What should I do?

[AdamTheScrapper]

I was poking around craigslist and found a guy putting up an ad saying that he'll take your old computers,laptops,hard drives,etc and I'm a little urked.Scrap isn't the most common thing to find in my area and now any potenial computer deals are pretty much gone.So should I try the dumpster diving approch,the buisness card approch,or the asking people "Got any old electronics?" approch.Just wandering

PEACE!

[brandon]

put up your own CL ad but make it look better than the other guys.

[happyscraper]

All of the above.

[eesakiwi]

Most computer people are cat people.
So put in your add that you will give 1Lb of good quality cat food to your local Cat Shelter per item as payment for a single laptop or computer etc.

Cat food here is about US$5 or less per Lb.

[chrisc]

yep all of the above there few people around me joining the game but i do little advertising but i got 4 awesome customers for life and i go help someone i ask best way cl to many people around me ctscrapping and i meet up we chatted he was respectful of me as i was for him i don't post to much on cl as him and few others got it nailed down ,i did scan my card and went on ebay classified no hits yet .facebook is also good free advisement i got around 800 worth for free ..try what worst they say no lol .....

[AuburnEwaste]

You will always have competition! One guy on craigslist isn't going to kill your business.

[BRASSCATCHER]

yep all of the above there few people around me joining the game but i do little advertising but i got 4 awesome customers for life and i go help someone i ask best way cl to many people around me ctscrapping and i meet up we chatted he was respectful of me as i was for him i don't post to much on cl as him and few others got it nailed down ,i did scan my card and went on ebay classified no hits yet .facebook is also good free advisement i got around 800 worth for free ..try what worst they say no lol .....

Cl is free advertising, take advantage of it. You may find people want to try someone new.

[BRASSCATCHER]

Adam- is that guy buying ewaste or just offering a free pick up. Free is always good but to be competitive and get your name out there paying a few bucks may be the way to go. I always find that I usually come away with alot more than I pay for. You may pay for some ewaste but then you get the question "do you take this too". I tell people I only pay for ewaste but will take it if they want to get rid of it. You will be surprised what you will get. Paying also gets you referals to their friends and family sometimes too.

[Bear]

"what should i do?"

call craigslist and complain ; )

[BRASSCATCHER]

hehehehehe

[jghilino]

"what should i do?" flag there ad, thats what everyone around here does

[Jonniebrass]

Do exactly what brasscatcher says. If you can pay $5 for somthing and turn it to 10 you are ahead. I did a deal on 35 towers for 175.00 and left that place with more than 175.00 in free items. Now the 35 towers are profit plus.

[ggariepy]

I was poking around craigslist and found a guy putting up an ad saying that he'll take your old computers,laptops,hard drives,etc and I'm a little urked.Scrap isn't the most common thing to find in my area and now any potenial computer deals are pretty much gone.

If you live in the USA, you're living in the most powerful consumer society in the world. There's literally tens of millions of used computers in every state, and most of them end up in landfills. I would be willing to bet you there's $10,000 worth of scrap that winds up in the landfill every year for every square mile. Don't sweat that other guy, he can only process so much. Put up your own Craigslist ad and enjoy life!

[Filthy]

Most computer people are cat people.
So put in your add that you will give 1Lb of good quality cat food to your local Cat Shelter per item as payment for a single laptop or computer etc.

Cat food here is about US$5 or less per Lb.

this is the strangest suggestion i have ever heard.... but you may be on to something

[ron22]

So does anyone else get the stupid replys on CL saying then can get more money at the scrap yard them selfs or something just as stupid?

[ggariepy]

So does anyone else get the stupid replys on CL saying then can get more money at the scrap yard them selfs or something just as stupid?

Last week I got a hustler of some sort that wanted me to "work for him" supplying him scrap which he would in turn resell. "Working for him" is the exact opposite of why I started hauling scrap metal. "Working for myself" is what I want to do with this. I asked him politely to go away, and fortunately he did, but not before he badgered me a few times wanting to talk prices.

I don't care if you can pay me triple what I can get at the yard myself, if it's not on my own terms forget it!

--Geoff

[BRASSCATCHER]

So does anyone else get the stupid replys on CL saying then can get more money at the scrap yard them selfs or something just as stupid?

No but I once saw a guy in scrap yard that had three towers in his truck. When we left I pulled up to him before he went to the non ferrous side and offered him $5.00 each knowing they were paying only.15# he looks at me and says no way man I can get ALMOST that much inside. Shook my head and drove away.

[eesakiwi]

this is the strangest suggestion i have ever heard.... but you may be on to something

I thought of something else last night.
Theres nothing worse than the sound a hungry cat, maybe someone crying, thats about that.

So maybe something similar to the cat food idea. Have a add that says you will SWAP a computer for 1Lb catfood.

The owners now sitting at home, cats meowing all day & theres no cat food in the cupboard or $ for catfood.
Oh Yeah, I just remembered seeing a add for 'Computer stuff wanted & will swap for catfood'.
& I remember that I chucked one in the attic a few years ago. Its not worth anything anyway.

I make the phone call, guy arrives a hour later, picks up computer & leaves a week or more of catfood.