by Dan Sullivan
Craigslist is an online classified advertisement website. It has a lot of sections for various and local sub-websites serving major cities and metropolitan areas around the world. Craigslist is one of the oldest internet's buying and selling marketplace. This website allows users to place classified ads and communicate with other users on message boards. On Craigslist, sellers can post ads for their various goods and services, employment, and many more. It has a simple and easy to use interface. This website has a discussion forum wherein users chat and discuss various topics.
Contents
Various online commercial websites exist with different features. One of these is the Craigslist! Ever heard about it? Are you interested in knowing more about Craigslist? Then, you are on track because this article will give you a deep insight to Craigslist. In this article you will get to know:
So, lets dive into knowing about Craigslist.
Craigslist is an online classified website with sections dedicated to various features. These include community housing, jobs, services for sale, discussion forums, gigs, and resumes. It is a widely known marketplace on the Internet, an e-commerce, for buying and selling. You get to shop for different items that you need. Sellers can also post advertisements for their various products and services. Users can also post hiring at various local businesses, and advertise local events. These could be telephones, employment, apartments and many more. It is a user-friendly website, and its work resembles a newspaper's classified section.
You are curious? Like, who started this?
Craigslist was created by Craig Newmark. It was named 'Craigslist' after him. The company started in 1995 as an email distribution platform covering local events in San Francisco. Craigslist went online in 1996 and then expanded into other classified categories. Craigslist started its expansion to other U.S. cities in 2000 and has now grown beyond event listing to cover nearly every aspect of life you could think about. It is one of the English Language websites with the most visits. It has a local-classifieds for about 70 countries and 700 world cities. It is also accessible in 13 different languages. It is the only semi-reliable, online location where everything that you can access for free. Craigslist aims to provide a helpful, non-commercial way for users to connect with other people within their communities.
Are you worried about the safety? Is it safe for you to use?
Yes, it is! And I mean that, but you need to be careful to ensure you are using it rightly. Some people register as users to scam people. And this can happen in any of the sections. Caution is required when dealing with people either as a buyer or seller.
Normally, Craigslist has its ways of preventing/reducing fraudulent activities on their site. One very strong rule the site always encourages is that you should deal locally. Once you open the Craigslist app, you can pick your town to view ads from your own area only. Beware of orders that involves shipping and follow all rules to help prevent fraud. Craigslist believe that with strict adherence to the rules 99% of scam attempts will be avoided.
Craigslist is built in a simple and easy design. It allows only its users to post ads. It doesn't allow any other advertising on its websites. This has helped keep the website as cool as possible. Most of the ad posted on the sites are free even for non-members. Companies that are looking to hire or sell products that are expensive are the major exceptions to this free accessibility. These may include tickets for various events, cars and trucks.
It is also very easy to get started on Craigslist. Just log in to the site on your device. You will be requested to choose your location or allow the site to gain permission to your location. After which you will be directed to the Craigslist page of your region. On the site, you can choose a category or search for your desired option. The website has no animation or graphics. It gains its value from its utilitarian design and the contributions of its users. The only thing required to register is your e-mail address. The process is short and easy. After you have entered your e-mail and your verification. You will then receive a mail which contains the link to your account and log in. Then, you are officially a member of the Craigslist family.
You should also know that Craigslist doesn't share in the sales cost whenever a transaction occurs on the website. This implies that all transaction details occur between the seller and buyer alone. This is why it is always important for ads posters or sellers to always include at least a contact information with the ad. This can be a phone number, email address or any other contact information of choice.
Craigslist sites are positioned to different region of the world, each with its own subdomain Craigslist. For example, the listings for New York City are in https:/newyork.craigslist.org. The worldwide Craigslist homepage that lets you choose a local listing from a world map can be found at https:/www.craigslist.org. It is divided into more than 700 websites which serve ads in major cities and urban areas all over the world. This facilitates makes it easier to find what (or who) you want closer to your location.
One other feature of Craigslist is its cheap price. This can be linked to the fact that most posted ads on Craigslist are used products, extra stock or end of season and so on. Thus, there prices tend to be cheaper than prices found in stores, shops or other online sites. This makes users have opportunity of spending less on their demands.
Craigslist has designed its website in a perfect way such that any seller that is not interested in posting the adverts of their products can go through the discussion forum to chat with other users all various topics and products. It is also an avenue to reduce scam on the platform as users are open to make inquiry from other users about any product, service or transaction. Users are free to participate; it has no restriction and is free to use.
So, here goes the 4 features of Craigslist. In the next section, let's talk about the pros and cons.
Pros
It is a free site where you can post ads at no cost.
The site is simple, even older people can find their way around it.
It is a localized system that connects you to ads and posts that are within your location.
It gives an avenue to chat with other users about any topic of interest.
Cons
The site does not offer much security like many online e-commerce sites. It only creates a link between sellers and buyers.
Its simple interface does not look professional or attractive to the sight.
The site does not offer much security like many online e-commerce sites. It only creates a link between sellers and buyers.
Its simple interface does not look professional or attractive to the sight.
Craigslist does not give or guarantee safety like other online shopping sites. It only serves as a connecting link between the buyers and sellers.
Let's look at various developments that have also evolved as alternatives to Craigslist.
There are many alternatives to Craigslist. These are also Craigslist but have some different features. One of them is LetGo. LetGo is the most popular alternative to Craigslist. It has a search column for specific categories. It is also more attractive and safer than Craigslist. It requires a link to your Facebook account. It has some graphics and animation which makes the interface look cool and attractive.
Another alternative to Craigslist is Offerup. Though Offerup is small compared to Craigslist, it has become well known these days. It has a lot of products listings. Offerup also links the website to Facebook. This therefore makes the site more secure than Craigslist. This site also allows buyers the opportunity to bargain and keep a wish list.
Craigslist is a popular online market site that is becoming global. It is suitable for selling and buying products, services, job hiring, apartment, community services and more. Feel free and follow the rules.
Don't forget to move to our next article to learn more about Craigslist. These will prepare you well on how to get your way around with Craigslist.
Have you decided to buy, sell, meet or date people around your location using Craigslist? Before you register, let us give you an insight into some of likes and dislikes of Craigslist.
PRO
· Simplicity at its peak
Craigslist have a simple and easy interface that makes it easy to access by even the older people. it does not have any complications. On the home page, you see all categorizations arranged in a simple manner and navigation within the site is also easy.
· Put away your wallet
On Craigslist, most advertisements are free of cost though there are some exceptions. This implies that you are not incurring extra cost to sell your goods or services. You are also not losing money as you wait to get a buyer for your goods and services. Because it is free to use you can find items that should not have been on listing especially on paid classified ad site. Sometimes people even post items available for free especially under community service. All you need to do is to go and pick up.
· Deal within your location
During registration, Craigslist ensures that users are automatically redirected to their locations' subdomain. Craigslist also organizes its posts and adverts based on your location. This makes it easier to make business deals and communication within your location.
· Good categorization system.
Craigslist has a good system of categorizing users, posts, and ads. It does not only categorize based on location alone. Craigslist categorizes ads and posts into various categories and sub-categories. Items are grouped based on the category in which they fall. This include jobs, housing, for sale and more. Some of the subcategories include pets, antique, automobiles, real estate, furniture, lost+found, politics and many more. This also makes it easier to browse classifieds ads around topics and categories that interest you.
· Safety measures through Email verification
To prevent issues of fraud, spam and scam, Craigslist requires an email verification for posts and adverts. On the site, all posted ads must be confirmed through a link content in an email message from the site. This makes it difficult for scammers to post fake ads. This also help prevent cases of impersonation. Craigslist also anonymizes some of your email address when dealing with prospective sellers and buyers so that you do not get flooded by unrelated emails. These and many more are safety measures laid down by Craigslist to ensure that the site is free from scam and other fraudulent acts.
