First Safety Tip: Don't sell your children!
I am not kidding! Go to
craigslist and see for yourself. It does help to pay attention. I highly recommend that you also read the "
avoid scam & fraud" and the "
personal safety tips" articles while you're there.
The highlight of last
Wednesday's World of Work revealed the fact that I really like selling stuff on craigslist. Hence, I was asked for some pointers on how to stay 'safe'.
Yes, selling on craigslist can be dangerous, make no mistake about it, but many other activities can also be equally risky. Driving a car, flying a plane, mowing the grass, going to Walmart, crossing the street, a trip to the bank, parachuting, and sleeping... all these activities (plus) can be hazardous if we do not know what we're doing or
how to keep safe. Yes, even sleeping can be detrimental if we forget to lock the front door, don't have smoke alarms, leave the coffee or stove on, etc.
But, are we going to stop driving because drunk people get behind the wheel sometime? Do we stay awake all night because some homes have been robbed? I hope not! So, let's not 'not' do something because it might be dangerous. Let's rather do things wisely.
Ready, Set, Go!
Craigslist Safety Tips:
Include an informative title and detailed description. The more item details you include, the less questions you'll receive. Include clear photos as well. Craigslist allows 4 photos, or you can upload your pix to sites like picasa, and then embed the codes in your listing.
Don't reveal your personal information (address, phone number, or identifying email). By default, craigslist anonymizes your email address. Don't add yours! I prefer the anonymous email option in my initial setup, but others prefer communicating by phone. If that's you, get a
Google Voice number, it's totally free!
Weed out the spam. You can quickly detect 'spam' by looking for vague, weird, or generic email statements' such as, "Item still available?" or "I really want/need this." If you get those, hit the delete button. Spammers don't want your item. They want your email address. Your response will give it to them. Of course, you can always sign up for a disposable email account just for craigslist. I have.
Keep the upper hand. I've started to add the following line under the item's description: "Please leave your phone number with your question, and I will respond ASAP." This has really helped me to weed out Spam. I occasionally respond to a person even without his/her number if the inquiry is detailed, as some people may be hesitant to leave their number right off the bat.
Keep the communication professional, courteous, and to the point. Craigslist is
not ebay, so keep it simple! And don't give details about your personal life. Nuff said!
Deal with local buyers and cash only. Life's too short to do otherwise. A common craigslist scam involves money orders or cashiers checks. If your selling something expensive, meet at the bank and have your buyer cash his/her check there for you in exchange for the item.
Meet at a populated public place. If you can't haul a 'big' item, have someone else present at your home. Personally, I do most of my selling at home because time is money (as is gas). However, I keep everything I sell in our garage, and don't mind the extra work of dragging it there.
Set a precise time to meet buyer. I give buyers a very small window of "when I'll be available to meet" and I always ask for their cell number!
Whenever before a buyer comes to look/buy, I open our garage door and wait
outside. I also carry my chihuahua in my arm! If you have a dog, bring it. If not, bring your teens or borrow some. Allow them to dress punky just this once. :-)
Pre-sell your Yard Sale items. I like to advertise my Garage Sale on craigslist. My description will read something like: "Huge Garage Sale! Early Birds Welcome!" I list many of the items (with pix and irresistible prices) and explain that I accept early birds and/or antique dealers on the day(s) prior to the sale (i.e. between 5-6pm). It works like a charm. I only had one person complain that I didn't leave my address. Everyone else emailed me for it. Early birds want to be first! In a pre-sale situation, people expect other shoppers to show up!
Agree on amount and cash expected ahead of time. I have had very little resistance or even questions here.
If your price is right, buyers will place the cash into your hand faster than you can say 'hello'. They are just too tickled not to.
Don't sell expensive items on craigslist. Take your jewelry to a jeweler, or sell those type items on sites like ebay. I did sell a scooter once, but met the person at the DMV with my "cash only, buy as is" bill of sale and title.
Use Facebook if you are on it. I know, I know, I never thought that I would suggest Fb either, but here I go. Yes, I have searched people's email addresses on Fb to take a quick peek at who they are, since most everyone is now on Fb. And yes, I have uncovered spammers and other folk that I, in turn, steered clear of. Face it, if your face is on Facebook, then you might just get looked at. :-)
That's all, folk!
"Wisdom is, and starts with, the humility to accept the fact that you don't have all the right answers, and the courage to learn to ask the right questions." ~ Author Unknown
