Search All Craigslist Sites at Once With Google

[WineCountry]

I found this handy, dandy method for searching ALL Craigslist at once, no matter what the region. For those of you who like to scan more than just your local CL for good deals on saws, etc.


Search All Craigslist Sites at Once With Google

Wired's How-To Wiki details how to flex your Google-fu to get Craigslist results from every Craigslist domain. In essence, the author does a Google site search of Craigslist.org and excludes pages with the word 'directory' to eliminate directory listings of names and phone numbers. The resulting query looks like:

site:craigslist.org "search terms"

...where "search terms" is replaced by whatever you're looking for. Granted, Craigslist is designed primarily for local buying and selling of items, but if you don't have a Craigslist city near you or you don't mind trying to do some long-distance Craigslisting, this method can help you find good deals across the globe. (You can limit your results to newer listings by using this method for filtering Google results by date: http://lifehacker.com/384375/ filter-google-results-by-date-with-a-url-t rick.)

Read Wired's full article: http://howto.wired.com/wiki/Search- Every-Craigslist-Site-at-Once.

*I would have put this post in the reference links thread but it was closed. My apologies if it's off-topic.

 

[PB]

Or you can just google the term "craigslist" and the search box comes up automatically. A whole lot easier.

 

[Nikko]

I use http://www.crazedlist.org/ - simple, fast and effective.

Nikko

 

[87iroc]

I just did the Craigs list search and found a couple of interesting ads that I would love to get more info on.

Just not sure if I could trust the sellers. I mean, if I send a paypal payment or check/MO to California...how do I know they are going to send the article?

Maybe the same issue as ebay, but at least there's a feedback list there where I can at least have an idea they are legit.

Seems to be better deals on Craigslist for 026 saws than I was seeing on ebay...

 

[WineCountry]

I just did the Craigs list search and found a couple of interesting ads that I would love to get more info on.

Just not sure if I could trust the sellers. I mean, if I send a paypal payment or check/MO to California...how do I know they are going to send the article?

Maybe the same issue as ebay, but at least there's a feedback list there where I can at least have an idea they are legit.

Seems to be better deals on Craigslist for 026 saws than I was seeing on ebay...

There are benefits and drawbacks to buying off CL vs. eBay. For starters, unlike eBay that likes to take a hefty nick out of the price of what's being sold, Craigslist ads are free. This can sometimes lead to a better price for a CL item vs. the same thing you might find on eBay - but not always. People who put their stuff up for sale on CL don't always take the time to check comparative prices of similar items to see if the price they're asking is fair. In simplest terms this can mean that CL priced items are all over the map in price.

Often, you run a better chance of getting a good deal on Craigslist because the price isn't subject to being driven up by competitive bidders. But good deals on Craigslist don't normally last very long - you have to stay on top of your search and strike while the iron is hot.

Lots of times, eBay isn't about good deals. I've been amazed at how many times I've seen an item selling on eBay for as much or more than you could buy it at retail elsewhere. On the other hand, you're right, there's no good way on Craigslist to tell if the seller you're trying to cut a deal with is reputable or that they're not lying about the condition of what they're selling.

Buying items at a distance is always risky. But like a lot of things in life if you take the time to research all your options and make sure all your t's are crossed and your i's are dotted? It can work out just fine.

 

[87iroc]

Yes, I agree. It just seems like there are more available ways to dot your i's and cross your t's on ebay as opposed to CL.

I'd spring in a heartbeat if I found a local saw for sale that I was interested in on CL...just going over the net is a bit riskier for spending 200-300 dollars on the saw I want as opposed to ebay even though better deals can be had.

Anyway, its just me. If I found a deal to end all deals, I might consider it, even with the risks.

 

[WineCountry]

Yes, I agree. It just seems like there are more available ways to dot your i's and cross your t's on ebay as opposed to CL.

I'd spring in a heartbeat if I found a local saw for sale that I was interested in on CL...just going over the net is a bit riskier for spending 200-300 dollars on the saw I want as opposed to ebay even though better deals can be had.

Anyway, its just me. If I found a deal to end all deals, I might consider it, even with the risks.

Often the lower the risk the higher the price. If you want safety - go to your local retail dealer and pay full price.

Buying used anything comes with lots of risk. You never know if the guy whose got the used thing for sale that you want has beat the living crap out of it - or if he's given it TLC the full time he's owned it.

eBay or CL it's still 'let the buyer beware'.

 

[Junkyard Jim]

I'll help

I just did the Craigs list search and found a couple of interesting ads that I would love to get more info on.

Just not sure if I could trust the sellers. I mean, if I send a paypal payment or check/MO to California...how do I know they are going to send the article?

Maybe the same issue as ebay, but at least there's a feedback list there where I can at least have an idea they are legit.

Seems to be better deals on Craigslist for 026 saws than I was seeing on ebay...

Greg,
You just go ahead and send your money out here to CA and I'll pick the saw up for you. If it was not a good deal, I'll let you know and get rid of the POS for you....Honest :monkey:

 

[87iroc]

Tempting, very tempting!!

 

[JohnO]

The search tool http://www.craigshelper.com/ is pretty good too.

 

[carvinmark]

The search tool http://www.craigshelper.com/ is pretty good too.

I just saved it to my favorites. Thanks

 

[Taxmantoo]

I just saved it to my favorites. Thanks

The good deals go to the first one to contact the seller. The last time I saw a good deal on a saw locally, the ad was retracted by seller within two or three hours of posting. That ad probably never made it into Google's database, because Google only scans any particular site a few times a day at most.

When I was shopping for a car this summer, I ran searches on the three nearest Craigslist cities several times a day. (probably took me more time than crazedlist with no better results) I wasted a lot of time looking at junk, but there were three times the car wasn't junk and I was the first buyer on the scene. The first time the seller backed out of the deal we agreed to (and a month later I wasted time looking at the same car with a new owner and a doubled price), but the other two times I got the car. (first for me, the second for a friend)

 

[WidowMaker]

I found this handy, dandy method for searching ALL Craigslist at once, no matter what the region. For those of you who like to scan more than just your local CL for good deals on saws, etc.


Search All Craigslist Sites at Once With Google

Wired's How-To Wiki details how to flex your Google-fu to get Craigslist results from every Craigslist domain. In essence, the author does a Google site search of Craigslist.org and excludes pages with the word 'directory' to eliminate directory listings of names and phone numbers. The resulting query looks like:

site:craigslist.org "search terms"


...where "search terms" is replaced by whatever you're looking for. Granted, Craigslist is designed primarily for local buying and selling of items, but if you don't have a Craigslist city near you or you don't mind trying to do some long-distance Craigslisting, this method can help you find good deals across the globe. (You can limit your results to newer listings by using this method for filtering Google results by date: http://lifehacker.com/384375/ filter-google-results-by-date-with-a-url-t rick.)

Read Wired's full article: http://howto.wired.com/wiki/Search- Every-Craigslist-Site-at-Once.

*I would have put this post in the reference links thread but it was closed. My apologies if it's off-topic.

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Is there a way to modify that command to search a given State???