· Chatting is allowed
Craigslist sets up its app to allow people who are on the website but are not interested in any buying and selling. This is referring to the 'Discussion site'. Craigslist gives rom for various discussions and meetings. different topics can be analyzed on the discussion without restriction. These include fashion, politics, marriage and many more.
CONS
Craigslist simplicity, though a good quality in some sense is also a con. It is overly simple. It has no graphics, or animation. This makes it not so appealing to the eyes. This may discourage users especially new users from using the site.
· Safety measures during transaction:
In contrast to conventional e-commerce websites, Craigslist does not interfere transactions between people posting listings and those looking to purchase, rent or hire. This implies that buyers and sellers have to sort out the details of their transactions on their own. If dispute arises Craigslist won't intervene. This makes Craigslist users more prone to fraudsters. You should ensure to take additional measures to ensure that all your deals are with people within your locality.
Stay calm as we take you through the journey of other safety measures to ensure you stay away from scam and fraud.
Closed exit
Craigslist is designed in a way that there is no allowance for you to easily delete your existing account. The best you can do as a user is to delete some of your information linked to your account. You can also contact the Craigslist service to delete your account for you.
Craigslist is a simple and flexible online ecommerce site. Most of the advertisements posted on it are at no cost. It does not act as the middleman between the seller and the buyer. It does not increase your business cost with any service charges. Another big point is the fact that by default it categorizes posted ads based on location. This makes it easy to find your desired goods or services within your vicinity. This saves you the stress of having to sort out or search through for your goods or services. Another thing is the fact that it has an avenue for general discussion forum.
Unfortunately, Craigslist leaves you to deal with any buyer or seller on their own because it doesn't interfere with transactions. This means that scamming over Craigslist is much easier than it is over a conventional e-commerce sites, so you'll need to take extensive precautions to protect yourself. One other off-point about Craigslist is that the website does not include a technique for deleting accounts. One method that can be used to delete already existing account on Craigslist is to delete a lot of your information on the account. You can also contact the customer service of the website to enquire if your account can be deleted.
Craigslist is an easy, minimal-cost way to purchase or sell goods or services in your local area, if you are confident in your business knowledge. ⠀
By now you must have understood Craigslist to some very good extent. But you still may seem worried about possible fraudulent issues? This section will answer your questions relating to the safety, reliability and legitimacy of the site. Safety measures will also be analyzed to help you enjoy an all-round scam free Craigslist experience.
In general, Craigslist is a safe platform. The use of Craigslist requires you to be wise and careful. Since it is a free site, anyone can post ads. This makes it more vulnerable to scam, fraud and spam messages. Though, email verification process is carried out for most ads. Ads that do not meet the terms of using Craigslist will not be verified and posted. This does not work to give full confirmation of the authenticity of the seller, buyer or even the products involved. Therefore, caution is required when you are dealing with people on the Craigslist platform.
Craigslist is a reliable site in terms of large quantity of new ads posts. On Craigslist there are always various items offer. You get to see one particular item with different price range. These prices can range from free to as higher as possible.
However, Craigslist is not answerable for the reliability of the ads and offers. This is solely the responsibility of the users whose ads posts listings appear on the site. Craigslist does not have any technique that verifies the authenticity of the goods and services in the post. The site only verifies the users posting the ads. It has no check for the status of the goods and the ownership confirmation of items especially the used products. Therefore, there is a probability that an ad post may not be true.
Always chat with the seller to get detailed information before making payment. Confirm the reliability and truthfulness of the user and the ads post, i.e., if the items listed really exists for sale by that user. Also, do not go and meet any user until you have made your confirmation. If there is need to meet a user, always ensure that it is in an open place. This will help a little to prevent being scammed.
Craigslist is a lawful website and the bulk of advertising that is on Craigslist are also genuine. Alas, not all Craigslist ads are valid. Some dishonest people are posting ads on Craigslist with the plan to scam/ defraud other users of the website. When navigating Craigslist be cautious of scams.
Craigslist is not like more sophisticated e-commerce websites, where the website-owning company facilitates all transactions and can step in when a dispute occurs. Craigslist is primarily a website for advertisements posting for purchase or sale of products and services. Buyer and seller have to work out the full details of the transaction on their own.
