How to Sell Items on Craigslist

Last Updated: September 23, 2021 Tested

Ready to make some extra cash and get rid of that imported beer can collection? This article will show you the best way to position your formerly priceless possessions to sell on Craigslist. Read on!

Sample For Sale Ad

Sample Craigslist For Sale Ad

Method 1

Method 1 of 1:

Selling Items on Craigslist

1
Go to Craigslist.org. After all, if you don’t go there, you’re not going to have a lot of luck selling on Craigslist!
2
Choose the state where you live. On the right side of the page, there is a list of big cites that may reflect your region. If you don't see your city there, at the bottom of the list are links to fine-tune your location.
- Click on the link that says US States.
- You can go right to your city by entering yourcityname.craigslist.org. For our examples, we’ll use Portland as our city, and enter "portland.craigslist.org." If there is not a listing for your specific city, choose the city that is closest to you. Be sure to post your ad on one Craigslist city only - posting the same thing to multiple cities is against Craigslist Terms of Use.
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3
Click on the post to classifieds button. It's on the left side, under the Craigslist logotype. That will bring you to a page that says: '"What type of posting is this?"' It gives you a list of posting types:
- Craigslist has both "for sale by dealer" and "for sale by owner" areas - generally "by owner" is for private individuals with just one or a few random used items to sell - if you are a recurring seller, either with an inventory, or you buy/make items to resell, be sure to chose "by dealer".
4
Click the for sale button, will bring you to another category page. It features a list of about 100 categories. You can choose one. Click on the category that is most appropriate for what you're selling. If your item does not fit within any specific category, click on the category general for sale.
- For example, if you want to sell an old bicycle, you'd choose bicycle - by owner.
- When you click on that, you'll be asked to narrow down your location.
5
Enter the posting information. This is the title and copy and other information potential buyers will see when they are searching for what you're selling. These fields are as follows:
- Posting Title: This is what people will see as the heading in their search results.
- Price: Obviously, how much you're selling the item for.
- Specific location: Enter your county, part of town, or other general information. Do not enter your address!
- Reply to: Put your email address here. You can choose whether to have an "anonymous" address created for this ad, or not. In "for sale by owner" this is generally the best choice, to avoid spam. If you are a dealer, you should list your business contact info in the ad body. There is also an option to list a phone number, and you can specify whether it is a number (cell) that can accept text messages.
- Posting Description. This where you do your selling. Make it interesting, make it catchy. If you don't know what or how to write sales copy, take a look at a catalog or newspaper ad you might have, and see how they do it. If it works for them, it'll work for you! If you are selling "by owner" be sure to use your own words in the ad to describe your item, you do not want the ad to sound like a dealer/commercial ad. Stick with facts, avoid hype.
  - Be truthful here. If there are flaws that damage the value of the item, or there's a piece missing, or that your ex will be knocking on the door of whoever buys it—let them know in advance. It may not help you sell, but it will help you avoid getting a reputation as an unreliable seller.
- Check "ok for others to contact you..." if it's fine with you to get unsolicited emails from strangers.
- Check your form. The fields in green must be filled in.
6
Submit pictures of what you're selling. This is listed as optional, but if you want to sell something, do yourself and your potential buyer a favor, and fill as many picture slots as you can with high-resolution pictures that are as good as you can possibly make them. You want people to be excited about what you're selling. Be sure to post pictures of your actual item, and avoid "stock" pictures from the manufacturer or the Internet.
- When you're done loading in images, click the Done with images button.
- Craigslist allows you to add up to 24 images to your ad. (CL no longer allows links or external images for-sale ads.)
7
Check your listing for accuracy. You want to make sure your listing will get the attention it deserves.
- If your listing needs changes, click on the Edit Text or Edit Images buttons, and make any changes necessary.
8
Click on the Continue button. When you're satisfied your ad is ready for prime time, click the Continue button at the bottom of the page. If you have an account on Craigslist, your ad will be posted on Craigslist within 15 minutes. If you do not have an account, you will be sent a notification email that you must respond to for your posting to become active.
9
That's it! You're just made an ad on Craigslist! Note that while you may see a notice that says the list is updated every 15 minutes, it may sometimes take longer, perhaps an hour or two, before your ad appears in search results or in the list.

Community Q&A

Question

How much does it cost to run an ad on Craigslist?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Most ad listings will be free in Craigslist but there are exceptions, such as for some services, deal sales, job postings, vehicles sales, etc. For more information, check the Craigslist Posting Fees page under About > Help > Posting Fees. You’ll know if you have to pay a fee because the site will require you to provide a credit card payment for listing in certain categories.
Question

What sells well on Craigslist?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

The things that sell well on Craigslist will likely vary depending on your location and local needs, plus any current fads. However, the things that seem to do well on Craigslist in general include: Cars and other vehicles, cell phones/smartphones, bicycles, electronics and appliances, gear for your garden and yard, and valuable toys like Lego pieces and sets. The usual requirements hold for selling used items, like being in good to excellent condition, all parts intact, manuals available, etc.
Question

Do you have to pay a fee to sell on Craigslist?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Most things are free to list on Craigslist. You will only need to pay a fee for job postings in some areas, NYC brokered apartment rentals, by-dealer sales, cars and trucks, some gigs and services in the USA and Canada. You can find out more by visiting the Craigslist Posting Fees page under About > Help > Posting Fees.

Warnings

Keep this in mind as you're creating your ad: you want the people reading your ad to be more interested in buying than you are in selling.

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You do not have to put contact information in your ad. Most people can contact you through Craigslist, but some people can't, so you might consider it. As mentioned earlier, though, don't make it easy for unscrupulous people to know you're selling something valuable, and where you're located. All they need to do is see one social media post saying "Having a great time in Cancun!" to know you're not at home.

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Your ad will expire 45 days after you post it, but you may renew it at any time.

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