Sample Craigslist Ad – Replay Arcade

Typical Craigslist ad:

“Machine for sale, turns on and plays great! Excellent condition! $800 obo” (and then 1 pic attached from far away with glass on.)”

That type of short ad with no useful information will only lead to mountains of emails and phone calls asking for more information. If you are like me, you have better ways to spend your time. Instead, answer ALL the questions once and only once with a great ad. Your goal should be that they cannot possibly ask you a single question other than, “Can I pay you now? Can we close the deal now?”

Here is an example of a thorough craigslist/ebay ad to sell your pinball machine now!:

For Sale: 1986 Williams Grand Lizard, designed by Barry Orsler. $1000 obo.

This is a good player’s machine with typical minor wear to the art in the un-mylared upper playfield. The upper playfield is flat/smooth to the touch and plays very well. The body is in good shape for a 1986, with a few scuffs, but the artwork looks nice. Coin door is decent. Backbox is rough and there is paint missing on top of the backbox (not something you see while you play). In my home Arcade, it plays great. It has great flow. It is one of the favorites when people come over to play — they love the glowing lizard head, the lizard growls, and magna save toys.

Backbox: has wear along the corners (see pics)
Backglass: No flaking, has a few tiny scratches I’d rate it a 9/10.
Balls: new
Batteries: new
Body: Has good artwork with typical scuffs on the side. No noticable wood chips or damage. I’d rate it an 8/10.
Bulbs: 100% incandescents. The inserts have little to no fade, and they aren’t even begging for LEDs, not even in the greens.
Display: new $200 Pinscore display with only a few hours of use.
Keys: I have the coin door key. The backbox lock turns by hand, and does not self-lock. Easy $7 part to replace if interested.
Parts: No parts missing. I am including an extra Lizard tongue ($50+ value?), a few extra playfield plastics ($20 value?), and a drop target.
Playfield Art: Lower playfield is excellent, upper playfield has typical wear for this machine. I’d rate it a 9/10 for playability, upper playfield is a 7/10 with the wear spots, but it’s flat, and the lower playfield is excellent under mylar at 8.5/10.
Playfield Mylar: It has the factory mylar on there. Has normal wear areas along the mylar edges that does not affect game play. No mylar on the upper playfield, and thus the minor wear.
Playfield Touchups: I haven’t done any paint touch ups, and I haven’t found any.
Repairs: Recently installed a new orange Pinscore display $200. I had to re-solder a new battery holder in when I got it. I had found no damage to the boards. I replaced the Flipper Power supply for $30 (which is a very good upgrade to do btw). Overall I had to invest $230+ in repairs.
Upgrades: I upgraded all four flippers to WPC-era springs for $120 so that they play faster, snap louder, and return to zero position quicker. New flipper bats and rubbers. New Shooter assembly. Overall about $150 in upgrades.