Unfortunately, this implies that Craigslist is much more vulnerable to frauds than websites like Amazon or eBay. Craigslist has a series of rules that can help you in spotting people intending fraudulent activity and avoid them in favor of people looking for fair and square dealing.
We will summarize the safety measure based on Craigslist's categorization of Craigslist measures.
Craigslist believes that majority of its users are trust worthy and well-meaning individuals. Unfortunately, a website serving millions of people must be cautious as it is probably prone to having scammers among its users.
The following precautions are advised to help
Take the same common-sense regulations online as you would offline. The first time you are to meet someone, please remember:
• Insist on meeting at a public open place such as bank, cafe, or shopping area.
• Do not invite strangers to your home and do not meet strangers in a secluded location.
• Be particularly careful to buy / sell valuable items.
• Inform a friend or member of your family about where you are going.
• Take your phone with you
The above stated measures help maintain safety of Craigslist users. Some safety websites are also posted on the site for further safety tips.
The following tips will help you avoid being scammed.
• Always deal locally and also face-to-face
• Do not make payments to somebody you have not met personally.
• Steer clear of deals that involve shipping. Deal within your locals and people because you have the opportunity of meeting them in person.
• Don't ever wire funds. Anybody who requests for such is a scammer.
• You must not accept cashier / certified checks or money orders.
• Transactions are only between users, do not trust any third party "guarantee".
• Never offer financial information (bank account, social security account, Paypal account, and so on to anybody.
• Don't rent or buy sight-unseen. Ensure you set eyes on desired goods because the product may not exist.
• Do not accept background / credit inspections until you have personally met landlord / employer.
• Craigslist voicemails: Any message that asks you to connect or check ' Craigslist voicemail's or' Craigslist voice messages' is a scam-there is no such service as Craigslist voice message.
In an attempt to avoid scam and fraudulent activity, users are urged to comply with all the laws, terms and rules of the site.
On Craigslist certain goods, services and contents are not permitted.
Some of these are:
• •Ammunitions, arms, firearms, films, gunpowder, fireworks, explosives, and other ammunition
• Unlawful industries such as prostitution, trafficking of any kind; trafficking in children or women.
• Drug prescription, medical advice • Alcohol, unpackaged cosmetics
• Sale of animal parts, stud service, endangered species or protected species or parts such as ivory
• Dangerous, offensive, deceptive word content, posting or mail
• Confidential information, identification etc
• Stolen items, burglary tools, property that has been removed from the serial number;
• Birth certificates, ID cards, licenses and other related documents
• marketing by an affiliate; networking or any form of multi-level marketing
• Any illegal products, services, advertisements and content
· Make sure to familiarize yourself with most common Craigslist Scams signs
This is because Craigslist is the largest online bulletin board in the world and its most common scams are well known. The best way to avoid scamming is to be aware of the common Craigslist scams at first.
· Use pictures to determine if this is true or fake.
Looking up on posted pictures is advisable. If the image is linked to any other advertisements outside the Craigslist, then it is probably fake. To be sure ask the seller to send you a picture of the item showing the current date with a newspaper.
· Protect Your privacy on your listing .
Also make sure your email and telephone numbers are secure. When posting a listing on Craigslist you can use the proxy email that Craigslist provides. Also, you can use Google Voice. This gives you an opportunity to choose a telephone number different from your own, and you can also accept calls and text messages.
Others are:
· Meet in public or a designated safe place and make sure the product is properly checked before payment.
· Do not trust third parties to verify your dealings.
· You may use a pickup service such as Dolly on Craigslist. Dolly will give background checked helpers to pick up your item
· Remember to always privatize your location by removing GeoTags Be extra safe by using a deGeo-like Geotag remover app to keep your frequent locations private.
· Never accept money or give it via checks or money orders.
· Ensure to keep Craigslist payment offline.
· Inspect, Ask About and Unwrap What You Purchase
· Never pay out in advance.
· Never send any personal information to, or allow access to your Craigslist account.
