Craigslist ads - why not provide phone number?

[Gary856]

I always include my mobile number in my CL ad, but it seems many don't. Why not? You want buyers to be able to reach you easily, right?

I'm looking to buy another used bike. One seller didn't provide any phone number, and I tried contacting him twice via e-mail but got no response. When using e-mail on CL it always feels like it goes into a black hole, lost among a mountain of spam mails.

I was able to reach another seller who provided a phone number instantly via iMessage. We talked right away and expect to complete the sale in about a week.

 

[auntiebling]

i agree.

i also state that i prefer text message if i'm advertising, and if i'm contacting via email immediately include phone number and "text is fine with me if you prefer" and hope they do.

 

[scootergmc]

My experience has not been the same. I find most people have a phone number or respond to email. In the rare instance someone doesn't respond, I move on.

I use a google voice number for selling, and prefer texts because that's what the market dictates these days. It's also a great filter.

 

[Lowerside]

I personally respond to email just as fast as text messages and I ignore all phone calls that aren't in my phone book. I will trade phone numbers if we're going to meet up for the sale though.

 

[HadesOmega]

I don't want to get phone spam'd

 

[motomania2007]

If you post a phone number even in the contacts drop down menu of craigslist it will get harvested by a bot and you will ultimately get spam to death. It's bad enough when you go through craigslist anonymized email you'll still get spam but at least it's less.

 

[ScottRNelson]

I don't want to get phone spamed

This. I always note that they should respond via email and I'll send them a phone number and whatever other information that they want. Once the item is sold, I remove the ad and nobody else can contact me at that point, but the hidden email that Craigslist uses still works.

From my experience about half of all Craigslist contacts, whether buying or selling, are flakes. I don't waste much time dealing with them.

 

[ocoas]

I don't want to get phone spam'd

I have sold several vehicles on Craigslist.
When I listed my cell number within a week I Started getting 10 / 15 spam calls a day. At last count I have several hundred blocked numbers on my phone

Now I ask for buyers to provide me with a phone number and I will call you.
Spammers do not leave a phone number. I still get email with no number and low LOW ball asks.

 

[Blankpage]

Put an ad on CL a month ago and not long after got several different emails from supposedly Amazon asking me to review products I ordered.
I don’t have an Amazon account and no Amazon activity from my bank account.
Scammers be looking to use any contact angle you give them to pounce.

 

[_Chris_]

It is valuable information for a scammer to have a person's phone number AND their email address. A resulting sim swap scam [1] in combination with an automated attempt to get into the email account is a popular way for scammers to get into bank/investment accounts.

I recently sold a bike via CL and I had my phone number listed. I got half a dozens email messages where the sender said that somehow the anonymized email exchange through craigslist doesn't work for them and I should contact them directly at their provided email address ( so in turn they would get my proper email address ).

[1] https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/10/sim-swap-scams-how-protect-yourself

 

[HadesOmega]

This. I always note that they should respond via email and I'll send them a phone number and whatever other information that they want. Once the item is sold, I remove the ad and nobody else can contact me at that point, but the hidden email that Craigslist uses still works.

From my experience about half of all Craigslist contacts, whether buying or selling, are flakes. I don't waste much time dealing with them.

Yep that's usually how I do, email first then when they seem serious I will give them my phone number.

Haha my phone get's enough spam as it is I never answer it it, if it's important they will leave a message.

That is one nice thing about Facebook Marketplace though is that all the communications is through facebook messenger.

 

[NoTraffic]

Personally for me as a seller, it takes more commitment for someone to send me an email than calling/texting. As others stated, I don't want to waste my time with unknown callers who are just tire kickers or low ballers. If they're really serious about the bike, they will monitor their email and reply promptly.

