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Craigslist has numerous offers for new and used mattresses. If you want to sell yours, you can certainly do so. However, there are many things to consider and be aware of – from how to find and how to make a good ad to how to stay away from scams and bed bug infestations. This guide is there for you as we take you through all of those important points you need to be aware of when buying or selling a Craigslist mattress.
How to Buy a Mattress on Craigslist
You can definitely find a good deal on Craigslist, but navigating the website itself and using filters for search isn’t enough. You’ll have to get through poor or misleading descriptions and outright lies and scams in order to find credible and honest ads. And even then, you need to further narrow your choice down to the actual mattress type and size. Craigslist is a good place to find both new and used mattresses, so let’s see what are all the things you should prioritize in order to make a safe purchase and ideally, find a cheap mattress.
Choose products with high-quality photos
Although a bad photo or no photo doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re going to get scammed, you as a buyer should feel more confident buying a product that has high-quality photos that show all the details from different sides.
If the photo has poor lighting or is of low quality, you might fail to see some important signs of a bad mattress. You need to be sure that something is just a shadow and not a huge stain, for example.
Some sellers use high-quality photos that are taken over from a manufacturer’s website. This could mean some completely opposite things – that the mattress is good as new or that it’s a scam. Maybe the person figured out that the mattress is, say, too tall or too soft and they don’t want to sleep on it. In this case, the mattress is practically new, and they aren’t making a mistake by posting manufacturer’s photos. Still, you should contact the seller and ask for photos of the actual mattress. On the other hand, if it’s a scam, you’ll be able to recognize it – just make sure to read through to the end.
By-owner vs. by-dealer
You’ll easily recognize what mattresses are sold by dealer and which ones by owners. Photos posted by furniture dealers usually contain logo of the business. Their descriptions usually mention the name and address of their business and very often they list out all the mattress sizes and prices they offer, along with other items their business sells.
When you buy from a dealer, it’s much safer because all consumer laws apply, so you’ll be able to return the mattress if it’s damaged, for example.
If you opt for buying from an owner, your mattress will not come with a warranty because you’re not the first owner. Also, if there’s anything wrong with it, you can only rely on the seller’s good will to return it or receive a refund (but don’t expect anything like that). They may or come forward and help you out, or more likely, not because unlike websites such as Ebay, Craigslist doesn’t have any return policies or buyer protection since it’s not involved in any transactions.
Look for a well-written description
Descriptions are important – just like quality photos, they give you the first impression of a seller. You want to buy from a person who pays attention to details and takes into account everything that a prospective buyer might be interested in.
A good description should contain price, size, and additional details (if it’s a second-hand mattress) such as reason for selling and exact condition of the mattress, how long it had been used, etc. It’s also desirable to have information about mattress materials and brand.
People who write descriptions like this are usually responsible and trustworthy. A short one-line description requires you to ask additional questions, and the whole thing can take up much of your time while you’re waiting for the seller to respond.
Also, people who make messy ads might be disorganized in other spheres of their life, so a poorly made ad could also mean unpleasant or annoying situations later on if you decide to meet up and buy a mattress from such a person.
Watch out for bed bugs
Bed bugs are one of the worst things that you run the risk of getting inside your home when you buy used mattresses. Their eggs can get into other furniture or onto the floor and they’re really difficult to get rid of once inside of your apartment.
You’ll recognize bed bugs because they leave fecal matter and discarded skins. Also, since they feed on human blood, when they die (or get accidentally squished and popped), they could leave tiny blood droplets behind them. Still, the seller could vacuum and spot-clean the mattress, which would remove any evidence of bed bugs, and you might get negatively surprised soon after buying the mattress.
A used mattress can also harbor lots of dust mites and dried up bodily fluids. Apart from that, a mattress that was inappropriately stored for a longer time could contain cockroach eggs or even mold.
Hygiene and health safety should be the primary reason to decide whether a used mattress is worth buying. If the pictures look good, the home seems clean, and the mattress wasn’t used much, you might go for it. Otherwise, you should look for another mattress.
How to check for honesty
You can avoid getting scammed on Craigslist if you take some precautionary steps.
If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably isn’t. On top of that, if they insist that it’s very urgent for them to sell the mattress, or if they want to push you into paying by saying someone else is going to get it if you don’t act, just ignore and/or report them.
