The majority of you have no doubt utilized craigslist Seattle for the typical motives. You may be looking for something (a house, used items or a job perhaps a potential partner) or you have something you want to offer or sell. Whatever the case, there are some tips and tricks that can be used to get the most out of your experience.
In reality, an understanding of the basics can mean an enormous difference between selling something in a matter of hours (or perhaps hours) and then letting it sit within the archive for months before re-posting. If you follow these tips, you’ll get more success the next time you list an item on Craigslist.
Be aware that these are suggestions to increase sales and not general Craigslist guidelines. It is important to be cautious when meeting individuals, providing personal details or giving out personal information, etc. For such tips check out Craigslist’s security and fraud information. Also, look over the extremely helpful Craigslist forums on the local Craigslist site.
1. Repost to Keep Your Ad on Top
Wouldn’t it be great to click an icon and your advertisement from last week would be able to shoot up to the top of the page right now? Sorry, but it won’t happen. Craigslist has implemented measures to prevent that. It’s mostly to prevent spammers from taking over the website. However, there are some workarounds spammers won’t have to worry about so you must consider these options if you want to make your advertisement stand out.
Customers don’t want to scroll through endless pages of posts from the past If you put off waiting for 30 days before reposting (the time it takes for your advertisement to run out) it may take a long time to sell it. If you’ve not received an answer in a couple of days after posting, it’s likely the right time to repost.
The video below will teach all you need to be aware of, however, there’s an abbreviated step-by-step guide to follow below.
- Be sure to have an active Craigslist account prior to posting advertisements. It’s not necessary however it can make life much simpler.
- Place your advertisement in the normal way (following the guidelines in the next section).
- The next day, sign in again and right-click on the advertisement you’d like to repo and open in an entirely new tab.
- Right-click to “edit this posting,” and then open it in an entirely new tab.
- Right-click to the “category” you have your advertisement posted in, then start it in a new tab. (All the tabs allow rapid editing back and forth.)
- Click on”post” or the “post” button to the left and choose the category and location.
- Return to the tab that contained the original advertisement and copy and paste the entire section into the new blank template. When done, click continue.
- Complete the captcha code.
- Go back to your old advertisement (it should be in another tab) and then delete it.
- Your advertisement should be placed in the upper right corner of the page.
2. ALWAYS Post an Image a GOOD Image
We are visual creatures. If you’re selling something, be it a house, an old television or you’re even in an ad for your personal use make sure to include an image. Most people look at ads with images first. When I’m searching for something that is used to make a purchase, I eliminate ads with no pictures. My reason is that If the seller isn’t posting photos, it could have been something amiss with it. If you do post pictures from the object, ensure that they’re clear, good quality and crisp images. Do not take a blurry, off-focus picture with your mobile phone and then call it an hour later. This will only annoy the customer. They’ll leave.
3. Don’t Put a Question in Your Headline
If you’re putting up employment, a personal ad, or maybe an offer, it could be beneficial to you. People will be drawn to questions that are relevant. They are particularly effective in personal ads. However, if you’re selling something tangible such as a house, an automobile, or an item that you no longer want I would strongly recommend that to keep your headlines purely informative. Take a look at these headlines:
They are basically the same information. The first one is a straightforward description. The second one is more like sales marketing, which feels like a salesperson from a used car is trying to convince me to buy an old car with new paint. Be clear, similar to every listing in a catalogue or catalogue for Best Buy or Target. This is especially true when you’re selling your home. Be honest about it and don’t try to come up with a clever idea. This will cause you harm.
4. Be as Specific as You Can Be
Remember that you’re trying to sell something that people need to go away from their way to collect. Before they commit the time and the gas cash to get to your house or business, they should be as informed as possible about your product. I’ve seen ads that had only one sentence written about them.
Yeah, great. However, if an advertisement has pictures of the bookcase, along with the dimensions, type of material, its condition, the maker’s name, and history as well as where it is located this one is more appealing. It reveals a lot about the seller as well. It’s not like they’re able to put up the ad, but the other one has performed well. This may not be an accurate reflection of who you are, or the state of the item you’re selling however, on Craigslist the first impressions matter the most important thing.
5. Do Your Homework
You thought that homework was done. craigslist Seattle is huge, and millions of items are listed on it each year. If you’re thinking of selling your sofa How do you ensure that your offer is more appealing? The best option is to spend time browsing Craigslist. Browse the listings, and look at what sofas similar to yours are being sold for. Are you seeing a sofa that you have seen advertised repeatedly? What’s the issue? Why didn’t it do well? Too high a price? Lack of pictures or poor quality? Do you really dig it? Once you’ve figured out the lay of the terrain, you’ll be able to create an effective advertisement. However, there’s a difficult aspect…
6. Make Sure the Price Is Right
As with most negotiations, it’s all about a compromise between the things you want and what the buyer is looking for. Buyers are looking to pay as little as they can, while you’d like to receive the most you can. Therefore, post an item that has prices that are too high and you’ll receive no responses. If you post too low, you’ll lose your bargaining ability. Craigslist buyers are always trying to cut some costs off it, so you’d be smart to take that into consideration.
In general, I choose the lowest price I’d be willing to accept and then add 20-25 per cent to the price. This isn’t the case for all things (a car or home for example) however it’s an excellent guideline. Offer your couch for $300 and you should take at least $225. You’re likely to get $250, and everyone is happy. Most importantly, Accept cash only, and preferably in the $20 denomination or less.
7. Pair Up Items That Go Together
It might seem simple, but a lot of people will include a crib and an incline in separate posts. However, if someone is searching for one, they could very likely require the other as well. Therefore, pair them up. Offer a discount to take each off your hands. If you’re willing to divide them, you could mention that too. One ad can make two birds a day with just one post.
8. Be an Eager Beaver
I’m not a big fan of instant replies to calls or emails. However, as an owner of Craigslist, you can improve the chances of selling your goods by contacting or emailing people as quickly as you are able to. Many people send several emails to sellers and the first to respond wins the deal. Be sure to be the first one, and that you’re polite and enthusiastic. If you’re going on an official trip or vacation and you want to advertise, do so when you return. If you’re responding to an avalanche of emails, you can use using a texter to reduce the wear and tear on your fingers.
9. Consider Trades
Bartering is still alive and well, and it’s available on Craigslist. Nowadays, people have lots of things they don’t need, as well as lots of things they are able to trade. One man’s trash can be the other’s treasure, so when you have something you’d like that’s just as valuable as cash, make sure you mention it too.
These nine steps should make your products move faster than sunscreen during the heat. If you have excellent selling tips, please tell us about them. But before I go, the last word…
Be a Good Craigslister and Remove Items That Sold!
It’s happened to me numerous times. I look for something, locate exactly what I’m looking to find, and send an email. Then I receive a response that reads, “Sorry, that sold.” So, why is the advertisement still there? It’s even more irritating that as time passes you look for the identical item, but that advertisement is still up! Don’t litter Craigslist with your old ads isn’t helping this valuable community.
