Gosh, I love these online buy/sell sites. It’s like a vintage shop, Good Will, Thrift Store, and a Dollar General all rolled up in one. My closets are full, my garage is stuffed so next weekend I will be purging and selling. Yep, time to get rid of the old. I will just post it across the board, on each site. Craigslist, Offer-up and Facebook Marketplace. It’s seldom longer than an hour before my item is sold.
Need a new table? desk? Yep, my go-to is the online sites. I always find what I am looking for and honestly for a bargain. I rarely pay full price for anything.
Here are my top 8 tips for making the most of your used online shopping experience:
DO always offer less than the asking price. This may seem like stating the obvious, a lot of times people are scared to offer less. Even if the ad says “price firm,” offer less. The worst that can happen is that the seller will say no. Then you decide whether you are willing to pay more or want to keep looking.
DO agree on a price with the seller before you go to look at an item. Bargaining is much easier not in person. You just don’t want to waste your time driving there and then not able to agree on a price.
DON’T just browse. There are thousands of items posted on craigslist and more being added every day. Without some idea of what you are looking for, searching for a bargain can quickly turn into a big-time waster. Have an idea of what you are searching for, and then do a keyword search. Start fairly broad and narrow as necessary.
DO look as close to home as possible. There is no sense driving 50 miles if you can find it just around the corner. Narrow your search results to your own county, then expand as necessary. Decide how far you are willing to travel for a given item. A good deal isn’t really a good deal if you are burning a tank of gas.
DO compare prices and product reviews online before buying. A quick search on Amazon.com can tell you a lot about what you should be paying, and whether the product you are considering is worth buying at all. This advice rings especially true for electronics and appliances!
DON’T ask too much. We all would like to think our stuff is worth alot, but the sad truth is that used stuff isn’t worth all that much. Do a search for your item to find out what other people are asking. If your price is significantly higher, don’t expect any calls.
DON’T be afraid to say no to an offer. If someone offers you less than you think your item is worth, don’t be afraid to hold out for more money. Craigslist is free and you can list your item as many times as you want. Determine whether it is more important to get rid of an item quickly or to get your full asking price.
DON’T over list your item! Follow the Craigslist rules or you will be flagged and ALL your listings will be removed. Each region is slightly different, but as a general rule, you can post any given item once every 7 days.
