How to Use Craigslist (with Pictures) - wikiHow (2024)

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Create and respond to Craigslist ads from your computer, phone, or tablet

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parts

1Posting on Craigslist

2Responding to Craigslist Ads

3Buying and Selling on Craigslist

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Tips and Warnings

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Last Updated: October 9, 2022References

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Craigslist began in 1995 as a simple email forum for buying and selling, and it has since grown to revamp the world of free classified advertising. Over 700 cities and 70 countries have their own dedicated Craigslist sites that are used for job advertising, buying and selling goods, dating, forums and much more.[1] Before using Craigslist, take some time to become familiar with its format by perusing your local Craigslist site and then start using best practices to get the best results.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Posting on Craigslist

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  1. 1

    Become proficient in searching your local Craigslist. Run a search query that includes the name of your city and the word “Craigslist.” Find your local site and bookmark it for easy future access.

  2. 2

    Peruse the different sections of the site, such as housing, personals, jobs, for sale and community. Get to know the general architecture of the site and the general etiquette for posting.

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  3. 3

    Decide how you would most benefit from posting on Craigslist. Choose a classified listing category in which you want to post. Note that there are a few rare cases that require payment, including posting jobs in the San Francisco Bay Area or other larger cities, selling cars or trucks, posting therapeutic ads, posting tickets or posting brokered apartment rentals in New York City.[2]

  4. 4

    Post only when you are ready to check back regularly. Since the newest posts appear at the top, you will get the majority of responses to your post within the first two to 24 hours. Be ready to respond to take advantage of Craigslist’s social power.

    • Craigslist asks that you post to a single category and single location only once within 48 hours for each topic.
  5. 5

    Find the “Post” link in the upper right hand corner of the page. Click on it. Select the type of post you are offering, such as “event” or “housing offered.”

  6. 6

    Answer any additional questions for that category by selecting the radio button that describes your post.

  7. 7

    Enter text for your post, including a posting title and description. Be specific and specify a limited time, amount of money or qualification required. Use the best possible keywords in the title, so that people can search for your listing.

  8. 8

    Enter your personal email. Unless you want your personal email to show up on the listing, select the radio button to use a craigslist coded email relay. This allows you to use your email to receive messages, but still remain anonymous on the site itself.

  9. 9

    Type your email address again and click “Continue.” Upload up to 12 images, if it applies to your listing. If you are selling items, you should always include images that help the viewer to see the condition of the item.

  10. 10

    Confirm your email and post. Preview it and edit it before it goes live. If you like how it looks, publish it.

  11. 11

    Check your email for a Craigslist email. It may arrive in your junk mail. Confirm your post and it will go live. Be ready to respond to posts almost immediately.[3]

    • Save the confirmation email so that you can return to the post to remove it or edit it in the future.
  12. 12

    Don’t give your address information out to anyone unless you have contacted them and you are certain of your safety. You may choose to arrange meetings at a separate location to better protect yourself.

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Part 2

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Responding to Craigslist Ads

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  1. 1

    Peruse Craigslist ads in your state or city. Find an ad that you want to respond to.

  2. 2

    Consider using the option to email the post to a friend, if you want to look at the ad later. Click on the link “Email to a Friend” below the listing. Type in your email and the ad will appear in your inbox until you are ready to respond.

  3. 3

    Go to the ad and click the “Reply” button at the top left hand side of the page. View the contact information for the post, including the name, a telephone number and the email relay. You can choose to call instead of emailing, if an email is provided and you want to expedite the process.

  4. 4

    Copy the email address at the bottom if you want to email the author of the post. Paste it into your preferred email program. Compose and send your email, taking care not to include personal information until you are confident that the post is not fraudulent.

  5. 5

    Look out for a response. Generally, the sooner you reply to the post, the more likely you are to get results from it.[4]

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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Buying and Selling on Craigslist

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  1. 1

    Become familiar with what items are best for buying and selling on Craigslist. Many people use it primarily for furniture, technology, events and job postings. You may find you get better results selling smaller items on eBay or Amazon, since people are more accustomed to those forums for used items.

  2. 2

    Comparison shop before you buy. Search online for the purchase price of a used item. Take into account the condition of the item as well. If you are selling on Craigslist, use this method to set your price.

  3. 3

    Determine whether the seller is willing to bargain on the post. Usually, the seller will indicate a price and add “OBO” or “or best offer” if they want to get rid of it quickly. If demand is likely to be high, you are more likely to need to buy it at the full listed price.

  4. 4

    Check back frequently for listings. Being one of the first people to respond is your best chance to get the item.

  5. 5

    Offer to pick up the item at the convenience of the seller if you want to stand out from other responders. Convenience and reliability are good reasons for someone to write you back and arrange the sale.

  6. 6

    Try to speak to the person and confirm the address and time before you buy or sell. Always bring someone else with you to help with transportation and provide an assurance of safety.

  7. 7

    Be specific with your item description and images when you are selling. You want to ensure a happy, direct customer, and the best way to do so is to be honest about the condition, the model and the location.

  8. 8

    Offer delivery service if you want to get rid of an item quickly. Be sure to specify whether delivery or pick-up is desired. Also, specify what types of payment are accepted.

    • With Craigslist, the standard is cash on delivery.
  9. 9

    Don’t respond to post replies that aren’t specific about the item. You may get spam responses.

