craigslist | about | help (2024)

FAQs

Does anybody use Craigslist anymore? ›

Do People Still Use Craigslist? Absolutely. You can search your local area on Craigslist and find used furniture, cars, rentals, and even jobs.

Make sure the post you are responding to is still active by refreshing the page. If the recipient has opted out of the conversation, you will no longer be able to email that address. Try sending your message again with less content, fewer or no attachments, and reduced file sizes.

Unfortunately, no such protection exists for those replying to posts. When you reply directly from Craigslist, your email address will be visible to the recipient. To reply anonymously, you need to create a free Web-based email address, which does not contain identifiable information.

The closest competitor to craigslist.org are claz.org, rent.com and apartments.com. To understand more about craigslist.org and its competitors, sign up for a free account to explore Semrush's Traffic Analytics and Market Explorer tools.

One of the main reasons why the UI/UX of Craigslist is so poor is that the platform has not undergone a significant redesign in over a decade. The platform's design is outdated and lacks the modern features and functionality that users have come to expect from online marketplaces.

Always use a proxy email address or phone number

Once a potential buyer is truly interested, however, it's okay to switch communication to your cell phone; most buyers appreciate being able to text. If you're the one browsing, send questions to sellers through an email address you solely use for Craigslist.

Craigslist email relay hides your email address when communicating with buyers or sellers. It's a great security feature that you should take advantage of. That means you shouldn't give your real email address or phone number to someone you're dealing with, especially if they're pressuring you.

Craigslist states that “you may post to one category and in one city, no more than once every 48 hours.” So, if you attempt to post too many ads in a day or post the same ad multiple times, it's going to trigger Craigslist to remove them and block your IP address.

How do I know if a Craigslist response is real? ›

Scammers often use fake sites to lure buyers into paying for items that don't exist. Always check the URL before finalizing a purchase. Craigslist does not back any transaction on its site. If you receive an email or text trying to sell you purchase protection, you're looking at a scam.

To protect buyer and seller privacy, Craigslist keeps email addresses hidden. However, even with this security system, you might want to take additional precautions when responding to emails from Craigslist.

Unlike popular online marketplaces such as eBay, Craigslist does not require posters to register for an account before they can post or reply to an ad.

You can reply to any post on Craigslist — just click the "reply" button at the top left of a post, and complete the Captcha puzzle if you're asked to.

Craigslist's traffic is also falling steadily. In 2019, it was as high as 437 million monthly visits, according to Similarweb; in January this year it was just 173 million. Still impressive, but down more than 60%.

It remains the leading classified service in any medium. In terms of job postings, there are 2 million listings per month, making it a great option for many job seekers.

Craigslist is a legitimate website, and most Craigslist posts are legitimate and trustworthy as well. However, just like any other online platform, it can be used by scammers.

Facebook Marketplace is better than Craigslist if you're trying to sell merchandise as fast as possible. Listing is easier, and same goes for messaging potential buyers and arranging sales. The downside of the Facebook Marketplace is that you can't post services, so it's just for resellers.