Hey CL shoppers! Odd ad wordage trends in your area? Share 4 fun

12 years ago

Hi, as a few of you know by some of my sons deal shopping drama posts I am on a mission to decorate his whole down stairs on a dime. I think I'm getting burnt out though lol. Whenever I see posts started with the below headings I already have a vision of what the ad will say. Have you noticed CL wordage trends in your area and how they relate to certain timeframes or styles?

Here are mine. (Note: I'm not knocking furniture styles, just noting what words seem to go with certain styles and years.)

Shabby chic Style = very bad white paint job

Gorgeous = over priced rectangular glass dining table w/outrageous base shape and outdated upholstery on parsons chairs. Or they are from or live near Boca where they say gorgeous a lot.

High quality = very often Rooms to Go, owned by first time new furniture buyers.

High end = white washed furniture from the 1991.

Check this out = dealer posting the furniture for sale in the by owner section.

Unique table and chairs = usually an octagon shaped w/chairs on wheels. Sometimes kinda cool except they are asking what they paid for it in 1983.

Hurry won't last = castle size, huge, grossly ornate furniture from 2006 when everyone thought they were real estate rich.

Fabulous = sometimes fabulous really is (if you have the money), but if you had that much money would you shop on CL? Wouldn't you go somewhere you could put it on a card and have it delivered? Do people keep a few thousand cash lying around for a CL buy?

Stunning = stunning could be anything but is often French country cottage; "stunning" items are usually from the nineties or early 2000's. Often they are in the upper medium quality with owners pricing so high that it leads one to believe they don't really want to part with it.

Must go ASAP = (this one has three meanings) owner has tried to sell it all previously but no one wanted the Ikea pieces after they had already been passed back and forth between five or six college students over the years. Or, it's filthy furniture that smells of week old underwear, socks and an untrained dog. Or, a sad story where someone loses their home.

That's it! I am getting burnt out with my CL shopping and there is no doubt.

I need a laugh! CL story or pictures? Share for fun?

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Comments (73)

fluffybutt
12 years ago
Is that what "for sell" means (you speak southern). I see that all the time and it drives me nuts. I never understood that.
Sujafr
12 years ago
I don't know if it's unique to my area (Pacific NW), but I keep seeing ads that say something like "picture says it all" accompanied by a fuzzy picture that is worthless, providing neither dimensions or even color representation you can tell.

Then today I see an ad where he provides a description but the accompanying picture has the item draped in plastic. Seriously...you're standing right in front of this with your camera, Fellow. Didn't it occur to you to remove the bag before you snapped the picture??

Here is a link that might be useful: Bar stool covered with plastic
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CatMagnet
12 years ago
Not really odd wording, but I'm tired of seeing ads for "beautiful" sofas for $250 that are obviously years old. Like people really would pay that much for an outdated sofa that has been farted on for the past 10 years.

I also see a lot of the "must go ASAP" listed at a phenomenally high price. I remember one ad for a 1940s dining room set (which was gorgeous and totally my taste but not worth what was being asked) which had to be sold due to a move. The price was bad enough but the snotty tone of the ad made it worse, how they would rather move it than reduce the price. It was listed repeatedly and I'm guessing it went with them. LOL
jterrilynn
Original Author
12 years ago
Sujafr that is funny, took the time to set it up but left the wrapper on. I see that a lot here too.

I'm starting to like the furniture ads with people and dogs either in the background or accidentally showcased somehow. Last week there was an ad for a grungy looking couch, the picture of the couch was a small thumbnail but the bottom picture was a large picture of an old yellow long haired retriever mix dog, why? I once saw an outdoor patio set ad that had in the background a man bending with a big butt crack showing. I'm telling you I could make a movie of this stuff!

I like this ad that showed up today for a dining room set. Now this is a young budding used car TV commercial guy in the making. At the end of the ad it said the table top was broke and you had to buy another. Maybe he danced into it?

I can just hear this young man singing his sales pitch...

