Craigslist Tips & Tricks
Secondhand is the man. I buy secondhand whenever I can, especially for furniture and appliances. Enter Craigslist. Craigslist is a local buy and sell marketplace, like E-bay, but you don’t usually PayPal or ship. There are numerous advantages to utilizing Craigslist to find secondhand stuff, the most prominent being amazing deals. Deals like this dresser, this buffet, and nursery furniture, and master bedroom furniture, and the list goes on. I’ve furnished the majority of my home from deals on Craigslist. Other people noticed how talented I was (can being good at Craigslist be a talent?) so now I buy and sell on the side as sort of a business. Lucky for you, I’ve compiled some tips and tricks to finding great deals on Craigslist so that you don’t have to hire me.
Craigslist dresser to modern bench
1. Download the Craigslist app
If you have a smartphone or tablet, download the app for Craigslist. It is called cPro Craigslist. The website isn’t very user friendly, and the app is. It also makes it easy and convenient to check what’s up for sale throughout the day.
If you have a smartphone or tablet, download the app for Craigslist. It is called cPro Craigslist. The website isn’t very user friendly, and the app is. It also makes it easy and convenient to check what’s up for sale throughout the day.
2. Check often
Good deals are usually gone in a half hour. Yes, a half hour. And I can only imagine how much faster that would be if you lived in a metropolitan area bigger than mine (~100,000 people). One time, I snagged a patio set for $30 simply because I could get there 2 minutes before the next person to pick it up. This is where the app comes in handy. Check as often as you can during the day (try not to get addicted).
Good deals are usually gone in a half hour. Yes, a half hour. And I can only imagine how much faster that would be if you lived in a metropolitan area bigger than mine (~100,000 people). One time, I snagged a patio set for $30 simply because I could get there 2 minutes before the next person to pick it up. This is where the app comes in handy. Check as often as you can during the day (try not to get addicted).
3. Narrow your search
It is not intuitive to find the advanced search on Craigslist’s website, but when you get to the page where items are listed, look at the very top and narrow things down. You can adjust price range, add a keyword, etc. The most important thing to narrow down is search by owner. This is where the deals are. A lot of businesses advertise on Craigslist under for sale by dealer, but if you’re looking for a deal, a real steal, only look at for sale by owner.
It is not intuitive to find the advanced search on Craigslist’s website, but when you get to the page where items are listed, look at the very top and narrow things down. You can adjust price range, add a keyword, etc. The most important thing to narrow down is search by owner. This is where the deals are. A lot of businesses advertise on Craigslist under for sale by dealer, but if you’re looking for a deal, a real steal, only look at for sale by owner.
4. Search for misspellings
Pretend you are very dim-witted for a minute, or typing the ad extremely fast, how would you spell cabinet? Cabnet or cabnit or cabinte can help you find an amazing deal. Misspelled items sometimes sit on Craigslist for a long time because even though they are a great deal, nobody finds them. Use this trick in the search bar for all items for sale. Usually someone who cannot spell cabinet also listed it under general instead of furniture.
Pretend you are very dim-witted for a minute, or typing the ad extremely fast, how would you spell cabinet? Cabnet or cabnit or cabinte can help you find an amazing deal. Misspelled items sometimes sit on Craigslist for a long time because even though they are a great deal, nobody finds them. Use this trick in the search bar for all items for sale. Usually someone who cannot spell cabinet also listed it under general instead of furniture.
Our TV “Cabnet”
5. Contact a post without pictures
An ad without a picture is doomed on Craigslist. No one will bite when they can’t see the food. But if you read the post and it’s cursory, like “dresser for sale, don’t need it anymore. $20 OBO,” you should contact them. Email them and ask for a picture, dimensions, whatever you want to know. Sometimes these people were just too lazy when they put together the ad, but if someone shows interest, they are more than happy to get you the info you want.
An ad without a picture is doomed on Craigslist. No one will bite when they can’t see the food. But if you read the post and it’s cursory, like “dresser for sale, don’t need it anymore. $20 OBO,” you should contact them. Email them and ask for a picture, dimensions, whatever you want to know. Sometimes these people were just too lazy when they put together the ad, but if someone shows interest, they are more than happy to get you the info you want.
6. List price is irrelevant
It doesn’t matter what amount the person is asking on Craigslist, offer them less. It is like a garage sale. Nobody expects to get what they ask for an item and people haggle almost every deal. This is especially true with furniture. That being said, if the post says “FIRM” in all caps, you should respect their request. It is deemed rude to haggle with someone like this. Also, if you find something that is significantly more than what you are willing to pay, it never hurts to give them an offer. You might be surprised that $400 couch would go for $250 depending on the sellers.
