Top 26 eBay Alternatives: The Best Websites to Sell in 2024

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What's the best alternative to eBay?

💡 Quick Answer: The best alternative to eBay is Facebook Marketplace. Although there are tons of other online selling sites that are very similar to eBay such as Walmart, Wish, Bonanza, and more, many of them specialize in particular niches or locations. Read the list below to find out which eBay alternative is best for your business.

So you're in a funk with eBay, or maybe you're just looking out into the big wide world of platforms to sell online, to see what opportunities lay yonder. Either way, you've ended up here, and you wonder about the top alternatives to eBay and which ones will suit you most.

No one can deny the power of eBay: Since 1995, eBay has held its place as one of the largest marketplaces in the world. It has turned thousands of hobbyists into PowerSellers and allowed thousands more to run profitable, at-home businesses. However, the eBay marketplace has evolved significantly in recent years, and various policy changes have prompted an exodus from eBay, as sellers look for other, more lucrative online marketplaces.

Where there's a will there's a way, and this rise in need for other platforms has produced more options than you can shake the proverbial stick at. So what are these eBay competitors?

Below you'll find a description of each site, some information about who that marketplace is best suited to and a direct comparison to eBay.

Online Selling Sites like eBay: Try the Best Alternative Places to Sell in 2024

1. Amazon

Amazon: A Major Marketplace like eBay, but Cheaper

It's almost hard to believe that once upon a time Amazon was simply an online bookstore that dropshipped much of its inventory. It has since exploded into one of the world's most visited websites, which offers millions of products across a range of product categories. 

Amazon is similar to eBay in that you're opting into a large marketplace that a lot of buyers trust, but the massive customer base comes at the price of higher fees and more competition. On Amazon, this means sellers with the same products are competing to win the Buy Box.

In saying that, the large number of people looking to buy is a definite plus. With larger platforms like these, you need to think of it as getting a smaller slice of a larger pie. Its huge traffic volume is probably the main reason that Amazon's Sellers Choice profitability rating generally isn’t far off eBay’s.

Another advantage to Amazon is its built-in algorithm that will recommend your products to people who might be interested in them based on their search histories.

How Amazon Compares Directly with eBay

  • Amazon sales are instant with a fixed price, whereas eBay’s auction house setup means it might take a week to sell an item
  • Both eBay and Amazon offer free listings, but charge fees for successful sales
    • Amazon charges $0.99 per item sold plus 8%-15% commission of the sale price
    • eBay charges $0.30 per item sold plus 12.9% commission
  • Amazon offers various perks to customers, like 2-day shipping for Prime members and an all-around great customer service – both of which draw in more customers. eBay doesn’t provide any extra services to customers and leaves it up to each seller to handle customer service.
  • Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) lets smaller sellers hand over order fulfillment to the commerce giant, taking advantage of their huge number of warehouses around the world and generally making the process smooth and fast for customers. eBay has no comparable service.

Who is Amazon Best Suited To?

  • Almost anyone, selling almost anything can run a business on Amazon
  • Can be challenging for smaller sellers due to competitive pressure that lower prices
  • Prices need to be competitive enough to be a contender without sacrificing too much of your profit margins

How to Succeed on Amazon

  • Do your market research before you commit time, energy and capital to a product
  • For example, you can get an idea of how well a product will perform with SaleHoo Labs. Here you can filter products to see the ones with the highest success rate for the lowest competition
  • Labs also has a constantly updating ‘Product Trends’ section you can use to stay ahead of your competition
  • Check out our regular product trend recommendations, curated by seasoned eCommerce experts
  • Some  recent examples:
    • Gaming Headsets
    • Bluetooth Speakers
    • Teeth Whitening Kits
    • Muslim Blankets

2. Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace: Selling with High Exposure to Target Audiences

With billions of people using Facebook, it’s a no brainer for the platform to get into eCommerce and online marketplaces. Listing your product on Facebook could get you seen by tons of people in your target market.

Facebook Marketplace is similar to eBay in that most people sell used or second hand items. It’s a convenient place for people to list items that they want to get rid of on the platform and target their local market. In the US, FB Marketplace offers additional features more suited to professional sellers such as Facebook Checkout, making it more like a traditional eCommerce store that mostly runs itself.

Whether in the US or beyond, there are people everywhere who use FB Marketplace to list brand new items, and even those who dropship on there. While it’s not quite like eBay or Amazon, Facebook Marketplace is definitely growing in the eCommerce and marketplace space. Therefore, if you want to take advantage of Facebook’s high traffic, you should consider listing your items there and selling on Marketplace.

How Facebook Marketplace Compares Directly with eBay

  • Selling on Facebook Marketplace is free, whereas eBay charges listing and success fees
  • Facebook Marketplace works mainly for localized selling, where eBay has a huge global customer base
  • Some customer bases, such as those for antiques are more likely to hang out on eBay than on Facebook Marketplace
  • It can be harder to build a brand on Facebook Marketplace, unless you’re in the US where you can sell as a Facebook Shop
  • Outside the US, payment negotiations happen through messenger, which can be time-consuming if you’re looking to sell large volumes. eBay has a more automated process and payment system

Who is Facebook Marketplace Best Suited to?

  • People selling secondhand items to a localized market will be right at home on Facebook Marketplace. Just be ready to stand your ground when customers try to negotiate with you – because they will!
  • If you’re in the US, you can run listings through a branded Facebook Shop which can complement your home store and increase reach

How to Succeed with Facebook Marketplace

  • If you have lots of secondhand items you want to profit from, you can really succeed here!
  • Prices shouldn’t be too high and leave room for negotiation
  • The quality of photos on people’s listings are often less than average, so putting a little elbow grease into making your photography shine can really set you apart here!
  • Add as many details as you can to listing descriptions, as this will reduce the number of follow-up question you’ll have to answer before people decide to buy

🎓 Learn More: Facebook Marketplace Dropshipping Guide

3. Walmart

Walmart: The Cut-Throat Underdog

By now people may have cottoned on that Walmart, one of the largest retail corporations on the planet, has entered the eCommerce marketplace world.

Walmart Marketplace is a platform where select sellers can list and sell products. It’s very similar to Amazon in that you could be competing with Walmart itself, but it’s definitely worth considering as an alternative to selling on eBay.

You get to take advantage of Walmart’s massive reach and customer base, and it’s free and easy to set up. Walmart seems to be taking the eCommerce space quite seriously, so it’s likely to be investing heavily in this area over the coming years. Who knows, maybe in five years everyone will be saying they wish they were on Walmart from the start?

How Walmart Marketplace Compares Directly with eBay

  • There are no set-up or maintenance fees, but merchants pay a referral fee of between 8% and 20% for successful sales.
  • There’s no auction option, it’s just fixed-price listings.
  • Depending on your product and niche, you could be be competing against Walmart-owned brands, which may get priority on the platform
  • Walmart’s online sales are lagging behind eBay (and Amazon), but it’s still early days
  • Expect lower margins – Walmart prioritizes competitively-priced products, which means you might get caught in a race to the bottom

Who is Walmart Best Suited to?

  • Established businesses with solid brands
  • If you’ve always dreamed of getting your product in Walmart stores, this might be a good way to make an impression
  • Could also be a good option for new sellers looking to build brand awareness and credibility

How to Succeed on Walmart

  • Be in a position where you can make good profit margins with competitive pricing
  • Make sure you provide great customer service and fast shipping
  • Chase those customer reviews – They can make a big difference on this platform.

4. Etsy

Etsy: The Artsy-Craftsy Platform

Etsy is doing very well as an online selling platform. It started in 2005 as an online community for crafters, artists and vintage enthusiasts, based in an apartment in Brooklyn, New York. Now it has 7.5 million active sellers, and 96 million active buyers. Not bad! It always rates highly in the Sellers' Choice Awards for ease of use, and it was No.2 for profitability after eBay.

Etsy specializes in handmade and vintage goods, as well as craft supplies, but it’s actually branched ou into all sorts of categories in recent years. Yes, it’s limited as to what you can list on the network, but it’s always worth checking if your particular niche fits in – you might be surprised!

One things is for sure, if you’re looking for the best home decor products to sell, you make geeky things like costumes, jewelry, or fashion accessories, this is definitely the place for you!

How Etsy Compares Directly with eBay

  • You can sell pretty much anything on eBay, whereas Etsy caters in particular to the handmade/ vintage/ boutique niche.
  • Buyers come to Etsy for the unique nature of the products they're getting, eBay has mass-sold items and big brands
  • Etsy and eBay both charge fees, however:
    • You can list up to 350 items for free on eBay; etsy charges $0.20 per listing
    • eBay listings are up to 30 days, while Etsy's listings last 4 months. This means your listings will last 4 times as long on Etsy before you'll have to renew them.
    • Etsy charges 6.5% commission on sales, eBay charges 12.9% (or less, depending on the category) + $0.30
  • eBay gets more traffic (723.2M) than Etsy (457.6M/ month), but Etsy has caught up A LOT in the last 5 years!

Who is Etsy Best Suited To?

  • Etsy is best suited to merchants with handmade items, vintage items, or craft-related resources
  • Online sellers who either produce their own unique productsare uniquely suited to this marketplace
  • Etsy is opening up! Check the categories and you may find you can take advantage of Etsy’s success story too

How to Succeed on Etsy

Selling Platforms Similar to Etsy

We thought it worth mentioning that there are a few other sites like Etsy now, claiming to have more unique goods than marketplaces like eBay and Amazon. Two in particular are doing very well. If you are interested in tapping into this market, it could be worth trying your luck with:

  • Bonanza: This platform's slogan is "Find everything but the ordinary": Any quirky or unique-style items are great here. You're allowed to sell a wider variety of wholesale goods, and it's becoming a very popular network. We'll talk more about Bonanza in the next section. 
  • Ruby Lane: With a claim like "The world's largest curated marketplace for vintage & antiques," you're better off selling vintage-style goods and actual antiques here. Ruby Lane's strength is customer service, as reflected in their Sellers Choice customer service rating.

Look around these marketplaces to get an idea of the types of products people are selling, and then find suppliers for them to start selling on these networks.

5. Wish

Wish: Target Millenials and Gen Z with Great Deals

If you’ve ever browsed Wish, you’ll know how astoundingly low some of their prices are. With the majority of prices below $10, selling just about everything under the sun (from smartwatches to sneakers), it’s hard to imagine how some of these sellers even make any money.

In the past, Wish has made itself a bit of a (bad?) name with tons of counterfeit products, leading to a trend of ridiculous Wish unboxing videos flooding social media.

