Post: #1

Does anyone mess with it? I posted some stereo stuff yesterday and sold some of it this morning. Then I found a guy on there selling boxes of porn. Talked to him and he said he can give me 100 for $200. I might do that and sell them to porno shops. I know someone that always buys cars and sells them for a few thousand higher. I guess it's a great site if you know what to get so you can flip it.

There's also a Free section, but I don't think anything good is ever posted.

Post: #2

There was actually a girl interviewed on NPR's "Planet Money" a few weeks ago that did just this. She basically went from foreclosed homes to foreclosed homes and picked up free junk that banks or home investors didn't want and pawned it on Craigslist. She kept it up until she had enough to buy her own foreclosed home for $12,000.

That said - IMO It's a pretty bad way of making money. To make it work, you have to approach it systematically rather than as a way to make a quick buck. Identify ways of getting low-priced inventory and look for ways to maximize your sales. You'll need a place to put stuff. Overall, I think it's a pretty difficult and crappy way of arbitrage.

There are much better ways to make money IMO.

Post: #3

What about banging girls from Craiglist? Either in those encounters sections or bought something from a cute lizard?

Post: #4

I think there is potential there. A young pup, or just a fellow down on his luck and flat broke and in need of seed money for other stuff, could probably pick up a bunch of free stuff on craigslist, apply some elbow grease and creativity and resell the stuff for some decent coin.

Post: #5

I like craigslist. I've bought some stuff off there that I suspect was hot.
I wasn't looking to profit off it though.

My friend's mother goes to yard sales and picks up things cheap and sells them on Ebay.
Collectible things like shot glasses from different places. She found some old KISS kid's
halloween costumes from the 70's once for a few bucks and sold them for a shitload.

My other friend found an old beat up Barbie dream house in the trash and got $100 for it on Ebay.

Post: #6

By the way, here's a random business idea I had that I'll never act on, but you could. Be an in person bitcoin dealer.

Bitcoin is often used to buy illegal stuff online, but is itself not illegal. Though bitcoin is supposed to be a 100% anonymous currency, the reality is whenever you make a financial transaction through a credit card or through PayPal, you're leaving a paper trail. It doesn't take a genius for law enforcement to figure out that if you buy $50 of bitcoins, then buy $50 worth of drugs with bitcoins and can place you in the neighborhood of the deliveries - that you bought drugs online.

More info on these kinds of markets here:

Gawker: The Underground Market Where You Can Buy Any Drug Imaginable

Anyway, the basic idea is this. You buy bitcoins online, then sell them to people offline. Mark it up a little bit. You're not doing anything illegal, you're simply selling another currency. You're not responsible for what other people do with it. The other people on the other hand get to separate themselves from the risk of a transaction, since they're no longer leaving a paper trail.

Just an idea.

Post: #7

(04-30-2012 07:05 PM)DareP Wrote:  By the way, here's a random business idea I had that I'll never act on, but you could. Be an in person bitcoin dealer.

Bitcoin is often used to buy illegal stuff online, but is itself not illegal. Though bitcoin is supposed to be a 100% anonymous currency, the reality is whenever you make a financial transaction through a credit card or through PayPal, you're leaving a paper trail. It doesn't take a genius for law enforcement to figure out that if you buy $50 of bitcoins, then buy $50 worth of drugs with bitcoins and can place you in the neighborhood of the deliveries - that you bought drugs online.

More info on these kinds of markets here:

Gawker: The Underground Market Where You Can Buy Any Drug Imaginable

Anyway, the basic idea is this. You buy bitcoins online, then sell them to people offline. Mark it up a little bit. You're not doing anything illegal, you're simply selling another currency. You're not responsible for what other people do with it. The other people on the other hand get to separate themselves from the risk of a transaction, since they're no longer leaving a paper trail.

Just an idea.

I don't know, that doesn't seem like it would be very safe, profitable or fun. You are doing something illegal, and are going to be dealing with other people doing something illegal. In any type of black market exchange, once the dollar figure gets high enough, people have weapons, and violence for a million different reasons becomes a real possibility.
If I decided that I was going to something illegal for profit where violence was possible and take all that risk, I would want a MUCH bigger potential return to justify it all.

Post: #8

Quote:I don't know, that doesn't seem like it would be very safe, profitable or fun. You are doing something illegal, and are going to be dealing with other people doing something illegal. In any type of black market exchange, once the dollar figure gets high enough, people have weapons, and violence for a million different reasons becomes a real possibility.
If I decided that I was going to something illegal for profit where violence was possible and take all that risk, I would want a MUCH bigger potential return to justify it all.

You're not doing something illegal. Selling bitcoins is like selling gold. You're selling something that other people can use to buy things with. It's not your business what they use the gold (or bitcoins) for. Selling bitcoins is not illegal.

I wouldn't do anything in a non-public place. Meet in coffee shops. They hand you $300 in cash, you give them $300 in bitcoins from your laptop. Very simple.

Anyway - It was just a random idea I had. I realize the profit potential isn't astronomical, but it's probably on par with arbitraging Craigslist.

Post: #9

Anyone ever tried to do an "odd job" in the Jobs section? Wonder if shit like this is legit.

Quote:Background extras, and general set help needed. We have several productions coming up right here in Houston.
Reliable, professional background actors (non-speaking roles) of all ages and races needed.

We also are looking for people to work on sets, build props, lighting etc.

Please inquire only if you can be on time everyday, and have reliable transportation.

Pay ranges anywhere from $175 to $350/day depending on role.

Post: #10

I've done background extra work from the site. Some of those jobs are legit.

Post: #11

(04-30-2012 06:57 PM)houston Wrote:  What about banging girls from Craiglist? Either in those encounters sections or bought something from a cute lizard?

I think CL personals is a different beast. You should hit up tenderman for that, he seems to know exactly how it works. I've only met like one single lizard off of it and she was pretty much the ugliest girl I've ever met(bitch sent me myspace angle pics ). Anyways, but I know a dude who's banged a few off of CL but not through the personals section! Yup, you heard it right - he basically would call up women trying to sublet their apartment, looking for a roommate or sell some shit and then would go meet them, run game and close the deal! Another great tip is to look for bitches who are 4/20 friendly.. they are always DTF.

Post: #12

I got a room for a month from craigslist. The girl was good. Lesbian though. I banged her friend. Sold some stuff on the site. Rented out a couple rooms thru craigslist. Almost bought the mistubishi 80in tv from there but dude flaked. Met one chick thru personals but didnt close. I love craigslist.

Post: #13

I have bought and sold lots of stuff on CL. Found my current car on CL. Have found multiple apartments on CL. Have found roommates on CL in the past. Found a handyman on CL. Also, a mover/man with a van. It's great for a lot of things.

For lizards, it's *far* inferior to meeting women in real life. It is a haven for fat chicks, spammers, pic collectors, and gay men trying to hook up with straight men.

Post: #14

Have sold 2 cars and found 2 roommates on CL. Just know that you will get a lot of flaking and/or weird people contacting you before the transaction actually happens.

Post: #15

Only problem I've had with selling on CL is the swarm of bots that will send you "I'm interested in your item, if it's still for sale" messages and then harvest your response email for spam. Godawful annoying. That's why you'll see things like "reply via email with name of item" or such; put some sort of hook in your ad to easily validate responses.

Post: #16

CL was the only free online dating forum prior to OKC POF. Now that those two have taken over there are only haggards on there.