14.3.15
Finding Deals On Craigslist.org
1:14 PM
There are many ways to finding deals on craigslist.org. You must understand the market of the items you are looking for before you can decide if something is a good deal or not. You also have to know where to look for items, and know how and when to negotiate. If you keep your eyes open there are plenty of deals to be had on craigslist.org.
The first place to look is the free area. If you are into furniture and other freebies this is where you need to look. Check this category everyday. Go back through several pages until you see ads that you know were posted a while ago. Then you know that you have gone through all of the recent stuff. Most of the older ads have had the items given away, the owner just never bothered to delete the ad. Don't bother with anything more than a week or two old unless it is something that you really want. Hopefully it will still be available.
After searching through the free area, start looking in the categories that interest you. Go through each category very carefully. If there are no deals today there will be more tomorrow. Don't get caught up in I have to have it now. You will not get as good a deal as you should if you do this.
When you find something you like send an email to the address listed in the ad. Let them know you are interested and ask for more information. Then see if you can bargain. Sometimes you can and sometimes it is not possible. Although stolen goods are not supposed to be sold on craigslist.org, ask if they are the owner of the item. If they are not, don't buy it. Falling for the "my boyfriend told me to sell his 1968 Gibson guitar for him for $300" is most likely untrue. A 1968 Gibson in playable condition should sell in the thousands.
Knowing your market is important. If you are knowledgeable about your category you will be less likely to get ripped off. Knowing the market is important. You will pay too much for an item if you do not know how much it should sell for. Likewise, you cannot tell if it is a good deal if you do not know your pricing. Here is another tip. Understand the items. If you collect Limoges boxes, you should know what to look for and how to spot a fake. The hinges need to be a certain way, there are only certain marks for the legitimate Limoges producers. Unfortunately, porcelain and ceramics are easily forged so you need to be sure of what you are buying. This is where the local community comes into play on craigslist.org. The ability to actually view the item up close before you buy is crucial to getting a good deal. If the seller will not allow you to do this, find someone else to buy from.
Never be so desperate to buy something that you cannot walk away from a purchase. If you do not feel that this purchase is the right thing to do, then walk away from it. Trust your gut feelings and you will not get ripped off. Keep in mind that you are looking for the best deal possible and unless you are searching for a very rare antique, there will be other opportunities to buy this item from someone else. The trick to always getting a good deal is to only purchase from reputable people. A good seller will not pressure you to buy their item.
Finding deals on craigslist.org is easy to do. You must spend a little time to research the category that you want to make your purchase in. If it is antique dolls then be sure to read a book or two and know who the top manufacturers are. For example in antique dolls Madame Alexander is a quality name. Expect to pay well for an older doll, but knowing what the dolls are worth will enable you to know if a deal is good, or if it is too good and you should question the authenticity of the item. Caveat Emptor Buyer Beware is always a good thing to remember. Finding deals on craigslist.org is fairly easy, you just have to know how to look for them.