1. CEO
Craigslist's founder Craig Newmark and CEO Jim
Buckmaster aim to provide users with a helpful,
noncommercial way to connect with other people
in their communities [source: New York Times].
Posting for most classifieds categories on
craigslist is free, and it's also free to browse and
respond to ads. The Web site doesn't have any
flashy animation or graphics -- its value comes
from its utilitarian design and the contributions of
its users.

2. organized layout
Craigslist communities appeal to a broad range of
users. The simple, organized layout and helpful
search engine makes navigation easy. Craigslist
members range from teenagers to senior citizens.
They post on the forums, shop online, trade tips
and make new friends. While the site itself may
not be the most visually interesting Internet
destination, there's no denying its effectiveness.
Users often report that it's easy to find what they
are searching for within a few minutes of logging
on to the site.

3. The apartment
The site earns revenue by setting fees for job
postings in a few cities and for apartment listings
in New York City. The job posting fee in Boston,
Los Angeles, New York City, San Diego, Seattle
and Washington, D.C. is $25, while the fee in San
Francisco is $75. The fee authorizes the user to
post a job in one category -- if the user wishes to
post the same job in multiple categories, he or
she must pay a fee for each one. The apartment
listing fee in New York City is $10 per brokered
apartment rental ad. Job and housing ads in other
cities are free.

4. Users posting
The terms of use on craigslist make it clear that
the site has nothing to do with the content users
post, that it will work with authorities in cases
involving illegal activity and that violating the site's
terms can result in stiff fines. Users posting to
craigslist must first click on a button that says they
understand and accept the terms of use. Even so,
when members use the site for illegal or unethical
purposes, some people try to hold craigslist
responsible.

5. Even though Newmark
Craig Newmark and Jim Buckmaster aren't your
typical corporate bigwigs. Even though Newmark
is the founder and chairman of craigslist, he
states his title as customer service representative.
Buckmaster is not only the CEO but also a lead
developer for the site. He helped design the
homepage, Web architecture, forums, community
moderation system, personals category and
search engine.

6. buyer contacts
One scam that has popped up in several craigslist
communities involves a buyer overpaying for an
item. In this scam, an innocent seller advertises
an item on craigslist for a given amount -- say
$1,500. An interested buyer contacts the seller
and says he'll send a check for the item, but when
the check arrives, it's written for a much larger
amount. When the seller contacts the buyer to
inform him of the difference, the buyer apologizes
and explains that he wrote the wrong amount
after confusing it with another purchase.