Every craigslist shipping scam depends on that order being reversed.
Craigslist tells you not to ship
Worth saying out loud before anything else, because it is the site's own position and it is correct more often than not.
- Craigslist's safety guidance opens with a single instruction: deal locally, face-to-face, and follow this one rule to avoid the vast majority of scam attempts (per craigslist.org, checked 2026-07-28).
- It lists payment patterns that are scams outright: requests to wire money, requests to pay with gift cards, and requests to deposit a cashier's check (per the same source).
- It treats a request to use an escrow service as a possible scam, and flags transactions involving shipping or moving services as something to be suspicious of (per the same source).
There is no built-in label system on craigslist, no buyer protection scheme and no platform sitting between the two of you. That is a real difference from OfferUp or Facebook Marketplace, both of which run their own shipped-order flows.
If you are shipping anyway, the order matters
- Money clears first, alwaysNot sent, not pending, cleared and irreversible in your own account. Every craigslist shipping scam depends on the box leaving before the payment is real.
- Confirm the address with the buyer in writingA residential address the buyer states themselves, not one supplied in an email that arrived with an odd payment offer.
- Quote the packed item before you agree a priceLarge second-hand goods are where sellers lose money on shipping, because the carton is bulky long before it is heavy.
- Buy the label with tracking and keep the receiptTracking is the only record either of you will have. Photograph the packed box and the label before it goes.
- Send the tracking number yourselfNobody uploads it for you here. Paste it into the message thread the moment you have it.
What a typical local-sale carton costs to send
Craigslist goods skew bulky. These are two ordinary household cartons quoted on the same lane and day, showing every service the engine returned.
A 12 x 12 x 12 in carton at 15 lb
| Carrier | Service | Price | Quoted window |
|---|---|---|---|
| USPS | Ground Advantage | $17.01 | 8-9 business days |
| FedEx | Ground Economy | $19.63 | 6-7 business days |
| UPS | Ground Saver | $19.78 | none returned with this rate |
| UPS | Ground | $23.54 | 2-3 business days |
| FedEx | Ground | $28.59 | 5-6 business days |
A 20 x 16 x 12 in carton at 25 lb
| Carrier | Service | Price | Quoted window |
|---|---|---|---|
| FedEx | Ground Economy | $28.77 | 6-7 business days |
| UPS | Ground | $29.52 | 2-3 business days |
| FedEx | Ground | $41.48 | 5-6 business days |
| UPS | 3 Day Select | $43.48 | 5-6 business days |
| UPS | Ground Saver | $46.73 | none returned with this rate |
Ten more pounds and a roomier box moved the cheapest row from $17.01 to $28.77. On a low-value second-hand item that swing can be most of the sale price, which is the honest reason craigslist deals stay local: the shipping often costs more than the difference between selling now and selling next week.
No account, which suits a one-off sale
Somebody selling a single amplifier does not want a shipping platform, a plan or a login. Describe the item, compare the live rates, pay and print. That is the whole flow, and it is the same flow whether you ship once a year or twice a week.
Big and light is the expensive combination
Parcel pricing charges for the space a box occupies on a truck. A bulky, light item can cost more than a small heavy one, so packing tightly is worth more than shopping around.
Past a point it stops being a parcel
Furniture, appliances and anything over the carriers' size limits belong on a pallet rather than in a carton. SMKlog sells parcel labels only.
Craigslist shipping questions
Does craigslist offer shipping?
No. There is no label system, no shipped-order flow and no buyer protection scheme on craigslist. Its safety guidance says to deal locally, face-to-face, and to be suspicious of transactions involving shipping or moving services.
How do I ship a craigslist item safely?
Wait until payment has cleared irreversibly in your own account, confirm the address with the buyer directly, quote the packed item before agreeing a price, buy a label with tracking, photograph the packed box, and send the tracking number yourself.
What does it cost to ship a craigslist item?
It depends on bulk more than weight. On 2026-07-28 from Newark to Atlanta, a 12 x 12 x 12 in carton at 15 lb quoted from $17.01, while a 20 x 16 x 12 in carton at 25 lb quoted from $28.77. Quote your own carton, since a roomy box costs real money.
Can I buy a label without an account?
Yes. Describe the packed item, compare the live rates, pay and print as a guest. Tracking comes with the label. We sell US domestic parcel labels, plus international labels to Canada, the UK, Germany and Australia, with no fulfillment and no account.