Craigslist is a global network of websites that post free classified ads. Craig Newmark founded the San Francisco-based company in 1995, and it has since expanded to encompass cities all around the world. The company’s financial philosophy has periodically perplexed financial observers, and in recent years, Craigslist has been at the center of various fundraising and share-related problems.
Craigslist is a big online ads forum that also includes community discussions, job postings, and much more. Visitors can create their own ad or take advantage of available bargains or gigs. A quick glance at the Greenville Craigslist home page reveals a vast diversity of areas, with something for everyone
Beginnings
Craig Newmark is a software programmer who developed a mailing list for friends in the San Francisco region to discuss social events and home rents. Word-of-mouth recommendations increased the number of subscribers and postings, as well as the creation of a jobs listings section.
In 1999, the company was incorporated as a private-for-profit corporation, and by 2000, he had quit his day job and had nine workers working in his flat. Craigslist, on the other hand, did not begin charging for certain advertisements until 2004. The corporation does not publish many financial details. As a result, much reporting is based on hearsay and estimations.
How Does Craigslist Fund?
Selected ads provide Craigslist with funds.
Financial Puzzle
Jim Buckmaster, Craigslist’s CEO since 2000, perplexed some financial analysts at the UBS global media conference in 2006 when he stated that the company had no goals to maximize revenue, or, to put it another way, that it had no ambitions to make money.
Craigslist imposes a fee for job listings in San Francisco and seven other cities in the United States. It also charges for real estate listings in New York. However, rather than making a profit, these fees fund essential expenses such as staff pay. However, in 2010, earnings were estimated to be around $88 million on revenues of $122 million. At least half of the cash comes from recruitment advertising, while a sizable part comes from more contentious listings.
Controversial Ads
According to Bloomberg and AIM, Craigslist announced in 2010 that its revenue will climb by 22%, but that this gain was partially due to fees for its “adult” listings.
The company anticipated that these ads will generate $36 million in revenue in 2010, which was three twice the category’s estimated revenue in 2009. Each ad was $10, and renewals were $5. Several states pressed Craigslist to delete this category because of its links to prostitution.
eBay
In 2004, eBay paid an alleged $16 million for a 25 percent stake in Craigslist. The sale itself is surrounded by controversy over who received the money, but this was only the first in a series of financial disagreements between Craigslist and eBay. eBay sued Craigslist, specifically Craig Newmark and Jim Buckmaster, for breach of fiduciary duty in 2009. The court found in eBay’s favor in 2010.
How to Create a Craigslist Ad.
Craigslist is the internet’s equivalent of a mom-and-pop store. It may not appear to be much, but you’ll be surprised at what you can find. Craigslist is a worldwide popular website for advertising jobs, for-sale products, real estate, services, and personal ads. Utilize this free service by making your own advertisement. Learn how to post an ad on Craigslist by following the steps outlined below.
- Open your browser and navigate to http://craigslist.org.
- Click the “make a posting” link in the upper left hand corner of the screen.
- Select the ideal location for your posting.
- Select the type of post you wish to insert. Jobs, housing, stuff for sale, services, and personals are among the options. Depending on your selection, you will be directed to either a list of alternatives applicable to your post or a list of defined categories.
- Select the best choice for your post or the category that best represents it.
- When you arrive at the window, fill in the relevant fields to describe your post. Keep your posting title brief and to the point. Check that all of the fields are completely filled out.
- Select the “Continue” option.
- Use the map to locate your location, or key in your specific location (street, cross street, city, and postal code) and press the “find” button.
- Include any photographs that are relevant to your ad.
- Check the mock ad for erroneous or unclear information, as well as spelling errors. Click the “edit post” button to make changes to the ad. It will return you to the previous screen. You can also change the location and the photos. If everything seems good, click the “publish” button.
- Go through your mails. Craigslist will send you an email with instructions on how to publish, update, or delete your listing. The link will be removed in 30 minutes.
- After you’ve clicked the link, you’ll need to create an account. You have the option of entering a password or not entering one.
- Go over the terms of service. Click the “accept” button if you agree to all of the terms. If you do not agree, click the “decline” option.
- You have now uploaded your Craigslist ad.
- You can post an ad on Craigslist without creating an account, but having one allows you to modify, delete, or post more simply. If you don’t do that, you’ll have to utilize the URL that was originally supplied to your email to make adjustments.
How to Use the Craigslist App to Post
- Get the Craigslist mobile app from the Apple or Google Play stores.
- After installing and launching the app, tap the “get started” option.
