Craig’s got a list and we’re checking it twice.
By Elizabeth Johnson & William Tyler Martin
- Photo by Elizabeth Johnson / Staff
Orange is the new black and antique silk is the new white. What else is new?
How about online advertising? There are many options of online services; most of them cost an arm and a leg and your first-born male.
Craigslist.org, however, a mostly-free online service, is used by millions of people in the US, but that doesn’t mean that they all know what they’re doing. Many users have a hard time selling things on craigslist because their interest group is frustrated with the seller’s ad. Other people completely avoid craigslist because they’re afraid of getting scammed, which actually is a possibility. Then, there’s always the chance of coming across some sketchy, sick ad that you just didn’t want engraved in your memory cells.
Here’s some help on setting up an ad, not getting scammed, and avoiding bad situations on craigslist.
When you get to the website, it seems crowded and overwhelming. There are underlined blue words lined up in columns all over the page. Where do you start?
If you want to place an ad for free, click on “post to classifieds” in the top left corner. Just follow the steps from there, whether you want to find a job, sell your books, or find a boyfriend [that’s looking for girls or boys].
Let’s say you’re selling books online after the semester is over. Click on “for sale.” At the next page, click “books & magazines,” and choose a posting area– city of Atlanta is probably the best option here. Fill out the required information, but add a picture! For me, if there is not a picture, I won’t even look at the item. Confirm your information, read the terms of use, and click accept!
Now when people search for books, they can see yours. The more specific you are in your ad, the better. Don’t forget to delete your ad when the item is sold! You can understand how frustrating it can get when you’ve been searching for an item for a while, get excited about your prospective purchase, only to send the e-mail to the seller and then find out is has already been sold.
Craigslist has some pretty good advice on not getting scammed: don’t wire money; deal locally; don’t accept cashier checks or money orders and only take small bills; don’t give out personal or financial information; avoid shipping as a buyer or a seller. Just think about what is happening. If it seems too good to be true, let’s be honest: It probably is. Craigslist.org has some good examples of scams so look over them and make sure it’s not happening to you.
Note, it is illegal for pornographic material to be posted on craigslist, so hopefully you won’t have to deal with any unsolicited images. There can be other issues when using online sources to sell your trash or your treasure. Craigslist offers these suggestions for protection:
* Insist on a public meeting place, like a cafe.
* Tell a friend or family member where you’re going.
* Take your cell phone with you.
* Consider having a friend accompany you.
* Trust your instincts.
Selling and buying through Craigslist can be convenient, easy, and fun. You’ve just got to know how to do it right. Just remember to be courteous and selective with whom you choose to deal. It is not uncommon for people to take advantage of a good thing, and Craigslist is no exception.
