Let’s face it, most of us would avoid Craigslist if we had a choice.  Craigslist’s interface looks 30 years old and has a bad reputation for low ball buyers.  However, even with the plethora of location-based marketplaces that exist today, Craigslist continues to be the leader in the space.

Therefore in this article, I want to discuss eight things to sell on Craigslist for profit.  These are items you probably have around the house or garage.  And if you don’t, you can definitely pick them up for cheap to flip.  Let’s get to it!

8 Things to Sell on Craigslist for Profit

1. Cell Phones

Cell Phones is hot everywhere and especially so on Craigslist. Due to the high selling fees that eBay and Amazon charges, many people rather sell their used or broken phones on Craigslist.  So before you trade in your phone with the carrier or to Best Buy, check out prices you would get on Craigslist first.

Most of the time you’ll find you’ll make hundreds more if you just sold your phone yourself! Simply create a listing in your area, put up some nice phones of the phone and write a nice description of your phone’s condition.  Make sure to write about the accessories and let the potential buyers know if you are including power charger, case, box, headphones, etc…

Before making the final transaction, make sure you wipe your phone completely and remove your iTunes account.  If you don’t, the new owner won’t be able to get into the phone even if wiped.

Here are instructions on how to wipe an iPhone and S9/S9+ phones.

Phones are also great to flip as you can find many for sale that is dirt cheap and can be resold for hundreds more.   And if you can teach yourself how to fix broken screens, more profit to you.

Basically find popular phones that can be flipped (iPhones, Galaxies) and negotiate.  The lower you get them for, the more profit to you.  Don’t be discouraged if the first few tries fail.  Try and try again with other sellers until you get what you want.

Tip:  With cell phones, always make sure that you avoid “off the truck” phones.  They may be password locked or iTunes locked which means you are buying a brick.  Also most of the time the original owner have already reported their phone their carrier as being lost or stolen.  The carrier then bans the ESN or IMEI number of the phone so it can’t be used again within the same carrier.

Another Tip:  Make sure to power on the cell phone and test out the speakers, buttons and check for cracks on the screen. Any little thing broken will cost you money so make sure you inspect the phone yourself.

And if you are interested in learning how to fix broken screens or get more informatoin on flipping phones, take a look at  How to Make Money Flipping Phones.

2. Legos

Legos have been around for decades yet is still gaining popularity especially among adults.  Chances are you or your kids have a ton laying around.  They are worth a lot and can be sold in bulk or as complete sets.

Before selling, it’s best to make sure they are washed and cleaned.  If not at least dust them off.    And try to hunt down the original instructions and box if you have them.  Collectors are always looking for them.

Take a look at this recent article for more information on what to do and how to price them.  Selling Bulk Legos and Retired Sets For MASSIVE Profit

3. Bikes

You can make a lot of money selling bikes on Craigslist.  Since bikes are so large, almost no one wants to go through with the hassle of shipping them.  So eBay is out.

If you have a bike for sale, make sure you clean it up and tune it first before listing.  Make sure the brakes and shifters are working.  This is very important as most people check these things first.

With your listing, make sure you have some nice pictures up as well as a nice description.  Do some research first by searching ahead of time to see what your bike is worth and what others are selling it for.  Price your bike appropriately.  However, if you have aftermarket parts, make sure you factor that in and make sure you tell people in the description.

And if you are thinking about flipping bikes, there are enormous opportunities.  You can find used high-end road and mountain bikes being sold for fraction of its original price.

Example: Years ago I bought a Specialized Epic mountain bike on Craigslist for $900 dollars when the retail price was around $4,000 dollars.  I kept it for 3 years and still ended up selling it for $1,500!  Even after 3 years, I was able to make a profit.

The reason why some bikes are being let go for so cheap is that the original owner no longer has time to ride, is tired of the sport or have upgraded to something better.  Whatever the reason, you’ll make money if you take advantage.

Tip:  Check out the brake pads, spindles, gears when buying a bike.  Make sure they are all in good condition and of course ride the make to make sure nothing else is going on.  