- Either reveal your location or select “not now.” If you do not want to identify your present location, you can use a ZIP/postal code that best fits your posting. If the area on the map corresponds to your present location, tap the “select this location” button.
- To begin creating your ad, tap the “publish” icon (plus sign) in the bottom center of the screen.
- Similar to the previous steps, you can select an image, fill out the relevant areas that characterize your ad, and validate your location.
- If everything seems good, click the “publish” button. Your Craigslist ad will go online.
How to View Someone’s Craigslist Profile
Craigslist users do not have the option of creating a public profile. You don’t even need a Craigslist account to place an ad because you can manage all of your listings using your email account. However, anyone who participate in the discussion boards must create “handles” or user identities. When you click on someone’s handle, you’ll see when they made their handle, how many posts they’ve made, and their email address.
- Navigate to “craigslist.com.”
- Select “My Account.”
- Access your Craigslist account. If you don’t already have one, you may make one at the bottom of the page by choosing “Sign up for an account.”
- In the top-left corner of the website, click “Craigslist.”
- Navigate to the “Discussion Forums” section.
- In the top-right area of the page, click “Add a handle.” You can only see other people’s handles if you have your own.
- Complete the “New Handle” form.
- At the bottom of the screen, click the “Submit New Handle” button.
- In the top-left corner of the page, click “Return to the forums.”
- Select one of the forum topics.
- In the top-right corner of the page, either the name of the person you’re looking for or the email address she uses on Craigslist.
- Press the “lookup” button.
- Tap the person’s handle. Her profile can be found at the top of the column on the right side of the website.
How to View Expired Craigslist Ads
Craigslist is a big classifieds website where you may post adverts in a variety of categories such as housing, personals, and sales. Before you can post an ad, you must first create and sign into a Craigslist account. One advantage of making an account is the opportunity to view expired advertising you’ve posted.
Craigslist keeps all expired ads for one year following the date of expiration. All of the text and photographs in the expired ad are viewable in your account.
- Launch your Web browser, such as Internet Explorer or Firefox, and navigate to craigslist.org.
- Navigate to “My Account.” Enter the email address and password for your account that was used to post the expired ad. Select the “Log In” option.
- Select “9 – 12 months” from the “Select a Date Range” drop-down box. Click “Find a Post.” During that time period, a list of all expired advertising will be displayed.
Craigslist Drawback
Craigslist has a few significant downsides despite its many advantages. For one thing, the site’s sheer enormity can be frustrating at times. Sellers in prominent categories, such as real estate and cars, claim that their posts are relegated to the second page within 15 minutes of going live, having been superseded by dozens of more current advertising from competitors. Craigslist has long been a haven for con artists. Unscrupulous vendors frequently post bogus ads that appear to be fantastic offers, but their real goal is to extract and exploit financial information from gullible and unwary buyers.
While Craigslist’s simplicity (you may search by town, city, state, and nation) remains popular among users, the site has several features that should be improved.
Among features are the option for users to sort within categories based on price, distance, and other criteria. Furthermore, the design of the interface template hasn’t altered much since its inception. The company released a basic app in 2019, but its no-frills design is very identical to the website.
- eBay Classifieds
- Facebook Marketplace
- Poshmark
- Indeed.com
- Match.com
- Zillow
- Carvana
- Care.com
- Etsy
What Is a Craigslist Secret Code?
Craigslist is a classified ad listing service that allows users to post on localized versions of the site in order to make ads more relevant to the poster’s local location. While Craigslist has a wide variety of categories, some are more likely to contain posts from fraudsters and spambots.
Craigslist responded by implementing a hidden code function for posting in some parts.
Craigslist Security
Craigslist employs a variety of security measures to keep its visitors secure and to minimize spam. Before visiting some parts, there are warnings regarding fraud, and submitting ads on Craigslist needs the entry of CAPTCHA language to ensure that the poster is not a spambot. Community members can also flag messages as unsuitable or spam, allowing site administrators to evaluate and remove them as needed.
Craigslist Codes
Craigslist demands an additional security step when posting in some categories, such as personal ads: the Craigslist secret code.
To place an ad in these categories, you must be logged into your Craigslist account and enter a specific code received through text message or automated phone call. This method assigns you a real-world phone number in order to establish that you are a real person and not a spambot. You cannot post in the restricted categories unless you have the Craigslist secret code.
Using a Code
During the posting process, you are requested to input a phone number where you can be reached and to choose between text and phone to receive the code.
An automated system sends a text message or calls the specified phone number, providing you with a code to enter on the same page in the posting process as the code was requested. When you enter the code, your account’s ability to post in restricted places is unlocked, and you can continue publishing your ad.
