Best Way To List Anything for Sale Anywhere - Part 2

Local Free Paper or Radio selling 

Local newspapers often have a section where they will list items you have for sale for free. If the item is under a certain price usually around $100, they will let you list a few items a week. If you are cleaning out your house, just send in a few items each week to be listed and in a month, you could have sold 12 items for $100 each. $1200 isn’t bad for stopping in at the local paper and writing up an add or just mailing in three things each week. If it doesn’t sell for $100 the first week or two, list it again the next week for $75 and so on until it sells. They will pick the item up and you have money in your pocket.

Some local radio stations will have a “Trading Post” ½ hour to hour where people can call in and list an item they have for sale or trade. This is hard to do sometimes if the selling hour is while you are working or may be busy and forget to call in. However, the local station has an area where you come in and leave a card with the item you want to sell and contact information on it and they will read it for you during that time and then people can call you. Sometimes they will allow you to call in off hours and they will take the listing as well.

Facebook 24/7 Yardsale Group

Facebook has yard-sale sites all over. They are listed in all sorts of ways. Type in the name of your town and the word yardsale or yard sale and see what comes up. Usually, someone started the group and you have to “ask” them to be included in the group. Once they invite you, you can start listing items. Click on “add photo or video” click on “Upload photo” then browse your computer for the picture and click it. Once it is uploading, write your description about the picture and don’t forget to add your phone number. I use ONLY my cell as I want to protect the girls. It is nice to have two accounts rather than using the one for friends and family as they can see what you are selling unless you “lock” your album. It would also keep your name and address safe.

Don’t forget to click on “Post” after your picture has uploaded and your description is written. I have done that. The problem with this type of selling is that you have to “babysit” the item. There is no way for people to search like on ebay. If you post it a 9 in the evening, by morning, there could be fifty other peoples listings and your is so far down no one will even see it so you have to “Like” your own post as soon as you post it or you will have to search for your own post. To keep your item current, you have to post something about it so people write “Bump item” or just put a “…” in the box so now the item is pushed back up to the top of the list again. Also, you have to remove it when it is sold. You also have to answer questions often and if you don’t have a smart phone, that requires checking the computer all day. This also happens with ebay and other online sites. Smart phones make it easier to answer questions on the go.

Local Classifieds Online or Paper

Local newspapers and radio stations often have classified sections. You can just type in the name of the local paper or radio station and they will have a link on the “home” page to click on and once you are to the “Selling page” you type in the description of the item and sometimes they allow a picture, but often time they don’t host pictures. If you have a place to host your own pictures, you can post a link for them to click on to see pictures. I haven’t had much luck with the local online stuff but I am sure people look at it as they always have items on the pages.

State Classifieds

This one is the best option for larger, higher priced items. Usually, you can get a little bit more for the item than you may get locally. Often times, people are willing to pick up higher priced items including the gas it takes to get it as they can get it much cheaper than new. Go to the state newspaper site and then click on “Classifieds” where you will need to open an account. Then, follow the prompts to list an item. You will need to choose a category to list the item and then post some pictures. They usually list them from 7 – 30 days. Once the item is sold, take it offline so you don’t get calls at all hours. I have gotten calls and texts at midnight and two in the morning before about items I have listed.

If you are in a small town but have someone that heads to the “City” often, list that in your description so people know they can get the item by meeting locally near their home and you will sell more smaller items. Highway entrances are a great place to meet as it is public and easy on and off for both parties. Sometimes, if they want me to meet them at odd times or places, I charge a little more for gas and my time to accommodate them if they really want something. Homes, Cars, appliances, instruments, medical supplies and tools all do well on this site.

Craigs List

I haven’t used this in years but it is similar to the State Classifieds. You list by state.

WARNINGS - Be careful for spammers on these sites. NEVER give out your bank account number to “let them deposit the cash for an item or deposit a check into your own account!” My niece was contacted by text and / or email about a guy that wanted to buy her nice camera on the state news classified section. He asked her to send it out of the country. They sent her an email that made it look like the money was deposited into her Paypal account. She packed it up, sent it and then when she looked at her account, it wasn’t there. NEVER open an email from someone else showing payment. NEVER click on a link in ANY email when doing an auction.

ONLY go to websites by logging in the site in the URL slot. NEVER click on a link to go to a website that deals with auctions or money. There are people who take a cashiers or a personal check for an item and will clean out your bank account. Also, there are some that will say they need to deposit a penny into an account to make sure the account is working and then after the deal, clean out the account.

My sister got an email that looked “fake.” She forwarded it to ebay and then she got an email back saying “Thanks for letting us know about the fake email. Click here to make sure your account is still ok." She then clicked on the link and it was actually a key code capture software. The guy within minutes had cleaned out her account, changed her password, got into her Paypal account and she couldn’t get into ebay and by the time she found the way to contact them, the guy had gotten away with it. She texted him as she figured out it was someone she purchased something from. He texted her a very rude text back saying “You got me.” But the number didn’t lead to anyone. The government has bigger fish to fry and I have never heard of anyone who has had their account or identity stolen actually finding the person who stole it. She was "ok" as it was just a selling account but if you take chances, eventually it could cost you. She spent hours changing accounts and passwords to clear her name.  

Only deal in cash or money order. No checks ever. Meet the person personally in a public place if possible, and, never mail an item unless they are someone that has a good standing account and you have checked your Paypal by going to the site directly.