Have you ever used "Craig's List" for buying and selling?

[Radio_Lady]

What was your experience with it? Did your items sell? Did you post your telephone number and/or email?

I'd love to hear from you if you have used it. I'm thinking about using it for selling some big and little items to folks in this area.

Appreciate your input. Thanks to the DUer who recommended it on the Oregon forum.

[Sannum]

1. I do job searches there...

I have an interview today and tomorrow, in fact:)

It is sort of interesting to browse. Some people are just strange, lol. You can get a one night stand, a job, and a used sofa in one day. Ha!

[Tyrone Slothrop]

2. I've gotten a bunch of stuff on CL

My current job, a couch, some concert tickets, etc.

I've also sold some concert tickets and rented an extra room in my apartment through Craigslist.

I find it's best to just use a "dump" email account. The first time I posted an ad for a roommate I used my phone number; the phone rang A LOT for the first couple days after the ad was placed. Lots of people had weird questions, etc. It was much easier to keep track of all the people with all the messages written down in one place.

[Radio_Lady]

8. Good point. Thanks for chiming in -- how long has this service been

available? I thought it was nationwide, like ebay.com, not local. A DUer opened my eyes.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

11. I think it's been around for a few years

It started as local San Francisco thing -- then expanded with city-specific sites around the world.

I live in NYC so it's a good way to advertise for free to a lot of people.

[Radio_Lady]

12. When did it go nationwide? I must have missed it!

We had a publication in Massachusetts which was wonderful when we moved to Portland, Oregon. They sold the book on the newsstand for not too much, but they took ads for FREE and you paid them ON THE HONOR SYSTEM.

Wonder how they've survived the Internet? Oh, here's the web site. Look like it's "Internet enhanced" -- It's pretty local, but if you're moving to Boston -- welcome to my former world:

http://www.thewantad.com/

[Mizmoon]

3. Bought a ten speed bike

now it rots in my garage instead of the garage of the person from whom I bought it ...

[Radio_Lady]

13. Why not use Craig's list to sell it????

I'm in a divestiture stage of my life. It's a good feeling to lighten the materialism. Next week, I'm talking with a woman author on my radio show about living more simply. They've done it -- in upstate New York. I'll post the topic next week.

I tell my children, "Don't buy me anything else -- just diapers if I need them. If I have to go to a nursing home, just see that my socks match!"

[radwriter0555]

4. I sold both my cars, got my dog, sold entire contents of my house etc, etc

etc on craigslist. I LOVE it.

You don't have to put a phone number, you can anonymize your email addy and it works great. It's easy to post photos too.

Read through the ads and see which ones you find 'work' the best for you, and copy their style.

It's a fantastic resource. I know a woman who met her husband on there too!

[Radio_Lady]

10. Really! Another one on the topic I'm discussing right now...

See this post, in connection with Friday's opening of "Must Love Dogs" -- fantastic responses!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x3737472

[kick-ass-bob]

5. my neighbor put his washer/dryer on it.

someone picked it up that same day.

[Radio_Lady]

14. Wow. He probably priced it too low... at least, that's the thinking when

you sell your home.

[kick-ass-bob]

15. he didn't need the money - he just wanted it out of there.

I think he sold them for $100.

[Radio_Lady]

17. Right. That's the feeling, especially if the new home buyer...

doesn't want your appliances. I'm asking $50.00 for the mattress, box springs, and frame. This fellow who called is just starting out. I think I'll give him a pillow for free. My husband says I have a good heart...

[Dora]

6. Posted my pickup for sale there

And had some nibbles, but no bites.

However, I found an AWESOME housesitter last summer through CL.

[Radio_Lady]

16. Just got my first phone call. Ken is coming over at 5:30 PM to look

at our twin bed. This is so exciting! I have to look at my email to see if anyone contacted me.

I used to do a feature on my Boston radio show (1970s and early 1980s) called the Selling Corner. I did it every Friday. It was a great feature -- the lines really lit up and people described their wares. If anyone was interested, they called a back line and got the phone number of the seller.

I also did this with people -- one of the first radio dating services -- in Miami in 1971. I called it Date A Mate -- people called in and described themselves, while others got their telephone numbers off air.

Things seemed simpler then -- but maybe it's just those rose-colored glasses.

In peace,

Radio Lady

[malmapus]

7. Post your email, no personal info

Bought a few items from there and done the job searches. Always would email the person first.

But yeah wouldn't go with phone #. Have even seen people that put up their addresses, thats just asking for trouble IMHO.

[Radio_Lady]

9. You could be right. I just put in email initially. A special email from

those allowed. I can turn it off if it gets too difficult. I didn't know you could delete and edit your own stuff. Thanks for your response.

[ashling]

18. bought an extra fridge

for $25. Works good, even though it fell out of the bed of my pickup when I was getting it unloaded.

[Radio_Lady]

19. Ouch! I guess it's still working. Good thing your toe wasn't under it or

a child or a pet. Does it have a significant ding now?

[ashling]

20. It sprung the door

but I fixed that. works pretty good.

My own fault ... it was like a scene from a Laurel and Hardy flick.

[Radio_Lady]

21. OK, the first guy gave me no "buy signs" and said, "You can call me later

after the second guy comes at 5:30 PM..." WTF???

Stay tuned for the further adventures on Ellen's Sellin' Corner in Portland's section of craig's list...

[Radio_Lady]

22. Second person who looked at the twin bed bought it!

I love craig's list.

They have a .org listing, which much mean they are a non-profit.

How are they funded?

I'll have to look it all up over the weekend.

Great way to do business. Your guidance was very much appreciated, folks!