How To Buy & Sell On Craigs List

MTribe08

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 25, 2008
Messages
680
Re: How To Buy & Sell On Craigs List

I too buy/sell quite a bit on CR. Can't say I make a living out of it though. But when I do buy and sell I do well.

When selling I agree with the OP, in that you NEED to learn to put high resolution pictures in your add. I use PhoteBucket.com Its free and you just copy the link provided from PhoteBucket and paiste it into your add. Before you take those pictures, clean up whatever it is that you are selling and don't have a bunch of junk in the background. When I'm buying something that I'm going to keep, I will rarely even look twice at something that looks like its been neglected or not taken care of. Also, don't sound like you are dealer trying to sell something, keep your add personal and consise.

When buying, I always start out with a top dollar price in my head of what I'm willing to pay, and then look for items that are 30-40% above that. When I approach the seller, I never degrade what it is they are selling or put them on the defensive. I always take the approach of telling them what the market ACTUALLY is, not what something is listed at. I send them a link of NADA to let them see how far off they are and then see how they respond. If I really like the item, I will always offer my phone number and tell them that I am a serious buyer with cash when the right deal comes up.

My most recent buying and selling activity using this approach:
1. Bought a Yamaha 3 seater PWC for 2,900, used it for 3 yrs and resold it for 3,000.

2. Bought a Yamaha Waveblaster for 1,200, sold it a year and half later for 1,700.

3. Bought a 21ft Monterey 5.7l Alpha1 dual axle trailer, in mint condition. Original asking price was $11,000. He had small low quality pictures on his orginal add, but forwarded me some high res pics. I knew it was an opportunity. I worked on him for about 4 days and bought the boat for $7,500.:D
 

joza

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Aug 8, 2009
Messages
89
Re: How To Buy & Sell On Craigs List

@thedukeryan... Although you are correct about better, higher resolution pix are great and helpful, in the industry an ad like yours is called "SMOKE AND MIRRORS." Lots of big type and hype, little value in the what you're offering. I'm willing to bet that if you toned it down a bit, your results would be even better. There is a fine line between shoving something down someone's throat and giving them the info they need.
 

pmat1

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 9, 2009
Messages
332
Re: How To Buy & Sell On Craigs List

I think im going to start buying & selling; its easy and something i could enjoy. My parents are currently at a auction; i told them to drag home any cheap outboard they can find. :D
 

jonesg

Admiral
Joined
Feb 22, 2008
Messages
7,198
Re: How To Buy & Sell On Craigs List

When I got my boat off craigslist it was listed for $700
20' center console with trailer.

I thought aha!

I paid him exactly $700 and not one penny more.
I showed him.:D
 

pmat1

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 9, 2009
Messages
332
Re: How To Buy & Sell On Craigs List

i told them to drag home any cheap outboard they can find. :D
There was a 70's chrysler 75 they were gonna get me, but the auctioneer started it up without muffs and ran it for about 20 seconds, so they decided against it. Time to search CL :rolleyes:
 

thedukeryan

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 21, 2009
Messages
298
Re: How To Buy & Sell On Craigs List

As mentioned I am not a advertising guru. I just do what works for me. The main thing I have found is as mentioned add your phone # and add high resolution pics. This takes no time and makes a huge difference. For example this ad here locally has been posted all over the state off and on.
http://ksu.craigslist.org/boa/1360565522.html
His biggest mistake is that it looks like it has been left abandoned in some farmers field, his photos are poor and he has no number listed. On top of all of that he lives out in BFE. I could probably get ahold of the guy and make a low ball offer and get a deal. With as long as its been floating around on CL he would probably be excited just to get any offer at all.
 

Bifflefan

Commander
Joined
May 27, 2009
Messages
2,933
Re: How To Buy & Sell On Craigs List

I guess it would have been nice to see them, but they are both gone, so maybe next time....
 
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