Liquidation merchandise can be easily sold on Craigslist. You can list your items locally without paying any fees. You can also save money on shipping since you’re catering to the local market. Here are some tips for selling liquidation merchandise on Craigslist, and what kinds of merchandise sell well.
Craigslist: what is it?
Launched in 1995, Craigslist has become one of the most popular classified ad venues. Millions of ads are posted each month. It allows users to post information, participate in discussions, as well as buy and sell items in the classified section. Most ads on the platform are free to post, with only a few categories (such as jobs in major cities) charging fees. Due to this, liquidation merchandise can be re-sold risk-free on the platform.
On Craigslist, what sells the best?
According to USA Today, Craigslist’s best-selling items include:
- Laptops
- Televisions
- Home goods
- Fashion
- Pet supplies
- Baby items
- Yard and specialty tools
- Outdoor recreation items
- Video games
- Furniture
- Jewelry
- Collectibles
- Vehicles
In-person purchases are made on Craigslist by buyers who live locally. It is for this reason that many of these items (televisions, baby items, furniture, tools) are bulky items that buyers are not interested in paying shipping fees in addition to the purchase price.
Similarly, other items like pet supplies, used video games, and clothing will cost disproportionately more to ship than they are valued on other platforms.
Jewelry, collectibles, and vehicles, among other items on this list, are items that buyers want to see in person. Craigslist’s website receives 50 billion page views a month, with at least 60 million users in the United States. What are some ways to benefit from Craigslist’s popularity? You should check the “Wanted” section to find out which items are most in demand. You can use that as a starting point for your next purchase. You should also look for liquidation merchandise that matches the top selling list above.
By sourcing your inventory locally and selling it locally on Craigslist, you can significantly increase your profits by reducing shipping costs. Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace are two of the most effective channels to advertise liquidation merchandise.
A few photos and a one-line description aren’t enough to sell liquidation merchandise on Craigslist. Here are the top tips to help you move your merchandise as fast as possible.
How to Sell Liquidation Merchandise on Craigslist: Top Tips
Overprice your products
As a rule of thumb, determine what is the lowest price you’d accept and add 10 to 30%, depending on how fast you wish to sell the item. It’s normal to haggle on Craigslist, so don’t be surprised if you get a lower offer. Take it as an invitation to bargain.
After a few days, you should consider lowering the price if you don’t receive any responses. That will depend on how long you can afford to keep the item. The price of your listings will need to drop within the first couple of days if your business revolves around quick turnovers, and then you will have to drop them until you begin losing money.
Depending on your business model, you may be able to keep the merchandise for a longer period of time, for example, if you do not have storage overhead costs. In this case, you may wish to gradually decrease the price to maximize your return on investment.
Take photos of the item and clean it
To ensure that your item presents well, you should clean it. Put as much effort into making the item as appealing as possible. Include multiple photos of the item. You will receive more buyers this way. To make the most of your photos, choose a background that highlights your item. It is important that plenty of light is available, and you should take photos from all angles, including close-ups of any special features.
Don’t hide damage or imperfections
When you sell liquidated merchandise, you’ll often find that the items you’re selling aren’t in mint condition. It is normal for buyers of used goods to be wary of buying them from strangers. Be forthright about any defects in the item description and include close-up photos to build trust. Refer to those imperfections in the caption. You will gain the buyer’s trust and save yourself time during negotiations.
Repost Frequently
Avoid getting your ads buried by reposting or refreshing posts frequently. Your posts will be more likely to be found near the top if you have an account.
Make your descriptions keyword-rich and long
Your ads should be as informative as possible without making the reader feel overwhelmed. Give long product descriptions that contain lots of keywords, as well as model numbers. Prospective buyers will find your product listing more easily. Include the manufacturer’s specifications at the end of the description. Whenever possible, link to the manufacturer specifications of the product to give the prospective buyer more information about it. Include dimensions if you are selling furniture. Make sure to mention the color, age, and condition of the item.
Get your Google Voice number
It is never a wise idea to publish your private phone number online – you can almost guarantee that it will be taken by malicious software for marketing, spam, and fraud purposes. By registering a Google Voice number, you will avoid these issues and potential customers will still be able to contact you by phone. With Google Voice, you get a free VoIP number that you can only use for posting on Craigslist – so you can keep your personal number private. Learn more about Google Voice here.
Accept only cash
Cash is the only way to make a deal, and you should never give your bank account details to any prospective buyer. You should only part with your merchandise when you have cash on hand.
Make sure you don’t use your real email address
Craigslist allows you to use your actual email address or a proxy address provided by Craigslist, which protects your actual address from spammers. By using a proxy email address, you can post ads without revealing any personal information other than your first name. When responding to an ad, the seller can see your email signature if you include personal information. To conceal your identity, you may want to use a disposable e-mail address if you include this information.
How to List an Item for Sale on Craigslist
- Visit the Craigslist website. On the right side of the page, you can change your location from the list. To browse by city or state, scroll down the list.
- Choose the sub-boards in your city that best suit your needs by clicking “create a posting” on the left side. Select the category of the item you wish to sell when answering the question, “what type of posting is this?” Avoid posting prohibited items.
- Fill out the form with as many details as you can. Make sure the title is descriptive, the price is included, and the item is described in some detail. In the “contact information” section, enter your email address. Craigslist will reply to you via your email address. We recommend not sharing your phone number for your safety and privacy.
- To help buyers locate you, enter a major cross-street on the map.
- By clicking the “Add images” button, you can upload good quality images. If you want to rearrange images, drag them around. When you are done with the images, click “done.”
- After you have completed everything, click “publish.” You will see a message: “Important – Further action is required in order to complete your request!”
- Craigslist will then send you an email. To confirm the posting, click the link in the email. Within 15 minutes, the ad appears on Craigslist. If you need to edit, refresh, or delete the ad later, keep this email.
The numbers behind Craigslist
- Over $1 billion is generated by Craigslist, one of the top 20 websites in the US.
- Over 80 million classified ads are posted on Craigslist each month by Craigslist users.
- The Craigslist website attracts users from over 70 different countries.
- Approximately 250 million people visit Craigslist each month, according to a study from March 2022.
- 75.81% of Craigslist traffic is derived from the US alone.
- Over 700 local ads can be found on Craigslist.
- The Craigslist website is available in 14 different languages.
- Craigslist’s revenues have increased by 17% since 2020.
- In comparison with Netflix, Craigslist gets more visitors.
How to source liquidation merchandise for Craigslist sales
Through Boswell Data Systems TX’s online platform, you can source liquidation merchandise directly from the country’s largest manufacturers.
Reducing inventory costs? Join our BDSTX Wholesale Auction platforms by registering today.