I’ll admit, I was skeptical of using online marketplaces.  It was daunting, where to start?  While I checked out several others, I decided to start with Craigslist.  It seemed straightforward.  Just create a username and password and then post something for sale.

So, I thought, this seems easy, I wonder if it will work?

Well, yes it can and it does depending on what it is that you want to sell.  Some things work well, others not so much.

The first item I “sold” on Craigslist was a BIG item.  I listed a house for RENT on Craigslist.  I received several emails expressing interest within a few hours of posting the home with a detailed description, lots of photos.  Photos are SO SO important.  Just posting a description does not capture the attention or interest, photos work, use them.

I posted the house for rent on a Friday (the BEST Day to post for sale or rent because many people start thinking about what they need/want on a Friday and then they have the weekend to come and buy/see what you are selling.  By Saturday morning, I had set up several showings and had some very nice people come to see the house.  A lovely just married couple wanted to rent it and since I liked them, we struck an agreement.

I have since used Craigslist 3 other times to rent that same house with similar successful results.

The next item I placed on Craigslist for sale was a used car (looks like I’m into selling big things on Craigslist).  Within 2 hours of placing a detailed description (including mileage) and several photos of the 16 year old vehicle, I had the first call from a guy who really needed a car and promised to come right away to see it.  He begged me not to sell it to someone else in the meanwhile.  I agreed.  While I waited for him to arrive, I received 4 phone calls from people wanting the car.  I took their contact information and told them I would call them back if it was still available.  No need to  make that call as the first guy that called, drove off in his new car.

Then I tried to sell my first generation iPod Touch on Craigslist.  This is where the story takes a dark turn.  I’ve found that when you post Apple items on Craigslist, it attracts the scammers to you.  They promise to pay via PayPal, they come on very strong and want you to box up the item and get it to them right away. There is usually some convoluted story to go along with their sense of urgency.  And, if you don’t comply, they get ugly. They send you many many emails urging you to pack it up and ship it because they say they’ve PAID you already via PayPal and they ask that you click on the Link they send you so that you can Log-in to PayPal to see that the $$ is there.  DO NOT DO IT.  It is a SCAM.    Such was the case with this iPod Touch.  I did not make the sale.  They guy was a scammer.  The good folks at PayPal’s fraud department caught it when I shared his emails with the faked out PayPal page and link.

Undeterred from this less than ideal experience, I listed again on Craigslist.  This time, I listed and sold a Universal Gym.  Fitness equipment sells on Craigslist.  Since it’s large, you usually have to let the buyer come to your home to see the equipment.  I try to discern as much as I can about the people interested in buying before I agree to show them the item for sale, particularly when they are coming to my home.  And, even then, I ask someone to be here with me just in case.  I was fortunate in that a young couple wanted the gym, came here, paid and left with it.  Ditto for the Pilates machine I sold just a few weeks ago, again on Craigslist.

One item that I sold on Craigslist surprised even me.  I replaced my oil burner with a gas-furnace.  I took photos of the oil burner, wrote up a description, placed it on Craigslist on a Friday evening, 3 hours later, I received an email from a guy who wanted it. His had broken, it was December and very very cold.  He came to pick it up on Sunday.  It was a win-win.  I was rid of a huge and heavy working oil burner, the $300 I charged was icing on the cake.  The buyer was happy to have gotten a well-maintained furnace for his home.

I’ve had some success selling smaller items, mostly bracelets and watches I’ve collected over the years. For these sales to work, take the time to photo the item in good lighting.  For jewelry especially, it’s hard to see the detail unless you are up close.  Buyers want to know the scale and the size of items.  A thorough description is key.  Another thing to keep in mind, you’ll have better success when selling these items if you place the ad on Craigslist near a holiday or ‘event’ day, like Mother’s Day or Graduation, because men especially, wait until the last minute to buy gifts and making it easy for them to see the item and pay for it is key.

Selling these types of items, it’s best if you meet the buyer in a public place to complete the transaction.

To succeed on selling on Craigslist:

1) Provide detailed item description.  Think of  yourself as the buyer.  What would you need to know in order to be interested in this item.

2) Post several photos of the item from several angles.  Buyers LOVE photos.

3) Post your listing on a Friday, when it will get the most viewers.

4) Beware of scammers.  They are insidious and they are out there, just looking for an opportunity to take something that is yours without paying for it.

5) Be careful when you are meeting someone who wants to buy from you.  Meet in a public place if possible. Or, try to find as much out in advance about your buyer as possible. Now that we have the resources of the internet available, it is easy to uncover information about your buyers.

Happy Selling.