Wauconda Area Library September 30, 2009 Richard Kong

navigating craigslist
Wauconda Area Library
September 30, 2009
Richard Kong
http://www.richardkong.com/presentations/craigslist.pdf
today’s agenda
who is this Craig and what’s this list of his?
what can I find on craigslist?
tips on buying and selling on craigslist
demonstrations
avoiding scams and being safe
bartering
mashups
questions
Craig who? what list?
http://craigslist.org
1995 - started an email list for
friends and co-workers to share
events happening in the san
francisco area
1999 - retired from his job to
work full-time on craigslist
2009 - craigslist is one of the
most visited websites in the
world with more than 20 billions
page views per month
http://flickr.com/photos/webmink/112477488/
a gigantic online market
namdaemun market in seoul
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Seoul_namdaemun_market_2005-08-07.jpg
worldwide popularity
over 700 local sites in over 70 countries
craigslist in chicago
chc=city of chicago
nch=north chicagoland
nwi=northwest indiana
nwc=northwest suburbs
wcl=west chicagoland
sox=south chicagoland
what’s on craigslist?
community
housing
jobs
for sale
personals
discussion forums
services
gigs
how does craigslist make a profit?
posting to craigslist is free for most things
ad fees for jobs in 18 cities, brokered NYC apartments,
and adult and therapeutic services (learn more)
what does a post look like?
title - location - email
date - description - photos
moderation
self-moderated community
any user can “flag” a post as:
miscategorized
prohibited
spam/overpost
a “best of” nominee
Buying on Craigslist
tips for buyers
buy at your own risk
familiarize yourself with the categories
use RSS or email notifications to keep on top of the
latest postings for specific items
contact the seller ASAP and express your interest
negotiate the price
more tips for buyers
be honest and polite
be ready to act quickly and meet the seller in person
examine the item and don’t feel pressured to buy
bring the exact amount in cash if possible
bring the right vehicle for the job
worth saying twice:
bring the right vehicle for the job!
RSS? huh?
RSS in Plain English (video)
RSS to Email (http://feedmyinbox.com)
RSS to SMS (http://pingie.com)
heycraig!
simple craigslist search notifications
http://heycraigapp.com/
Selling on Craigslist
tips for sellers
familiarize yourself with the categories and know where
to place your items
always use images when available (article on how to
take great closeup photos)
write detailed descriptions (find product descriptions
online)
DO NOT WRITE ENTIRELY IN CAPS!!!
ask a reasonable price, not too high, not too low
use relevant keywords to increase chances of coming
up in search results
more tips for sellers
be honest and polite
field multiple offers until you are sure you have a buyer
agree on an exact amount and form of payment before
meeting buyer if possible
remove your ad once an item is sold
create a free account to keep track of your posts
more at “A Seller’s Guide to Craigslist”
demonstration of posting
http://craigslist.org
length of posting
avoid scams and frauds
only deal locally with people you can meet in person
never wire any money
do not accept cashier checks or money orders
never give out private financial information (social security
number, bank account information, paypal information)
avoid offers involving shipping or escrow services
craigslist is not involved in any transaction and does not
guarantee anything
more at http://craigslist.org/about/scams.html
more tips to keep you safe
set up an email account just for your craigslist
transactions
insist on a public meeting place whenever possible
tell a friend or family member where you are going and
who you are meeting
bring someone along whenever possible
more at http://craigslist.org/about/safety.html
bartering: it worked for kyle!
Kyle Macdonald’s “one red paperclip” timeline:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
On July 14, 2005, he went to Vancouver and traded the paperclip for a fish-shaped pen.
He traded the pen the same day for a hand-sculpted doorknob from Seattle which he nicknamed "Knob-T".
On July 25, 2005, he traveled to Amherst, MA to trade the Knob-T for a Coleman camp stove (with fuel).
On September 24, 2005, he went to San Clemente, CA and traded the camp stove for a Honda generator.
On November 16, 2005, he made a second (and successful) attempt (after having the generator confiscated by
the New York City Fire Department) in Maspeth, Queens, to trade the generator for an "instant party": an empty
keg, an IOU for filling the keg with the beer of the holder's choice, and a neon Budweiser sign.
6. On December 8, 2005, he traded the "instant party" to Quebec comedian and radio personality Michel Barrette
for a Ski-doo snowmobile.
7. Within a week, he traded the snowmobile for a two-person trip to Yahk, British Columbia, in February 2006.
8. On or about January 7, 2006, the second person on the trip to Yahk traded Kyle a cube van for the privilege.
9. On or about February 22, 2006, he traded the cube van for a recording contract with Metal Works in Toronto.
10.On or about April 11, 2006, he traded the recording contract to Jody Gnant for a year's rent in Phoenix, Arizona.
11.On or about April 26, 2006, he traded the one year's rent in Phoenix for one afternoon with Alice Cooper.
12.On or about May 26, 2006, he traded the one afternoon with Alice Cooper for a KISS motorized snow globe.
13.On or about June 2, 2006, he traded the KISS motorized snow globe to Corbin Bernsen for a role in a film.
14.On or about July 5, 2006, he traded the movie role for a two-story farmhouse in Kipling, Saskatchewan.
bartering
from one red paperclip to his very own home
http://oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com/
Mashups and Tools
visual craigslist browser
mywisebunny.com (aka clhack.com)
http://mywisebunny.com
Craigsphone
Craigslist app for iPhone
http://nextmobileweb.com/craigsphone
search craigslist by images
byebyelist.com
http://www.byebyelist.com
craigslist housing + google maps
housing maps
http://www.housingmaps.com/
craigslist yard sales + google maps
yard sale treasure map
http://www.yardsaletreasuremap.com/
terms of use and privacy
terms of use
http://craigslist.org/about/terms.of.use.html
privacy policy
http://craigslist.org/about/privacy.policy.html
need more information?
Slides at http://www.richardkong.com/presentations/craigslist.pdf
Help page on Craigslist
http://craigslist.org/about/help
The Definitive Craigslist Guide for the Recession
http://lifehacker.com/5135545/the-definitive-craigslist-guide-for-therecession
A Seller’s Guide to Craigslist
http://lifehacker.com/305845/a-sellers-guide-to-craigslist
Questions?
Thank you!