Guide to Staying Safe while Selling on Craigslist

Whenever I talk to someone about Craigslist who hasn't ever used the site before, I'm often asked, "Isn't Craigslist dangerous???"

I always tell them "Well, it's about as dangerous as crossing the street... it can be if your eyes are closed."

1.) Talk to the person on the phone before agreeing to meet. 
The initial contact that someone sends you on Craigslist is via e-mail, but make sure you speak to them on the phone before setting up a meeting. Let's say you get an e-mail like this:





I would reply with something like this:

Hey Mike,

I'm in "Insert Your City". What's a good number to reach you at so we can set up a time?

Thanks,
Your name

 This type of reply accomplishes a two-fold purpose:

1. You get a chance to talk to the person on the phone before deciding whether to give out any personal information or meet with them. 
2.  You're able to establish the seriousness of the prospective buyer, or to determine if they're a "tire kicker" or "low baller". These two types of people will waste your time, and are to be avoided at all costs. Refer to the Craigslist Glossary for definitions of these terms. 

In the few years I've been buying and selling on Craigslist, there has only been one instance when I had an "iffy" feeling about a person i had spoken with on the phone. I gave them a polite excuse, saved their number as "DO NOT ANSWER" in my cell phone, and sold to someone else.




When dealing on Craigslist,it's good practice to follow the advice of the Iron Chancellor:

"Be polite; write diplomatically; even in a declaration of war one observes the rules of politeness."

2.) If possible, meet in a public place during daylight hours

• Places like Starbucks are great because they're nearly always crowded. Also, If the item you're selling is an iPod or something else that needs to be tested, this is a great way for you to sit down with the buyer to do so.

• As the seller, you choose the location. Feel free to choose somewhere convenient. Delivery or driving long distances should be out of the question.

"But what if i'm selling a large item?"

If you're selling something large like a piece of furniture or an appliance, making meeting in a public place impractical, here are some good practices:

1. Make sure that the buyer has somebody able-bodied with them to help load the item and adequate transportation ( usually a truck or Large SUV). Buyers usually expect to have to load large items themselves.
2. Have someone else at home with you when the buyer comes.
3. If possible, move the item to the garage or a front room for a smooth pickup.

 In any selling situation, a good way to feel more at ease is to have a friend or family member with you. Remember, you'll be making some extra cash, so a bribe of ice cream or beer will usually do the trick!

How to Add Large Photos to your Craigslist Posting

To begin, navigate to www.Claspics.com:


-If you don't already have an account, create one!

-Once Logged in click on the 'Upload a New Album' button:



 -Click the 'Select Images' button and navigate to the location of the images on your computer. 



***Time saving Hint- To select all images in a single folder, hold down Ctrl+A!***

-After you have all of the images you want to post selected click 'OK'. You should now see your images in thumbnail format. Here is an example of a kayak i'm listing:



-Click the 'Upload' button to upload your gallery!

-After your images have finished uploading, you'll be taken to a page that has the HTML code that you need to copy to your Craigslist ad:




Before you copy the code, make sure you sort the images in your gallery by clicking the 'Sort Images' link:




-Simply drag and drop the images.   ***It's a good practice to put the best image first as this will be the first image that buyers see in your ad!***




 -Click 'Done' on the Sort Images page when you're finished. This will bring you back to the Ad code page.

-Select your HTML code, right click it, and select 'Copy'



-Now, navigate to your Craigslist posting, and Paste the selected code into your ad. It should resemble this:



-Before clicking 'Continue', lets add a large font title as well as center the allignment of our ad.  -Right now, our add looks like this. Still pretty boring...



 - In the next step, type this bit of code underlined in yellow BEFORE the large block of HTML that you copied a minute ago from ClassPics.com. -Be sure to add the title of YOUR ITEM where it says 'enter your title here'


-Once you've done this, we have one more tiny bit of code to add AFTER the HTML text you copied from ClasPics.com.Type the line of code that's underlined in yellow:



The home stretch: Click 'Continue' at the bottom of the ad to preview your post. Here is what your new and improved post with image gallery should look like:



-With ClasPics.com, addling large photos to your Craislist postings is fairly easy. It may take a few minutes the first few times you post this way, but the a good Craigslist ad can mean all the difference when it comes to the sale.

