I have a digital Black & Decker toaster oven for sale. I'm only asking $15 (o.b.o.) because it doesn't toast evenly. It still works, but not as good as it did when it was new. Email me if you have any questions.
And so it begins. Two or three emails the first week, one the second, and one the third. "I want your toaster. Is it still available?" This is the most common email. I respond that it is and if they're interested they should call me. Rarely, do I get another email from these people that write to me first.
When someone is serious about buying an item I have for sale, it marks the beginning of a series of extremely awkward conversations and interactions. A few emails are exchanged before a phone call is placed. This, of course leads to the transaction itself. You either meet at a common place (this is my preferred method) or they come to your home, track mud throughout your recently vacuumed living room and use your bathroom while you stand awkwardly making small talk with the husband. The latter really happened and I will never let that happen again. That is, until I sell my refrigerator and they have to come and pick it up.
No matter where you meet, though, it's always awkward. I feel like I have to justify why I'm getting rid of an item and I'm always afraid to count the money in front of the buyer for fear of offending him/her. The chit chat, above all else, that comes along with the transaction kills me. I don't care what you want the item for and I don't want to talk about your past or mine.
Craig's List is great on so many levels. You can find a job, a pet, and even a date. You can sell your car, your house, and even your date. Completing the deal is just plain awkward. There isn't a better word to describe it. You're meeting a complete stranger online and then trusting him/her to sell you a legitimate item or you're asking him/her to trust you. If we meet to make a deal, let's not try and beat the uneasy situation with small talk. Let's just get it over with.
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