Many of the products sold on Wish are produced in China, which partly explains the low prices, and also means that orders take a long time to arrive, some customers waiting for months. But when you’ve only paid $2, lots of people probably just shrug and go ‘oh well’.

In recent years, Wish has gone through a bit of a rebrand and removed a huge number of sellers from their platform in an effort to purge the site of counterfeits. Unfortunately, the platform has also seen a significant dip in active users and revenue, going from 107 to 25 million, and 794 to 125 million respectively.

With their new seller strategy in place, it’s no longer possible to sign up to Wish of your own accord, but you can ask to be invited. Once you receive an invitation, listings on the platform are free.

How Wish Directly Compares with eBay

  • Anyone can sign up for an eBay seller’s account, at Wish you need to be selected
  • Wish charges 15% ‘revenue share’, eBay’s success fees are <12.9% + $0.30
  • eBay is an auction site, Wish charges fixed prices that are famously low
  • While you can sell anything on Wish, you wouldn’t have much luck selling higher-ticket items, as that’s just not the platform’s vibe. eBay is more open than that.
  • Wish appeals to younger generations in that it serves a personalized feed to its users based on their browsing and purchasing data

Who is Wish Best Suited For

  • If you’re looking to dropship products, Wish is the perfect platform to do this, as users are well-used to and expect longer shipping times already
  • Use Wish if you’re expecting to sell a high volume of low-ticket items
  • If you want to sell products made closer to home (in typically importing countries), Wish may not be the place for you

How to Succeed on Wish

  • Wish is made for mobile use with 90% of purchases are made on mobile. So it’s vital you optimize your product photos for mobile
  • Use niche products and product tags to stand out from the crowd
  • With a a higher than average numer of dodgy sellers, users are on the alert for scams. Good reviews serve as a trusting mechanism, so focus on the customer experience to rack up a good score

6. Bonanza

Bonanza: A Fast-Growing Online Marketplace

Bonanza is headquartered in Seattle and, though it's relatively new to the eCommerce scene (since 2007), it's doing incredibly well. The Bonanza marketplace encompasses more than 22 million items ranging from Godzilla garden gnomes to taxidermy alligators.

A lot of sellers are making good money on Bonanza. The site has merchants and shoppers in nearly every country around the world. More than 40,000 sellers have already created businesses here.

Bonanza is one of the easiest selling platforms to use, and its popularity is on the rise amongst sellers. In the Sellers' Choice awards, Bonanza has taken out the top rating for customer service and communication again, and were voted the most recommended selling venue.

How Bonanza Compares Directly to eBay

  • Bonanza is similar to eBay in that a huge range of different products are sold
    • Unlike eBay, many items on Bonanza are quirky and unique - ‘extraordinary products’ do well here
  • Because Bonanza doesn’t make money until its sellers do, profit margins are higher
    • It is absolutely free to list an item on Bonanza
    • Success fees are $0.25 + 3.5% commission (eBay’s are $0.30 +13.5%)
  • Bonanza is a fixed-price marketplace
  • Advertising options: Bonanza sends every item listing to Google and Bing, and sellers have the option to get more exposure by advertising their listings in other channels such as Pricegrabber, Nextag, and Bonanza's affiliate advertising program
  • Easy-to-use import features for listings on eBay, Etsy, and Amazon for those listing on multiple platforms
  • 1,300:1 shoppers-to-sellers-ratio on Bonanza vs. <10:1 on eBay. That means far less competition between sellers, and more chances for buyers to see your products.

Who is Bonanza Best Suited To?

  • Any merchant selling online
  • Those with unique items will do well, but a broad range of products is represented, even your Justin Bieber perfumes and Michael Kors handbags

How to Succeed with Bonanza

  • Bonanza provides a helpful guide for making sales on its platform, so that's definitely worth checking out
  • Top-selling categories:
    • Home & Garden
    • Women's Fashion
    • Health & Beauty
    • Collectibles

Related: Keen to sell perfume? Check out our article on the best perfume dropshipping items to sell today!

7. Craigslist

Craigslist: The World's Largest Online Classified Website

You can sell almost anything on Craigslist (including yourself, in the "personals" section). It's very "no-frills" in that there are no listing fees or selling fees, but it's super basic both in design and automation of the selling process.

It is, after all, just a forum. This means that you're pretty much on your own as far as selling and disputes go.

How Craigslist Directly Compares to eBay

  • eBay charges to list and sell items; Craigslist only charges for a small handful of post types, like job listings or vehicles. Products are free to list.
  • eBay will get involved in disputes if necessary, while you're on your own with Craigslist.
  • Craigslist requires you to sell locally, and often items will be picked up or dropped off. This limits your market compared to eBay.
  • Craigslist has a "free" section where people aren't looking to make money, they're just trying to get rid of unwanted items, which could be a business opportunity for you if you’re good at fixing things.

Who is Craigslist Suited To?

  • Sellers who are selling locally
  • Sellers who prefer to manage their transactions personally
  • Can be a good option for selling items that are too big or expensive to ship, such as furniture.
  • There's a small social element as you get to meet the people you’re selling to
  • You can get cash-in-hand and you don't have to pay a network or shipping fees
  • If you're paranoid about getting scammed or don't want to be personally involved with your buyers, then Craigslist isn’t for you.

How to Succeed with Craigslist

  • Transactions can be dodgy here, and if you (e.g.) get handed fake money, then it's basically your loss, so handle sales with care
  • Be careful (and safe!) when deciding where and how you meet people
  • If you're good at spotting items that are worth more than their sale price, or you have the skills to freshen up older up items, you could make a neat profit here (e.g. restoring old furniture or spotting antiques)
  • Pick up some workable free or low-cost items from craigslist (or local garage sales), work your magic, and sell the items for a higher price
  • Consider buying wholesale goods that will sell well locally, and save on listing and shipping fees
  • You can find a huge number of wholesale suppliers in the SaleHoo directory. Just search for the types of products you'd like to sell and browse the trusted suppliers available

8. Nextdoor

Nextdoor: The Social Neighborhood Network

Nextdoor is a social networking platform connecting neighborhoods. To join, you have to enter your address and confirm a phone number for that country. You will then have access to your specific neighborhood and all features of its forum-style discussion platform.

This includes local updates and alerts, pet register and missing pet notices, recommendation requests, giveaways, items and services for sale, and more.

The platform is garnering popularity across the globe, with more than 69 million users in 2021. It’s an invaluable resource for solving all of life’s little problems on a local scale.

How Nextdoor Directly Compares with eBay

  • Joining and posting on Nextdoor is completely free, whereas eBay charges listing and success fees
  • Nextdoor only allows you to sell within your direct neighborhood, limiting your audience significantly. eBay is much more flexible than that
  • Nextdoor listings last 30 days and can be renewed after that
  • Being a community platform, there’s a lot of trust between users that you wouldn’t get on eBay
  • Nexdoor isn’t really set up as a money-making platform, so has its limits for commercial purposes

Who is Nextdoor Best Suited For

  • Sellers with second-hand or unwanted items from their personal stash
  • Those looking to forge local connections with their neighborhood
  • Less suited to commercial online retailers looking to make a big profit

How to Succeed on Nextdoor

  • For item listings, provide clear title of what the item is, a concise description and at least one photo
  • Marketing jargon or sales talk is less suited to this platform, so keep it conversational and simple
  • Garner positive ‘recommendations’ through easy and helpful transactions
  • The more you get involved in your community, the more you will benefit from this platform

9. Varagesale

Varagesale: Virtual Garage Sales Made Secure

Varagesale is relatively new to the eCommerce market. Founded in 2012, the website and app does what it says on the label: virtual garage sales, which places it firmly in the Classified Ads category of marketplaces.

Mostly used in Canada and the US, the platform is doing well, with 35,000+ monthly app downloads and around 1.2 million monthly visitors. So no eBay by any means, but it’s steadily growing and garnering interest from users.

The advantage over other platforms like Craigslist is that it offers online payments for transactions. So while you still have to negotiate prices via the in-built messenger, you can easily receive payments without ever leaving the platform, which is a definite bonus over other classified ads platforms.

Users are also verified and protected through various security mechanisms, which adds a layer of security that other free platforms like this don’t offer.

How Varagesale Directly Compares with eBay

  • Varagesale has 1.2M monthly visitors, eBay has 109M
  • Varagesale is completely free of listing or success fees at this stage
  • Selling on Varagesale is to local communities only, which significantly restricts reach
  • You can ‘bump’ your listings for free several times an hour
  • Profiles on Varagesale are connected to Facebook profiles, which means you have a better idea of who you’re selling to

Who is Varagesale Best Suited For

  • Best suited to people looking to sell second-hand unwanted items to a local audience
  • Sellers worried about the security concerns of other classified platforms like Craigslits
  • Could potentially work for selling wholesale items to a local audience too

How to Succeed on Varagesale

  • As with other classified platforms, it pays to have clear titles, detailed listing descriptions and good photos
  • Mentioning the condition of items is especially important for second-hand sales
  • Make use of the free ‘bumping’ feature to get your listing in front of the maximum number of people

10. Mercari

Mercari: The Only Marketplace with Instant Seller Payout

Introducing Mercari, Japan’s largest community-powered marketplace that has been taking big strides to compete globally since its inception in 2013.

This marketplace offers a streamlined and protected commerce experience for both buyers and sellers. You can buy or sell pretty much anything, as long as you can ship it. That’s because the platform is completely contactless, so doesn’t let buyers and sellers meet up to exchange items. Instead, Mercari is partnered with USPS, FedEx, and UPS for easy shipping options.

Once an item is sold, Mercari automatically sends the seller a shipping label to print off, making this process extremely efficient. As a bonus, the company also offers protection for any items shipped this way up to a value of $200. Not bad!

Over 45 million people have downloaded the Mercari app and with 100, 000 new items added each day, this is definitely shaping up to be a big player on the marketplace scene.

