In Is eBay Worth It? In general, yes. The auction giant helps people unload garbage accumlated over the years. Ebay also provides easy channels to those seeking to make a quick buck. I personally made an extra $300-$1500 a week the past months simply having my executive assistant find knick-knacks at flea markets and disposing them for me online.
Indeedy do… ebay is gold. Well, at least, I thought so until recently. Things changed because the auction giant slapped on hefty fees upon those trying to make some cash on the site. If something doesn’t sell, there go your paypal balances. They’ll erode over time without you knowing it.
Unless you’re Donald Trump where minor listing fees don’t matter on a Jaguar XJ you got tired of, you might want to take your business elsewhere. And believe me there are friendlier auction sites raring to be of service. Many don’t charge listing fees, some afford free secure payment system, and a most don’t even charge you anything at all.
There is a free lunch, Dorothy- and they’re breathing down ebay.
Let me think what you feel of these top alternatives:
Amazon Marketplace
This is my favorite. Amazon used to be known as the world’s largest bookstore. Now they have the Marketplace which had exploded as one of eBay’s biggest online rivals. It affords a an attractive portal for you to buy and sell new, used and refurbished items. And you know what’s really cool? These appear on the very same pages that Amazon sells its own signature item. You get free listing too- for a whopping 60 days! Don’t worry if your 30 pieces of kryptonite don’t sell. Amazon won’t rob you for failure to dispose. Keep your items and keep your money.
There is one downside, however. Unlike eBay ,the Marketplace is not an auction site. You mark the price you want for your item- and that is that.
Worried about charges? No sweat. What you pay is small. A completion fee of 86 cents and a closing fee – which is 17.25% of the sales price (11.5% when selling electronic and photo items) consummates the deal.
Gumtree
Like Craigslist, Gumtree launched as a local London classified ads and community site. Here is one site where you list for free, sell for free and ship at no cost. Simply type out the ad, zip a photo , and advertise in the relevant category. It’s got more bells and whistles than Craigslist in my opinion.
So what’s the catch? Face-to-face payment – and product delivery - is recommended to avoid getting ripped off whether as buyer or seller. You see, this site offers no protection There is no facility for refund or rebuttal. So think of Gumtree as the primeval version of online trading.
Other eBay Killers
Auction.com – Here’s the site for cheapskates. Auction does not charge any listing or final value fees. That means you can dispose of anything at zero cost. The catch is that it charges for enhancements like bolding your listing. Visitor Traffic looks a bit sluggish based on alexa and quantcast rankings. Now if that doesn’t bother you, go ahead and list!
Bidtopia.com – Bidtopia is queer in that bidding and selling must be accomplished from separate accounts. There are no listing fees. You pay only minor value fees.
eBid.net -While small, eBid grants country specific mini-sites, free registration, zero listing fees and auction sales as well as Buy-It-Now buttons. There’s a bonus too. Apply for lifetime membership and you will never have to pay final value fees from your items.
iOffer.com – Here’s one item that domintes the google search results. Whether I’m searching for old PCs or Voltes V toys, iOffer comes up. That’s great because that means it’s highly visible. But know that iOffer is not an auction site. It allows you to buy and sell after negotiating with other users.
Overstock.com – This is the CircuitCity of the new millenium. Folks associate overstock with surplus DVD players and home theatre systems. Today, the surplus giant allows users to list auctions on their site. Downer? They do have listing fees and final value fees.
This list is not complete. Look hard enough and you’ll find at least 100 other ebay killers out there. Most don’t charge the hefty fees ebay does but they face the same challenge: ebay’s brand equity. Think auction, and ebay pops to mind- which leads to potential bidders stampeding to ebay on first chance. If you don’t mind lower traffic levels in exchange for free auction services, then junk ebay. I’ve two non-ebay listing currently running, and prospects look good.
