Goodplans

Making the Most of Selling on Craigslist ~ The "what not to do" version!

~ List your item in the right category! When developing the listing, pay special attention to the category chosen for the ad. Some people only search by category, not keyword, so listing your child's bedding in boats is not going to be condusive to making a sale.

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/boa/1012645983.html

~ Don't post fuzzy, slanted pictures! Take the time to snap a few high quality photos. A picture is worth a thousand words, and could be worth a thousand dollars on a Craigslist's ad, use a tripod or other stabilizing tool, utilize good lighting and position the items to their advantage for the photo shoot. Never post a sideways picture. Save the picture to your computer and use a photo managing software to rotate the picture to the correct position.

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/fuo/1015642977.html

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/fuo/1024516638.html

~ Clear out the clutter! When selling items like furniture, don't snap pictures like these:

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/fuo/1006984730.html

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/fuo/1023926950.html

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/fuo/1023926950.html

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/fuo/1022484395.html

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/fuo/1022188012.html

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/fuo/1021331002.html

~ Word your ad correctly! There's nothing like a poorly worded or non-descript listing to send buyers to another post. Don't say things like "stands up to children jumping on it" or "before you pick it up, I'll clean my daughter's spills". These tidbits of information do not promote sales!

Instead, use clear, concise language and grammar to briefly describe the item for sale. Include pertinent information such as color, measurements, age, condition, manufacturer, style and price. Suggesting where an item could be used is not as effective as a good, old fashioned description in plain English. AND, AVOID ALL CAPS!

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/fuo/1007261022.html

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/fuo/1024088453.html

~ Clean your items before the photo shoot! Most people are not looking for more work, so listing items that look like they're going to take elbow grease to be usable could mean no sales. Take the time to dust and polish, clean and detail your items before the listing please!

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/fuo/1022323310.html

~ Be reasonable in your expectations! People attach value to their items, because people are emotional creatures. When selling items, it is best to remove the emotion and think realistically about the objects and their pricing. Items that are several years old cannot possibly be in "brand new condition". They may be in excellent condition for their age, but "brand new"?? Really.

And, listing your items higher than one can purchase new items today will probably result in the items not selling. The market today determines the value of the items, not the price orginally paid, so do a little research on Craigslist and compare listings. If the leather sofa you have is not selling for the price you want, think about listing your item on a auction site, or taking it to a local auction house or consignment furniture store.

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/fuo/1021456160.html

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/fuo/1020423694.html

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/fuo/1019904231.html

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/fuo/997422031.html

Part 2 of this series will highlight some of the "to do's" for selling on Craigslist.