How Mercari Directly Compares with eBay

  • Listings on Mercari are free, but there is a flat 10% commission on sold items, which is less than eBay’s 12.9% + $0.30
  • Mercari protects shipments up to $200, eBay has no comparable service
  • The average seller on Mercari makes $114 per month, on eBay it’s $673
  • Mercari is the only marketplace where sellers are paid within minutes. Money is added to your Mercari account, which you can then transfer to your bank account ($2 fee if amount is under $10)  or use to purchase items on Mercari
  • It takes on average 3 minutes to create a listing on Mercari

Who is Mercari Best Suited For

  • Currently only available to sellers in Japan and the USA
  • Most suitable for sellers looking for a cheaper alternative to eBay that offers better support and protection
  • Works for both new and used products, so lots of flexibility

How to Succeed on Mercari

  • In-season merchandise always does best, e.g. take advantage of shopping surges around Black Friday or back-to-school are
  • For sellers of second-hand items, the periods immediately after those big peaks can be lucrative too – almost like retail binge hangovers
  • On Mercari, items in fair or poor condition often sell faster than new items!
  • Prioritize clear, well-lit photos from all angles for your listings (no flash, this often does makes things worse)
  • Share any interesting stories connected to your item, this will make it stand out!
  • For pricing, search Mercari for similar items and use those as a guide. Many sellers price too high and lose customers that way
  • Brand names really matter in Mercari search, so make sure to mention those
  • Offer free shipping, as this will make your item sell faster

11. Poshmark

Poshmark: Posh Second-Hand Apparel with an Eco Twist

Poshmark is a social marketplace that was founded in 2011 in Redwood City, California, and has since risen to fame with millions of users and available listings. The premise was initially to create a place where people could sell their second-hand designer and branded fashion items, but the platform now allows listings in various other categories, such as Pets and Electronics.

With more then 80 million registered users across Canada, Australia, India and the US, and and average of 59.5M monthly visits, Poshmark isn’t far off joining the line-up of online commerce giants a la eBay, Amazon and Etsy. In 2019 alone, it doubled the revenue paid out to its sellers from $1 to $2 billion!

According to Poshmark, the company is writing eco-consciousness on its banner, putting circularity and sustainability at the forefront at everything they do – even designing tools such as Reposh to keep the lifecycle of a garment or product going past the initial sale.

How Poshmark Directly Compares with eBay

  • Listings are free, just like eBay
  • Success fees are a flat $2.95 for all sales under $15 (which equates to 20%+), and 20% commission for any sales above $15; eBay charges slightly less: $0.30 + 12.9% (or lower)
  • Unlike eBay, Poshmark offers social features such as following, liking, sharing, and commenting on listings
  • Poshmark sends sellers a shipping label after a successful sale
  • Sellers receive the sale amount in their Poshmark account only after the buyer has marked the item as delivered
  • Poshmark’s Reposh tool lets you relist an item using imagery and listing details from the previous seller

Who is Poshmark Best Suited For

  • Poshmark is the perfect side hustle for fashion lovers
  • If you have the time and enthusiasm to provide great customer service and nerd out over fashion with your customers, this is the place for you
  • Also suitable for those wanting to clear out their wardrobe – provided you have some branded and quality items in there
  • Those looking to make between $300 and $1000 per month

How to Succeed on Poshmark

  • Use keywords in the title
    • Be specific with brand names and any design features such as patterns etc
    • NWT: New with tags
    • NWOT: New without tags
  • Research similar products so you can set realistic pricing
  • Package and ship as soon as you receive the shipping label: fast shipping will get you positive reviews
  • Make use of Posh Parties: real-time shopping events that let you get in front of a large group of potential customers

12. LightInTheBox

Lightinthebox: The Chinese General Store Gone Global

Lightinthebox is a Chinese marketplace that sells everything from clothing to gardening tools – but it does have a focus on lifestyle products such as those in fashion and beauty. Westerners may find the site a little easier to navigate than some of the country’s flashier counterparts.

They started out catering mainly to the Chinese market, but have since expanded globally, catering for shoppers in 26 different languages, using 48 currencies.

Traffic to Lightinthebox is solid, with 37.78 million monthly users, racking up a total of $270.7M in sales in 2021.

If you’re an international seller looking to join Lightinthebox, you need to set up a Merchant Account and arrange shipping to their warehouse per order placed on the platform. Lightinthebox will the handle shipping to the customer from thereon out.

How LightInTheBox Directly Compares with eBay

  • Lightinthebox charges 15% commission on the prices set on each product by the merchant. eBay’s fees are 12.9% plus  $0.30
  • Each merchant will also have to cover shipping costs to the nearest Lightinthebox warehouse (at least one available in the US)
  • Depending on timings, you may have to pay a warehousing fee at Lightinthebox, but the company does try to minimize that through smooth logistics
  • Selling on Lightinthebox means you get to take advantage of their customer service and returns processes, where on eBay that’s each seller’s responsibility

Who is LightInTheBox Best Suited For

  • Lightinthebox is not for your average side hustle
  • Only dedicated commerce professionals should consider selling here, due to the slightly more complex logistics
  • LITB requires registered merchants to provide various paperwork, including a company business licence and a tax registration certificate
  • Merchants wanting to expand into the Chinese and Asian markets will find LITB a valuable opportunity

How to Succeed on LightInTheBox

  • Make sure you have all your ducks in a row before applying to register as a merchant (paperwork in place etc)
  • Product pics should be square (500x500px), must have a watermark, and no infringement patterns
  • Products pictures also need to have a white background, unless in the apparels category

13. eWorldTrade

eWorldTrade: B2B portal Connecting Suppliers and Buyers

eWorldTrade is a business to business platform and database where commerce professionals can find wholesale suppliers for their shops. The site has mixed reviews, with some users reporting incredibly bad customer service with inconsistent messaging, while others praise it for ease of use and being able to find great suppliers.

This marketplace currently reports about 500,000 registered users and a constantly expanding database of manufacturers and suppliers.

The pricing structure for buyers is unclear, but suppliers have to pay a hefty yearly fee of $1499 and $7999 to be part of the database.

How eWorldTrade Directly Compares with eBay

  • eWorld Trade is B2B where eBay is mostly B2C
  • eWorld Trade lets merchants finds suppliers for the products they want to sell, eBay is a selling platform for merchants
  • As a supplier wanting to sell on eWorld Trade, you have to cough up a hefty fee of minimum $1499 without any guaranteed sales; on eBay you only pay per item sold

Who is eWorldTrade Best Suited For

  • Shop owners looking to find wholesale suppliers for their business
  • Suppliers or manufacturers looking for new buyers

How to Succeed on eWorldTrade

  • Make sure the terms of your membership with eWorld Trade is clearly defined on paper, as lots of users report communication problems with the reps around pricing and conditions
  • As a supplier, showcase your best products. On the cheapest plan (= $1499 / year) you only get to display 10 products, so you want to make sure they shine
  • As a buyer, be wary of shady suppliers and make sure you do your due diligence with all agreements signed and on paper

14. OpenSky

OpenSky: Small Marketplace, Small Prices

OpenSky is a marketplace connecting 1M+ shoppers and over 70,000 vendors, which is now owned by the Aibaba network.

It offers a large range of products, promising discounts up to 80%, and adds items to its clearance section daily.

Customer reviews of the site are mixed, with an average rating of 3.0 (1035 reviews) on Trustpilot, and a rating of 2.63 (2,296 reviews) on sitejabber. Some praise the quality of products, value for money, and fast shipping, While others complain about poor quality products, slow shipping, difficult returns and terrible customer service.

The truth is that products and fulfillment are wholly in the hands of the individual merchants here, with OpenSky taking a very hands-off approach in this area. Even customer service is supposed to be mainly handled by the merchants, so it’s unsurprising that you get a real mix of customer experiences with so many different vendors selling on the platform.

How OpenSky Directly Compares with eBay

  • Becoming a merchant is easy on OpenSky, with no setup fee and no listing fees, similar to eBay
  • OpenSky charges 20% commission on successful sales, and 30% on sales resulting from OpenSky promotional marketing. This is high compared to eBay’s 12.9% + $0.30
  • OpenSky has about 20 million shoppers worldwide, eBay has 147 million

Who is OpenSky Best Suited For

  • Best suited for vendors wanting to diversify their audience and profit from a smaller marketplace with less competition
  • Vendors wanting to stay ahead of the curve and be part of one of the fastest-growing eCommerce marketplaces out there
  • Smaller sellers may struggle to keep up with the low price point and high commission on this platform

How to Succeed on OpenSky

  • Keep prices low to be able to compete
  • Professional, varied product photography to stand out
  • Define a clear shipping and returns policy on each product in order to comply with OpenSky’s merchant agreement
  • Be aware that OpenSky reserves to right to reshuffle and tweak product content to opimize sales

15. Sears Marketplace

Sears Marketplace: Piggyback off an Established US Institution

Sears Marketplace is an offshoot of the US department store chain Sears. The marketplace was formally launched in 2009 to improve the company’s online presence and keep up with the growing eCommerce sector. It has been running, more or less successfully, ever since.

To become a seller on Sears Marketplace, you have to fill out an application and verify your address and business details (including tax and insurance details). The platform isn’t always accepting new sellers and it’s not entirely clear how to find out if they are – so it’s a matter of submitting an application and hoping for the best.

With 20 major merchandise categories and more than 15 million monthly unique shoppers, it doesn’t look like a bad deal for sellers at all, however, there are mixed reviews from vendors as to how many sales you can actually make from the site.

On the plus side, you get to capitalize on Sears’ established brand and the associated trust from customers, and the platform has easy integration for existing eBay sellers.

How Sears Marketplace Directly Compares with eBay

  • 15M monthly unique visitors on Sears, as opposed to 109M on eBay
  • Items on Sears marketplace will be shoppable on Sears.com, Kmart.com, Sears & Kmart mobile and in store kiosks
  • Fees: $39.99 / month to be a part of Sears Marketplace, plus 8%-20% commission on sales. Depending on your products and sales volume, eBay’s 12.9% + $0.30 may be cheaper
  • Fulfillment by Sears caters to merchants with warehousing concerns. Same price as being a Seller (includes selling account) plus  $0.45-$0.60/ cubic foot storage fees per month

Who is Sears Marketplace Best Suited For

  • Most suited for established sellers with a stable business looking for more sales
  • Insurance and other business requirements set by Sears for becoming a merchant would make it harder for smaller / new sellers to join
  • Small sellers may also struggle to make a profit with the fee structure

How to Succeed on Sears Marketplace

16. Vestiaire

Vestiaire: Sell Preloved Items to 23 Million Global Fashion Lovers

The Parisian Vestiaire Collective started in 2009 with a small team of six and has since grown to a global platform for reselling pre-loved luxury fashion. Dedicated to creating a more sustainable future through the promotion of the circular fashion movement, the platform is streamlined to make transactions easy and transparent for buyers and sellers alike.

They operate in 80+ countries, offering a catalog of over more than 5 million desirable fashion items from 6000 brands. According to Vestiaire, around 25,000 new products are added daily – to join the catalog of uniquely displayed and expertly curated items. The way the company provides such a unique look to their product listings is through clever use of tech that removes the background from all product photos uploaded by sellers.

