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Message started by 360k+ on 07/16/12 at 08:44:36

Title: The Rube Goldberg School of Marketing
Post by 360k+ on 07/16/12 at 08:44:36

This guy must be a graduate.

http://merced.craigslist.org/mcy/3103779157.html

Some of the ads you see on CL are absolutely THE worst I have ever seen, to the point where you wonder if the seller is even real? I saw one a while back where the title was "Motorcycle for sale". Then when I clicked it out of curiosity, it repeated the title with a phone number. No picture, no description, no make/model, no year, natha! What these folks probably don't realize is they have automatically screened out 90% of potential buyers.

Title: Re: The Rube Goldberg School of Marketing
Post by ALfromN.H. on 07/16/12 at 11:37:58

I agree. If the guy wants to sell an anti-gravity bike, he should give a few more details,

Title: Re: The Rube Goldberg School of Marketing
Post by Boule’tard on 07/16/12 at 13:38:34

And yet, it got you to look at it. You figured you were the one out of 10 people who'd consider it, and therefore buyers would be scarce and you'd be more likely to get a good deal. But there are probably more than 10% of CL watchers of the same mindset, maybe enough to get even more potential buyers than a fully informative ad!

So is the seller just lazy and ignorant, or actually being clever by appearing lazy and ignorant.. you never know. Could be someone who doesn't know what they have. Could be someone wanting to just "get it gone" with as little effort as possible. Could be a divorce situation where the woman wants to sell her ex's bike for $50 out of spite! :D

Out of the ignorant looking ads that have a price on them, there is a whole continuum from deranged high price to screaming good deal. I got about "half off" my last bike by clicking an ad that was pretty much just: model, year, price. After learning the approximate condition, mileage, and title status I told the guy he was asking way too little money, but he stayed true to the ad.

Title: Re: The Rube Goldberg School of Marketing
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/16/12 at 15:45:05

SUZUKI INTRUDER - $2000 (turlock)

He misspelled turdlock,,

Title: Re: The Rube Goldberg School of Marketing
Post by 360k+ on 07/16/12 at 18:21:52

28253F262F3E2B382E4A0 wrote:

So is the seller just lazy and ignorant, or actually being clever by appearing lazy and ignorant.. you never know.

You may be right... hmmm... maybe he knows that I know that he knows his ad looks dumb with an upside down motorcycle picture. Of course, he is assuming that I am not from Australia, because in Australia...

Title: Re: The Rube Goldberg School of Marketing
Post by Steampowered Boy on 07/16/12 at 21:03:47

how does that have to do with Rube Goldberg? Rube Goldberg created overly complex machines to accomplish simple tasks.

Title: Re: The Rube Goldberg School of Marketing
Post by tizzyfit on 07/17/12 at 02:14:17

7F796A61212D2B2A21180 wrote:

As is the case with way too many, you buy them books and they eat the covers. Obviously, the "seller" "thinks" we can read his mind, if, in fact, he has one.

Title: Re: The Rube Goldberg School of Marketing
Post by 360k+ on 07/17/12 at 07:00:10

557263676B7669716374636244697F060 wrote:

how does that have to do with Rube Goldberg? Rube Goldberg created overly complex machines to accomplish simple tasks.

I was going to say "The John Smith School of Marketing", but I knew someone would write in and ask, "Why John Smith?"

Title: Re: The Rube Goldberg School of Marketing
Post by Blinky on 07/17/12 at 17:00:20

Here is another advertising twister from CL.

20O6 suzuki salvage 650 - $1

http://lexington.craigslist.org/mcy/3087391713.html

360+. I'll bite. Why John Smith?

Good hunting

Title: Re: The Rube Goldberg School of Marketing
Post by 360k+ on 07/17/12 at 20:25:38

6F687E67670B0 wrote:

Here is another advertising twister from CL.

20O6 suzuki salvage 650 - $1

http://lexington.craigslist.org/mcy/3087391713.html

360+. I'll bite. Why John Smith?

Good hunting

Yep, that is ambiguous, but in a funny way. Does he really mean "Salvage"; i.e., as in a DMV salvage job? The fun just never enjds!

Free guitar, no strings attached. ;D

Title: Re: The Rube Goldberg School of Marketing
Post by Dave on 07/18/12 at 07:51:19

Here is an eBay listing that confused me. The seller is trying to sell this tank at a cost that is almost 6 times the list price!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HARLEY-DAVIDSON-GAS-FUEL-TANK-PRIMED-EVO-FLHTCU-TOURING-61356-97A-98-AS-NEW-/200778625380?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2ebf56b164&vxp=mtr

Does he just do this for advertising? What good is advertising that you are inflating your prices?

Title: Re: The Rube Goldberg School of Marketing
Post by 360k+ on 07/18/12 at 09:30:39

Yes, that is bizarre! And the guy has the audacity to charge $29 for shipping??? You'd think he would at least throw in the shipping. Maybe it's a typo, but that's one heck of a typo. Surely the guy would have proofread the ad before posting. I dunno, go figure?