There’s a New eBay Competitor in Town, and This Time It’s Local.
In the last 12 months, eBay has increased auction-format listing fees, final value fees, launched eBay Express, significantly increased eBay Store fees, and made numerous other changes which have severely impacted many smaller sellers’ businesses.eBay’s target inventory has been steadily moving away from the used market (other than antiques and collectibles), particularly with the introduction of eBay Express.
It is not really surprising that some smaller sellers are looking elsewhere to sell their items. There is a competitor, and it’s in a city near you.
Online classified sites have been around for a long time, and over the past few years, eBay has increased understanding and acceptance of buying online from an individual seller - something most people would not have considered before eBay emerged. Enter CraigsList, Backpage, LiveDeal, the Oodle classifieds site search tool, and other online classified sites.
Fifty-three percent of respondents to a recent AuctionBytes reader survey said they sell on classified sites. The big difference between eBay and online classified sites is the latter is completely free. No listing fees, no final value fees, no listing upgrade fees, free pictures, and no limited duration.
There is no problem selling large items, such as appliances or furniture, on these sites because most people pick up the items up from you. So, no shipping headaches either. And, if you have a PayPal account, the buyer can pay via credit card through PayPal even though it is not an eBay item.
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