All buyers have the option of having their items examined by professional authenticators in one of the global Vestiaire warehouses before the final order is shipped – creating trust and accountability between buyers and sellers. An important component when you’re specialising in a niche that lives on brands and authentic labels.

How Vestiaire Directly Compares with eBay

  • Listings are free, with a success fee of 12% plus a 3% processing fee. So slightly more than eBay’s 12.9% + $0.30
  • Vestiaire covers all shipping costs! This includes initial shipping to the authenticating warehouse. Buyers also have the option of having items directly shipped from trusted sellers.
  • Buyers are served relevant products they’re most likely to buy, which is basically free advertising for your products
  • Sales are final, with no returns
  • Items over 1000 Euros are authenticated by default, but buyers have the option to do so for any item
  • A Buyer Seller chat tool encourages communication on Vestiaire – eBay only offers this through Q+A

Who is Vestiaire Best Suited For

  • Best suited to those with a genuine passion for high-end fashion
  • Can be a side hustle, selling unwanted personal items
  • Businesses need to register for a Professional Seller account with more control over listings and various other perks

How to Succeed on Vestiaire

  • Vestiaire is strict about their community following the rules and encourages members to report sellers breaking them. If you’re found to be guilty of any breaches, Vestiaire may penalize you by revoking account privileges.
  • Sell according to the seasons and plan ahead with your products
  • Classic items or trendsetting styles perform best on Vestiaire
  • Be detailed in your description, especially when it comes to distinguishing brand and design features
  • Work to earn positive reviews and badges, and become a ‘trusted seller’. Swift shipping and good communication will go a long way for this.

17. Storenvy

Storenvy: The Store and Marketplace Combo Solution

San Francisco-based company Storenvy is a unique combination of marketplace shopping platform (like Etsy) and individual store creator (a la Spopify).

People wanting to set up their own customized online store, can do so for free (up to 20 products), and also opt-in to be part of its marketplace, which collates all of the stores created on Storenvy in one place.

The company also dubs itself as a ‘social shopping’ platform which means that shoppers have the ability to ‘follow’ each other, ‘watch’ stores, ‘envy’ products, and ‘collect’ lists of want-to-have items.

Storenvy is a self-proclaimed supporter of ‘indie’ emerging brands and ‘one-of-a-kind’ products, although in theory anyone could open a shop through the platform. Its store creator is easy-to-use and doesn’t require any coding knowledge, but has been criticized for its lack of customization options and integrations with other apps and services.

How Storenvy Directly Compares with eBay

  • Storenvy is a store builder + marketplace, whereas eBay is a marketplace only
  • There are various pricing options available for store setup, depending on the number of products you want to sell. The cheapest option that includes a custom domain is $9.99/ month
  • Sales made through Storenvy marketplace are subject to a 15% commission of total sales price; eBay’s fees are 12.9% of sales price + $0.30
  • Storenvy garners around 4M monthly visits, for eBay it’s 109M, so significantly more!

Who is Storenvy Best Suited For

  • Those just starting out who want to create a custom store on a budget
  • Sellers in indie niches that will benefit from the close community of the Storenvy marketplace
  • Sellers not too worried about ltos of customization features and app integrations: they just want to get off the ground
  • Sellers not too worried about their unique store’s SEO: your Storenvy profile is likely to be higher in search results than your actual store, due to the platforms more powerful SEO.

How to Succeed on Storenvy

  • Keep an active and well-performing store (traffic, watchers, sales, ‘envies’) to be included in Editor’s pick, bumped in search results and features on Storenvy social accounts
  • Tag your posts: When promoting products on socials, be sure to #storenvy and mention @storenvy to link to the official Storency account
  • Optimize social media captions, products titlese and descriptions: include keywords, special features and eye-catching words to excite potential customers

18. OfferUp

OfferUp: A Mobile Peer-to-Peer Selling Network

Like Craigslist, OfferUp is a peer-to-peer selling network for advertising any second-hand, preloved, or unwanted items to other personal users. A wide range of categories leaves what you can sell wide open

Unlike Craigslist, the service runs mainly on an app (which is more modern-looking than Craigslist) where you can connect with and rate other users. These ratings will help future buyers figure out whether you’re a trustworthy seller.

There are also options to promote listings and pay for a Premium account with additional features. Sellers have 3 days to ship items after the completion of a sale, using a shipping label provided by OfferUp.

How OfferUp Directly Compares with eBay

  • Listings on OfferUp are free, success fees are 12.9% of the sales price (or $1.99), which is very similar to eBay’s 12.9% + $0.30
  • You can promote listings from $1.99, eBay offers custom promotional amounts from 2-100% of the sale price of an item
  • Seller payouts on OfferUp can take a long time: between 10-14 days; on eBay it’s 1-3 business days
  • A premium plan on OfferUp costs $19.99 / month, eBay offers store options from $21.99 / month
  • OfferUp is for selling locally, eBay works globally

Who is OfferUp Best Suited For

  • Perfect for those wanting to turn their clutter into cash
  • For those wanting to capitalize on local audiences: e.g. local businesses
  • Sellers looking for more of a community feel than you get with eBay
  • Those who want a less ‘dodgy’ platform than Craigslist

How to Succeed on OfferUp

  • Communication is key! Use the in-app messaging feature to respond to buyer queries and offers
  • Clean up your items and present them nicely in quality photographs: just because it’s preloved doesn’t mean it needs to look like it! In fact, using tools like an image brightener can significantly enhance the appeal of your product photos.
  • Stick to: First Come First Served. This is a tacit agreement on peer-to-peer platforms and keeps things fair.
  • Confirm before you go: If you’re meeting someone for an exchange, be sure to communicate when you’re leaving the house to make things smooth and efficient
  • Use all of the above to garner positive reviews and gain trust from the buyer-base

19. Bookoo

Bookoo: The Craigslist Alternative

Bookoo is very similar to Craigslist, in that it’s a classified ads selling platform that is relatively low-fi and it doesn’t charge any fees.

The platform offers a place for people to list items they want to sell in their local community in a variety of categories.

Sellers and buyers are responsible for organising exchanges and handling payments. This means the platform also doesn’t take any responsibility for exchanges, returns or disputes.

How Bookoo Directly Compares with eBay

  • Listings are free on Bookoo, as well as eBay. But eBay does charge a success fee, which Bookoo doesn’t
  • eBay has A LOT more functionality than Bookoo, which is a very basic localised listing tool
  • eBay offers online payments, which Bookoo doesn’t
  • eBay has huge traffic, Bookoo is a small player with about 700k monthly visits

Who is Bookoo Best Suited For

  • Amongst the peer-to-peer platforms, Bookoo doesn’t really stand out aside from the fact that it’s free
  • Sellers who want to cover all their bases in listing on various platforms, may want to include Bookoo in their line-up too
  • Those who enjoy a very localised selling experience

How to Succeed on Bookoo

  • General best practice for product listings apply here too:
    • Catchy title including key words
    • Conclusive, but snappy description
    • A variety of clear photos
  • People tend to search by category, so make sure you list your items in the right ones

20. eBid

eBid: Another "Sell Anything" Marketplace

eBid is another marketplace similar to eBay and Amazon in that it is a platform for selling almost anything. Still, it's not as well known, so you'd be selling to a smaller pool of buyers.

It's definitely a lower-cost option than eBay or Amazon, but the profitability rating is also lower, and it didn’t even rank the Top 10 in the latest Seller’s Choice Awards. The absence of listing fees and a low 5% commission charged per sale (on the lowest seller tier) does make this a low-risk market to test out, so if you're looking for a change, you've got little to nothing to lose here.

If you'd like a thorough run-down of eBid as an alternative to eBay, check out this post: Is eBid a Viable Alternative to eBay?

How eBid Directly Compares to eBay

  • eBid is similar to eBay in that they both have an auction-style format for product listings
  • eBay is a larger platform than eBid, and receives more traffic
  • eBid is much cheaper than eBay, a lower-risk option
  • They're both trusted marketplaces with a wide variety of product categories

Who is eBid Most Suited To?

  • eBid is for you if you don't want to pay a high commission on your sales (as you have to on eBay),
  • For those wanting to try their luck on an alternative (but similar) network
  • There's extra potential here if you know a thing or two about generating your own traffic

How to Succeed with eBid

  • If you promote your listings effectively through social media or forums, this is a great alternative to eBay
  • Some more work may be required to get your store off the ground, due to the overall lower traffic volume compared to eBay
  • Some top selling categories are:
    • DVDs
    • Craft supplies
    • Books
    • Toys

21. Rakuten

Rakuten: The “Amazon of Japan”

Rakuten (formerly buy.com) is considered the “Amazon of Japan”. Now, Japan’s may not be the first country that comes to mind when you think of eCommerce, but get this: Japan’s population is more than 125 million, and more than 90% of Japan’s internet users are registered on Rakuten. That’s a big market.

One benefit of Rakuten is that you’re not competing with the website itself. Unlike Amazon, which sells dozens of its own brands on its website, Rakuten does not compete with its sellers. You also have more power to customize your store within the platform – something that other major eCommerce websites don’t allow.

There are already some big-name brands like Dell, Lenovo, Office Depot, Airweave, and Dyason that use Rakuten.

How Rakuten compares directly to eBay

  • Rakuten is more like Amazon than eBay – it’s a more traditional online retail website, not an auction platform.
  • Rakuten gives merchants more flexibility to build their brand within the platform
    • You can design your store
    • Customize products
    • Publish blog content
  • Rakuten allows more flexibility for interacting with customers, including pricing, marketing, and promotions. It encourages tailor-made experiences.
  • Rakuten has expanded to at least 29 countries, including the US, and is planning to serve more countries in the coming years.
  • Fees are a bit higher than eBay’s: $39 / month seller fee, a $0.99 listing fee per item, plus 8%-20% commission on sales
  • It has excellent seller tools and support.

Who is Rakuten best suited to?

  • Best suited to people sick of the intense competition on eBay and Amazon, looking for a different entry point to the world of eCommerce
  • Especially good for people with experience doing business in Japan, or anyone wanting to break into the Eastern market
  • While it is now an international marketplace, Rakuten hasn’t quite got the same reach outside Japan as other marketplaces

How to succeed on Rakuten

  • Choose a niche product with sufficient demand and not too much competition
  • Utilize the 20,000 characters available to write high-converting product descriptions,
  • Make the most of the opportunity to be creative with your copy and highlight the unique benefits of your products.
  • You can add up to 20 shipping options on Rakuten – The more flexible you can be with shipping, the more likely you are to make sales.

