Spring cleaning, a time I equally dread and enjoy. If you’re anything like me, I always seem to make a bigger mess when I start the hefty chore of spring cleaning! I always separate my possessions into three piles: throw away, donate, and sell. The throw away and donate piles are always fairly easy to take care of. However, the sell pile always gets to me; it will sit there until I finally decide to donate it because it’s easier than listing it on ebay or in the paper.
All this has changed though since I discovered craigslist.com. Craigslist is such a wonderful asset to use in disposing of your spring cleaning giveaway items and make a little cash on the side.
I have recently used craigslist to sell a TV, DVD player, and TV stand. It took me about 15 minutes to list the posts and load the pictures onto the website and I started receiving responses in just a few hours. All three items sold within a week and I had an extra $150 in my pocket.
The listing site is extremely easy to use; all they ask for is a title, price, location, description and email address. You also have the option of uploading a picture, which I believe helps sell the item and get more exposure of your item to those looking to buy. Craigslist does keep your email address private, but you also have the option of listing your phone number in the description area if you wish.
I would recommend letting customers know that you will only accept cash or money orders in your description to avoid any bad checks. Also, make sure you respond to emails and phone calls in a timely manner in order to ensure your customer won’t go somewhere else. I believe it is also important to provide detailed driving directions for a potential buyer. Mapquest.com will allow you to email directions; this should allow for your customer to arrive to your place on time without getting lost.
I have never bought anything on craigslist.com, but it seems like you can get some really good deals if you are patient and a good negotiator. It is also important to remember that when you arrive at a sellers home to view their product for sale, you always have to option of saying no! If the item is badly used or worn or if the description is all wrong, say no and spend your money on something you will be happy with.
Now, if you are looking for help wanted ads on craigslist, I would be wary and make sure to review the company’s website before giving out any personal information. It seems that there are a lot of scammers who post employment ads on craigslist. I have used craigslist to apply for a few jobs and there was only one that was indeed a local business seeking a new employee. Many “work-at-home” scams are listed on craigslist, so sift through the ads and look for detailed information in the description. If the ad only says email or call for more information it is probably not legit. Companies that are seeking employees have to sell their company to you, so they will offer quite a bit of information to encourage you to apply.
Overall, I believe craigslist is a great way to sell unwanted items as well as a great way to find a good deal on any item that you have thought about purchasing
