How to Buy on Craigslist
Get on Craigslist, i.e: when you are ready to try it, by clicking the numeral 1, or just see the Sources and Citations Section at the bottom., Click on your state name and then click your city or one near your town or community. , Choose a sales...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Get on Craigslist
Click the category from that menu, to narrow the field of stuff in which you are mainly interested.
Select "free stuff" as your chosen category on the drop-down list to see how lucky you might be.
There may be free dirt, firewood–old or green (pre-cut or long pieces that you'll have to take and cut later), rocks, scrap metal, furniture, garage sale leftovers, used lumber, etc.; sometimes free stuff is left on the street curb for the taking and may be gone quickly. , A large number of ads have pictures, and so the search has a button so that you can limit your results to ads that include pictures.
You can also limit your search to items between certain prices.
Click "lowest price," as a search setting, then $1 will lead the list, but some people put that to get you to click their listing which may contain mostly higher priced items. , Or, even if you don't–it will open in the listings for the last city that was searched. ,, An ad should include a brief description of the condition of the item, price, and seller's area location and, possibly, a phone number.
Follow the seller's instructions to the buyer such as instructing you to use the secure Craigslist email inquiry, or to call a phone number. , Protect your email address; be anonymous at first and be secure from spammers by creating a membership in Craigslist (if you wish); that way your email is not revealed at the first level of making an inquiry. , Advertisers fear tricks by buyers and often accept only cash.
Be prepared to pay cash for your item.
Agree when and where to pick up your purchase.
Most sellers do not guarantee the product, and say it is "as is" and that sales are "final!": , -
Step 2: i.e: when you are ready to try it
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Step 3: by clicking the numeral 1
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Step 4: or just see the Sources and Citations Section at the bottom.
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Step 5: Click on your state name and then click your city or one near your town or community.
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Step 6: Choose a sales category in the drop down list.
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Step 7: Enter a search item
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Step 8: brand and/or kind
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Step 9: for example: you can spell out a search for a "riding mower
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Step 10: " or do you need a "tiller
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Step 11: " under the category: "Farm and garden" by clicking that.
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Step 12: Create a bookmark/favorite of your search so that you may search easily again the next day or next weekend.
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Step 13: Click the title of an item–in the listing of items found by the search–that you want to examine in detail (to see the seller's ad and description for that item).
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Step 14: Read the ad carefully; be doubtful of fabulous descriptions.
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Step 15: Try replying to the seller with a message sent through Craigslist anonymous secure response link that you can paste into your email to send the request to Craigslist
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Step 16: and then they relay it to the seller.
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Step 17: Agree on the selling price.
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Step 18: Examine the item
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Step 19: and try to get it to work
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Step 20: etc.–buyer beware!
Detailed Guide
Click the category from that menu, to narrow the field of stuff in which you are mainly interested.
Select "free stuff" as your chosen category on the drop-down list to see how lucky you might be.
There may be free dirt, firewood–old or green (pre-cut or long pieces that you'll have to take and cut later), rocks, scrap metal, furniture, garage sale leftovers, used lumber, etc.; sometimes free stuff is left on the street curb for the taking and may be gone quickly. , A large number of ads have pictures, and so the search has a button so that you can limit your results to ads that include pictures.
You can also limit your search to items between certain prices.
Click "lowest price," as a search setting, then $1 will lead the list, but some people put that to get you to click their listing which may contain mostly higher priced items. , Or, even if you don't–it will open in the listings for the last city that was searched. ,, An ad should include a brief description of the condition of the item, price, and seller's area location and, possibly, a phone number.
Follow the seller's instructions to the buyer such as instructing you to use the secure Craigslist email inquiry, or to call a phone number. , Protect your email address; be anonymous at first and be secure from spammers by creating a membership in Craigslist (if you wish); that way your email is not revealed at the first level of making an inquiry. , Advertisers fear tricks by buyers and often accept only cash.
Be prepared to pay cash for your item.
Agree when and where to pick up your purchase.
Most sellers do not guarantee the product, and say it is "as is" and that sales are "final!": ,
About the Author
Virginia Martin
With a background in digital media and internet, Virginia Martin brings 14 years of hands-on experience to every article. Virginia believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.
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