Yo Yo Yo we got dis ta ta tabo fo sale I say ta ta tabo fo sale. So give me yo money cuz my friend needs bail I say my friend needs bailll.
So hey dude & dudets do not delay, I say do not delay my homeys gotta pay my homeys gotta pay.
Now come on ova an drop us a dimeÃ¢ÂÂ¦ Ill help ya load it so you git it home on time..yo yo yo yo
dianalo
12 years ago
Slightly OT -but I love when houses are listed with Parkay floors. Sounds very slippery to me!
terezosa / terriks
12 years ago
On the subject of real estate listings, how about the pictures? This is a new one on our MLS. You think that they could have moved the trash (or at least emptied it) before taking the picture.
dianalo
12 years ago
Oh - don't even get me started on bathrooms with not only the lid up, but the seat as well, in real estate listings!
I always de-clutter the counters and then put the papers & misc. back on after taking the pix in kitchens and on dressers. If the homeowner is watching me, they sometimes get the idea and I don't see stacks ever more....
paintergirl94
12 years ago
How about this ad: "Att: Decorators and Lovers: 2 matching books, love and erotic poetry, $20".
Anyone??!
lori316
12 years ago
A few weeks ago there was a "curb alert" ad. When you opened it, there was a picture of a very sloppily dressed, unshaven, unkempt man. The ad said something like "today's the day. I'm kicking this fat lazy slob to the curb. You can have him, but he doesnt work" It was removed very quickly, but I bet there's lots of that type of ad out there around the country.

The "Best of" Craigslists are very funny to read. If you've never looked that up, spend some time there for a chuckle
Janice5
12 years ago
More than once I've seen something listed with a "firm" price with the warning that if it's not sold that day, it will be thrown out.
Is that a threat?
graywings123
12 years ago
That's like the "No spammers!" warning. Yeah, that's going to stop them.

Or, "serious buyers only." So you can't be a happy buyer?
Olychick
12 years ago
this was posted on my local cl this a.m. Tongue in cheek I am sure:

Fernature 4 Sell Quik - $1 (Tacomma)
Date: 2011-10-14, 12:02PM PDT
Reply to: sale-gcpps-2649786534@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

gots lotta fernature 4 sell. goin back to schol an gettin a GED soon

dinning tabel buy dunkin fife
armwah buy poddiry barne
warsher an drier
couch with sum cats teres
book shelve with shelfs
dressor with messin laigs
lotta moore gude stuff
all high end no partickle bored stuff

no skamers or punks
leaf youre number an i mite call

i am a produck of amerikan schols an nede help
Sueb20
12 years ago
LOL. Good laughs for a rainy Friday afternoon.

I have seen "rod iron" many times on my CL. The other day there was a "porclin" something for sale (porcelain).
probookie
12 years ago
I enjoyed the ad for the "Two Wing Tip Chairs" in the DC Craigslist today. I can imagine myself having a similar mental disconnect if trying to post an ad while distracted.
mybrowneyedgirls
12 years ago
This ad just makes me mad. The guy says he wants $10,000 "firm" for a damaged table that might be Pier 1 from the 80's or maybe it was made by Salvador Dali, or "at least one of his friends." Yeah, I bet a lot of craigslist shoppers are willing to buy at table for $10,000 on craigslist from a guy who has no clue what he's talking about--and why mention that his friend, who he says is "full of $**t," says the table is from Pier 1? I don't get it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Salvador Dali or Pier 1 table
soooomanyboys
12 years ago
I saw one the other day that said if you were "arrested" you should call XXX XXXX. Maybe the rap star from jterrilynns posting should call him!
finz2left
12 years ago
I think the Salvador Dali table is a joke. It made me LOL!
jterrilynn
Original Author
12 years ago
Wouldn't it be funny if someone thought they were getting a steal by offering the Dali guy $2,000 lol?

Cl list has been a bust for me this week, still can't find a table size and style that will work for sons place.

I did go to a garage sale of a lifetime today though. Good thing my husband was with me because I might have gone wild. The owners of the house left everything to their church; the house was a time capsule of treasure. Unfortunately I had arrived about an hour too late for the steals. I'm getting pretty good at the church estate sales though, I have learned that you need to hover around the outskirts a bit and eavesdrop on the elderly church ladies conversations to learn who they resent. There is always one who has self appointed herself in charge that riles the natives. So, I quickly learned that "Trudy" thought she was the only one who could change prices, and who did "Trudy" think she was, and if "Trudy kept it up ... gosh darn it they were going to change the prices to.
So off I went to find Trudy and get on her good side. First I stopped at a table with large original sketches where I came across some interesting nudes, as I was admiring the artists work, the table of elderly volunteers next to me started making cracks about it being "Trudy". Trudy was not popular! I have to say that meeting "Trudy" didn't go well at first because Trudy didn't think I should pick up the little colonial figurines on the dining table and snatched them out of my hand. So of course I had to wind Trudy up an accuse her of wanting to keep the figurines all for herself. I was only half kidding but it did mellow Trudy out a bit in case god was watching. I ended up buying this king headboard, I first had to wrestle my husband to the ground and pry the fifteen dollars out of his hand because he hated it. Trudy came through for me though and took ten bucks off the tag price...good ole Trudy!

