what do you guys think about buying/selling on craigslist?

**econak** · 02-15-2009 11:07 PM

Hey guys this is my first post so i'm looking for some good critical feedback. About a year ago i bought an X box 360 off craigslist for $200 from someone in town. We met at a public location (wal mart or something) and the product worked great. After about a month of playing i got bored and decided to try and sell it for the original $200 when i heard advice from a freind that i could get at least 350 for it. I put it back up on craigslist for 350 and sure enough received 3-4 responses and sold it that same day. 150 dollars for 10 minutes of work.

Football season came around at my University (Big SEC school) and i noticed people around campus selling tickets for face value and others reselling the same tickets for about 150 dollars the week of the game, netting them 140 per transaction. Now while this is not illegal by the state it is against school policy, which is why i never got involved, but i saw potential in ticket sales of other things where there were no restrictions. (concerts, pro sporting events etc).

So i am just wondering if anyone on this forum has experimented with buying and selling items on craigslist or other sites? As long as the buyer and sellers are both happy with the deals i don't see a problem with ripping anyone off. Could this be pulled off successfully as a monthly/yearly income?

Keep in mind there are many markets for this such as cars, electronics, tickets and textbooks. (I have freinds going to the bookstore dropping 1K per year when they could be getting everything for 300)

Any advice/feedback criticism is much appreciated

**SIMPLEROBB** · 02-16-2009 12:16 AM

Welcome E. I used CL to get rid of a monitor. It turned out great. As for textbooks. All Amazon.

**SCJeff** · 02-16-2009 11:21 AM

I don't do it on craiglist, but if i find a product, xbox 360s for instance that i can buy for whole sale, or a discount price for buying in bulk, i'll buy them and then turn around and sell them for a profit.

I generally don't do it to often, b/c im to lazy to look for these deals, but yes you can make money from doing this.

I however wouldn't rely on it for a yearly income, but definitely something to look into for a part time kind of deal.

**pboychuk** · 02-16-2009 02:48 PM

I think it would be too much work for a full time type business, however Its great for casual buying and selling.

I really don't understand why people buy textbooks from the bookstores AND sell them back. I will probably have saved $2500-$5000 by the time I graduate just by using the internet for my books.

**myfayt** · 02-16-2009 02:52 PM

I agree, doubt you can make a living off it, seeing how you have to buy and sell both.

**TylerBakerllc** · 02-16-2009 07:44 PM

you would have to sell 2 a day to make it worth your while... Assuming you have $0 overhead, which is far from reality.

**brianaaron** · 02-16-2009 09:35 PM

selling on craigslist works well, find an item that has no or low overhead, and you can do quit well. i do about 50 dollars a day in sells on craiglist. this will not make you rich but it helps add to your income.

**SIMPLEROBB** · 02-16-2009 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by brianaaron

selling on craigslist works well, find an item that has no or low overhead, and you can do quit well. i do about 50 dollars a day in sells on craiglist. this will not make you rich but it helps add to your income.

Most definitely B.

**Doodyps** · 02-17-2009 04:56 PM

i agree with everyone else so far. Not easy to do for a living, but if you know what youre doing you can realistically make $300 or so a week easily. Depends on howm uch time you have. I bought a ceramics wheel on CL for $450 a few years back, used it for a summer, and sold it for $600 on CL. Felt nice. I then bought a treadmill for $175. Its nice. I'm sure I could get $250 for it if i sold it today.

**cthompson** · 02-19-2009 11:51 AM

Why not do it on eBay? You'd be better able to establish a brand name and an online storefront.

**covefinishings** · 05-01-2010 12:55 PM

I think Criags presents a very good revenue stream for generating leads. However, it is only 1 of many options on the net for selling. You need to do your best to take advantage of all revenue streams because they all add up to $$$$

**DeonKrey** · 05-03-2010 03:34 AM

Craigslist can be both effective and scam without proper knowledge on how to use it - you have to make the right choices, deliver the right information, choose the right place to list and making sure you'll be targeting the right audience. Craigslist has got big communities wherein you could get fake people who try to look "interested" here and there and you shouldn't be wasting a lot of your time with them. So to figure the right things out, here's what you should do as a buyer:

Be honest about your ability to pick up the item-It is one thing to respond quickly to try and be the first to express interest in a posted item, but if you are not going to be able to pick it up for a week, it is not fair to the seller. Tell the seller your availability, and if they do not mind the wait, good for you. If they do mind, then be gracious and let it go. Do not keep stringing the seller along.

Otherwise,

Always respond-you'll never know when will those worthy people will come and buy one of your products so always check your email around. Responses do create a big impact in your buying/selling capability and thus, it is quite rude to leave people hanging when they are hoping for a quick answer, or at least some answer.