Hi sandyh4,
Since, I haven't really used Craigslist as my selling platform, I did a little research and found a thread you might find useful. I have quoted 1 of the posts on that thread as a reply to one of your questions.
Does Craigslist allow you to sell to distant buyers? I mean if you're selling let say clothing for example, will they allow this? and how about payment options? There are alot of scammers on craigslist too and craigslist suggest that to sell locally if you're selling goods am I correct? Any thought on this Graham? =)
Yes, you are correct, I sold several swords whilst being in the UK, to US residents. Basically, I got the suppliers from Salehoo, created a webpage and linked it to CL, then added Paypal as a payment link - the thing I found that worked well, was when my goods were shipped - I immediately forwarded the tracking number to my customers, giving them piece of mind and knowing they could trace the item - I never had a problem.
But, back to your question, CL is supposed to be for local people selling locally, but you can sell globally. 8)
For most sellers (even suppliers) that do accept check's they would often state it in their FAQ section that the goods will only be delivered or shipped out once the check payment clears. I think both are relatively safe so long as you don't ship the items before the payment clears at your end. Once the payment has cleared you can immediately provide your customers with a tracking number - this will reassure your customers about their purchase being shipped to them.
You don't necessarily have to meet with your buyers. But make sure you provide them with your contact details (email, phone) so that they can contact you anytime they have a question/concern regarding your products.
Here's the thread I mentioned earlier:
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Hope this helps. Cheers!
P.S. Please try to adhere to the thread's topic when posting. Your post would have been more ideally posted as a new and separate thread. This is to ensure that proper attention is given to your concerns.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at support@salehoo.com :)