These are various precautions and safety measures that will help you enjoy a scam free Craigslist experience. Be cautious and stay safe!
The first thing you need to do is to sign up to Craigslist. Do not forget the things you can use Craigslist for. These are:
• post your own ads and sell your goods or services
• Getting people to buy from
• Chatting with people in the discussion forum
post your own ads and sell your goods or services
You can post adverts on Craigslist if you have certain items you want to unload/ sell. Most ads are free to post, and they're pretty easy to post.
Make sure you include as many specifics as possible about each of your pieces, and also provide sufficient contact information. In that regard, communication with your business counterparts is crucial.
You can check for anything you need on the Craigslist sub-site for your local town or area or product category. Use any other contact information provided by the post and get in touch with the poster when you see an advertisement that meets your need. You could just work out a deal that will benefit both of you!
When you don't feel like buying or selling from Craigslist ads, you could always go through one of their discussion forums. You have the opportunity to discuss various topics without restrictions. To participate, you will need to have a Craigslist account (and go to your Settings tab and get yourself a "handle," or user name).
You now know that Craigslist is different from other conventional websites. Craigslist allows you to post advertisements for items you want to sell (or buy), but they do not promote the transactions themselves (such as payment processing or shipping and handling). You will therefore have to do the work yourself.
Such are the paths to selling on Craigslist
• Advertisement posting
• Communication with prospective purchasers
• Meet to complete transaction.
The first step in selling an item on Craigslist is to post an advertisement. This will make other users know that you have an item or service. Ensure to provide enough detail about the item. These can include the condition of the item, model, proposed selling price or even include pictures of the items.
Craigslist does not serve as middlemen between sellers and buyers. Therefore, you need to include your contact information for people willing to buy. These ensure that buyers have access to connect with you. An email is the required contact but you can include a phone number if you wish. You may also include the meeting venue for any prospective buyers. This gives the buyers assurance that the product is real. Though you need to be careful and protective of your information.
After connecting and getting assurance that the deal is confirmed then you can meet up to finalize the transaction, and make a face to face payment system mostly through cash.
How to Post and Delete Ads on Craigslist
Recall that most advertisements on Craigslist are free. Posts like jobs require you to input some information like billing information and pay money.
All posted ads expire at some specified time. It thus requires you to repost your ads. You can also delete your posts if needed. This can be because you have sold the item or you do not want to sell the item again.
You do not need an account before posting on the site but having account makes ad posts easier to track.
Posting Ads Craigslist breaks down its ads into several sections.
Anyone with or without Craigslist account can post an ad. You can easily access any of your posts by setting up an account to edit or delete them.
After posting, you will receive an email message if you do not have an account to adjust the advert. To post an advertisement, click on the** Post to Classifieds ** button at the top left corner of each page on the Craigslist site. Fill in the prototype spaces like ** Posting Title**, ** Posting Body** and further information like** Price** and** product Condition**. The ad could take a couple of minutes to pop up on the category of the Craigslist page of the selected town
1. Go to www.craigslist.com in your web browser and log in. To do so follow the following steps:
2. Once you hit your profile page you should see which ads you have posted at the moment. Press the delete button next to the item you wish to remove.
3. You will be notified on the next page to verify that you plan to delete the chosen article. If you are convinced that you want to delete it, click Delete.
4. Craigslist will send you a notification that your post has been deleted. If you have posted the advertising for less than two days, you can press Undelete This Posting to stop the post from being deleted and put it back up on Craigslist.
Craigslist is a stop-by online marketing, advert and linkup website. It can be used for posting ads, selling and buying goods and services, and also for discussion of various topics. Craigslist has various subsections and categories.Craigslist is the internet's go-to buying and selling marketplace. It is also one of the oldest online ecommerce sites.
Do not forget to follow all safety measures stated to stay away from being scammed.
About Dan Sullivan
Dan Sullivan is a renowned professor and esteemed education writer with a passion for inspiring students and transforming the field of education. With a diverse background in academia and practical teaching experience, he has become a leading figure in educational research and pedagogy.
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