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Craigslist is a way to sell your everyday and niche items without a fee eating into your profits. It’s best known as a resource for local pickups, but with planning and knowledge of the risks, you can expand your area to neighboring states — and even other countries.
Craigslist allows you to narrow down potential buyers for your item within specific categories:
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Independent sellers generally don’t pay a fee to list items on Craigslist, but there are exceptions for high-ticket items and services.
| Listing type | Fee per listing |
|---|---|
| Most listings for independent sellers | $0 |
| Dealer listings for business and commercial, furniture, heavy equipment and most vehicles | $3 to $5 |
| Owner listings for cars and trucks | $5 |
| Service advertisements, like lawn care, cleaning or writing | $5 |
| Apartment rental listings in the New York metropolitan area | $5 |
The platform is a cost-efficient option compared to many other forms of online advertising for small businesses – especially for those who sell cars.
Let’s say you own a used car lot and are looking to advertise your inventory on the site.
Supported by minimal fees, you just may be able to list your entire inventory for about $500.
Selling on Craigslist can be a nice way to make money on the side or to bolster your business’s sales and visibility. There’s no guarantee that you’ll turn a profit, but these key steps may increase your chances of success:
Follow these steps to post your listing on Craigslist:
Paid posts require four steps:
With some forethought, you can position your item for the best offers:
Craigslist accepts Visa, Mastercard and American Express for any fees associated with your listing.
To avoid scams, the platform encourages face-to-face transactions paid for by cash or by check. It actively discourages wiring funds and most types of electronic exchanges, rendering buyers and sellers who accept these forms of payment responsible for any repercussions.
Many sellers shipping to buyers worldwide accept PayPal or Venmo. But such transactions are not protected on Craigslist because it violates their terms. Shipping internationally is possible, but not recommended.
If you do need to sell internationally, compare transfer providers ahead of time to get the best deal.
Craigslist does not recommend shipping and buying outside of your local area, so it doesn’t offer help in getting your items from Point A to Point B.
For national and international shipments, negotiate your terms directly with your buyer.
Craigslist is a hyperlocal DIY marketplace that moves thousands of listings for items and services daily. The following are some tips to market and maintain the relevance of your postings:
Keep an eye out for these potential pitfalls when selling on Craigslist:
Take precautions to protect your personal information and physical safety when selling on craigslist, including:
Deal locally, keep your wits about you and remember to use basic street smarts. If you’re concerned that a potential buyer is a scam, check out Craigslist’s tips and tricks to avoid getting duped.
If you want to be able to sell on more than just Craigslist, an e-commerce platform can help you build your own store and sell through multiple channels.
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