How to sell on Craigslist and make the MOST money — Frugal Debt Free Life (2024)

This weekend I tried to sit down and to the math on how much money Jason and I have made selling stuff off Craigslist. But I lost count.

In the past three years we have made THOUSANDS of dollars via Craigslist getting rid of stuff we didn't want, need or use. It is the best place to sell things like furniture, large baby items like high chairs and swings and farm equipment like old lawnmowers and weed eaters. (And that spare tractor you have lying around...)

Last week I talked about how to maximize your eBay profits, today I wanted to talk about how you can sell on Craigslist and make the most money.

1. Set up an account with Craigslist with an email JUST for Craigslist.

It is free to list your items to Craigslist plus Craigslist doesn't take a cut. But, it is FULL of scammers.

Craigslist will mask your email address so when people email you it looks like they are sending an email address to something like 12345@craigslist.org (this is just an example). So when a potential buyer emails you they don't have your email address until you reply to that email.

If you get an email with "is your item still available" that is usually a scammer just trying to get your email address and potentially hack you.

Go ahead and protect yourself by setting up an email just for craigslist or just for a particular item.

2. Take LOTS of GREAT photos.

Craigslist will allow you up to 24 photos per item. So don't skimp.

Items with no photos are far less likely to get clicked on. So it doesn't matter how great that antique hope chest your selling is if no one clicks on it because it had no photo.

Your photos are just as important to your ad as the description you will type up (see #3) so make them count.

I cannot tell you the number of times I have seen a photo that was clearly taken in the back of someone's garage on their cellphone. No. That's not gonna work.

Drag your item out to the drive way, dust it off and take a decent photo.

Show the size, color, make, label and any scratches, dents and scrapes.

3. Make your description sing.

In your posting title don't just write "brown couch." Write something that people are looking for "brown coach, 6-feet-long, smoke-free home."

Inclue as many descriptive words as possible. Then in the actual description area of the item include all of the information you have, color, size, material and dimensions.

Always include dimensions if selling furniture. People are just going to email you and ask so be sure to include it up front.

Also always be honest.If the couch you're trying to sell has a broken leg and a hole in a cushion put that in your post. It's not like you're going to be able to hide these things when the item is purchased. And all you're doing is wasting your time and the buyers time.

4. Price to sell.

Your item is used so it's not going to sell for what you paid for it. When determining a price I look up what similar items are selling for, I think of the absolute least I will take for it and I add 10-15%.

I never put "or best offer" in my listings because I don't want someone coming to me with a low ball offer.

The fact that I have taken the time to list it already shows I intend to get rid of it, if they want to negotiate I am willing, but I am not going to advertise that I am taking less money for it.

5. Include other items you listed.

When I list things on Craigslist I go ahead and list multiple items at one time and I go ahead and click on the "include more ads by user" button. That way people can see all the stuff I am selling at one time.

This is a great feature: USE IT!

6. Relist every 2-3 days.

Things get pushed to the bottom of Craigslist pretty fast so I resist often. Delete your first listing and go ahead and relist it. Add new photos and punch up the copy if you have to.

If it has sat on Craigslist for more than a week I usually lower the price.

8. Don't hold items and only accept cash.

Don't hold your bunk beds til Thursday. If you have a buyer interested go ahead and sell it to the person who comes with cash in hand first.

And only cash. No checks and NO WIRE TRANSFERS. These are scams. Cash only.

9. Be safe.

I always meet in a public place when selling smaller items like baby items or small pieces of furniture.

For larger items I make sure the buyer knows I will have someone at home with me. And I always let someone else know what is going on. You can't be too safe.

Some police stations are also allowing for Craigslist transactions in their parking lots.

10. Practice Craigslist karma.

If your item has sold delete the listing. Craigslist ads are good for 30 days. Don't leave it hanging around after the sale is final.

How to sell on Craigslist and make the MOST money — Frugal Debt Free Life (2024)

FAQs

How to make money off of Craigslist? ›

The top ways to make money with Craigslist in 2024 are selling your junk, Craigslist arbitrage, and flipping items onto other platforms. Other ways people use Craigslist to make money include freelancing services, attracting business leads, delivery services, and renting property.

What is the safe payment method on Craigslist? ›

In almost all cases, you are best off accepting cash for a Craigslist sale. Personal checks can bounce, and scammers can fake cashier's checks and money orders.

What is the best form of payment when selling on Craigslist? ›

Use cash — safely

If you're dealing with a local, the most secure way to pay or collect funds for a Craigslist transaction is with cash. To keep it even more secure, you can make the exchange in a safe place like your local police station or even at Acclaim FCU.

What is the safest way to receive money from a buyer? ›

Personal checks are an excellent alternative to cash as a safe form of payment. However, they are not as good as cashier's checks because the potential for fraud is high. Unlike cashier's checks, there is no guarantee that the person's bank account has enough money to cover the check.

Should I accept Venmo for Craigslist? ›

If you are a seller, you're taking a significant risk by accepting Venmo payments. Remember, Venmo says you shouldn't use the app for informal sales, like Craigslist or Facebook market. The company can reverse Venmo payments you receive after they hit your account.

Should I give my phone number on Craigslist? ›

Scammers are getting pretty sneaky and are collecting personal phone numbers through Craigslist Ads. Case in point, when you're placing an ad or responding to an ad, avoid using your personal phone number to communicate with buyers or sellers.

What is the best payment method to not get scammed? ›

Credit cards offer features like encryption and fraud protection to help keep your personal information secure. In addition, credit card users are protected by federal law and can only be liable for up to $50 on fraudulent chargers.

How profitable is Craigslist? ›

Revenue of Craigslist 2018-2022

Craigslist lost almost half its revenue from 2018 to 2020, going from about one billion to 566 million U.S. dollars. However, the classifieds website's revenue grew after the decline in 2020, reaching 694 million U.S. dollars in 2022.

What percentage does Craigslist take? ›

There are no fees for selling on Craigslist. The UX (user experience) is great, uploading and publishing an item takes less than 15 minutes. You can decide if you'd like to accept cryptocurrency, if there's delivery available, and if you want to show more Ads by you as a link.

Is it profitable to flip Craigslist? ›

Most items sold through Craigslist are used, so buyers tend to expect discounts or deals, but that also mean its a prime opportunity for resellers to pick up items and resell them for more than they paid. With a sharp eye and a little know how, flipping items on Craigslist is easy and profitable.

How is Craigslist monetized? ›

Income Streams

Craigslist makes money only through a handful of revenue streams. It charges a $25 fee to post a job listing in six major U.S. cities. It charges $75 for a job listing in the San Francisco area. Last, the company charges a $10 fee to list an apartment rental in New York.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jeremiah Abshire

Last Updated:

Views: 6432

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (54 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jeremiah Abshire

Birthday: 1993-09-14

Address: Apt. 425 92748 Jannie Centers, Port Nikitaville, VT 82110

Phone: +8096210939894

Job: Lead Healthcare Manager

Hobby: Watching movies, Watching movies, Knapping, LARPing, Coffee roasting, Lacemaking, Gaming

Introduction: My name is Jeremiah Abshire, I am a outstanding, kind, clever, hilarious, curious, hilarious, outstanding person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.