22. Newegg

Newegg: A Leading Tech e-Retailer

Newegg is an online marketplace that claims to be the “#1 marketplace for everything tech”. That means electronics, computers and parts, entertainment, smart home and gaming products. Sellers can list products on the marketplace, which reaches up to 42M customers. Newegg is based in California and has distribution facilities across North America and Canada. It has a global reach into more than 50 countries.

How Newegg compares directly to eBay

  • More restricted in terms of what products you can sell – Newegg is solely for tech products.
  • HOWEVER, this means a more clearly defined audience and potential customer-base.
  • Newegg offers a fulfillment service - Shipped By Newegg (SBN) - similar to Amazon’s FBA. eBay doesn’t do fulfillment.
  • Newegg provides account managers who can help you set up your business and guide you along the journey.
  • Newegg offers tiered membership options: Free, $29.95 / month, and $99.95 / month. The more you pay, the more support, tools, flexibility and listings you get.
  • They take a commission of between 8% and 15%

Who is Newegg best suited to?

  • Best for anyone selling tech products, particularly those operating in the US and Canada markets
  • Newegg’s audience is mainly men aged from 18 to 35, so if that’s your target market, Newegg could be a good option for you.

How to succeed on Newegg

  • Simply listing your items and crossing your fingers isn’t going to cut it on Newegg. You need to follow Newegg’s SEO guide to drive more traffic to your listings.
  • Newegg recommends taking advantage of its promotional tools, such as a daily deal emails and various seller programs.
  • Make sure you’re not listing any prohibited items
  • Provide excellent customer service

23. eCrater

eCrater: The “100% free” online marketplace

The main appeal of eCrater is that it’s free to set up a store – it even has templates you can use to easily create an attractive store. It’s also said to be easy to import your listings from eBay, which is good if you’re looking to transition entirely. There’s not a lot of information on eCrater online, but supposedly there are at least 65,000 active stores on the site. The number of customers and the amount of traffic pales in comparison to the larger eCommerce platforms, so it’s probably best used as a complementary marketplace, rather than one that you solely rely on to run your business.

How eCrater compares directly to eBay

  • It’s 100% free to open and run a store on eCrater. However, if eCrater brings you a sale, it takes between 2.9% and 12.9% of the total. You keep 100% of the sales that you bring to your store through your own SEO and marketing efforts.
  • Around 1.4M monthly visitors, as opposed to eBay’s 109M
  • eCrater provides online store templates that help you to get set up quickly.
  • You can customize your store to include your branding.

Who is eCrater best suited to?

  • A good option for someone who’s totally over eBay, but it looking at using another marketplace, such as Amazon or Etsy, as their main platform
  • In our opinion, eCrater doesn’t quite have the numbers to be viable as your sole marketplace, but it could make for an excellent, low-risk and low-cost complementary option.

How to succeed on eCrater

  • Invest heavily in your store’s SEO and marketing
  • It’s up to you to drive traffic to your store, almost as though it’s your very own site.

24. Ruby Lane

Ruby Lane: The Marketplace for “Collecting Enthusiasts”

Ruby Lane is a legitimate alternative to selling on eBay. It’s been designed to bring buyers and sellers of antiques, art, vintage collectibles and jewelry together – similar to marketplaces like Etsy and Bonanza. Ruby Lane has 1.1 million unique visitors per month, which is impressive for a niche marketplace. A majority of users are located in the US, Canada, UK, Australia and Germany, but it has global reach.

85% of users are women aged over 40 and almost all describe themselves as a “collecting enthusiast”, so if that’s your target market Ruby Lane might be a great option. It seems to attract more purposeful, educated buyers who might be willing to spend more money than those who are scouring eBay for bargains.

How Ruby Lane compares directly with eBay

  • Ruby Lane is a fixed-price marketplace and does not provide for auctions.
  • It’s much more niche than eBay, focussing only on antiques, art, collectibles and jewelry. That means visitors to your store are more highly targeted.
  • $25 monthly fee which is refunded if you list 15 products that month
  • Commission of 9.9% on sales, capped at $250
  • There’s greater quality control on Ruby Lane and sellers are vetted.

Who is Ruby Lane best suited to?

  • Ruby Lane is best for savvy sellers in the antique, collectibles, art and jewelry markets
  • Sellers with target audience of women over 40

How to succeed on Ruby Lane

  • Writing high-converting, accurate descriptions, quality photography, excellent customer service, strategic marketing
  • Be aware your audience is going to be more educated than most, so choose your products carefully and be honest in your product descriptions
  • Make sure your products meet all of Ruby Lane’s guidelines as they will be vetted.
  • Ruby Lane provides a great guide to selling successfully on its website.

25. Your Online Store

Your Online Store: The No-Competition Option

Selling on your very own website really is the ultimate option if you want to increase your profits and build a business that will become a long-term asset. If this appeals to you but you have no idea how to get started, don't worry. There's an easy way, which I'll mention a bit further down.

When selling from your own online store, you have to establish your own traffic, which can make it a little slower to get started than selling in a bigger marketplace. But once you're up and running, you don't have to compete with anyone else and your sales are all your own.

With this option, you can build up your own brand, rather than eBay's or Amazon's. When you sell on those platforms, who's really making the sale? They're spreading their brand, not yours. People say "I got it on eBay," or "I got it on Amazon," with no mention of the seller's name! It's ultimately you contributing to their marketplaces and their sales. Why not put that effort into yourself instead?

How Selling on Your Own Site Directly Compares to eBay

  • You're building your own brand.
  • You have full control over payment options,  your brand, and store design
  • You're not competing with any other sellers on the same platform, which means you don't lose sales to others
  • Your prices aren’t driven down by competition, which makes way for larger profit margins.

Who is Best Suited to Owning Their Own Store?

  • Honestly? Pretty much anyone can get their own website and make a profit.
  • Setting up your own store isn't nearly as hard as it used to be, and with a little time and effort, you can sell exactly what you want to, and how you want to.

You can learn about the pros and cons of owning your own website here, and decide for yourself if it's something you'd like to pursue.

How to Succeed with Your Online Store

26. Niche-Specific Sites

Niche-Specific Sites: Smaller Markets but Highly Targeted

Niche-specific websites are marketplaces where people only sell one type of product. So rather than the larger category-based marketplaces like eBay or Amazon, these sites hone in on one of those options and specialize in only that.

For example, if you were specifically interested in selling clothing, you might consider selling on a site like Poshmark. Or if you wanted to sell gear for the outdoors, you might try selling on GearTrade. Heck, if you were in the car market, why not try Cardaddy?

How Niche-Specific Sites Directly Compare to eBay

  • Much smaller networks with less traffic than eBay.
  • Highly targeted to buyers of that niche.
  • You don't have to compete with other categories for attention.
  • These sites are less obvious options, so some of your competition won't be here.

Who is Best Suited to Selling on Niche-Specific Sites?

  • Suitable for sellers passionate about a specific niche
  • Sellers who bulk-order a small range of items will also do well here
  • This will allow you to really focus on one market, and get to know the selling techniques that work best with that niche's buyer-audience.

How to Succeed with Niche-Specific Sites

  • Zero in on the type of product you'd like to sell and determine how much demand there is, e.g. do a keyword search with tools like the Keyword Research Module in AffiloTools.
    • Simply type in the name of the product or niche that you're interested in selling, and look at the monthly search volumes. This will show you how many people are searching for words or phrases to do with that topic, which is a strong indication of how much interest there is. If you're tossing up a few options, then try each one out to see which ones generally have more searches.
  • Once you have a strong idea of what you'd like to sell, search Google for "Places to sell [product type]."
    • Look for marketplaces that cater to your specific niche
    • Be sure to read about other sellers’ reviews first
    • If these sites come across as genuine and promising, give them a go!

These are just some examples of the trusted suppliers you can access in the SaleHoo Directory.

FAQs

eBay is like a gigantic online marketplace where you can buy, sell, and discover all sorts of treasures. It's like a virtual garage sale, but on a global scale! People from all over the world use it to sell everything from vintage collectibles to brand-new gadgets. So, whether you're looking to sell a rare comic book or looking to list your brand’s products on the site to get more customers, eBay's the place to be. It's like the ultimate online swap meet where you can find just about anything you're looking for!

There are plenty of eBay alternatives out there, each with its unique flavor and focus, depending on what types of customers you’re looking for.

General Marketplaces (e.g., Amazon, Walmart, Target):

  • These platforms offer immense customer reach, making them excellent choices for sellers with a wide range of products.
  • For sellers, it's like setting up shop in a bustling mall with millions of shoppers passing by. You'll have access to a massive audience, but competition can be fierce. Make sure your product listings stand out.

Niche Marketplaces (e.g., Etsy, Grailed, Poshmark):

  • Niche platforms are perfect for sellers with specialized or unique items. It's like taking your carefully crafted creations to a specialty market where customers appreciate the extra effort.
  • You'll find a highly engaged and passionate audience here. Just make sure your products align with the niche and tell your story well in your listings.

Handmade Goods (e.g., Handmade at Amazon, ArtFire, Zibbet):

  • If you create handmade goods, these platforms are like artisanal fairs online, attracting buyers looking for one-of-a-kind items.
  • Showcase your craftsmanship and connect with customers who appreciate the personal touch. Quality and authenticity are key to success here.

Local Classifieds (e.g., Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Letgo):

  • Local classifieds are like hosting a garage sale but with a broader audience. Perfect for selling used items, furniture, electronics, and more.
  • You'll likely deal with local buyers, which can be convenient for in-person transactions. Clear, detailed listings with good photos can help your items sell faster.

Auction Sites (e.g., Bonanza, eBid, Listia):

  • Auction sites bring the thrill of bidding to your listings. It's like being at a virtual auction house, watching your items go up in value.
  • Great for unique or collectible items that could fetch higher prices through bidding. Engaging descriptions and starting prices can spark bidding wars.

International Platforms (e.g., Alibaba, AliExpress, Rakuten):

  • Selling on international platforms is like opening your store at a global marketplace, reaching customers worldwide.
  • Perfect for businesses looking to expand beyond borders. Consider logistics, shipping, and customs regulations when selling internationally.

Each platform has its strengths and target audiences, so choose the one that aligns best with your products and business goals. Regardless of where you sell, exceptional customer service and compelling product listings are essential for success.

