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Help: Tips When Selling On Craigslist

subroutines

subroutines

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 30, 2009
67
26
Hi everyone,

I am curious to know if you have any advice or tips when selling a macbook pro on craigslist. In the past, I've always used ebay but heard how reliable selling on craigslist might be. I never purchased anything on craigslist so I am not really sure what the procedure is when you sell the item on craigslist, whereas on ebay there is system in place to purchase and sell. Do you go to a public place to let them see it? Do you accept cash? etc.

Thanks in advance.
 
Accept cash only, in person. Do not ship the item, period. Meet in a public place like Starbucks (most common) or plazas. Warn them not to let anybody follow them and no cops, most importantly. Make the swap and get the hell out.
 
Meet in public and accept cash only. A place with lots of people is recommended so something like a cafe or gas station.
 
First always go in a public place to meet, I only accept cash, I almost always bring a friend with me just in case, but so far I've never had a problem.

99% of people will want to verify it works and what not..which is understandable.

For listing I always listed about $50 buck higher than what I actually want, simply because almost everyone counter offers right away.
 
MrCheeto said:
Accept cash only, in person. Do not ship the item, period. Meet in a public place like Starbucks (most common) or plazas. Warn them not to let anybody follow them and no cops, most importantly. Make the swap and get the hell out.
Click to expand...

LOL sounds like a drug deal...
 
Don't accept large bills($50, $100). Use an email address or phone number you don't care about. Make sure the buyer understands the condition of the item. If you're selling electronics, let the buyer test it out before hand. Meet in a public place.
 
MrCheeto said:
Accept cash only, in person. Do not ship the item, period. Meet in a public place like Starbucks (most common) or plazas. Warn them not to let anybody follow them and no cops, most importantly. Make the swap and get the hell out.
Click to expand...

It's not like we're dealing drugs here.
 
...not when you consider each bill you don't taste could potentially be fake and thus worthless.
 
I just sold an iMac on the local craigslist and obviously didn't want to lug it down to the Starbucks. I took a chance and had the potential buyer come to my own house to check it out AFTER first speaking with them over the phone to get feel if they were sketchy etc. Obviously if you are a female seller then inviting a male stranger over to your house is ill advised. However, I felt, as a male seller, that inviting a female buyer over to my house was safe (hopefully they aren't psycho and the want to slash my tires if the computer dies on them after a week ;).

I've also bought an APple display off of our local craigslist and the seller had me come over to his very fancy house at 9 at night. In these times its nice to have trusting relationships with strangers.

The cop thing does seem super paranoid. Make sure they sit and use the computer for awhile so that they don't call you back and want to return it an hour later. Also, be explicit if you won't accept a return etc.
 
If you're worried about counterfeit money, meet at a bank and have them verify that it is genuine.
 
Salacion said:
While you're at it, steal their bank info, and counterfeit THEIR money. That'll teach 'em.
Click to expand...

All you do is go to the bank and give them the $10 bills, $20 bills, and ask them to run them through the scanner they have.
 
I've sold several items on Craigslist. Some of which are:
iPod Touch
PowerMac G4
iPod Nano
WIndows xp Pro

I only accept cash. And they drive to me (I live in a VERY rural area. My town is only 500 people. And we usually meet at the abandoned gas station in town.) I haven't had a problem yet. I've also done trades. And trades with cash. Just talk on the phone first. And definitely send pictures and a very descriptive description of your item. And get the same from them if you're trading.

Good luck.
 
You can accept a postal money order as long as you know how to spot a fake. What is good about doing that is you're not taking a risk carrying cash at the end of the transaction.

Postal money orders have several features that make them almost impossible to forge. Plus there is a phone number you can call to verify the money order. What I did for my last transaction was to bring along a genuine money order that I bought for a couple buck at the postoffice. When I got the money order from the buyer, I held it up to the light to compare with the one I brought. Then I called the verification number just to make double sure. Once the transaction was complete, I went straight to the post office and cashed it instead of depositing in the bank.

I always meet the buyer at Starbucks and I arrive early so I am waiting for them. I usually have a bit of conversation with them before the transaction... just to get a feel for mood. If the buyer is fidgety or I get a really bad vibe, I call it off. At the end of any transaction, I usually stay at Starbucks for 20 or so minutes (finish my coffee), or go off to another store. I don't want to be followed. Especially if the buyer brought cash instead of the money order.

The risks are low if you keep your head on straight. Don't meet in any bad area of town... make them drive to where you want to meet. If you are doing a transaction in a seedy neighborhood, you are just asking for trouble. Most people aren't out to rip you off, but you have to suspect that they are.

One last piece of advice. Before any transaction, I usually let the buyer know how careful I am. I usually tell them that it sucks that I have to go through all of the security precautions but I want to make sure WE are both protected, and that no one can be too careful nowadays. I do this because it tells any potential thief that I'm NOT an easy mark. Once they realize how hard it is to pass fake money orders to me or steal from me, they probably won't bother.
 
FuNGi said:
I just sold an iMac on the local craigslist and obviously didn't want to lug it down to the Starbucks. I took a chance and had the potential buyer come to my own house to check it out AFTER first speaking with them over the phone to get feel if they were sketchy etc. Obviously if you are a female seller then inviting a male stranger over to your house is ill advised. However, I felt, as a male seller, that inviting a female buyer over to my house was safe (hopefully they aren't psycho and the want to slash my tires if the computer dies on them after a week ;).

I've also bought an APple display off of our local craigslist and the seller had me come over to his very fancy house at 9 at night. In these times its nice to have trusting relationships with strangers.

The cop thing does seem super paranoid. Make sure they sit and use the computer for awhile so that they don't call you back and want to return it an hour later. Also, be explicit if you won't accept a return etc.
Click to expand...

Did you also use a money order or cash?
 
subroutines said:
Did you also use a money order or cash?
Click to expand...

Cash money. The young guy who ended up buying wanted to write me a check. I said nope and he went to an ATM (limited daily withdrawal) and the grocery store a couple of times to put it all together. He's now composing music happily on is 20" iMac.
 
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