Be careful. I bought one off Craig's list for a '5' year old GE. When I checked with GE regarding the serial number, it turned out to be 15 years old. This allowed me to knock down the price but after I brought it home, the fan stopped. A replacement didn't do it and finally I called Sears whose repairman reconnected a wire for $185, about 3X what I paid for it.

The wire could have been knocked loose while I was loading it in my van but it was clear the seller was trying to hose me with the age. I know there was a 800 number that will tell you the age of the refrig from the serial number. That's a start. Before buying, check the fan and make sure it is turning - I didn't. And I suggest bringing along a thermometer and allowing it to equilibrate over a few hours, take a book, and see if it gets as cold as it should in both refrig and freezer.

If it resells it to you, is the warranty still good? I didn't think they transfer.

The reciept - he can black out the credit card information but for warrenty purposes, etc. you'll want that. At three months old, he can go to the store or get online, etc. to get a copy if he doesn't have it.

I would be very careful. It sounds fishy to me and you certainly don't want to have any problems. If I were you, I would contact your local police station and ask them your question and ask how you can protect yourself if it were to be a stolen appliance. Remember the old adage: if something sounds too good to be true it often is. Seeing a copy of the receipt would, of course make me feel a whole lot better, see if he can produce that or if he comes up with some "story" about why he is not able to show it to you. I would be careful.

My first answer would be no. You can get really good deals in the store right now on these appliances. Also, I would only get an appliance from craigslist if it was a brick and mortar store that listed it. We have a local store that some times does this and I am going to purchase an item from them next month.

Good luck!

If you can get a receipt from him and can still get the warranty, I would say go for it. I can see how that can happen as I'm in the midst of my own remodel with a few items I need to sell myself that couldn't be returned. 50% off is a good deal for a 3 mth old barely used fridge.

I'm a bit biased but I just sold a fridge on Craigslist so I don't think there's anything wrong with it. Mine was a similar issue; because of a sloping floor, the measurements were off and the fridge sat further away from the wall than measured for. It's a tiny galley-like kitchen and the door ended up hitting the cabinet across. The appliance store told me I was out of luck, they did not accept returns.

I sold it at a good discount on CL and let me tell you, it wasn't used at all, the shelves were still taped and the drawers wrapped in plastic. I did not give up the receipt because all my appliances were on it. I was told by the appliance store that a receipt isn't necessary to start the warranty and I gave the buyer all the other paperwork.

He's happy, I'm happy, it's all good.

I just bought a refrigerator on Craigslist for our basement bar. Got a nice side-by-side with ice/water on the door, for $200. I think he said it was 3 yrs. I didn't mind taking the chance with such a low price. Maybe I would've been more careful if it was $500+. I never thought about checking out the serial number...great idea.

We've had the fridge for a couple of months now and it's been great.

Inside my fridge was a sticker saying it was made in September of 2008. Obviously, appliances can sit around a while in warehouses and/or stores, but it's worth taking a look at.

I'd make sure the warranty is transferable, and if so what does the warranty cover. Get the serial # and check it before you buy. We bought a refrigerator off craigslist and we love it. We paid a quarter of the price, had it been new we would not have been able to afford it. Six months after purchasing we had some major issues and the company took care of everything and exceeded our expectations for customer service. That being said I would also check GE's customer service - are their customers happy with the resolutions?

It's all about the risk -and the savings has to be enough to justify the risk. To me, 50% off retail is irrelevant. Find out the best current price for the fridge. Add in the sales tax. If the CL price is 50%-ish percent of that, AND the sn checks out, I'd say go for it.

I don't know if I would do it, but it can be a good deal, depending on how much the savings means to you. I'm planning on putting my 2 month old refrigerator on craig's list in about a month. Story: builder forgot to order the Subzero, so they bought us a Kitchenaid to use in the meantime. It's our fridge, but I won't have any use for it when the Subzero arrives in January. MSRP is about $2,000 and it will be only slightly used.