4. Furniture

Solid wood furniture will always have a place in homes and due to the fact they last forever and can be rehabbed.  With some elbow grease, they can be made to look like modern masterpieces.

If you have some nice solid wood furniture in your home in good shape, go ahead and list them up as is.  However, if they are beat-up, badly scratched or fading…your best bet is to rehab them first before selling.  Revarnish, restain or repaint, it’s up to you.   The more work you put in, the more you are able to sell them.

Definitely get ideas from sites like Pinterest which is full of rehabbed furniture pieces.

And if you are looking to flip furniture pieces, look for desks, chairs, bookshelves, dining tables, dressers, etc…pay attention to the craftsmanship.  A general rule of thumb is to feel how heavy something is.  The heavier it is, the more solid wood it is using.  Negotiate and make sure you bring a friend along so you can carry the heavier pieces.

Tip: Avoid particle board furniture like the ones you can find from IKEA.

And when selling, follow the same rule as you would if the furniture is your own.

5. Yard equipment

Gas and electric yard equipment and tools are always popular on Craigslist.  They are too big and too heavy to be sold anywhere else.

If you have them laying around, make sure they work first before listing.  You don’t want new owners coming back to you for a refund.  Generally, most people looking for yard equipment are pretty good at testing things out before they buy.

Just like selling cars, try to clean up the equipment first before listing.  The better they look, the more likely your listing will attract buyers.

Now if you are thinking about flipping tools or yard equipment, make sure you know how to fix them. On Craigslist you’ll find an endless supply of lawnmowers, weed eaters, leaf blowers, chainsaws, chippers/shredders, power washers, and even generators.  Many times they are sold for next to nothing or even given away free because there is something wrong with them.

6. Electronics

Professional cameras, video game consoles, music equipment, and even TVs can all be sold on Craigslist for a good profit.  It really depends on what you’re selling and the condition of them.

Now since these are smaller items, you definitely want to check out the going rate on eBay and Amazon first and even consider them as marketplaces when you are selling.  The biggest benefit of using Craigslist is saving on fees since Craigslist is free.

With eBay expect to pay 13% fees to eBay and Paypal and similar with Amazon.  Plus you have to ship.

Try to sell on Craigslist first and if there are no bites then consider the online marketplaces.

As for flipping cameras, video game consoles, music equipment, and TVs, it can certainly be done on Craigslist.  Simply look for ones being sold below market value and negotiate.

Tip:  Remember to always make sure to check the item first.  Power it on and make sure that everything is working correctly or you’ll just end up having an expensive dud on your hands.

7. Appliances

Appliances are also very popular on Craigslist and mainly it’s because of the sheer size of them.  If you upgrade your washer, dryer or fridge and you don’t want your old ones to be hauled away…then list them on Craigslist.

You won’t get much for your old appliances but you will get something and something is better than nothing.

However, there is a huge flipping opportunity with appliances.  There are tons of broken appliances out there either sold for very cheap or being given away for free.  Most likely the owner got a new one and don’t want the old one taking up space.  If you know how to fix them, then this is a great opportunity for you.

Tip:  If you can grab a buddy, it’ll save you a whole lot of back pains.  With large items, don’t assume the seller will be helping.  

8. Cars

Most likely you’ve seen a car video or two on YouTube.  Maybe turn your passion into cash in my pocket.  Selling cars is EXTREMELY popular with Craigslist because it used to be free.  Now Craigslist charges only $5 dollars per selling ad which is still very cheap.  There is a huge audience on CL just for cars.

Now I have to warn you, selling cars can be daunting and a huge headache so you have to be patient and know what you’re doing.   Here is a comprehensive guide if you are interested:  Flipping Cars For Profit – Step-by-Step Guide {Updated for 2021]

In Conclusion

With 8 Things to Sell on Craigslist for Profit, there is something for everybody.  Most likely you have many of these things in the garage or around the house.  Take advantage of Craigslist and get them sold!

For those who are handy, it’s definitely advantageous for you to take advantage of the cheap or free things people are practically giving away.

Enjoy and good luck!