How to maximize craigslist

I missed a 5gal corny keg this morning by like 10 minutes so I decided to find a way to search craigslist better.

Here are 6 steps to automate your Craigslist Searches (or any search that provides a RSS feed for that matter). I tried to take a screenshot at each step so this will get pretty long.

Step 1:
Create an account on Friendfeed (www.friendfeed.com)


Step 2:
Enter in some information; make sure the last box is left UNCHECKED. If the feed is private you will have to come to this site each time you want to check your searches. Click "Create My Account". Don't bother importing friends, just click "Next: Friend Recommendations" and then click Next on that following page when it suggests zero friends for you.


Step 3:
Open up a new window and go to Craigslist and search for your first keyword. Scroll down to the bottom of the search results. Right click on the RSS button, then click "Copy Link Address". If your computer doesn't say that exactly, find what is closest such as Link Location.


Step 4:
Go back to the window with Friendfeed in it, click the link "Settings". This will be in the top right, underneath where your photo would be.



Step 5:
Click the link that says "Import a service".


Step 6:
Click the grayed out RSS button that says "Custom RSS/Atom". Now just paste the Craigslist RSS feed address we copied earlier.


***REPEAT STEPS 3 & 6 FOR EACH KEYWORD SEARCH YOU WANT INCLUDED***



You have three options at this point. First, you could call it done, remember to just check this site as often as you'd like and have a homebrew. I wanted it to be a little more automated into what I do everyday though so here are two more ways to use this information.




Step 7: [Option 1]
Scroll down to the bottom of your friendfeed page and find the little RSS button. As long as your feed isn't private you can right click this and save the address/location.


Now just take this RSS feed and add it to your favorite RSS reader. I personally use Google Reader. The beauty of an RSS reader over just bookmarking all the different searches is that the bookmarks are only saved on that computer. With an RSS reader you can just log in from any computer/smart phone and instantly have access to all your favorite sites. I use it to listen to brewing podcasts, track several brewing blogs and also a bunch of tech stuff for work.

Step 8: [Option 2]
If you're even more dedicated or know that you'll never remember to check FriendFeed or an RSS Reader, go back into FriendFeed and click on "settings" again. Click "Email / IM preferences"


Then click on "Enable desktop notifications" to install a little program that tracks your friendfeed and will notify you whenever your list updates.

Seems like a lot of work. I just use the newsfeed option on Thunderbird. Tell it the feed url is http://austin.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=keg&format=rss and I get regular updates right to my inbox.

Nice tutorial

One thing that I found also HIGHLY useful is that I've added a Chrome Extension that automagically takes the pictures from the ads and puts them in the search results. Then, all I do is check the "Has Img" box to ensure only results with images are displayed. Then I get all the images from the ad right on my search page.

So when I'm looking up fridges and freezers, I can instantly see what I'm looking at size wise without even having to click on a single link.

TopDog said:

Seems like a lot of work. I just use the newsfeed option on Thunderbird. Tell it the feed url is http://austin.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=keg&format=rss and I get regular updates right to my inbox.

Click to expand...

That's mainly what's going on here, just without Thunderbird, and it's combining all the RSS feeds into one master feed.

I also wanted something that I could check from anywhere. I'm on several computers at work each day and then at home I'm either on my desktop or my laptop or my wife's laptop if she's not looking.

jezter6 said:

Nice tutorial

One thing that I found also HIGHLY useful is that I've added a Chrome Extension that automagically takes the pictures from the ads and puts them in the search results. Then, all I do is check the "Has Img" box to ensure only results with images are displayed. Then I get all the images from the ad right on my search page.

So when I'm looking up fridges and freezers, I can instantly see what I'm looking at size wise without even having to click on a single link.

Click to expand...

Hmm...I use the gmail checker extension...I wonder if there's an RSS extension that behaved the same way. Then I wouldn't even have to have my reader open.

there's a dozen RSS reader extensions out there...let us know if you find one, I'm quite interested.

Nice idea. I hadn't thought of doing that for craigslist searches, thanks for sharing!

norwegiangeek said:

That's mainly what's going on here, just without Thunderbird, and it's combining all the RSS feeds into one master feed.

I also wanted something that I could check from anywhere. I'm on several computers at work each day and then at home I'm either on my desktop or my laptop or my wife's laptop if she's not looking.

Click to expand...

I've found RSS feeds for craigslist to be an ineffective way of catching things, mainly because there is an hour long lag time between when it's posted and when it shows up in my feed (even if I refresh the feed). After an hour anything hot like cornies will be spoken for.

Are you getting this lag?

-Bryan

Ok, so most all the RSS extensions I found just checked my google reader, which includes much more than just that specific RSS feed that I wanted to be notified of.

One I did find that I like is called RSS Live Links (https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/hcamnijgggppihioleoenjmlnakejdph)

Just have your friendfeed page open, install the extension, then click to add that feed to the extension.

Now it just sits next to my gmail notifier and if anything is updated in the master RSS feed I created earlier it shows up here, with preview and everything.



Not quite the mobility I was hoping for as I would have to have this extension on every computer I went to, but nice for my laptop at least.

Hmm...I use Google Alerts, and didn't even get a CL post for a Corny today, (I live in Coon Rapids)...Maybe the RSS feed is faster than that, at least.

Not that I can buy more for a while, I scored 5 for $75 from a dude in St. Anthony this Sunday...

Thanks

For Android users- search marketplace for "craigslistnotifica".

This app lets you select your CL area and use keyword to search for specific items. I have five search items, in four areas local to me, in three states. If something matches a keyword it notifies me immediately.

Definitely one to check out.

Just use Search Tempest. Problem solved.

tojo said:

For Android users- search marketplace for "craigslistnotifica".

This app lets you select your CL area and use keyword to search for specific items. I have five search items, in four areas local to me, in three states. If something matches a keyword it notifies me immediately.

Definitely one to check out.

Click to expand...

+1

/simplest search and notification app I've found