Classic & Vintage - Craigslist in transition

some time back there was a discussion of the potential for craigslist to start charging fees, it appears they are now one step closer to that. I had to get an account, not sure what triggered it, but until recently I was able to get around it, not sure if they're cookie-counts, or if they track the ip address or email address. But they now have an entry box for "fee". There also appears to be no way to delete the log track of past listings. I'm fairly sure they can't back-charge for previous free listings. I don't know if this is a potential side door to sales tax collection intra-state or for federal income tax tracking. And not wanting to start a flame fest here, just posting a heads-up of what looks like things to come.


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ID Date Site Category Title Fee

It's been nice while it lasted.

I noticed this as well. However, it only prompted me to sign up to list in the NYC section, not my local North NJ section (n.b. I use different email addresses to circumvent their spam blocking).

Where I'm form UsedVictoria.com (http://www.usedvictoria.com/classifieds/bicycles)is way more popular, free and better than Craigslist. They're spreading to many other markets as well: http://usedeverywhere.com/, they're just really, really small in most of them.

I doubt CL will be charging at any time in the near future.They of course do charge and always have for the employment ads I believe,however never say never.A lot of people do not know that Ebay owns 25% of CL which they obtained I think against the wishes of the founders of CL.

Kijiji is great and giving CL a run for their money, perhaps this is part of why they are changing things up...

http://www.craigslist.org/about/help/posting_fees

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/03/AR2006020302749_pf.html

You know they'll kill themselves off if they add the fees to the classifieds sections.

-Kurt

Some other non-fee charging site will replace craigslist if they push towards charging fees. I don't see them doing it in the long run - no way I'll pay fees if I can buy and sell for free elsewhere.

My Napster link isn't working so well tonight...and someone's knocking at my door.

Interesting the number that say they would no longer use Craigs List. How many are using (or were using) Yahoo Auctions?

Yahoo auctions were totally free from fees, versus the ebay model of pay a percentage of the sale and a posting charge. The problem was that there weren't any bidders. So while you were able to auction items free of the pesky fees, with no/very few customers, items went cheap. I used to use Yahoo Auctions as a buyer, always got really good deals. But it was lousy as a seller.

As long as Craigs List maintains a dominant position, they will be able to introduce fees, and I will pay. I sure hope they do not start charging...

But when you consider what they have done to "Auto Trader" and similar pay periodicals, its amazing. Ditto your local paper's classified ads.

Kijiji is great and giving CL a run for their money, perhaps this is part of why they are changing things up...

Kijiji has one bicycle for sale in Charlotte, and that bike was posted over one month ago. Craigs List has over 100 bikes for sale posted in the last day and a half. Not quite hurting C/L around here.

And Charlotte is listed as one of the top cities for Kijiji.

I believe the motivation for CL to make you sign up for an account was to prevent fraud. Rather than listing anonymously, you have to have an account. My understanding is that this is only for categories where stolen goods (bikes) were common, or where scams are common, and where spamming was common.

Fees didn't have anything to do with it. My understanding is that they instituted fees in NYC for housing because the spammers were overwhelming the category, and that if other locations have the same problem, then they too will start charging a minimal fee. Employment is the only thing they had been charging for, and that was $75 a pop. I think NYC housing is like maybe $10 a pop, again, as a deterrent.

I didn't research any of this, but it should be easy enough to google the answer. It's not like CL is trying to be secretive or anything.

I quote:

Do I need a user account to submit new ads?
User accounts may be required, depending on a number of circumstances (e.g., category, city, etc). In general, it is much easier to edit, delete and re-post your ads if you manage them through an account. If you post frequently, it makes sense to set up a user account.


And;


http://www.articlesbase.com/press-releases-articles/craigslist-changes-phone-verified-account-system-on-091509-1260114.html


They make you phone verify your account, which eliminates your anonymity. Note FAQ above - it depends on category and city.

Also, the Washington Post article is full of crap. Employment ads are how CL makes money - it always has been. As they move into a new area, they give them away for free until they hit critical mass, but the business model has always been to charge for help wanted ads.

I was asked to create an account after I had sold several bikes on CL. That was last year (or longer, not sure). I think it has to do with how much you posted for sale. I don't think CL is headed toward fees, ...... unless the Federal Government takes them over.

Kijiji has one bicycle for sale in Charlotte, and that bike was posted over one month ago. Craigs List has over 100 bikes for sale posted in the last day and a half. Not quite hurting C/L around here.

And Charlotte is listed as one of the top cities for Kijiji.

Ya the funny thing about this whole thing is that ebay owns Kijiji and a 25% share in CL. Because Kijiji has a fee scheme for promoting your ads etc., it wouldn't surprise me if Ebay is pressuring the other shareholders to adpot this type of fee scheme so that the two sites aren't competing with each other or something along those lines.

I was asked to create an account after I had sold several bikes on CL. That was last year (or longer, not sure). I think it has to do with how much you posted for sale. I don't think CL is headed toward fees, ...... unless the Federal Government takes them over.

Oh, the federal government owns eBay? :rolleyes:

Oh, the federal government owns eBay? :rolleyes:
Give him time, I'm sure we'll have an Internet Trade Czar from Cuba or something.....

The ONLY benefits of CL are that it is free and relatively easy to post things.

The day those things are no longer true is the day that CL withers to nothing.

jim

I only post ads on CL through my account. Its much more convenient.

Yahoo auctions were totally free from fees, versus the ebay model of pay a percentage of the sale and a posting charge. The problem was that there weren't any bidders. So while you were able to auction items free of the pesky fees, with no/very few customers, items went cheap. I used to use Yahoo Auctions as a buyer, always got really good deals. But it was lousy as a seller.

I used Yahoo auctions a lot. Unfortunately, Yahoo kind of pushed the site into a dark corner, while at the same time ebay was buying TV ads for their site.

Funny thing to note, ebay Japan closed down because Yahoo Auctions Japan was so popular they couldn't wedge their way in. There is still a Yahoo Auctions Japan, even though Yahoo killed the site in other countries.

AND the real kicker, is now that yahoo is gone - ebay has changed the layout of their auction pages to look more like those used by yahoo auctions. :rolleyes: