(Research Hub Theater) An Evaluation of Craigslist as a Source of Durable Medical Equipment

Background and/or Objectives: Classified advertisement websites, including Craigslist, often contain listings for the resale of durable medical equipment (DME). This preliminary study aims to assess the availability of three common pieces of DME, rolling walkers, modern walking stabilizers with seat, and transport wheelchairs, from Craigslist’s South Florida listings. A secondary objective is to compare the pricing of these resale items with those of comparable new items from two online retailers, Amazon and Walmart.

Design: Cost-comparison study

Setting: Internet-based

Participants : N/A

Interventions: N/A

Main Outcome Measures: Number of unique Craigslist listings identified using the search terms “rolling walker”, “walker with seat”, “Rollator,” and “transport wheelchair”, excluding package deals, combination walker/wheelchairs, and bariatric equipment. The range of prices for each category of DME searched were noted and compared with those available from Amazon and Walmart.

Results: The Craigslist search for rolling walkers yielded 7 unique postings, with list prices ranging from $15 to $150. Both Amazon and Walmart had multiple options available for less than $40. The exact model for sale on Craigslist for $150 was available from Walmart for $66.47. The Craigslist search for “walker with seat” and “rollator” yielded 40 listings, with list prices ranging $20-150. The modern walking stabilizer with seat offered for $150 was a Drive Nitro Euro Style walker, which retails for approximately $100 more when purchased new from online retailers. The Craigslist search for transport wheelchairs yielded 21 listings, with prices ranging from $35-175. The chair offered for resale at $175 was available new from Amazon for $160.

Conclusions: DME is widely available on the South Florida Craigslist website and can often be purchased at a reduced price, however, some listings include prices higher than those for comparable new items from online retailers. Therefore, people should be encouraged to comparison shop prior to purchasing DME from Craigslist.