Some scammers will ask you to pay in advance to secure the item you’re buying. This is another red flag, as well as any ads with lots of grammatical or spelling errors.
If you see an image of one mattress and the description is about some other mattress, avoid the ad. You can also check the photo via the “search Google for this image” or “search image with Google Lens”, or any other image-searching online option. If the scammer stole that photo from someone else, you might find the original one this way, and then you’ll definitely know that the scammer didn’t personally take that image.
Finally, take heed of how the seller communicates with you. People who really want to sell an item and aren’t planning on scamming you are normally cooperative, polite, and will respond promptly to your questions and concerns. They should be willing to meet you in person. After all, this is the only way you can thoroughly inspect the mattress before paying for it.
How to Sell a Mattress on Craigslist
Used mattresses are not like all the other household items. Most people are completely grossed out just to think about it – they equate buying a used mattress to buying used underwear. Mattresses are treated differently even on a regulatory level – there are federal laws regarding used mattress sale, but also state laws that often place used mattresses in a category different than other used furniture. Make sure you’re familiar with laws in your state before you go to Craigslist.
If your mattress has a damp or moldy smell, is infested with bed bugs, or has stains that are impossible to remove, you should dispose of it safely.
Otherwise, you should clean your mattress (if it has a removable cover – wash it in a commercial washer and line dry) and ensure that it’s as presentable as possible.
Take multiple photos
Make sure the lighting is good – daylight is the best for photoshoot. Take several pictures from different angles – you want the buyer to be able to see the mattress exactly as it is, because that’s how you’ll avoid complaints or changes of mind.
Take a photo of the top of the mattress, take some on the sides, and ideally, the back of the mattress. Make sure that one photo shows the manufacturer’s label, and also include any detail photos showing how well-preserved the mattress is, or any damaged parts.
Craigslist allows you to add lots of photos, so the more you add, the better.
How to set a price
First, check the original price on the manufacturer’s website if you can find it. This is just for reference, because the moment you unpack a new mattress, it loses value. You wouldn’t be able to resell it at the original price even if you were to sell it one hour later. This is because the mattress loses warranty and because, well – mattresses are personal things, and being the second owner just isn’t attractive.
Although the price should partly depend on the mattress’s condition, most used mattresses cost about 20-30% of their original value. The majority of used mattresses online cost between $50 and $250.
Apart from checking the original price, you also need to browse through Craigslist and see if anyone else is offering that same mattress and if it’s in a similar condition. If you can’t find the same one, look for similar mattresses, or even check out other websites, like the Facebook marketplace, eBay, etc. Once you get a realistic price range, you can form your own price.
If you’re not trying to sell the mattress urgently, start with a higher price, and if nobody makes offers after a couple of weeks, lower it by a little.
Many people who buy used stuff try to haggle, so it’s good to ask for a bit higher price than what you would actually sell it for.
Watch out for hagglers
Hagglers are everywhere online and you can’t really avoid them. If they feel like they could save money, they will go for it.
As we mentioned above, one way you can work around this is to set a price that’s somewhat higher than what you would normally ask. Therefore, when a haggler tries to lower it, you’ll have some room to accept their offer or to at least state what’s your lowest price.
But if this strategy seems dishonest, you can always add a note to your description saying something like: “This is my final price. Don’t contact me with any other offers, I will not respond to such messages.”
How to write a description
Your description should include everything a buyer could be curious about. Writing a detailed description will save you time later on because you won’t have to respond to emails from people asking for more information. The second most important thing is proper writing, which includes spelling, punctuation, and grammar. A description that’s both detailed and properly written gives a positive impression and increases your chances of selling the mattress.
It’s important to include:
- mattress brand and model
- age (how long it’s been used) and frequency of use (every night, a couple of times a year…)
- purpose (was it used by yourself/your teenager, was it a guest bed…)
- condition (don’t just say “excellent”, “good”, or “poor”, but also explain why it is so – mention any visible stains, tears, indentations, etc.)
- reason for the sale (you’re moving, you bought a bigger bed, you’re updating your guestroom…)
- has it been cleaned (vacuumed, washed cover, taken to professional cleaners…)
- materials (memory foam, latex, innerspring,…)
- feel (soft, firm…)
Be honest with your description. If you’re selling it because you find it uncomfortable, say so. You can go with something like – “I’m selling this mattress because it’s too firm for me. I am a side sleeper and it’s been giving me terrible shoulder pain. Nevertheless, this mattress is high quality and could maybe prove excellent for someone who sleeps on their back. It’s just not for me.”
