Online/Craigslist Bill of Sale

Online/Craigslist Bill of Sale

Craigslist, and others, gave us a convenient way of buying and selling stuff at a fraction of the cost. And aside from finding things at a bargain, online listing sites are also creeping with shady individuals. Individuals that may defraud you or may put you in a heap of trouble. But with an Online/Craigslist bill of sale, online transactions can be done with less of a worry. Read this article to know what comes in a bill of sale, and get ready to create your own in no time. Read More

What Is an Online/Craigslist Bill of Sale?

OnlineCraigslist Bill of Sale

There are an estimated 1.92 billion digital buyers worldwide, according to the same source, and not all of them are as trustworthy as your neighbors. So make sure to secure your online purchases with a bill of sale. An online/craigslist bill of sale is a sales and purchase document for safe and secure online transactions. And like your usual bill of sale, it also details the terms of a sale of an item as well as its legal transfer of ownership.

How Do You Create an Efficient Online/Craigslist Bill of Sale?

Selling our pre-loved items on craigslist is motivated by many different reasons, and letting go of something of sentimental value is not that easy. Thus, it makes perfect sense to sell them to someone you can trust, as well as someone who wouldn’t rip you off. Listed below are the steps in creating an online/craigslist bill of sale for a safe and secure transaction.

1. Make a Full Description of the Items in Your Listing

Painting a full picture of what you’re selling is key in earning your buyer’s trust. And, it’s this simple step that quickly gets you inquiries from interested buyers about the item. So do invest some time in laying all the item’s details out in the open—dimensions, colors, and material if necessary.

2. Don’t Forget to List the Buyer’s Details

Knowing what you can about the buyer not only ensures that they’re going to pay for what they bought, as it also ensures that they’re not going to use it unlawfully. So before drafting your online/craigslist bill of sale, always do a little research of your buyer. Asking for their government ID is one of the ways of doing it.

3. Lay Down the Terms and Conditions.

Terms and conditions are a bill of sale’s essential element, which also goes for the items in your craigslist listings. These give your bill of sale’s purpose, which outlines each party’s—you and the buyer—responsibility with regards to the sale. Your bill of sale’s terms and conditions also protects your rights from fraud, as well as when the buyer uses the item for something illegal.

4. Finalize the Sale with Your Signatures

As soon as you and your buyer agree to the terms of the sale, it’s time to seal the deal by signing the bill of sale. Signatures represent each party’s agreement and respect for each other’s terms and conditions. The most common way of signing the document is by meeting with your buyer. But, another option is to digital by using an electronic signature.

5. Add Another Layer of Protection if Necessary

There are times when we doubt our buyer’s integrity. Thus, we may need to add an extra layer of protection Notarizing your online/craigslist bill of sale. And although not necessarily needed, it’s always better for you to be on the safe side than to be on the losing end.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How does a bill of sale make online transactions safe and secure?

Online transactions are also susceptible to fraud and other unlawful practices, just like your conventional transactions. And like your conventional transactions, bills of sale also protect you from scammers and fraudsters that lurk on the internet. It provides you a record of the transaction, which you can use as evidence in the court of law when legal troubles arise.

2. Why are online/craigslist bill of sale important?

E-commerce is a billion-dollar industry and is rapidly growing as well. This means that everyone wants a share of its profitability, including fraudsters and those who are looking for easy money. By using an online/craigslist bill of sale, you can avoid being victimized by fraudsters as well as discourage such illegal practices as well.

3. Is it necessary to notarize an online/craigslist bill of sale?

Online/craigslist bills of sale aren’t necessarily notarized to become enforceable. But you can do so if you wish to add another layer of protection. Notarizing allows your bills of sale to be used as evidence in courts should legal troubles arise or if the buyer uses your item for illegal and criminal activities.

Although electronic signatures are viewed with a lot of doubts and skepticism, they’re completely legal to use in an online/craigslist bill of sale. The ESIGN Act of 2000 enables such signatures to be recognized legally, thus making documents having them valid and enforceable. Allowing you to go fully digital when making online transactions, such as selling and banking.

5. How is an online/craigslist bill of sale different from others?

An online/craigslist bill of sale is no different from other bills of sale. The only difference is that it is used solely for transactions like those in craigslist and other online listings. Another key difference is that you can sign this bill of sale using an electronic signature, which makes your online transactions fully digital.

E-commerce has brought a lot of comforts and convenience in making transactions, such as banking, paying bills, and purchases, with just a push of a button. However, such convenience comes at a price that none of us would like to pay. Fraudsters and criminal types also ply their unsavory trade on the internet, thus it’s better to be safe and secure with an online/craigslist bill of sale.