I know that some of you have passionate feelings about Craigslist. Usually those of distaste and loathing. But I tell you what, I love it.
That’s right. I. Love. Craigslist.
I just sold all of the above items, at the prices I wanted, within a week. John was set to donate pretty much everything to Goodwill. Instead, someone else came and took things that I no longer wanted, carried them down the stairs, transported them without my help, and gave me money and a “thank you.” How awesome is that?
I know, everyone has a horror story of trying to buy or sell something on Craigslist, but I’ve only had good experiences from both sides. Here are my few humble tips for making it go smoothly:
Include several photos. Everyone will know exactly what they are getting, and you’ll prevent people coming to your house just to check the quality without being ready to commit.
Be specific. Give dimensions, brands, age, etc all up front. This will avoid anyone emailing to find out mundane details (time consuming) and you’ll only get serious inquiries.
Post on Friday. Most people want to come pick up goods over the weekend, so you are most likely to find buyers on a Friday post.
Add $5 to your asking price. Everyone likes to negotiate, and even if you only go down $5 they will feel like they got a good deal.
Avoid phone calls. Keep your email anonymous via the Craigslist server, and never reply to emails asking you to call them. I’ve learned over the years that these people usually aren’t dependable, so only go for the ones that respond via email. If they are serious, they will email you back within the hour to set up a meeting time.
Trust people. Even just a little. Remember that if you are normal, the people buying your stuff are probably normal, too. Ignore the urban myths about people coming to rob or kill you – they are extreme outliers. Most people just want a good deal on used furniture.
Now we have fewer things to lug down the street and a little extra spending money in hand. Time to go pack the stuff we are actually keeping :)
