Even though Craigslist can be used to sell and buy pretty much anything, is it worth it?

For one thing, the website reaches only a small percentage of customers and it is limited by location as well. It is suitable for users who are restricted in that regard, but if you wish to sell something, your target market will be quite limited.

Besides a limited target market, Craigslist is not known for being a safe and secure platform. Users have no protection unlike other auction sites that have secure procedures in place in this regard. As a user, you have to contact the buyer or a seller not knowing whether they are who they say they are. They might have a criminal record you are unaware of.

Unlike online auctions, you cannot get items shipped through Craigslist either. You have to meet a buyer or seller at a designated location either in public or private. Plus, if you have to sell or buy a big-ticket item such as a TV, you have to move it yourself. In that case, buyers are usually invited at home, but that is a risky proposition as well.

In other words, if you are downsizing your home, using Craigslist will do more harm than good. Do you really want strangers in your house, handling your stuff and piecing out your estate? That will take a lot of time and energy and it might not be effective either.

Depending on the size of your estate, it can take you ages to record everything in the inventory. Add in the average response time and you could be waiting weeks for customers and sales. Plus, there is also no guarantee that you will get your asking price or if the buyer will actually pay you. Auctioning off items to buyers who actually want what you are selling is a better alternative.