Code Limitations
For 90 days, a Craigslist secret code permits you to post in restricted places. Attempting to post a new listing in a restricted section after 90 days requires a new code. Once a code is issued to a phone number, that number cannot be used to request another code until the current code expires.
Craigslist secret codes are account-specific, thus you cannot use a single code to activate posting capabilities for many Craigslist accounts.
How to Pass the Craigslist Phone Verification
Craigslist asks members to verify their phone number before posting some types of advertisements in order to avoid spam or ads that violate the platform’s rules of service. You will receive a text message or an automated voice call on your phone if you pass the Craigslist phone verification. Craigslist may display a phone verification screen after you create a new ad and add photographs to it.
Step 1
Before selecting Send Verification Code, enter your Phone Number and choose whether you wish to get a Text Message or an Automated Phone Call.
Wait for Craigslist to contact you by SMS or phone.
Phone verification is only available for ads posted on Craigslist regional sites in the United States and Canada.
Step 2
To finish validating your phone number, enter the code you received in a text message or voice call and click Submit Verification Code.
How can I post anything for free on Craigslist?
- Go to craiglist.org.
- In the top-left corner, click the “make a posting” link.
- Select a post category.
- Fill up the specifics for your post.
- A link to confirm the post will be issued to your email address. Your ad will go live once you click the Accept button.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is Craigslist USA?
Craigslist was founded in 1996 by Craig Newmark, a computer programmer from San Francisco. He established a free website where anyone could trade information, which was a novel idea at the time. It now has areas for services, wanted things, for sale, housing jobs, gigs, community service, and discussion forums. Craigslist also has variants for other nations.
How do I search all of Craigslist in the United States?
Craiglist is organized by city. It doesn’t provide many choices for searching the entire website at once. You can do it by typing “site:craigslist.org” and the name of the item you’re looking for into Google’s search bar.
You can also try using a third-party search engine, such as https://www.searchcraigslist.org/ or https://www.searchtempest.com/. .
Is There a Craigslist Personals Alternative?
Craigslist hasn’t featured personal advertising since 2018, yet the online dating industry remains crowded. Match.com, Bumble, and Tinder.com are three prominent dating websites where users may create a personal profile and tell others what they’re looking for, whether it’s a future spouse or a casual encounter.
What Has Replaced Craigslist in the Dating Industry?
Craigslist does not replace its personal advertisements, although as previously stated, there are several online dating applications and websites available. Some are free, while others charge a fee to post your profile.
Is Letgo a better option than Craigslist?
Letgo is a smartphone app that OfferUp purchased in 2020. It no longer exists as a separate website or app, but has been incorporated by OfferUp. According to the website, it is the “biggest mobile marketplace in the United States, with over 90 million app downloads and millions of purchasers.” 21 The business environment OfferUp, as opposed to Craiglist.org, is a mobile app that allows sellers to establish profiles to use for selling and buying. Is it superior to Craigslist? OfferUp is a powerful online marketplace with a more basic and modern layout and experience than Craigslist. 22
Is Craigslist still popular?
Absolutely. Craigslist can help you find used furniture, cars, rentals, and even employment in your region. However, because there are so many Craiglist rivals, it is no longer the one-stop shopping powerhouse that it was when it started in 1995.
What Is the Reason for the $5 Fee on Craigslist?
In some categories, posting on Craiglist is free. For example, if you want to sell your grandmother’s china, you can do it on Craigslist for free. It will cost you $5 to post an ad in Boston if you wish to rent your unit. If you’re looking for work, it may cost you anything from $3 to $75.
Craiglist typically only charges for ads submitted by vehicle dealers or realtors in commercial real estate, as well as those advertising short-term gigs and job opportunities. 23
Conclusion
Craigslist is one online marketplace contender, but there are many more options for buying and selling products and services in 2021. If you wish to sell your items outside of e-commerce, consignment shops and used bookstores remain attractive options.
Craiglist’s employment boards may not be able to compete with LinkedIn and Indeed for job seekers, but gig opportunities may be found online on sites such as Fiverr and TaskRabbit without having to sift through Craiglist listings.
Craiglist may have been the go-to site for finding a rental or a property to buy in the mid-1990s, but with Trulia, Apartment.com, Zillow, and other sites like them, it is much easier (and some might say safer) to locate a place to live via a dedicated site than Craiglist.
This old-school e-commerce experience may be more effective for discovering local, used household items (for example, secondhand outdoor furniture or firewood) than for finding a new roommate, babysitter, or job.
