photo: Coolcaesar Sign outside eBay's HQ |
Who doesn't know about eBay these days? It's only the biggest garage sale in the world and millions are logged in at any given time - so that must mean that anyone with something in his hands to sell has a very good chance of receiving some money for it soon enough.
But, is eBay the only auction site? Is there an eBay alternative you can use?
There are two major ones, actually - Amazon and Craigslist. If you've been using eBay for some time now you might find these other two a bit too limited in scope. For some, these alternatives might be better because there is less competition.
Amazon.com is considered the primary alternative to eBay. It is easier to use and most users find it to be more direct. There is almost no need to attend to so many email messages like eBay. Items that are usually being sold here are books, CDs, DVDs, video games, or electronic gadgets.
You don't have to worry too much about description because a brief one (about two sentences) will do. Just don't forget to mention the condition of the item.
eBay requires its sellers pay fees for their transactions. If you don't want to pay any fees for selling and you're not really happy about leaving your money lying idly in your Paypal account, then Craigslist is a very good option for you.
Transactions on Craigslist are very simple. Sold items are paid in cash and you don't even have to worry about shipping the items since people in your area can just pick up the item from your place. This is a great way to sell large items like furniture sets, for example. Note: In 2004, eBay bought 28% of Craigslist's shares from a former Craigslist executive. In 2008, eBay sued Craigslist's managment for fiduciary irresponsibility. The two cultures have little in common.
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photo: Calton Craigslist Headquarters, San Francisco, California | 
photo: Dave Sifry Craig Newmark, progammer and founder of the San Francisco - based website, craigslist.org. |
Aside from the two major sites mentioned, there are other smaller sites like uBid, eCrater, and Blujay.
uBid is an auction site like eBay and it's used in similar ways.
It is probably the second largest one online and can be considered the real eBay alternative.
The major difference is that there are no fees required to post items for selling.
Like eBay, there is no limit to the number of items you can post. For sellers who prefer the auction setting for selling, uBid could be a good alternative. Just prepare to pay around 5% for items you've sold below $25 - this is what they charge their users and they call it the Final Value Fee.
Aside from an auction style of selling, you can just have an online store where you will display photos of your items and people can choose what they like to buy . . . something like Amazon or Craigslist. eCrater is considered one of the largest sites for building an online store.
The best thing about eCrater is it's completely free to use. You have a nice, professional-looking storefront in a matter of minutes and you have the chance of making a sale.
Blujay is another place to sell online. Like eCrater, the items posted here come out in froogle.com searches and people can easily find out about the items for sale. It is also free to use and members can create an account that will provide them a nice online shop.
It is wise to look for an eBay alternative so you can tap into a wider range of buyers. Just make sure you make a study of these sites so that you can sell your items properly and more efficiently.