I have no idea yet what I'm going to do with this headboard. It's almost so ugly it's cool the way it is (Fake velvet?). I did a test area of my white vinegar / simple green solution and it looks like its going to clean up nice. However, I'm thinking new upholstery fabric.
Olychick
12 years ago
this is a new one to me...

Here is a link that might be useful: papasan chair
Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
12 years ago
Down here in Jacksonville, we too have lots of rod iron, as well as:

Shudders,

Kitty pool,

a Chi Hua Hua,

and this lovely table which, in all fairness, was not listed as a dinning table. It brings shabby chic to a "whole nother" level. The listing reads, "Large Black Picnic Table - $50. Large, all wooden picnic table. Sits 8 comfortably. Has been painted black. A little shaky but still sturdy. Too large to use as a table as we planned."

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}
rosie
12 years ago
May be, but I'm guessing both MILs got tired fast of climbing in and out. How can you keep an eye on what DD's up to in the kitchen and chase after the toddlers that way? :)

LOTs of chester drawers and rod iron (NEVER is!) here in Georgia too.

How about this sort of genre: "Paid $6000, sacrifice for only $3500." (Patio table and chairs purchased from a patio shop by young marrieds in a prolonged process of learning by experience).
teeda
12 years ago
I'm in CT. Recently, I've seen numerous listings for a "one person couch" or "one person sofa". The "one person sofas" are really club chairs, usually with rolled arms!

I recently saw a listing titled "furnisher for sale". Another one that stood out was a "shabby sheik" dresser!
peegee
12 years ago
jterrilynn -YO YO YO!!! LOL over your earlier response!!!!!!!!!!!
Olychick
12 years ago
I almost resurrected this thread the other day when I saw a TV armorware for sale on our CL.
chucksmom
12 years ago
Are the chip and dale legs the originals or the Rescue Ranger variety?
Saypoint zone 6 CT
12 years ago
"outdated sofa that has been farted on for the past 10 years"
I laughed so hard that the dog woke up and ran out of the room, and I almost peed myself. Which means I would someday be selling this "beautiful" couch on CL, maybe sooner than later. Beware the used sofa.
Jo
painteddragon
12 years ago
these 3 ads are running right now on our CL they have been on for about 6 weeks. I just can't understand why they can't seem to sell these....lol

http://saginaw.craigslist.org/fuo/2794435414.html
http://saginaw.craigslist.org/fuo/2794439853.html
http://saginaw.craigslist.org/fuo/2794438060.html
4boys2
12 years ago
She appears to be selling kittens .
Not allowed on Craigslist.
kayec28
12 years ago
Some of the people listing stuff in my area are a hoot. I love the guy who keeps putting an ad out for "sitting chairs." Is there another kind I'm not aware of? And then there's the dealer who keeps listing his bedroom furniture as "adorable white kids set." I'm been *this* close to emailing him asking him why only cute white kids are eligible to own his furniture. And the dealer who keeps advertising his "Louis Phillip" bedroom sets... "Mr Phillip" is no doubt rolling over in his grave.

"Vintage dining set" will invariably be the ubiquitous 1980s/90s maple dining set with white tile top or painted white with maple top, and Windsor style chairs. If only I had bought stock in that furniture when it first came out, I'd be rich.

(vintage and antique furniture snob) I'm always appreciative of the people who put "New!" or "Almost new!" in their headings so I can skip right over them because I know it's usually going to be crap. (/vintage and antique furniture snob)
Circus Peanut
12 years ago
This appealing rug photo just showed up on our CL:

{{!gwi}}
png4eva
12 years ago
I saw an ad for an "Armwall" just today! lol
lauriedeee
12 years ago
Someone on our CL was giving away
"Roosters. A black n a white"

Sometimes I look at the photos of the furniture that's being sold on CL, and all I can think of is... what in the hell were they thinkin' when they bought that?
Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
12 years ago
I have to smile at the people who don't post upright photos. It's ok if you don't know how to rotate photos - I understand that lots of people fight with their computers - but if you are having trouble, how about taking another picture in landscape (instead of portrait) and posting that?!
desertsteph
12 years ago
we have a lot of rot or rod iron stuff here also!

