How to Sell on Craigslist Safely

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Craigslist is one of the most popular online platforms for buying, selling, and finding services. Whether you’re looking to declutter, find a new job, or score a great deal, it’s a go-to site for many. However, as with any marketplace, it’s vital to approach transactions cautiously. In this article, we’ll guide you through the best practices on how to sell on Craigslist safely and securely.

How to Sell on Craigslist Safely

Craigslist is Free

Craigslist is a free online marketplace. You must pay a listing or final value fee on many online platforms. With Craigslist being free, that’s a big deal. It allows you to make more money.

There is No Limit on how much you can list

There’s no limit on how many items you can list there. You can list five things, or you can list 50. Some things sell better on different platforms. What sells on eBay may not always sell on Craigslist. You’ll better understand what to list on each platform as you sell more items. You can list collectibles, used items, unwanted items, gadgets, clothes, and more.

Large Items

Another thing about selling on Craigslist is that it’s arguably the best platform to sell large items. There are no shipping fees since you meet with your potential buyer in person. When it comes to large items, that is huge. Some of the larger items I’ve sold on Craigslist are a car, a mini-refrigerator, and a set of drinking glasses. For me, Craigslist is my number one choice when selling bigger items.

Craigslist Gets Traffic

Craigslist gets a lot of traffic. Everyone isn’t on Craigslist to buy things, but many people are. Posting some of your items on the site gives them a chance to be seen by more potential buyers. That eventually will mean more money.

Potential Sales

When someone is interested in an item online, they will contact you. The default setting is email. In your listing, you can update the contact info and let people know if it’s ok for you to call or text you. Take the time to review each message carefully.

Sometimes people don’t want to buy something from you. They just want to troll you. From time to time, people will send you a lowball offer. They are not looking to negotiate. If you receive any message that seems off, ignore it and move on to the next one. You will get those kinds of messages every once in a while. Don’t get mad; ignore them. Also, if someone emails you asking if you can pay with a cashier’s check, ignore them. It’s a scam.

Craigslist transactions should be done with cash, PayPal, or Cash App. Unfortunately, money orders and cashier checks can be counterfeited. For the average person, it may be hard to tell if the check is real or fake. Before you get scammed, inform your potential buyer that you don’t accept money orders. I’d only take a cashier’s check if I go to the bank with the buyer and see the transaction happen with my own eyes. I initially communicated back and forth via email. Once I know the buyer is serious, I send them my number. I wouldn’t give out my number earlier because I would not want strangers playing on my phone.

Next, I’m going to show you how to list an item.

1. The first thing that you need to do is create an account. It’s free and takes less than five minutes to do so.

2. Once your account is made, go to create a posting.

3. Choose the location that fits. That means choosing the nearest city to you.

4. The next page will ask you what type of posting you’re doing. You’ll click on the one that says for sale by owner.

5. You’ll see a line that says, please choose a category. There are several to choose from. In a lot of cases, I select “general for sale.”

6. You add the title, price, zip code, and description on the next page. Here’s an example of a listing that I’ve done. I copied everything from the eBay listing.

7. You also have the chance to update the contact and location info. I leave both of those sections blank.

8. The next page shows you the zip code area.

9. Now it’s time to add photos. With each listing on Craigslist, you can add up to 24 images. Make sure they are nice and clear.

10. Now, it’s time to review the listing. If everything looks good (spelling, grammar), publish it. Once the item is live, people will have the chance to contact you and buy it.

Be Honest

When you’re selling on Craigslist, be honest. If it’s old or has something wrong with it, include that info in the listing. If someone wants your item, they’ll still buy it.

Meet in a Safe Place

When you are meeting with someone, always choose a safe location. I know that some people allow buyers to come to their homes to pick up items, especially large ones. If you decide to do this, make sure someone is home with you. Sometimes, a potential buyer may want you to bring the item to them. That’s not something that I’d consider in most cases.

You don’t know what the hell you could be getting yourself into. I’m the type of person that would rather be safe than sorry. There are some crazy folks out there. If someone wants you to bring an item to them, ask if there is any way they could meet you somewhere safe. If the answer is no, you can wait for another buyer or take someone with you to do the transaction. In most cases, I would probably wait for another buyer. You always want to be safe when you’re selling on Craigslist.

Locations

As I stated earlier, meet up at a safe, secure place. I’ve met up with buyers at the post office and gas stations. There are a lot of people at both locations. The best places are police stations, coffee shops, and stores. In today’s world, you must ensure you are safe. In the past, you could meet at people’s residences. The safe way is to meet somewhere safe and in the public. If you don’t want to meet people in person, you sell stuff online on Facebook Marketplace, eBay, or Mercari.

When you sell an item and decide your location, let someone know where you’re going. Call or text a friend or a family member the transaction details. Again, it’s better to be safe than sorry. If you want to ensure nothing happens, bring someone else with you. Having another person with you can calm any possible nerves that you have.

Consider What Items to Sell

Even though Craigslist is a safe place to sell items, there are some things I will never sell there. I won’t sell electronics or certain tennis shoes on the site. I feel better selling them on eBay. The few times I hear about Craigslist robberies, it’s because people are trying to take people’s Apple iPhones or Michael Jordan shoes. That’s enough to deter me from selling them. Those items are usually expensive. Unfortunately, you could be a come-up for a criminal if you’re not careful. Take some time, figure out your selling niche, and then list them on Craigslist. Some suggestions could be collectibles, unwanted stuff, and gadgets.

Don’t allow people to get items from your house

It’s better not to invite anyone to your home. You might only consider doing that if you sell an old used car that needs work or a big appliance like a refrigerator. In those cases, you may not have a trailer or truck to meet with the buyer. They will have no choice but to come to your place. If this is the case, ensure good communication with the potential buyer. As long as everything seems fine, you should complete the transaction.

Daytime Transactions Only

It’s better to complete your transactions during the daytime. You’re putting yourself at a lot of risk if you meet a buyer at night. I don’t care how profitable the item is; don’t do it. Don’t do it even if you need the money. You can wait a few hours until the next morning. Only schedule your meetings during the day. I typically do most of my transactions between 10 am – 6 pm.

If a potential buyer is overly aggressive or pushy, stop communicating with them. That’s a red flag in my book. I want you to be smart and safe, so beware of people trying to only meet up at night.

Trust Your Gut

Finally, trust your gut. If you’re communicating with a potential buyer and something seems off, stop communicating. There are scammers and people that are up to no good out there. If your gut is telling you to ignore a buyer’s message, do it,

If you’ve been on the fence about selling on Craigslist, do it. There is money to be made from that platform. As you can see, it’s not that hard if you want to sell on Craigslist and be safe. Follow the above steps. You should not have any problems selling on Craigslist, and you can have your first item live quickly.