Sellers often explore eBay alternatives for various reasons, here’s why:

  • Diverse audiences: eBay alternatives offer access to different customer bases, allowing sellers to tap into niche markets they might not reach on eBay alone.
  • Less competition: Some platforms have fewer sellers in specific niches, making it easier for new sellers to stand out and gain visibility.
  • Specialized Focus: Alternative platforms often cater to specific categories or product types, making them ideal for sellers with niche or unique items.
  • Lower fees: Some platforms may offer more attractive fee structures, allowing sellers to maximize their profits.
  • Better seller support: Sellers may find better customer support and assistance on alternative platforms, which can be crucial for resolving issues quickly.
  • Unique features: Each platform comes with its unique features, tools, and resources that sellers can leverage to their advantage.
  • Brand alignment: If a seller's brand or products align better with the ethos of an alternative platform, it can enhance the overall business strategy.
  • International expansion: Alternative platforms with a global presence provide opportunities for sellers to expand their customer base internationally.
  • Risk diversification: Diversifying sales channels across multiple platforms reduces reliance on a single marketplace, spreading risk.
  • Changing policies: Sometimes, changes in eBay's policies or fee structures can motivate sellers to explore other options that align better with their business objectives.

Exploring eBay alternatives is like trying different paths to find the one that leads to the most rewarding selling experience. It's all about finding the right fit for your unique products and business goals!

Shipping options on alternative platforms often provide a range of choices similar to those on eBay. Most platforms offer standard and expedited shipping, international shipping, and the option for sellers to provide free shipping to attract more customers. Like eBay, these platforms allow sellers to choose from various carriers and may offer shipping label generation tools. Additionally, shipping discounts and fulfillment services may be available to streamline the process. It's important to note that shipping options can vary regionally, so sellers should consider their target markets and select the platform that aligns best with their shipping needs. Overall, alternative platforms aim to provide flexible and convenient shipping solutions to meet the diverse requirements of sellers and customers alike.

Fees on alternative platforms can vary widely, so here's a friendly overview of how they stack up against eBay:

Amazon:

  • Amazon charges a referral fee based on the item category, usually ranging from 6% to 45% of the item's sale price.
  • Additional fees may include fulfillment fees for using Amazon's storage and shipping services.

Etsy:

  • Etsy charges a $0.20 listing fee per item, which lasts for four months or until the item sells.
  • They also apply a 5% transaction fee and a 3% + $0.25 payment processing fee for each sale.

Walmart:

  • Walmart charges a referral fee, varying by product category, typically ranging from 6% to 20% of the item's sale price.
  • Subscription fees may apply for certain seller plans.

Poshmark:

  • Poshmark charges a flat 20% fee on sales over $15 or a flat fee of $2.95 for sales under $15.
  • Shipping costs are covered by the buyer, but Poshmark provides prepaid shipping labels.

Bonanza:

  • Bonanza offers various fee structures, including a final value fee based on the item's sale price, with options for advertising fees to boost visibility.
  • They also provide different membership plans with varying fees.

Remember, the specific fees can depend on various factors, including the type of product you sell and your seller level or membership. It's essential to review each platform's fee structure carefully and consider how it aligns with your business model and objectives.

Return policies on other platforms can vary, so here's a friendly overview of how they compare to eBay:

Amazon:

  • Amazon's return policy is often customer-centric, emphasizing easy returns for buyers.
  • Sellers can choose to offer a "No Returns Accepted" policy for specific items, but customer returns are generally accommodated.

Etsy:

  • Etsy allows sellers to establish their return policies, including return windows and conditions.
  • Sellers can offer "No Returns" or "No Refunds" policies on certain items, but Etsy encourages a reasonable and customer-friendly approach.

Walmart:

  • Walmart's return policy aims to provide convenience for buyers, offering easy returns for most items sold on the platform.
  • Sellers can specify their return policies within certain guidelines set by Walmart.

Poshmark:

  • Poshmark has a strict "All Sales are Final" policy, which means returns are generally not accepted.
  • However, they have a dispute resolution process for cases where an item doesn't match its description.

Bonanza:

  • Bonanza allows sellers to define their own return policies, including return windows and conditions.
  • They encourage sellers to provide clear and fair return policies to attract buyers.

Keep in mind that the specifics of return policies can change, so it's essential to review the policies of each platform and align them with your business's customer service philosophy. Providing clear and customer-friendly return policies can boost buyer confidence and satisfaction.

 

About the author
Simon Slade
CEO of SaleHoo Group Limited

Simon Slade is CEO and co-founder of SaleHoo, a platform for eCommerce entrepreneurs that offers 8,000+ dropship and wholesale suppliers, 1.6 million high-quality, branded products at low prices, an industry-leading market research tool and 24-hour support.

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705 Comments
  • I sent this to eBay
    -
    Subject: Please release the eBay API under a free license such as the GPLv3

    I am unhappy that eBay denies its users their freedom! I have sent eBay feedback about their JavaScript and noting has changed yet, please free eBay's JavaScript, Mobile Apps, and API from such restrictions!

    "Quote https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html&quot;
    The four essential freedoms

    A program is free software if the program's users have the four essential freedoms:

    The freedom to run the program as you wish, for any purpose (freedom 0).
    The freedom to study how the program works, and change it so it does your computing as you wish (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
    The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor (freedom 2).
    The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others (freedom 3). By doing this you can give the whole community a chance to benefit from your changes. Access to the source code is a precondition for this.