dang - my sister wanted a rooster. free, eh?

we have a lot of stripper poles...even a striper pole!

can't sell kittens? we have lots of dogs on ours! got my puppy from CL.
nancybee_2010
12 years ago
on today's: free christmas tree (for mulch). Hope he gets a taker soon, it must be getting really dry!
gr8daygw
12 years ago
LOL!! The rug with the dog's poot on it, hee hee. I really did LOL. Made me think of the commercial where Toby is scooting. TOBY!!! For those that don't own dogs, they sometimes "scoot" leaving a racing stripe that is best left at that.

When I read real estate ads in our area I cringe when I see "builder's personal home" oy vey...don't go there. Will be the weirdest conglomeration of left overs, mistakes and short cut mess you ever saw. Also fear the "custom home" ad. One we saw had an additional attached garage off the back of the house for their Greyhound bus size RV. All in the same brick as the house. It was gigantic! An otherwise very nice brick home in nice neighborhood.

"Custom" home ~code for messed up layout with hideous taste in everything that cannot otherwise be explained.
katlan
12 years ago
o.k. check this one out on the Penn State Craigslist. Too funny.

http://pennstate.craigslist.org/fuo/2818367682.html
amykath
12 years ago
Man! These are hilarious. What a great thread! I just saw a "delux" mid century mondern sofa for sale. Yeah you guessed it.... it did look 45 years old in terms of wear and tear!!
jojoco
12 years ago
In the Syracuse CL, you can find a candle opera for sale, among other beauts.

For me, though, I just want to go shopping "in storage" because evidently,all the good stuff is there.

jo
gmp3
12 years ago
Stump Removal and Daughter....is the guy's name "Stump Removal"? They have a sense of humor, although a twisted one....

Here is a link that might be useful: stump removal
Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
12 years ago
I love to garden and looking for plants, I ran across this one: "sasity garlic". That one took me awhile...
..."society garlic"!
amykath
12 years ago
I found this one to be quite funny. This guy hopefully didn't quit his day job to become a salesman!!

Really, really ugly coffee table - $5 (77065 Cy Fair)

Okay, this coffee table is ugly. It's REALLY ugly. I can't even believe I'm trying to sell it, it's so ugly. But it's also VERY sturdy. You can sit on it without even worrying about it collapsing beneath you. It'd be really a great thing for someone who just needs SOMETHING to put a big TV on, who wants to bedazzle furniture, or who doesn't want to send the "good" old coffee table to college with her son. I mean, hey, we all need some utility furniture at one time or another, right? Maybe you even want it to refinish it and sell it for megabucks... I promise I won't judge you for buying it if you won't judge me for having it to sell in the first place!We will be home tonight (Sunday) between 6 and 8 if you want to come see it. If you can't come then, just drop me a line and let me know whenuld be a better time for you, and we'll work it out.Ã¯Â¿Â½Disclaimers: As is. Cash money only. No refunds. No phone calls, please; email contacts only.Ã¯Â¿Â½
dawnp
12 years ago
Saw a funny one last night:

"Hand Crotched Bedspread" - She meant "crocheted"

Yuk!
Olychick
12 years ago
This is on mine today...can't imagine how bad that fur will smell as it burns:

FIRE WOOD CORDS FUR AND ALDER - $150
jterrilynn
Original Author
12 years ago
Recliners! I could go on and on about recliner chairs for sale with lower body leak stains. What could people be thinking? I can't remember how much this one was up for but I have seen them with discharge stains up as high as $250. Of course I do see the same chairs going down in price as each week passes until I'm sure they are parked at the curb.
jessicaml
12 years ago
OMG...this thread had me laughing so hard I scared the cat off my lap.

I've seen a lot of "Solid Wood" tables advertised. It may be hideous, poorly stained or painted, or some poor kid's D- shop project, but hey, it's wood!
pudgeder
12 years ago
There have been some "chanalears" for sell in my area.

Geeze!
terezosa / terriks
12 years ago
Were they for sell or for sale?
pudgeder
12 years ago
They were for "Sell"

LOL!!
lara9143
12 years ago
Sad story: I was searching for months for a dining room set on CL. Finally I started searching by "dinning set" because of so many misspellings - I found my set in 1 DAY.
Really...?