My experience selling iPhone 4 on eBay vs Craigslist

[sonicrobby]

I personally found craigslist easier. Sold my iPad 3, iPhone 4, Mac Mini + accessories, ipod touch, 13" 2012 cMBP and had no problems. I just dont like the whole paypal thing and the fees ebay charges you to sell things, and I hate the whole shipping hassle. But to each their own right?

 

[lordofthereef]

Actually most people do insure packages, specially phones.

I must have had super bad luck then with the items I have purchased because none were insured. None were damaged either, but they didn't come with insurance. I suppose I shouldn't have said "most people don't" because I don't know that. For that matter, you have know way of knowing that most people do, either. At the end of the day, even with insurance, a would be scammer can cause issues that I personally wouldn't want to deal with.

But anyway, roll shipping, insurance, and seller fees into the mix and you are down a good 20% or more on an iPhone. My point was, I have had a fine time getting that or more in person on Craigslist. Nothing more.

On a sort of side note, I always ask people to text me, and I always only give a google voice number. Scammers are pretty easy to spot. They generally copy/paste the entire thread name into their text. Pretty easy to know I don't have to give them another moment of my time. Anybody asks to ship, again, I just move on.

 

[iOSwag]

pffff....buyer pays shipping and roll the seller fee into the BIN price.


ebay>craigslist for actually getting what your item is worth.
ebay>craigslist for not having to meet some stranger somewhere to make the deal.
ebay>craigslist for having paypal protection
ebay>craigslist for being able to research who you are buying from, or selling to
ebay>craigslist for not getting a thousand emails from the nigerians

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Yup, 3 days for all mine too.

i'm sorry, but what?

paypal does give a chit about sellers.

i prefer to deal with craigslist/kijiji

 

[Am3r1ca16]

I always buy and sell my iPhones on Craigslist. I always sell my iPhone for a good price and I get the cash right up front. Unlike on ebay where you have to deal with shipping and praying that hopefully the buyer gets it in one piece. Then come ebay and paypal with their deductions.

You probably will sell your iPhone a bit more on ebay around $450+ compared on Craigslist for $400 but with all the deductions from ebay and paypal + shipping you'll probably be left with around the same $400 or even a little less.

Last week actually I bought a iPhone 5 Tmobile for $400. Compared on ebay where they sell the tmobile iPhone for roughly $450+

 

[AppleCruncher]

I have always gotten more on craigslist than I have gotten on ebay after selling fees, even with a buy it now.

I would imagine it has a lot to do with you living in a large metro type area with lots of buyers. Good for you. That's not the case for everyone on the planet.

but the way you decided to repond lacked even the most basic form of forum etiquette.

Really? Did that offend you? Seems trivial.

 

[Dunbar]

FYI, now that two-way e-mail communication goes through the Craigslist servers the scammers/spammer traffic is WAY down IME. I couldn't believe how few scammer e-mails I got when I sold a bicycle on CL a few months back. If you do get one just flag it and CL will (eventually) take shut down their account.

 

[mlmwalt]

I've sold tons of things on CL. It's quite easy. I've sold on ebay and been screwed once. It was on a guitar, despite putting tons of pics and a very detailed description. It happens. That said, learn from history or you'll repeat it.

 

[lordofthereef]

I would imagine it has a lot to do with you living in a large metro type area with lots of buyers. Good for you. That's not the case for everyone on the planet.




Really? Did that offend you? Seems trivial.

I didn't say it was the case for everyone on the planet. In fact, I pointed out multiple times, that for me, it has been better on CL. Not sure how that was missed, honestly. But for the record, we lived in Ames Iowa prior to moving to Boston, where I did most of my selling. We've been in Boston less than a year. Large and/or metropolitan are not words I'd use for Ames.

And no, not offended. Just pointing out that your response could have been with better taste. Pretty tough to offend me bud. Really.

 

[617aircav]

I would imagine it has a lot to do with you living in a large metro type area with lots of buyers. Good for you. That's not the case for everyone on the planet.




Really? Did that offend you? Seems trivial.