    Thank You, for eBay's co-operation. I hope that everyone who cares about freedom can stop using eBay until they fix this problem, they can use something such as OpenBazaar which uses Bitcoin for payment and are both free/libre software.
  • I normally sell items on Amazon or Levexa.com if I know there's a real market for it. Otherwise, I stick to the local classifieds to target local customers.
  • Sue Bailey 7th of August
    You missed Tazbar, another eBay-wannabee. Also Froogle changed its name to Google Product Search four months ago: http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/04/19/goodbye-froogle/
  • 7th of August
    Thanks Sue, we'll update that :)
  • ubid auctions comment 25th of October
    I have used alot of these and find them a good alternative to Ebay which in my opinion has lost some of its luster. I have also been exploring reverse auctions, a totally different concept.
  • 28th of October
    Another site that has lots of looky lou's is e pier.
  • zbestshop.com 10th of February
    I agree that ebay has slowly been going downhill for me. They offer a good service, but their fees keep increasing. I feel like they are trying to trickle every single cent they can from their fees. I am trying to turn to other solutions but it is hard when the majority of users are still dependant on their website.
  • Steve 15th of February
    The largest seller on eBay, Bargainland, recently moved to Bidtopia.com. Others seem to be following. I hope they become an good ebay alternative. They seem to be off to a good start.
  • sandeep 20th of February
    A highly recommended site is elfingo.com for online auctions. They are the new eBay. Many smaller sites like this offer buyers far better deals than eBay ever could. Buyers also save a ton because this site charges little or nothing depending on the day. One more reason I like elfingo.com is because they don't take a part of the sale at all. No commissions or final value fees. A+++
  • Steve 9th of March
    I am a gold power seller on eBay, their fees are killing me and I really limit items I sell on their site BC of it. I only sell higher end items there now instead of everything. eBay no longer has all my business. I have the MOST success with Craig's list as an alternative. CL is FREE with NO CLOSING fees. I have a lot of success with selling vehicles and collectibles on CL and can afford to list anything there with out fear of loss, I highly recommend it for selling. Set up a special email and account just for CL and check your mail 2x a day. Provide a phone number where you CAN be reached for the best success. I never had a problem with CL and get great returns for my efforts. I believe CL is eBay's biggest competitor in the USA, above all others....and STILL FREE. I hope it worries eBay and keeps competition real!
  • Joe 25th of April
    Another one is Ziing.com . Love the name! easy to remember and fun to say....LOL...They also have no listing fees, free member stores and and eveything else the others offer. Made a few sales there and I am going to list on ALL of the free sites I can, I figure my items will get more exposure that way.
  • David 26th of April
    I have been a seller on eBay for many years; I have found it nearly impossible to make profit on my items in recent months & have decided to look elsewhere. I have managed to find a new site that is really taking off. ozbid.com.au They have no listing fees, you can relist your item as many times as you like free and they only charge commission on sold items. It was a bit slow in the start but in the last 2 weeks I have sold 9 items. Easy to list, plenty of customer service & I can't fault them. Try it out. Ozbid Online Auctions.
  • james 28th of April
    I am a former powerseller ebayer and I am mainly into buying/selling vintage baseball cards but I do have a small collection of GI Joes that I sell. I signed up for this new website which will be offering storefronts (secure buy/sell via BIN/Best Offer). Its basically a myspace meets craigslist and ebay. Unlike other networking websites this one is really easy to use. I've been able to easily upload pics, videos etc. The best part is the buy/sell feature that will be up in 2 weeks. It is totally free. So far so good! the site is http://www.mybizarea.com
  • Jeremy 1st of June
    I am really starting to believe Ebay is a joke, I know Paypal is. As a seller you get a piece taken out of you from every which way. The fees are just unlimited, which really cuts into profits. Then Paypal fees nail you, even on the shipping money. Then even if you ship thru paypal, and they have the tracking number, buyers can still complain and get the money back, its nonsense. I am also a listed Power Seller, but not for long, I don't think I really care to sell with Ebay any more.
  • Littleuglyeddie 6th of June
    I am an powerseller on ebay... or shall I say I WAS? Just in the week since eBay enforced its "sellers cannot leave bad feedback" rule, I have had TWO buyers demand thier money bak or they woulc leave bad feedback... clincher is they did not want to ship the item back. So they kept it and got their money back too. Well, twice was enough. I closed the ebay store and have began listing more things on Craig's List and on ebid and a few other places. Before I will be be a victim of armed robbery in cyber space over ebay's fool hardy new rule I will go elsewhere. I might still list some stuff from time to time, but you can bet your boots it will be nowhere near as much as they were making off me in fees.
  • Jamie 14th of June
    For Power Sellers looking for an alternative to eBay... a realistic auction site that is on the level is www.razorbid.com.au
  • SellStuff! 24th of June
    There's an online marketplace like Amazon's where listings are created at product pages called SellStuff!, hosted by the Google App Engine, at http://www.sellstuff.cc/
  • Daniel 27th of June
    I have spent some time on the Internet looking for ebay alternatives and feel that we need to create some competition against ebay. SavyAuctions.com is one place where we need to go and list our auctions and classifieds and lets work to rival ebay. Let's start a community of sellers and friends who enjoy selling. No fees ever for standard listings no fees even if they sell. It even gives money to start out for the promotional features. SavyAuctions.com a place to buy and sell.
  • dan 29th of June
    i am on my last leg with ebay and paypal. we all need to go to one and only one auction site. we could make it as big as we made ebay. ebay was a great ride for a long time. we now have no control of our money or listings. it's ebay or no way. time to move on.
  • didaskalia 3rd of July
    I really appreciate the comments/suggestion here. I too am sick of ebay and paypal, like Littleuglyeddie above I too have had 2 buyers get refunds and not return merchandise since ebay changed the no bad feedback for buyers rule. Paypal is owned by ebay and is no help. I have spent a lot of time lately looking for alternatives to ebay & paypal. It will come together for us and Greedbay will crash eventually. Thanks for all the leads for new sites.
  • Donald Engen 4th of July
    We are so sick and tired of FeeBay and PayMorePay that any auction site with a fair amount of volume would be a welcome sight. As of now we have not found that utopia, but still looking.... Donald Engen Needles CA
  • Bob Campbell 7th of July
    Hi, Nice article and alternative selling list. I am looking into some of the advice given here. Thanks again! Currently I am a PowerSeller on eBay. Still have a 100% feedback but I am waiting for the hammer to drop from some deadbeat buyer. I am like most other sellers on eBay, just sick and tired of the high fees and eBay rules. It is really getting out of hand. I recently devoted my primary website Topsax USA website to a number of articles about the eBay problem. I would appreciate it if some of you would drop by and let me know what you think. My latest article talks about some good alternatives too. I am really impressed with OnlineAuction.com. I just enrolled as a founding member. They have over 14 million listings and a very busy site. A new member is signing up every minute.. You need to check it out. I think they really have a chance at putting a dagger in eBay's heart. Best Wishes, Bob Campbell eBay ID: topsax
  • Luke Smith 8th of July
    I have been selling consistantly over 2k a week for 4 months on e-bay with around 200 listings per week. Last week e-bay shut down 300 listing and put a restriction on my store - no selling for 30 days - My FEEDBACK rating is 94.6%. The 5 point seller rating I have 4.4, 4.6, 3.4, 4.6, 4.4 - somehow this falls below the accetable AVERAGE. I would like to know how a 95% is an average for a selling platform as large as e-bay. I am thouroughly disapointed in e-bay's business practices. I was given NO warning - simply woke up to my store (and livelyhood) shut down for 30 days with very little explaination and NO support. I had plans to triple my sales on e-bay - NOW I need a New Real working platform to REPLACE the need for e-bay. Thank you all for sharing e-bay alternatives - you know, I do need to feed the family. Good Luck!
  • san 13th of July
    We were suspended indefinitely from ebay for what they say is nonseller performance. This is bull because our ratings are 4.7 4.5 4.3 4.1 with almost 1,000 positive feedbacks and 96.3% 36 positives in july alone with not 1 negative. These gangsters at ebay/paypal are as ruthless as it gets. They will fail! Its very clear they do not want us small sellers around because they are doing everything to get rid of us. I dont even think its legal what they are doing. its definitely not of good morals. we have to stop selling on ebay and stop using paypal. they are greedy and will fall very soon. Their tricks will backfire on them. I got an account on ioffer.com but no sales yet. Looking for new places to go because ebay/paypal are scum of the earth.
  • dar 18th of July
    Hi, I recently closed my Ebay account due to the fees and the new feedback system. I have tried selling on Craigslist, ecrater.com, Overstock.com, Ioffer.com & ebid.net. I have had great success on Craigslist locally, but allready had that going as a second venue for kid's large toy items. I have not sold one item on any of the other auctions sites and have lost so much money, but am hopeful I will find my new auction home to sell my authentic designer bags and children's boutique clothing. It is slow on all the other auction sites, but I am not giving up. I have also heard of wagglepop.com. Thanks!
  • Tracy 18th of July
    eBay has GOT TO GO! I have been a seller on FEE-bay for over 7 years. I have made ALOT of money for them. Now they have gotten some BUG up their butts and decided to suspend my account for 7 days and ask me to jump thru hoops because some buyer was "not happy". Get this, I have well over 350 POSITIVE feedbacks and the silly NEWBIE buyer that complained had a WHOPPING 1 WHOLE FEEDBACK. Not only did they leave me a negative (before contacting me to resolve it) they filed a paypal claim also. OF COURSE paypal froze the funds immediately as they always do. If someone truly works and depends on ebay for a living, your taking a huge gamble with your financial health. Ebay and paypal can just snatch the rug from under you with NO REASON and your left there with NOTHING. I don't know about you guys but I am DONE bowing to ebay, I am moving over to ONLINEAUCTION.COM and iOFFER.COM. EBAY & PAYPAL ARE GREEDY, SCAMMING, UNFAIR IDIOTS & they will no longer control MY BUSINESS!!
  • WAYNE RANZER 20th of July
    I Sell music related items,been on ebay 10years ,but about a year ago was turned on to audigon.com. I picked up 2700 feedback rating and at one point over the winter was outselling ebay 20-1 for lp records and such. The auction fees are expensive 6.00 each ,but the classifieds are 1.00each,run 30days,modify anytime,never any com fees. free adds too each month. Customers know me by name and keep coming back to buy more,its like having a regular store. I was hooked on audiogon when I had tried selling a 13 record jimi hendrix box set from west germany on ebay 3 times no luck for under 100.00 ,I paid the 6.00 fee on audiogon and recieved a winning bid of 197.50 on 1st try. I list about 200plus items a month on audiogon .
  • Jane R 29th of July
    I am simply shocked by EBAY's behavior!!!!!!!! They cancel and block my listings for no reason at all. I sell only great authentic items. Whereas, EBAY treats me as if I am a faker seller. Shame on EBAY and its poor policies. Hopefully, they will go bankrupt in the nearest future :)
  • formerly artcatboy on eBay 6th of August
    Ebay suspended my account indefinitely after 1200+ Don't they realize that I am a buyer too and that they are costing themselves money? Once you are in trouble with ebay it is impossible to get support because their Trust and Safety (Twisted and Screwy) dept. is just a bunch of robotic types enforing broken policies with canned e-mails. Once you are suspended the robots go away. I have set up a simple page at eCrater.com and am gradually driving all my former eBay customers to this site. (You can get their e-addresses from your Paypal history) I do miss the greedy swell of the auction atmosphere that made for higher profits but I am adjusting my expectations and am willing to sell for less because of the freedom and lack of fear. It is nice to not be looking over my shoulder or listening for the other eBay shoe to drop. It already has. They'll get their corporate Karma.
  • Mel 8th of August
    You forgot two other sites http://www.usauctionslive.com and http://www.gooleauctions.com Both of these site are FREE no more fees!
  • chand10r 8th of August
    Its no use us all posting on here, this site is better no this one is better, we as ebay sellers should all move to just ONE site and stay there, imagine e mailing all the buyers who have bought from you (personally over 3000) and letting them know you and your stock have moved and of course the reasons why, IF WE ALL DID THIS AND ALL STUCK TO THE ONE SITE, e bay would have to do something. Like i said 1st off we would all have to agree to go to just one site?
  • Dave 15th of August
    I have been selling on Ebay for over 9 years and have been fed up with them for a while... but I figured as long as it brings in money it's fine. Well over the past 9 years I have seen my fees increase dramatically, at one point my fees were up to around $1,500.00 a month but I didn't complaint... I was still happy, but now it has just gotten out of hand. Not only are fees high but the rules are just getting ridiculous. I have decided to just stay away from Ebay, right now I'm selling on Offertime - Ebay Alternative and my local flea market.
  • Mr Singh from India 18th of August
    Yes I am sick of ebay too. I live in India and they changed their Digital download policy and forced everyone to ship CD/DVD only. It basically ruined my business model. I have a rating of over 1100 with 98% + ve feedback. They also banned me once because some buyer reported me and I was forced to scan my passport and documents and email them and sign a legal statement that I will be a good seller in future :( I am now listing on webidz.com and plan to list on many other sites . Not had much success with other sites yet but I am so sick of Ebay that I will do anything to get completely away from Ebay. Also I think most of hte other sites should have the feature of allowing sellers from ebay to import their ratings. That would ensure we don't start from scratch. -- Vikram
  • Blaine 19th of August
    Guys/Gals, Don't even bother with Ubid, What a Fat Joke! Trying to set up a seller account online with them is like handing out your private info to some bumb on the street. Ebay has never asked for a SSN, and not only that, some of the stuff being sold on there is junk to begin with. At least with Craigslist, they don't require all this either. I like how this website is giving ideas for an alternative to Ebay, yet if you look at the very bottom of the page, they are an Ebay Member. Go figure.
  • teespolossweats on ebay 21st of August