An honest approach like this will show viewers that you’re trustworthy and that you won’t scam them. Not only will you sell your used mattress more easily, but you’ll also lower the chances of the buyer complaining. If you tell them everything about the mattress, they’ll know exactly what to expect.
Craigslist Mattress Scams
There are many different ways you can get scammed on Craigslist. One of these scams made the news a few years ago, including a con man who would make sellers believe he was going to buy their mattress (or any other item), and then would proceed to send them fake checks with several times higher amounts than that of the posted price. He would then contact sellers apologizing for the inconvenience and explaining how his company mistakenly sent a much higher check and asking sellers to return the excess amount by paying him directly to his bank account. Unfortunately, many people believed this and sent him money right away, only to later learn that the check was fake.
This is the way they scammed sellers. Many other scams are directed toward buyers. A listing might seem like an opportunity to buy a great new bed cheap, that you don’t want to miss out on. Then they ask you to pay electronically up front or give you some made-up reasons to do a wire transfer. These are all red flags that mean you should stop communication right away and report a scam to Craigslist.
Some scammers will ask for your personal details – they may first make up a reason why they need your full name, then after a few messages back and forth ask for your address and possibly account or credit card number. Avoid all people who insist that you give them your personal information. A mattress sale can be done by meeting in person and paying with cash, no need for shady business.
Is There a Market for Selling Used Mattresses?
There is. Second-hand mattresses don’t get as easily sold as other used furniture, but some people will still buy a used mattress if they really need to save money. You can find a cheap mattress relatively easily online. An average mattress that’s used costs around $100 – some more, some less.
The best way to sell a used mattress is to use several platforms – there’s Craigslist, eBay, Facebook marketplace, Amazon, and other places. If you want to skip all the fuss about having to sell it yourself, you can sell it to some of the outlet centers, or other retailers that work with used and new furniture.
FAQs
If a mattress isn’t too luxurious or practically new (unused), the price should be somewhere from $50 to $250. Some mattresses come with box springs, adjustable bases, or bunk bed frames, the price should be higher. Some beds or mattresses are over $1,000, but that’s if they were used only for a few nights or have some very expensive features.
Roughly speaking, used mattresses cost about 20-30% of the original price. If your mattress wasn’t really used much and is in mint condition, you can ask for 50% and see if you can sell it at that price point.
According to recent reports and statistics, the absolute majority of 83% of people seek comfort and support. The highest number of those prioritize back support and more people prefer a firmer mattress to a softer mattress.
You as an individual can sell your used mattress to another individual. But you should look at your local laws because State Laws regulate the sale of used mattresses, and the law is different in each of our states. In some, the mattress needs to have a proper tag informing the consumer that it was used. However, the only state that clearly prohibits used mattress sale is Kansas.
It depends on what a mattress went through. A used mattress might or might not be safe, that is – not sanitary. Stuff that’s inside someone’s dirty mattress can cause allergies or even bring pests into your home.
Here’s what makes a used mattress unsafe:
– excessive dirt and stains
– excessive amounts of bacteria, pathogens, or dust mites
– being kept in a damp room/storage for a long time
– being recovered from a flooded room
– having mold or musty smell
– containing bed bugs
Conclusion
When you’re selling a used mattress on Craigslist, make sure you give buyers all the necessary details, lots of photos, and a fair price. When you’re buying a used mattress, look for the same qualities in an ad – but be sure to visually inspect it in person before purchase, because you don’t want bed bugs or other pests. Finally, be extra cautious because Craigslist is notorious for not offering protection and hosting lots of scammers.
Next step: Read our guide to the best mattresses with Affirm financing. If you’re trying to save money on a mattress, spreading out your payments over time might be a better choice than taking a gamble on Craigslist. All of the brands on this list offer flexible payment plans for any budget.
With over 5 years experience writing about sleep and mattresses, she's considered one of the go-to experts on the topic.
She likes cycling, nature, art, and languages. She pays special attention to providing you with accurate and useful information when it comes to your sleep quality.
After solving her personal sleep and tiredness problems, she is on to help others by sharing this invaluable information.
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