  10. 10

    Repost your ad every 48 hours to remain relevant on the chronological list. This is the most that Craigslist’s general rules allow. Breaking those rules may result in getting a post removed.[5]

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      Tips

      • Use Craigslist to search for a specific wanted item with Google Alerts. Sign into Google, and then set up an alert for a search term. Type in the term or terms and then add the site that you want to search. For example, “oak desk site: cityname.craigslist.org. Instruct the alert to contact you once a day or as changes happen and new listings will appear in your email.

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      • As a courtesy and safety measure, remove your post as soon as you’ve completed the desired sale or action. You will no longer receive messages related to the classified ad following the removal.

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      • Consider using the “Free” item column if you simply want to get rid of an item. In some cities, you can simply place the item on a cross street and post that it is there. People will peruse the ads and pick up desired items from the street.

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      Warnings

      • Beware that Craigslist is sometimes used for fraudulent postings and scams. You should always protect your identity and take another person with you when responding to a Craigslist ad. Craigslist’s ability to disguise personal information means that you must be vigilant when vetting posts.

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      About This Article

      wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 38,155 times.

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      Co-authors: 7

      Updated: October 9, 2022

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      Categories: Craigslist

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      How to Use Craigslist (with Pictures) - wikiHow (2024)

      FAQs

      How do I post to Craigslist with pictures? ›

      Uploading images to craigslist
      1. Once you have entered the information for your post, click "continue."
      2. On the next page, click "Choose Files." ...
      3. A window or dialog box should appear where you can locate the image files stored on your computer. ...
      4. When all of your images are uploaded, click "done with images."

      How do you use Craigslist effectively? ›

      Our seven Craigslist precautions will help prepare you for your first transaction!
      1. Always use a proxy email address or phone number.
      2. Plan details in advance.
      3. Meet in public and bring a friend.
      4. Stay safe when a buyer comes to your house.
      5. Use a secure form of payment.
      6. Trust your instincts when vetting buyers.

      How many pictures does Craigslist allow? ›

      The biggest limitation here is the ability to automate or post ads in bulk. Craigslist has updated the limit to 24 photos per ad as of 2021 (up from 8). This is a lot of spots but be sure not to overuse this feature or incorrectly format your ad posting.

      How do I sell on Craigslist for dummies? ›

      How To Sell On Craigslist: A 08-Step Easy-Selling Guide (+Updated)
      1. Go to Craiglist.org and choose the place where you reside.
      2. Go to the top-left side and click on the option “Create a posting.”
      3. Choose your “type of posting”
      4. Choose your Items “Category”
      5. Describe your item of choice, and fill the sale information.
      Mar 10, 2023

      What is the best picture format for Craigslist? ›

      The Best Format for Craigslist Pictures
      • JPG. Most people use the JPG image format for photographs. ...
      • GIF. This older format can contain only 256 colors, making it a poor choice for most photographs. ...
      • PNG. PNG format images are less common then GIF and JPG, but provide some of the advantages of both. ...
      • Considerations. ...
      • References.

      Does Craigslist remove metadata from photos? ›

      If you upload pictures to Craigslist, Facebook, Imgur, Instagram, Twitter, or WhatsApp, the Exif data won't be available to the people who see them. That doesn't mean social media companies don't find any use for it, however.

      What is the most popular category on Craigslist? ›

      Vehicles, whether used cars, trucks, or motorcycles, are big-ticket items that consistently do well on Craigslist. They're a high-value category with a broad audience.

      Who uses Craigslist the most? ›

      It started expanding to other U.S. and Canadian cities in 2000. In 2023 Craigslist listed seven hundred cities in 70 countries on its website and had ca. 560 million visits per month. Despite such global presence, 90% of the website visitors are from the USA.

      What sells the fastest on Craigslist? ›

      Furniture. Hands down some of the best items to sell on Craigslist to make money are furniture items. From beds to old end tables you can rack up some good money on Craigslist with furniture. Large pieces like couches, recliners, beds and dining tables bring in the most.

      How do I protect myself when selling on Craigslist? ›

      How to Protect Myself as a Seller on Craigslist
      1. Omit any personal information about yourself when you create your Craigslist ad. ...
      2. Select "anonymize" under your "Reply to" email address. ...
      3. Ask prospective buyers to provide their phone number in emails to the anonymous address Craigslist creates for you.

      How does Craigslist make money if its free? ›

      What is the business model of Craigslist and how does it generate revenue without charging fees? Craigslist's business model is quite unique compared to many other online platforms. Unlike typical e-commerce websites that charge fees for listings or transactions, Craigslist primarily relies on advertising for revenue.

      How do I post an ad on Craigslist from my phone? ›

      Go https://www.craigslist.org in a web browser. Tap Post. Select a post type and tap Continue. Select a post category and tap Continue.

      Why are my pictures sideways on Craigslist? ›

      Photos taken on smartphones, tablets and some cameras can look great on your device but appear upside down or sideways when uploaded to a post or page because the device stores the image's orientation in the EXIF metadata and not all software is able to read the metadata.

      How do you post a draft on Craigslist? ›

      Posting Drafts

      If you have a craigslist account, you can log in to your account and view the "drafts" tab. You may see the title of the posting you started. Clicking on the title will bring you to the incomplete draft of your posting.

      How to post on Craigslist without an account? ›

      Without an account, you must write and post each ad individually, responding to an emailed confirmation message to validate a listing before it appears on Craigslist. Account holders can view all their ads through a unified interface on the Craigslist website.

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