Leave it to a wannabe hippie to find a new way for people to reach out and help each other. Well, that’s kind of the way craigslist got started.
Craig Newmark was a software engineer new to San Francisco and even though it was 1995, he knew the sense of community that the internet brought. And what better city to combine the internet and community than a city caught between Silicon Valley and hippie love?
Craig started craigslist.org as a non-commercial site that allows people to connect with each other in many ways. Buying, selling, seeking jobs, seeking love. Craigslist has evolved and devolved over the years but surprisingly it still functions in much the same way it was developed.
Simple text. No ads. User policed. And most importantly, free. Even Weird Al has done a song about it.
I’ve used craigslist.org for years. Very rarely, I will buy something and occasionally, I will sell something. I have yet to encounter any axe murderers but there are definitely some questionable characters out there. Thank God, those people never make it past the anonymous email stage.
I actually had some very positive experiences this past with my local craigslist site: raleigh.craigslist.org. I applied some Marketing 101 principles and lo and behold, I found success.
I have been spending the past few months doing my fall cleaning (something sounds wrong with that) and had amassed enough stuff to decide I had reached beyond the donation stage. I was going to have to have another…yard sale. Just the mere mention of it sends chills up my spine. The whole organization, hauling everything down, setting it up, making the signs, getting up at the crack of dawn, and then… the people.
This time, I decided to step things up. I called it a Garage Sale and actually held it in my garage. I think it sounds more elegant. And I was able to set up and simply open the door and VOILA, instant sale. Plus I was able to keep a bit warmer in the wee hours of the morning. And when I was done? Down came the door and off to enjoy the rest of my day.
So was it successful? I did the usual. I posted it for free on craigslist. But this time, I got smart. I listed out the big ticket items in advance and asked people to email me if they were interested before the sale. I also made it known that if the items didn’t sell in advance, they would be available at the sale.
Then, and this part is genius, I posted those items again in their appropriate categories (baby & kid stuff). I added pictures and cross-referenced this ad to my garage sale ad. I caught them in an endless loop and I had more responses than I ever have. Prior to the sale, I sold a high chair, a baby swing, and all of my maternity clothes. For decent money! Selling privately is always worth more than a yard sale price.
When the garage sale was over, I photographed the big stuff that didn’t sell and posted them individually on craigslist (I did delete my other ads because that’s just common courtesy). By the end of Sunday, I had sold a rocker/recliner, baby clothes, a doorway jumper, a play center, a carseat, and all of my Little People toys. (Please don’t ask me if I am feeling sad or nostalgic getting rid of this stuff. I am trying desperately to suppress those feelings).
Wow! Great! Right?
If you have never worked with craigslist, I’m here to tell you the pros and cons. Basically, I’m done with the pros. So here are the cons.
Craigslist is where superflaky people hang out as well as some shady people. Don’t worry. You can usually spot them a mile away. Luckily, I always anonymize my email address and only give out personal information once I’ve confirmed that the interested party doesn’t sound like a Dorothea Dix escapee.
However, to add a bit of fun to my drivel on selling baby crap, I thought I’d give you some real life craigslist responses I have received. Please enjoy.
For sale: LitterMaid Elite Mega Self-Cleaning Litter Box – $100
“Offering $50, can pick up thur eve, friday eve, or saturday am.”
“Still have this. Interested today.”
Sorry. I require full sentences with proper punctuation or some human interaction before I will consider your offer.
For giveaway: FREE Similac Formula (I had lots of samples that I wanted to give to someone in need)
“do you still have these”
From someone named CrazyKayKay. No, KayKay. I don’t.
For sale: Graco SafeSeat tan – $40
“Hi, I am really interested in the base. Gas is so high though and I am 1hr from Raleigh. I am going to take a long shot here and was seeing if you would ship this for the $40 down the road to me.”
That was a ballsy request but they turned out to be a nice person so I shipped it.
Found: Schnauzer needs somewhere to go (I found a lost dog but he was harassing my senior dog and I was looking for a foster home until his owner could be found. Be very careful with animals on craigslist!)
“I have interest in help you with the dog my telephone number is 323-xxxxxxx or email me and give you adres I can go today and pick up the god.”
It’s a dog, not a god. If you get the two confused, this doesn’t sound like a good fit.
“did he have on a blue sweater? my male schnauzer Rambo got out of my friends car yesterday around noon near Capital Blvd and Brentwood, I just got him from a lady in Wlson he still has tags on from her, he was wearing a blue sweater… he is a 3 year old male, weighing around 18 to 22 pounds and he is salt and pepper in color… would have put this ad up earlier but i had to wait untill i got back from the mountains…”
“do you live close to brentwood and capital blvd? my male schnauzer got out of my friends car and ran, we were unable to catch him he was wearing a blue sweater and has a collar with his a tag from previous owner… his name is rambo…”
“i have emailed you a few times and you have not replied, i just want to know if the dog you found had on a blue sweater??? my dog is missing and i would like to find him…please just let me know if you have my dog.”
Yup. Those were all from the same person. They sounded very desperate but not in the right sort of way. My husband talked to the people and they were quite shady. And no, it definitely was not their dog.
For sale: Recumbent exercise bike – $200
“Is it quiet? Will it fit in the back of my station wagon?”
It is very quiet but I don’t know how big your station wagon is.
“Can this bike accommodate someone who weighs 410 pounds? If so, please call Chester at (919) xxx-xxxx.”
I can’t say that’s something I’ve ever been able to test out.
