How to Craigslist Sell

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By Terri Brisbane
User-Submitted Article

Article Rating: (45 Ratings)

easy way to make money

The Craigslist Web site was started by a smart guy named Craig Newmark. There are now Craigslists in over 450 cities. People use Craigslist to buy and sell stuff, post job openings, find roommates, talk about community issues, find a new friend and also find or sell erotic services.

This article is only information on how to make a successful sale using the Carigslist service. Unlike Ebay, Craigslist is free to use when selling an item or listing a service, and is an easy way to make money.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

camera
email
something to sell

Step 1

Make money on Craigslist

Selling on Craigslist is free, very easy and for the most part very safe.

There are some things to do before you post though. If you are selling an old computer or cell phone, you want to make sure that all your personal information is erased and all phone numbers are erased. There are some software programs that will do this for you.

Selling anything else like clothes, used furniture, cars, sports equipment, etc. Clean it, wash it, and spiff it up. People are more likely to buy what you are selling if it looks clean and well taken care of.
Step 2

Take photos.

You are allowed to post up to four photos of your item. If you can't take a picture, you can try to find a like item from stock photos on the internet. Most people will not even open an ad that does not have photos. Who's going to buy something they can't see?
Step 3

Use photos

Pricing.

If you want to just get rid of your item because you no longer need it or its taking up space, sell it cheap. Craigslist is like a giant yard sale. People are looking to find something they need or want for a deal.

When selling an item that you want to make money on, or when flipping a Craigslist item, you will want to price it higher with the understanding that you might have to re-list it a few times to get your asking price. Put your asking price in the ad and say it is negotiable if it is.
Step 4

Description.

Be honest and provide detailed information about your item or service. If the antique milk jug you are selling has a crack in it, say so, and take a picture of it as well. Don’t waste your time over selling the item by saying that it is better than it is, because when the person comes to look at it in person, they are going to see the real deal.
Step 5

Sell and only take cash

Services are listed the same way as other items:

Describe your service.
State your price and location.
State if you are licensed, bonded or insured.
Post your ad under the appropriate listing.

Never give out your personal information on Craigslist. Interested parties can contact you through the Craigslist email system, so you will not have to publicly use your telephone or cell phone number or even your email address.

Only sell locally, only take cash and meet in person to sell your item. Don’t give out your address too early in the selling process. You may want to meet at the nearby grocery store first.

You can also trade your item or list it for a freebie on Craigslist.