Craigslist is a free, expedient way to move your unused items or merchandise fast.
I recommend setting up a staging area; a garage is perfect for this sort of thing. Any large items that would be difficult and costly to ship can and should be sold on Craigslist.
#1: Always take a picture, more than one is preferable. People like pictures and you are 85% more likely to sell your item if you include a picture, use the camera on your phone if you have to. Take the picture in good light and from a few different angles.
#2: Stage your pictures. No one wants to buy something that looks like it's sitting in a messy garage. On that same note, clean your item up. The better it looks, the more $$ you'll get.
#3: Post your items on Tuesday and Saturday. You can only relist on Craigslist every three days so this gives you the most exposure. You want to be on the top of the page early Saturday morning.
#4: If you have a large item and don't want to deal with fielding lots of phone calls and questions, my first strategy has always been to list my item with picture and a thorough description (yes...this means measurements...people want DETAIL) and say that the item will be available for viewing on a specific day and time frame. First come, first serve.
This creates a sense of urgency and frankly competitiveness about your item. It intimates that the item is of particular value and that you expect a great deal of interest in the item. A good time to do this is on a Saturday morning say between 8-10 a.m. You may end with a bidding war going on in your driveway! Cha-Ching.
The downside to this strategy is that people WILL SHOW UP EARLY. No doubt about it, so be ready for that. And if you post your address right away, there is a good chance they will show up DAYS EARLY wanting to look at your item. I was selling an old utility trailer once and had a gentleman show up at 9 p.m. the day BEFORE the sale just as I was trying to get my kids settled down and in bed. Let's just say he was not given the opportunity to purchase the trailer. I was not a happy mama that night.
#5: Try to avoid selling out of your home for smaller items. As a woman I just feel safer meeting somewhere and I think a lot of female buyers feel the same way. Include in your post that you're glad to meet up with someone and list the neighboring towns and/or areas you are willing to drive to. I tend to pick grocery store parking lots or Starbucks since they are always busy and easy to find.
#6: Compare your asking price against what others are charging for similar or like items on Craigslist. Try to price yours slightly less than the going rate or throw in a freebie or bonus. If you happen to have something that goes w/ the item you are selling it can make the difference between you getting the sale or someone else. For instance, I sell a lot of gently used baby clothes and toys. I pick up baby hair bows dirt cheap at the Dollar Store and give them away as a bonus w/ each of my items. Sometimes I'm even charging a bit more than my competition but my customers feel like they are getting a better deal so they buy from me. Everyone likes to get something for free. The same concept works on eBay, I give away bonuses or routinely offer free shipping.
For more information on selling on Craigslist, eBay and other fantastic side-income opportunities check out my NEW EBook, Make Money Now, How Average Americans are Beating this Economy, Making Great Money Online and How You Can Too! at http://www.ihavebeenserved.com/MakeMoneyNow.html
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