Craigslist and Caveat Emptor
Recently, I had a friend call me for help with selling some furniture.
I suggested using Craigslist, since I have had good experiences using the free online service, but I made sure to give her some tips and I oversaw the wording in her ads. If you think this story ends up with someone being ripped off, you’re right to be concerned, but you’re wrong in this case.
She had a number of emails, including at least one sketchy one, which she avoided and she successfully sold her items. But it is possible to have a bad experience on Craigslist, and so if you’re considering using CL to sell something, I will condense my comments to help you have a good result.
To begin, Craigslist is simply an electronic version of a classified ad that, in the past, was the mainstay of printed newspapers. With the advent of the internet, it was inevitable that electronic posting would lead to the selling and buying of things, and the experience is no different, except that you do it with a computer instead of a printed notice. Unscrupulous people are out there, however, and some have devised ways to part you from your money.