The Best Things to Flip on Craigslist

Reselling 101

By RC Staff

17 April 2023

For many people, Craigslist is their first stop for buying used items on the cheap. There are all kinds of goods bought and sold every day through Craigslist. First founded in the Bay Area during the mid 90s, it has since spread across the country, with no signs of slowing down soon. Most items sold through Craigslist are used, so buyers tend to expect discounts or deals, but that also mean its a prime opportunity for resellers to pick up items and resell them for more than they paid. With a sharp eye and a little know how, flipping items on Craigslist is easy and profitable.

OfferUp vs Craigslist vs eBay

So what makes Craigslist different from comparable online marketplaces like OfferUp and eBay?

For one, Craigslist has a highly local focus. Other platforms tend to offer a blend of online and local sales, and typically skew towards online purchases. Craigslist does support online sales and shipped items, but actually discourages it in their FAQ.

Part of this resistance to online sales is that Craigslist does not process payments. Instead, users are responsible for figuring out payments between themselves. Ideal for in-person cash sales, less so for shipping items. That said, because Craigslist allows users to handle payments themselves, it means they don’t take a cut of the final sale. That means reselling items on Craigslist means more money in your pocket by the end of the transaction.

If you don’t have much experience with local sales, they can be an excellent option for resellers. Selling local means you don’t have to deal with shipping, either the costs or hassle. If you’ve ever had to deal with shipping something large, heavy, or fragile, you know that shipping can turn into a nightmare.

Sounds interesting? Let’s look into reselling on Craigslist, and how it can work for you.

Items to flip on Craigslist

Since Craigslist has a heavy emphasis on local sales, you’ll want to focus on items that are highly in demand and popular. These are generally the easiest to resell, as well as some of the most profitable items to flip on Craigslist. Some ideas include:

• Electronics. Consoles are the obvious favorite, which should be no surprise to anyone. Other electronics like headphones, vinyl players, and speakers can resell as well. as long as you can purchase them for a good price
• Bulky items. Stuff that’s hard to ship, but still profitable. Weightlifting equipment, exercise gear, treadmills, ellipticals, etc. In these cases, you’ll want to keep an eye for good deals on these items, and make money by flipping them to buyers on Craigslist.
• Branded clothing. You already know this. Sneakers, handbags, designer clothes. If its a recognizable brand, it should sell local. Niche stuff will fare better online.

For more ideas of the best things to resell in 2023, check out some of our other articles. When it comes to reselling on Craigslist, you’ll want to focus on items that resell locally, and that you can get at a discount.

Best things to buy and sell on Craigslist

Since many people use craigslist to both buy and sell off their unused items, you can pick up some great items to resell through it. When it comes to selling, buyers will expect to get a good deal, especially since it’s all local sales.

Craigslist a is a good fit if you have some DIY repair skills, as there are plenty of dinged up, dented, and discontinued items for sale. If you can restore these items, or least pretty them up, you can flip them. Depending on how much you paid, the profit can range from tens of dollars to hundreds, depending on the amount of elbow grease required.

Here are some ideas for items to flip on Craigslist:

• Furniture. If you haven’t seen it already, we put up an article all about buying and selling furniture for profit. Moderate repair work and a bit of luck means you can flip furniture on Craigslist for easy money. Furniture is one of the most commonly listed items on Craigslist as well, so you can always find new pieces to flip.
• Power equipment. Similar to furniture, if you have some DIY know-how, making repairs on broken equipment equals money in your pocket. Lawnmowers, leaf blowers, power tools, even household appliances are commonly listed on Craigslist in a nonfunctional or otherwise damaged state, often for deep discounts or even free. Fixing these and selling them to someone else is a real opportunity for cash.
• High quality items sold cheap. Learn where the wealthier areas are in your town. Sometimes, people will buy a new item to replace something in their home, and list the old one for free or near free, despite being in perfectly good condition.

Can I sell concert tickets on Craigslist?

Tickets are not a restricted category on Craigslist. They can be sold at whatever price you want, with no limitations.

That said, Craigslist listings are largely user-regulated. That means that if Craigslist users don’t like what you’re selling, or the price that you’re asking, they can flag the listing. Craigslist itself acknowledges this practice, and has essentially shrugged their shoulders about it.