It also helps me understand what kind of person the buyer is by their articulation and questions asked. A lot of people do not have any phone etiquette either. arty

 

[ctwo]

https://medium.com/@gengo/phone-calls-are-rude-c9cc8e546b9b

 

[R3DS!X]

I usually tell people to respond with a joke, or their favorite item at taco bell or something in email so i know they aren't a bot or worse, an idiot.

 

[artyom666]

I never put phone number. I ask interested to send email with phone number.
Then I scan that phone number to verify its in fact real. Half the emails with phone numbers were from scammers, broken english and nonsense messages asking about if it was sold or some other info which was clearly stated in the ad.
I texted back to one party and got spammed instantly.

That was just 2 weeks ago when I sold my car on cs.

 

[fubar929]

I always include my mobile number in my CL ad, but it seems many don't. Why not? You want buyers to be able to reach you easily, right?

Aside from the spam factor that others have already mentioned I, personally, don't want to be taking calls from random asshats at all hours of the day and night. I'm busy on-and-off throughout the day so I often don't have time to answer the phone to have a 30-minute conversation with some tire-kicker who's going to offer me 25% of my asking price at the end of the conversation.

Email is much easier, because I can answer it when it's convenient for me. It also helps me weed out the scammers and idiots, who can only type 1-2 coherent sentences at a time, from people who are legitimately interested.

 

[Gary856]

I’m surprised to see so many phone avoiders.
- When they send you an e-mail, how do they know it doesn’t get lost in your spam box? When you reply by e-mail, how do you know it doesn’t get lost in their spam box?
- You don’t want to give out your phone number, but ask buyers to provide theirs? How do they know you’re not spamming for their number?
- You will provide phone number after the initial e-mail, but why complicate this? Why not provide a phone number to shorten this two-step dance to one-step?

Most “product info” asked by e-mail should be presented in the CL ad in the first place. No one needs to ask things like has it been dropped, what’s the maintenance history, does it have clean title – all that should be stated in the ad up front. If an ad is interesting enough, I’d want to text first to set a time, then pick up the phone to get to know the “person” I’m trying to do business with. As a seller, I want to screen the buyers by phone. As a buyer, I want to interview the seller by phone. Within a couple of minutes we’d know if we have a good match. Depends on the personalities, we could either get to the point immediately, or have a good conversation.

P.S.:
Maybe this is why I’m not getting an e-mail response, but who knows? When I e-mail a seller who didn’t provie a number, I simply say, “hi, may I get your number to discuss your bike? My number is xxx-xxxx.” Does this make it look like I’m spamming for their number? Must I ask all the standard questions in e-mails to sound legit?

 

[scootergmc]

My ads usually say to check spam folders for replies, and my ads are usually long and very descriptive in order to weed out virtually every question. If you ask a question that's been answered, I don't reply.


I can handle scammers, etc., but the worst worst worst thing about selling is getting phone calls from tire kickers, those who want to tell stories, those who want to have conversations, those who want to talk about all the defects (clearly listed and photographed), and those who want to negotiate over the phone. I send most of my google voice calls to VM as well, and return them as I see fit.

 

[scootergmc]

P.S.:
Maybe this is why I’m not getting an e-mail response, but who knows? When I e-mail a seller who didn’t provie a number, I simply say, “hi, may I get your number to discuss your bike? My number is xxx-xxxx.” Does this make it look like I’m spamming for their number? Must I ask all the standard questions in e-mails to sound legit?

I probably wouldn't call you, but not because it's spammy. You just don't sound interested.

 

[Lowerside]

If an ad is interesting enough, I’d want to text first to set a time, then pick up the phone to get to know the “person” I’m trying to do business with.

That's a pretty foreign concept to me also having been on both sides of CL transactions. I like emails/text messages as I can ask or answer any questions with precision. As a seller (slash has helped other folks sell their cars, etc), I have all the details that I would personally want on my ads so most of the emails that I get are quick "would you take $XXXX?" and I can do a quick response back with a yes/no. As a buyer, i've sent questions to a seller and if they don't respond back or don't answer them all, then I just move on.