Question:
How much would it cost to have a website like craigslist.com designed?
I want to create a classified ad type website similar to craigslist that would be nationwide but would be limited to specific industry related products. It would be membership based with a monthly, qtrly or annual fee to list items but free to search. But it would also have to be city or zip code search able. Like craigslist, it does not have to be fancy or with a lot of graphics. Photos can be added by the ad posters if desired.

My Answer:
It would be expensive.

However, I would ask if you have considered the effort to which you would need to go to, from a marketing standpoint, and the costs necessary to make a site anywhere near as popular as craigslist.org. This could quite possibly end up being more expensive then the design of the website to begin with. As you can read by visiting criagslist, they started as an email list of San Francisco events as a hobby by Craig Newmark in early 1995. They were then allowed to identify and fill a large niche that existed for free classifieds. This is what allowed them to skyrocket in popularity.

I do notice that you would be targeting a niche within the classifieds community, focusing on industry related products. But, are these products not already allowed on craigslist? If they are, what incentive would people have for paying to list with you, when they can list with craigslist for free?

As a Web / Graphics Designer with my own sites, this is one of the steps I have to go through when determining if it is feasible to continue with a specific business plan.

This is not intended to discourage, only to inform and provide some information based on my own schooling and findings.