It doesn’t matter what amount the person is asking on Craigslist, offer them less. It is like a garage sale. Nobody expects to get what they ask for an item and people haggle almost every deal. This is especially true with furniture. That being said, if the post says “FIRM” in all caps, you should respect their request. It is deemed rude to haggle with someone like this. Also, if you find something that is significantly more than what you are willing to pay, it never hurts to give them an offer. You might be surprised that $400 couch would go for $250 depending on the sellers.
7. Haggle
Haggling is not “Come on, come on, you can give me a better deal than that.” Successful haggling usually is a trade-off. For instance, if you find a table for $50 you want, but do not have a large vehicle to haul it, offer the seller asking price (or close to) but only if they deliver. Or, try “I can pick it up today if you give it to me for $30.” Money is not your only bargaining tool; delivery, time, and convenience should all be considered.
Haggling is not “Come on, come on, you can give me a better deal than that.” Successful haggling usually is a trade-off. For instance, if you find a table for $50 you want, but do not have a large vehicle to haul it, offer the seller asking price (or close to) but only if they deliver. Or, try “I can pick it up today if you give it to me for $30.” Money is not your only bargaining tool; delivery, time, and convenience should all be considered.
I got these two mid-century modern chairs for $20 AND they delivered them to my house. They might not be stylish now, but wait till I’m done with them…
8. Be on clear terms from the beginning
I once went to buy a set of sconces for more money than I wanted to pay, figuring I could talk the lady down when I found some kind of flaw that warranted a reduced price. I went to her house and saw the immaculate sconces, in like-new condition with original packaging. This did not change the fact that I did not want to pay $40 for them, so I tried to offer less. I said, “Well, I can give you $30.” The woman looked at me for a second and said, “No. Sorry, it’s $40 or nothing.” I bought them and learned my lesson. See, the woman knew I had driven out to see these sconces, and if she stuck to her guns, the likelihood I would walk away after that effort was slim. You need to be upfront in the first discussion about price and any other details you know are contingent on your offer. Contact the seller and say, “I’m willing to pay $30 for these and I can’t pick them up until Thursday.” Being upfront is best and will help you secure a good deal.
I once went to buy a set of sconces for more money than I wanted to pay, figuring I could talk the lady down when I found some kind of flaw that warranted a reduced price. I went to her house and saw the immaculate sconces, in like-new condition with original packaging. This did not change the fact that I did not want to pay $40 for them, so I tried to offer less. I said, “Well, I can give you $30.” The woman looked at me for a second and said, “No. Sorry, it’s $40 or nothing.” I bought them and learned my lesson. See, the woman knew I had driven out to see these sconces, and if she stuck to her guns, the likelihood I would walk away after that effort was slim. You need to be upfront in the first discussion about price and any other details you know are contingent on your offer. Contact the seller and say, “I’m willing to pay $30 for these and I can’t pick them up until Thursday.” Being upfront is best and will help you secure a good deal.
9. Search on a Saturday
Saturday and Monday are the best days for deals on Craigslist. Saturday is when people finally find the time to take pictures of their item and put up their post. Monday is the day to get stuff done. I am a Monday person. My week kicks off with a long to-do list and usually, posting something for sale on Craigslist is one of them.
Saturday and Monday are the best days for deals on Craigslist. Saturday is when people finally find the time to take pictures of their item and put up their post. Monday is the day to get stuff done. I am a Monday person. My week kicks off with a long to-do list and usually, posting something for sale on Craigslist is one of them.
10. Offer them MORE than asking price
This one I have only done once, and it worked like a charm. If you do not have the time to pick it up RIGHT NOW, but it is a steal of a deal you know someone else will snag, try offering them slightly more. Remember my $30 patio set I picked up ASAP before the next buyer? Well, if a different buyer had said, “I can’t pick it up until tomorrow but I can offer you $40,” I might have been in trouble. The seller thinks, “If I wait to sell it for just 24 hours, I’ll get $10 more.” The time I used this tactic was to snag something listed for free. I said, “I’ll give you $10 for it.” They held it for three days and took the ad off Craigslist because of all the other interest until I could pick it up. This is where you bargain with more money to counteract convenience.
This one I have only done once, and it worked like a charm. If you do not have the time to pick it up RIGHT NOW, but it is a steal of a deal you know someone else will snag, try offering them slightly more. Remember my $30 patio set I picked up ASAP before the next buyer? Well, if a different buyer had said, “I can’t pick it up until tomorrow but I can offer you $40,” I might have been in trouble. The seller thinks, “If I wait to sell it for just 24 hours, I’ll get $10 more.” The time I used this tactic was to snag something listed for free. I said, “I’ll give you $10 for it.” They held it for three days and took the ad off Craigslist because of all the other interest until I could pick it up. This is where you bargain with more money to counteract convenience.
Now on to tips for selling on Craigslist. By the end of my Craigslist tips, you’ll be a pro, too.
