With online purchases in our ever-modernizing world

increasing, it is important to understand what you are getting in to, with the

buying and purchasing of good online. In this post I will give you NS guys some

practical tips for buying and selling your goods online, but specifically in

reference to Craigslist.

With the amount of scamming happening on NS you can apply

these to most Internet buying and selling services.

Craigslist: For those of you who don’t know,

Craigslist is a site that is similar to Ebay in the fact that it allows buyers

and sellers to contact each other. A few special things are unique to

Craigslist though. For one most transactions take place face to face. My advice

here is don’t buy off someone through the Internet on Craigslist, you might as

well use Ebay, which has some safeguards. Secondly the sellers have anonymity,

in that unless specified a seller is not shown. To make this possible

“forwarding” e-mail addresses are created that are randomly generated by

Craigslist when a seller creates a post, posting his/her goods. When a buyer

wants to contact a seller, the buyer can use this created e-mail address, and

the address will automatically re-route to the seller without the buyer finding

out the e-mail of the seller. This allows for more privacy, when selling good.

First Signs

When looking at Craigslist, it is unlike EBay, there is no

user feedback, or way to check if someone is a legit buyer or seller, and thus

it is harder to tell. Firstly when viewing a post, if someone has poor grammar

skills, its can be an early sign of a fake seller or scammer. If people are

going to sell things, you want to know you are buying from a serious seller,

and thus must be serious in advertising and handling their business including

grammar (unlike my blogging skills).

Secondly the more pictures the better, to see condition and

other details. If you can get pictures with a note in them proving that they

have this object.

Making Contact with a Buyer/Seller

Guys, its simple here, be respectful, be courteous, and

respect will be given back. That being said its okay to be a bit inquisitive.

For instance ask them their reasons for selling the item, and how they like it.

Also don’t be afraid of asking for multiple forms of contact information just

for reassurance. If you want even Google a persons name, it is amazing how much

information can be found and dug up about someone from a simple Google search.

Finding the Proper Location

I try and give people the benefit of the doubt when it comes

to meeting for transactions in terms of getting mugged or ripped off. Try

setting your meeting place in somewhere public, a crowded mall with a lot of

bystanders, not in an ally. Also try avoid going to a person car, as nothing

really positing can come from that situation.

Most people are happy with you checking out an item before

you pay. Make sure any and all of your questions about the item are answered,

this is your time to say yay, or nay. So find out if it has and does everything

you expect it to do.

There is no need to bring a knife or anything, if someone

wants my money that badly they can have it. I usually just bring a friend with

me, or my brother, doesn’t hurt.

Craigslist is a great way to get things cheaper than

retail. Personally I have used it to purchase my PSP, my Xbox 360, and my 16gb

iPod touch. In all I would have to say I have save between $500-$600 off of

retail prices and all the stuff has worked fine and continues to do so. It a

great way to get things cheaper than retail, just be cautious and use common

sense, if you have any other questions just comment.