Yep. I live in a small town and can buy a 32gb 4s with box and all for 200, then sell on ebay for $400.

 

[hakjak]

I'd like to sell my iPhone 4s soon and have a couple questions.

1. My carrier is Sprint. If I unlock it, it can be used with any carrier then, right?

2. If I sell it on ebay unlocked, do I remove the sim card?

thx

 

[617aircav]

I'd like to sell my iPhone 4s soon and have a couple questions.

1. My carrier is Sprint. If I unlock it, it can be used with any carrier then, right?

2. If I sell it on ebay unlocked, do I remove the sim card?

thx

It can't be used on any other us carrier.

 

[hakjak]

It can't be used on any other us carrier.

What's the purpose of unlocking it then?

 

[lordofthereef]

What's the purpose of unlocking it then?

It will work overseas.

 

[Mrbobb]

I wish I had more to sell because it was SO MUCH FUN!

U must like going to a car's dealership and haggling.

I wish eBay would allow, only people with 20+ transactions and 98% rating can bid. Lots of un-serious, drive-by, zero transaction eBay bidders and no way to block them.

 

[lordofthereef]

U must like going to a car's dealership and haggling.

I wish eBay would allow, only people with 20+ transactions and 98% rating can bid. Lots of un-serious, drive-by, zero transaction eBay bidders and no way to block them.

There is (or used to be) and option like this but I think it's only for power sellers.

 

[user123]

Craigslist transactions indeed can be dangerous. What I have done, and others, is (yes, I am serious) the buyer and seller meet each other in daylight, in the public parking lot of the local police station or a business next door to it.

also good is inside the public library or inside the cafeteria of the local hospital

bring your buddy/partner to all meetings anyway

NEVER, EVER, meet them at your house or at their house.

 

[SkyBell]

As far as eBay transactions go, honestly, I gave up on the bidding game years ago; every once in a while, I'll bid on something low value and low interest if it isn't something I really, desperately need. But for the most part, I use eBay as a plain store for it's vast and ever-changing inventory.

Even if it costs a bit more, I almost always use BIN; perhaps I have awful luck, but bid snipers are, and have been, too prevalent for quite a few years now to waste time with bidding and miss an opportunity to snag a rare item/great deal.

 

[lordofthereef]

As far as eBay transactions go, honestly, I gave up on the bidding game years ago; every once in a while, I'll bid on something low value and low interest if it isn't something I really, desperately need. But for the most part, I use eBay as a plain store for it's vast and ever-changing inventory.

Even if it costs a bit more, I almost always use BIN; perhaps I have awful luck, but bid snipers are, and have been, too prevalent for quite a few years now to waste time with bidding and miss an opportunity to snag a rare item/great deal.

Gixen

It's free. Use it all the time. A premium bid sniper service will still beat you, but I win at least 75% of the auctions that I set a high enough max bid on.

 

[oaktree]

U must like going to a car's dealership and haggling.

HaHa, very funny! In fact, I used to buy and sell antiques/collectibles, and I loved dickering the price. I was very good at it. Ahhhh...those were the days.

 

[Looon]

I've been trying to sell the same iPhone 4s on ebay for the least week because 3 times so far I have had people bid on it and not paid. I have to keep opening cases with ebay

 

[oaktree]

I've been trying to sell the same iPhone 4s on ebay for the least week because 3 times so far I have had people bid on it and not paid. I have to keep opening cases with ebay

You can avoid that by listing it as a Buy It Now with immediate payment required.

 

[ravenvii]

You can avoid that by listing it as a Buy It Now with immediate payment required.

Yup. I do BIN/Best Offer nowadays. Much easier and efficient than auctions.

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Gixen

It's free. Use it all the time. A premium bid sniper service will still beat you, but I win at least 75% of the auctions that I set a high enough max bid on.

Wow, never knew those types of things exist. Need to investigate!

 

[donutbagel]

For a hot item, I always start the bidding at $0.01 just to make it first on the list. It's worked well on an iPod touch, Mac mini, and some other things.