Craig's List

So...a few weeks ago my dad gave me his iPhone 3GS because he got a new BlackBerry.  I decided to try selling my old 3G iPhone on Craig's List instead of keeping it around my house collecting dust.  I'd never used Craig's List to buy or sell but I figured how hard could it be, right?

It was very easy to create the listing.  I set the price at $100 dollars, which is what the same phone new is going for at AT&T stores.  I didn't think I'd never get that much for it so I thought throwing in my case with the phone might help it sell.

I was unprepared for what happened next.  Within 10 minutes someone responded, within 30 minutes at least 30 people had responded, after an hour over 60 people had responded.  Not only that, but everyone was saying "Call me, I want to pick it up tonight."

I had to think fast...I started to get really scared about the idea of sharing my personal info with a stranger and then going to meet them to exchange goods.  I Googled "Safe selling on Craig's List" and found some really good tips I would have never thought of and figured I should share them with you too...

1. If your name is in your email address create a generic email address that you can use to communicate with Craig's List people.

2. Sign up for a Google phone number.  You can have it forwarded to your cell phone so you can use that number to make receive calls and not give your phone number away to a stranger.


Then there are the obvious tips, but you may need reminding...

1. Meet people in safe, well lit, public places, not at your house!

2. Have buyers pay with cash.

3. Call someone to let them know your going to meet a person from Craig's List and call them again when you're done with the transaction...or better yet, bring someone with you to keep you safe!

After my first transaction I got really excited about how easy the whole process was...I wanted to go home and find everything that I could sell (and that people might actually want) to clean out my house and make some mulah (for an Anthropologie shopping spree of course). 

Craig's List can be great...just be safe...you never know what kind of weirdos there are out there who might want to cut you up into little pieces and keep you in their freezer.