For sale: Graco SafeSeat Step 2 carseat – $50
“HOW OLD IS CAR SEAT IS IT FOR TODDLER AND IT THAT HTE PICTURE OF YOURS IF NOT DO YOU HAVE PICTURE OF YOUR AND HOW MUCH NEED FOR GRANDSON”
Holy run-on sentence!
For sale: Fisher Price Space Saver High Chair – $20
“JUST EMAILED ABOUT CAR SEAT HOW MUCH IS HIGH CHAIR AND IS THAT YOUR PICTURE OF YOURS IF NOT DO YOU HAVE PICTURE OF YOURS NEED IMMEDDIATELY BOTH PLEASE GET BACK THANKS G-MA”
And please stop shouting at me, G-MA!
And finally…
For sale: IKEA side table – $10
“I’d like to pick this up sometime after noon on Tuesday. Where do I come?”
See, first, we agree on the transaction. Then I tell you if that time is convenient. Then I give you my personal information.
So as you can see, craigslist can be a very valuable tool for offloading your crap as long as you use your best judgment and advertise things properly. It is sales and marketing after all. Have some craigslist stories of your own? Do tell!
23 comments
Glad you got everything out – I know I’ll feel the same emotions when we have to get rid of all our baby gear.
And after reading some of your responses, I think I have lost IQ points and they are not recoverable and I WANT TOO TPYE LIEK DIS! THANKS YOU!
I’m sure I deleted the worst of the responses. It makes me lose hope in our education system.
Not really. Just with the people that are on Craigslist.
I love craigslist and have had only positive experiences. I have sold several items by leaving them in the carport and having the buyer leave the money under the door mat. This includes the car we sold for $400, which is the same car we bought three years earlier for $750 (also through craigslist).
You apparently encounter the best people out there. I try to be open and have a good heart and be trusting and all that stuff. Doesn’t always work in my favor.
We listed an item on Craigslist and someone wanted to trade our item for a hand gun. All I could think was “He’ll no!” First, I don’t need or want a gun. Second, my luck it was used in a murder.
I can only hope that person does NOT have your personal address or information. And super bizarre and suspicious they would offer that.
The examples cracked me up beyond belief. It’s almost embarrassing to laugh that hard, alone, in my living room. Thanks for the giggle.
Please have a video camera running next time so that I know I can produce funny.
THIS is laugh out loud funny. mostly cuz i troll craigslist. all the time. glad to know people in philly arent the only freaks.
Freaks are universal 🙂
We don’t have Craigslist down here, but I’ve heard of it. (Our crazies are on eBay.)
We DO have garage sales! It’s a very Aussie term, wonder if you knew that? I wonder if the crazy Rambo dog people were legit? Like, why were they shady? Love this post, as per usual.
If it makes you feel better, we have crazies through every possible outlet here.
As for Rambo, here was my problem. You “lost” your dog. Then went to the mountains. And didn’t have time to tell anyone he was lost and then you are pushy about this dog. This came after I had a breeder offer to foster the dog and then realized they just wanted a free purebred breeding dog.
I’m generally skeptical of everyone unless my gut tells me otherwise.
You just reminded me why I stopped using Craig’s List – too many crazies. Also it drove me crazy when I stayed home waiting for someone to come pick something up and they never showed!
Yes, THAT is actually my biggest complaint about Craigslist. Someone says, I’ll take it! And then you reject other offers because someone wants it. And then the first person never shows. I’ve learned. It’s first come first serve unless you promise me your firstborn.
Oh, I love you. I used to sell things on Craigslist or CheapCycle, and just made Brett deal with all the goofballs.
Then, there was an incident of people getting killed by selling on Craigslist, and I decided that people could meet me at the local police station instead of at my house. Probem solved.
I don’t have any idea why people seem to have no English or grammar skills on CL. Scary.
I have to use my intuition. If people just feel too weird, I don’t even respond. If they seem okay, I’ll give them my phone number. If they sound okay, I’ll give them my address. I actually met some really nice people with this baby stuff. They even sent me thank you notes afterwards!
Good job with the photos – I’m 5 times more likely to respond to an add if there are pics! And I’ve only ever had good Craigslist experiences – weird, right?
Give it time, Megan. Give it time.
Craigslist is a site I always forget to check when looking for an item online. When I do go on and find something my husband deters me because “it’s a sure way to get killed.” Glad to know there are non-murderous posters out there! 😉
If you respond to an ad looking for someone into leather and “just looking for a good time, no strings attached,” you might want to reconsider. If you’re looking for household items, take your husband with you and you’ll be fine. Or meet in a public place 🙂
Hmmm…what kind of little people stuff did you get rid of? Yours or your son’s?? I read it as yours…
We’ve been using Craigslist too and so far things have been so-so. But I like that it is free and you don’t get obsessed with seeing how many people are “watching” your item, like ebay!
They were Evan’s Little People. I promise. I WISH I still had my little people – the originals that had no arms or legs. The mom with the blond ponytail and the wavy blue body. Remember them?
I’ve never sold anything on eBay. Shipping and all that nonsense. I have a few things I may try though. Wider audience.
Yes, I do remember her! My mom actually found a few of them at a garage sale and picked them up for me. She found the dog and the red-headed girl with freckles. I was so excited when they brought them back last year and then saw they were 3 times bigger! I guess they realized their original size wasn’t really a great fit for kids.
Shipping on ebay can be tricky. I try to send everything via priority mail just to make it easier. A good way to get people to look at your item is to offer free ship and then include that in the price. I do a lot of BIN (buy it now) as sometimes I can’t handle the waiting.