Feel free to leave comments with any questions or feedback! 

- Jake

Free Craigslist Hit Counter - Add Counter to Craigslist Posting!

The following article will explain:

• How to add a hit counter to your Craigslist Ad
• Why you should ad a hit counter to your Craigslist Ad

Navigate to http://www.codbag.com/Basic-Hit-Counter.aspx :

Choose your desired font style, color, and size.

Next, click "I like it, gimme the code".

From here, you'll receive the code to your counter. Click "Select All", Right click the selected code and choose "Copy" or simply hit Ctrl+ C on your keyboard.

Now, navigate to your craigslist posting, and paste the code at the very bottom of your ad:

Publish your ad as normal and you'll now see your counter on your page. Interesting to note that each time YOU visit or even refresh your ad, the counter will increase by 1.

Why put a hit counter on your Craigslist Ad?


A hit counter can let you know the effectiveness of your posting titles.

Have something that you're selling but just isn't getting that much attention? Try re-posting the item with a different title, to see if this nets you more clicks.

I found that the hit counter is also an excellent way of measuring the best times to post your ads. Try reposting items like electronics and sporting goods closer to the weekend, as these purchases are rarely made during the work week.

3 tips on choosing what you should sell on Craigslist

"What should I sell on Craigslist?"

I began reselling on Craigslist by accident. About two years ago, I had a fairly expensive bicycle that I no longer used, and I was looking for a way to sell it. I originally thought of eBay, but the shipping costs for large items were incredibly expensive.

Per the suggestion of a friend, i decided to post the bike up on Craigslist to see what would happen. It was a success...I sold my bike for only $50 less than I paid for it over 2 years ago! I had expected to get a quarter of what I originally paid for it!

When people ask me how they should get their feet wet in the Craigslist reselling business, I always recommend that they begin by selling items that they no longer use. This helps newbies become acquainted with the Craigslist interface, and allows them to learn how transactions are handled. 

If you don't have anything worth selling at the moment, don't worry. A good idea is to ask friends and neighbors if they have anything they don't use anymore that they would like to get rid of.

Propose to them that you get a percentage of the sale price for taking the pictures, posting the ad, and dealing with buyers.

If you successfully make a sale for someone, ask them if they know anyone else who might have some unwanted items of value that they would like to get rid of. It never ceases to amaze me how much "Stuff" people hold on to that they never even use! Use your imagination when looking for items to sell.

Some of the best people to sell for are family, family friends, and other relatives; especially those who aren't very technically savvy. They get satisfaction from helping you out, along with some extra money for something they no longer used.

What you need to get started:

• Digital Camera (Or Cell Phone w/good camera)
• Computer w/ Internet Access
• Stuff you no longer use to convert to cash.
• Information from http://Craigs4Profit.Blogspot.com (Frequently Updated)

I've met 12 year olds who have posted their video game consoles on Craigslist and sold them within a few days. With no start up cost and a minimal investment of your time, Craigslist is king for making extra cash.

Godspeed,and stay tuned for more articles!


-Jake B.

Welcome to Craigs4Profit.com

The purpose of this blog is to teach people how to use Craigslist.com to make money.

There are various methods to do this, some better than others. The important thing to remember is that if you have a computer with internet access, then you can make money on craigslist. Whether you're 16 or 67, all it takes is a little practice and you can be making $500 a week in as little as 3 weeks.

I will document some of the techniques that have been successful for me in the past, as well as others that haven't been so successful.

I started this blog because I have been buying and selling on craigslist for profit for more than 2 years, and feel that it's time for me to contribute to others what i've learned.

I appreciate any feedback or suggestions, and I can be reached via e-mail through the contact form on the left sidebar.

Thanks, and good luck Craigslisting!

Best wishes, Jake B.