Reselling concert tickets on Craigslist is not ideal because of this. Be careful promoting your listings for any item that someone may perceive as “scalped”, because of the risk of brigading and flagging.

How to sell feet pics on Craigslist

Believe it or not this a fairly common question, which is why we’re answering it here.

Yes, you can sell feet pics on Craigslist if you really, really want to. To make a listing for feet pics on Craigslist, use the photo or video option, and a post a listing advertising your services. Obviously, don’t use your real name, give out personal information, or meet in person.

Tips for flipping items on Craigslist

First, we want to stress to make your sales safely. Since Craigslist is almost entirely in-person sales, this is more relevant than other platforms.

Staying safe when selling on Craigslist

Finding a safe place to meet is the first step. Prioritize public, well lit spaces, with plenty of other people close by. Many people think of parking lots, but these are not 100 percent safe, or ideal. Instead, try to meet inside a coffee spot or store, where there are other people close by.

The lobby of a police station is an ideal meet up place for selling items on Craigslist. Check the website for your local precinct, they may already be experienced with local sellers conducting trades at the station, and have program in place.

OfferUp sponsors the Safe Trade Spots program, which publishes a list of locations online to make in person sales. Many of these are police stations, but there are also local parks and businesses, along with their hours for meeting up, as well as tips for staying safe when making a sale.

Make your Craigslist listings detailed

Craigslist buyers can filter listings by numerous criteria, like year of manufacture, condition, model number, manufacturer, and plenty more. The more information you add to your listing, the easier you make it to find.

Always be upfront with any damage or defects with the item. Chances are the buyer will find it eventually, and it’s far better for them to see it in the initial listing then get blindsided when they see it in person.

If the item you’re flipping on Craigslist is similar to others, or a special edition, make sure you note that. That doesn’t necessarily mean keyword stuffing every relevant term to make it sound special, but you should always keep the relevant information front and center.

Take good pictures, and a lot of them

When a buyer is evaluating your listing, the most important factor will be your photos. If your pictures are blurry, unfocused, or taken from a distance, it makes it harder to evaluate your item. They will not want to buy from you, especially if another seller’s listing has better photos.

This doesn’t mean you need to book a professional photographer. Just focus on taking a few good pictures of the relevant parts of your item. Get a picture of the item from all sides, with closeups of any relevant details. If there’s any damage, document it in your listing and take a good picture.

Make sure the item is clean. That goes for the background. Clear out any clutter around the item when you take your pictures, you don’t want buyers to get a bad impression.

Learn to negotiate when selling on Craigslist

Most buyers will expect a deal on Craigslist. Expect to get lowballed, and frequently. Part of selling on Craigslist will be learning to deal with these messages, as well as how to handle a real negotiation.

Stick to your list price whenever possible. If someone messages you with a disrespectfully low offer, you’re better off restating the list price and moving on; these buyers are typically fishing for a sucker.

On the other hand, if someone is asking for a better price, try and work with them. Be reasonable, and try not to get pulled into emotional appeals or sob stories. Scammers love to talk about how their lives are hard and their kids really want the bike your selling, but that doesn’t mean they get a discount.

Have fun flipping items on Craigslist

Buying and reselling items on Craigslist is just another tool in your reseller’s arsenal. It’s a useful platform for setting up local sales with minimal hassle and fees, while also staying connected with your community, learning to flip items on Craigslist could be a good fit for you.

Of course, you can always list your reselling items on multiple platforms, which is why Craigslist sales are a good fit for resellers flipping a wide variety of items. This way, you have the opportunity to make a local sale when possible, while still showing off your listings to buyers around the globe with online sales.

If you’re looking to learn more about the reselling business, subscribe to our newsletter and never miss the latest update. We cover all kinds of the hottest items to resell, and joining the RC Elite community means having access to this info in advance.

Check out our other articles for a deep dive into other online marketplaces. We’ve already covered eBay, Amazon, and Facebook Marketplace, so whether you’re just getting started reselling, or you’re a seasoned pro, there’s always something new to learn. Good luck with your future flips, and stay safe!