased a refurbished laptop from ebay once which I guess counts as used?

[Foxscotch]

Why do you say that?

do you really think they would be?

The only reason I ask is because I know it's not always that simple. There are certainly cases over here where you would basically have to forfeit the goods (however there are government funds which were established to compensate consumers in scenarios such as this). It's certainly worth investigating beyond your assumptions.

idk if there's anything like that over here, and if there was it would be a state thing, so it'd be hard to give you a general answer
but home insurance usually takes care of that. if the victim didn't have home insurance, I'm not sure what would happen, and that would certainly depend on the state too

anyway why are you asking this question? anecdotes aren't going to help you figure out whether or not this guy's gonna be reliable. 100 people could tell you they got great stuff on craigslist but if your guy's a scammer that's not gonna help you

[Bear_Tracks]

do you really think they would be?idk if there's anything like that over here, and if there was it would be a state thing, so it'd be hard to give you a general answer
but home insurance usually takes care of that. if the victim didn't have home insurance, I'm not sure what would happen, and that would certainly depend on the state too

Well I asked "why do you say that" because I'm not sure. If I knew the answer, I wouldn't of asked. Also bare in mind that I wouldn't be keeping these items if I were to purchase them, I'd quick sell them. I know that wouldn't make a difference though, but yeah.