    I stumbled upon this blog (This is a blog isn't it? I'm "old school" internet.) after I typed in "eBay alternative" in my google search box. Why did I do the search you ask? I got an email from eBay yesterday informing me of ANOTHER FEE INCREASE prompting me to sit at my computer and start searching for an eBay alternative. I'm a Silver Powerseller and have a feedback rating of 1351 and 100%. I also maintain 4.8's or higher on those happy little DSR's (Last month I had 5, 5, 5, & 4.9). I can't believe these prices are going up again. As of October 1, 2008, they are "lowering fees" on the front-end to 35 cents for insertion fees for everything and will offer up to 30 day listings. HOWEVER, the FVF's are jumping to 12% on the 1st $50 of the auction and 9% on the balance (currently they are are 8.75% on the 1st $25 and 3.5% on the balance -- and these fees are fairly new, within the last year). I've never done an "eBay complaining" letter/blog/response before today. However, I'm a fairly small seller, selling new t-shirts, polos, sweats, and more (thus, my eBay name) and I'm paying almost $1000 a month in eBay fees, not to mention Paypal fees -- now fees are going up AGAIN so needless to say, I'm a littled pissed! In the past I've tried ibid.com (or is it ubid? I can't remember because it wasn't great). I have my items ship right from the factory so I don't do the craigslist.com gig for my new items (although I love it for my used, kid items that I have here at the house). After reading all of these posts on here (Posts? Do I have the lingo right?), I saw that Bargainland supposedly left eBay. I had to check this out for myself and sure enough, they are gone (zero items listed). eBay lost a big seller -- Bargainland had almost 500,000 feedback entries -- so you can imagine the fees eBay lost when they lost Bargainland. After reading this entire blog, I saw several auction sites I'm going to investigate. Good luck to all of you sellers in finding an eBay alternative! Kim
  • Jennifer H. 21st of August
    Hi, I am a former seller on E-Bay and was fed up with the way they treated their sellers. Its like many of you have said already. You can sell something on ebay, and then the buyer will file a complaint with PayPal 48 hours later for non-reciept and get their money back and you are left with a bad reputation. I mean come on...doent it take longer than 2 days to get something by mail? PayPal and Ebay do not support their sellers. They are only out for money! But I found a site quite a few years ago, and I like it. Try www.swapace.com. Its free to list, no seller fees or listing fees. You can auction or list something and have people make you offers. And you decide if you want to accept or not! Its easy to use and they have alot of bargains! Hope this helps you all. I know I wont be back on Ebay EVER!!
  • SelahNikao 23rd of August
    Well, I'm following in everyone's footsteps. I've had an eBay store for several years. Not a lot of business, but for a side business it has paid for Christmas for the family and helped me get out of some financial jams here and there. I mainly sell used OOP CDs that I find when traveling with the day job. Not sure if you guys know the latest, but eBay has decided they know what we should charge for S&H and have set a maximum. For CD's it's $3.00. That barely covers the postage, envelope, bubble wrap, label and tape and leaves nothing for time and eBay/Paypal fees - not to mention gas. I've been charging $4 S&H and not covering my cost, but no more. Time to move on so I've read thru these posts and I'm going to try some of these out. I'll try to update here but I hope you guys will do the same because I have too much inventory not to find some place to sell soon.
  • MJS 25th of August
    I had six auctions going on ebay, all antique automotive parts/memorabilia, and with just two days left, I had one bid on one item. 1-2 years ago, they would have all had bids and I would have made well over 1K on the group, but things have changed there for the worse. The new rules have not only driven off the sellers of old stuff, but the buyers as well. Several months ago, their new goofball management enacted a bunch of now-infamous new rules that put sellers at a disadvantage, causing a storm of discontent from one end of the Internet to the other, but I kept trying to sell. Not so bad, I thought, as long as I make money. But then I stopped making any kind of real money. A couple of days ago, I got an email from them that said that at the end of October, they will no longer allow paper payments on items, only merchant accounts taking credit cards, or Paypal and the like. It's another money grab, and that will not do. They want to edge it toward paypal, which they own, and where buyers can fraudulently do a charge back to get free stuff from sellers - so they freeze your paypal account for weeks until the "issue is resolved" if it ever is. I did something I have never done before, I took all of my auctions down. I've had enough of these greedy bastards. It's no longer a fun place to sell, it's a buyers' market but as some of you may have noticed, there is much less old items of interest available when you do a search. That's because the small sellers, like me, have gotten the message that ebay only wants the big sellers, with 10,000 feedbacks, and they want to ace us out of the game. I'll never understand why that is, they were making money from everyone, but thousands have left, and ebay is fast approaching their apparent goal of being a site where you can go to buy new, cheap common stuff that you can get at Wal-Mart or elsewhere, and not a place to go to look for unique old items. I'm a Powerseller there, been there for ten years, and have 100% positive feedback. I've sold tens of thousands of dollars worth of items, some big ticket, they have made tons of money off of me... and it means nothing. They don't want me, and I don't need them. On this forum, I have seen at least 20 different auction sites, but nothing with nearly as much traffic as ebay. We really do need to all go to one site, and I hope that one claws its' way to the top of the heap, making the choice clear. I have heard a rumor that Google has an ebay-killer ready and waiting, and that all they need to do is throw the switch to fire it up, and I hope that's true. Make it what ebay was 5-6 years ago, and it will do well. Hopefully they are waiting for ebay to collapse so they can drive the knife in through their heart, (A fellow can dream, right?) and lastly, I have faith in our free enterprise system, that the market determines who wins, and that ebay is dumb enough to keep enacting harebrained new rules to drive ever more sellers away, so that a new site can come in and take over. -MJS
  • Teddy 29th of August
    I've sold on Ebay since 1999, just collectible/vintage stuff I find. It was fun, and profitable. I too have been priced-out of Ebay since the outrageous and stupid rules and fees have just spiraled out of control! All they want to be is another Overstock.com. BORING! I have heard mention of a site called "River" or "The River"...people are refering to it on Seller Central, but I can't seem to find it. Anyone heard of that? Hopefully we can all find a home, so what made Ebay so unigue (the smaller sellers)will live on!
  • Jennifer H. 29th of August
    -MJS- I am with you all the way on what you said. Do you have any suggestion as to which site we should all try for? I have alot of things I need to get rid of, not counting the money I need badly. I just have not found any yet that I REALLY like!! Any help is appreciated! Jenn
  • sandy 29th of August
    I am also a gold powerseller on eBay and now I am restricted from selling for 30 days. I have one dsr that is 4.1 the rest are 4.5-4.9 and my feedback is 99.8% yet I guess that one dsr proved that I am in violation of the non performance policy. I have opened a store on mystore.com (free) and my own website which is set to launch in 2 weekis. I have so many items from Anthropologie, Nordstroms and fashion shows and don't know where to go! I was just going to close my account I have now and make up a new one. I really want an auction site with traffic. My website, www.discountfashionboutique.com, is just like an ebay store, very casual and with all buy it nows. Get the emails from all of your customers and email them a photo book of your items with buy it now options! Heck with eBay-make up your own site and start promoting! We didn't get all these positives for nothing fellow ebayers-we are good at what we do so let's get another auction site going and put ebay out of business.
  • Razmear 29th of August
    I've totally left ebay and now sell on Bonanzle. It's a much friendlier place, nicer setup, no listing fees and minimal final value fees (which haven't even gone into effect yet.) Check out http://www.bonanzle.com/ I think you'll like it too. eb
  • 30th of August
    I just finished this entire page & have gotten some good info. I now have much research to do. I've only been with eBay for a year but this week, they removed 3 of my listings because a deadbeat who bid on, & won, 2 of my auction items, & then never paid for them (I reported her for non-payment), decided to report me to eBay (revenge) so they decided to remove my 3 listings for trademark violations. There are more than 7,000 other listings that are the same - same wording, product, box & tags, but none of them have been removed. You can't get anything but a canned response from them & there is no one to call (heaven forbid) so what does one do -besides get extremely angry? It didn't take long to realize what eBay is like. I went to work for myself so I didn't have to answer to anyone but myself, but they make up the rules as they go - enforce them for some & not for others. Where is the sense or fairness in this? If people decide to move to one site, please post it; let me know; I am in! My products are good, some very unique, but enough is enough... I do need to make money & keep my sanity :)
  • Clare 31st of August
    I have sold online for the past 4 years and i have made a comfortable living. The recent increase in charges has forced me to find alternative places to sell. However, i have never seen a site like the one I found two weeks ago, www.thesocexchange.com $1 a month, flat rate. It's clean, clear and fresh. The set-up is super-easy, my website was up in about 15 minutes. I am very impressed with the functionality and individuality of my website. The cost is amazing, $1 a month, flat rate. There are no other fees or commissions. That's it, $1 a month or $10 a year. I can't afford to not be selling at the soc exchange. Take a look,it's great!
  • Nemo 1st of September
    I'm one of those who left ebay because of their skyrocketing fees and i have found my success on e-payauction.com It’s a much friendlier place, nicer setup, no listing fees and minimal final value fees. Check out http://www.e-payauction.com/ I think you’ll like it too.
  • shovelheadblue 1st of September
    Well, this is going to sound like a broken record. I too am or may not be a silver power seller on ebay with over 2500 positive feedbacks. My business supports my little one and myself. i sell vintage men's and women's clothing, antique books and really unique and fun collectible stuff. Last week I woke up and started to list a item and after i had downloaded the pictures and wrote the description i went to the last page and pressed list item and i get this message that i have been put on a 30 day restriction because of buyer dissastifaction my dsr rating. one star was a 4.2 in shipping. We had terrible flooding here in the last two months, my dad died, my mom had two strokes and i have been trying to do cleanup from all the flooding and it won't quit raining. When this happened I was devasted and contacted all my great customers and they were all great. They new I could do nothing to prevent all this disaster that was happening all at once in my life. anyway i called ebay immediately and they told me that i needed to provide proof of all this. i was crying so hard because this is it for me. living in rural missouri when my dad got sick i moved here from colorado. it is my only income for us. anyway i contacted some of my customers and you would not believe the letters that came pouring in and ebay told me to send information to rswebhelp@ebay.com so all these letters from these people were forwarded on and they could not believe it , the girl said she had never seen anything like it. i cried and cried that my customers cared enough about me and my little one to take time out of their lives to write ebay and call ebay about me and the injustice that they were doing to me. esp. on things i had no control on. these people in the trust and safety dept. are like robots i thought, until the following monday i received two phone calls from two girls from utah that worked in the dept. that could not get me off their minds and what had happened to me. saffron the one girl said that the system had been acting up and that she was going to investigate in my behalf because nothing was changing on my stars with over 50 more positive feedbacks in less than a week something was wrong. they want me to fax or send them copies of insurance claims, newspaper articles about the torrent weather we have been having and hospital bills if i incurred any. heck i wanted to ask if they wanted a copy of my dad's death certificate and my mom's hospital visits becausee of the strokes. i just am appalled that this would be required of me. so, i have decided that after the holiday i am sending them a package with damaged flooded goods, newspaper articles, my dad's death certificate and repair documents and any and all other things i can find and provide for them and then i am going to see what happens. i know for a fact that they received over 100 letters in my behalf because my son had to forward them on to ebay at the rswebhelp@ebay.com site with headers on them. the lady said i had to forwarded them with headers or they would not open them because of sercurity reasons and i told her , the only headers i knew about was on a pickup truck. so, my son had to forward all these messages so i know they were inandated with all these emails. it really regained my faith in the human race with these people that took their time out. it was great. so, i too am hunting for a site that i can sell my stuff on and there is people that will see it. i have checked on some of these sites and there just isn't that many vintage clothing people on them and i sell alot of clothes. so i hope we all can come to some kind of a aggreement on who to give our business to and we rock ebay off the planet and into bankruptcy. the way the economy is you would think they would want all the commerce they could get and keep. thanks for your time and i wanted to share my ebay horror story with all of you. brenda
  • MJS 1st of September
    It's worse than we imagined, folks. Here is something that I uncovered on another website, it purports to be from an ebay management employee, and it sounds very authentic - I have no reason to discredit it. -MJS -------------------------------------------------- I found this on another site posted by Anonymous. It was posted on the seller central discussion board 5/4/08 by someone who claims to be inside eBay management… this post was pulled by eBay moments later. Note: When you see them saying "I" that's not the admin of this site, it's the author of the post. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I posted this at the feedback forum at eBay but it was killed by staff less than a minute later. I should have known. My ID will be toast soon anyway. This was the only other place I thought where my statement might have an impact. Do with it what you will. After Chicago, my only desire is to be heard. There will be those who will not believe me and I sympathize. I wish the facts were fiction but to deny what I know would be to live in a fairyland of make-believe. I understand that the bulk of this “manifesto” reveals a plot so against the spirit of eBay that it will be dismissed as lie. So be it. I cannot force the world to accept it. All I can do is state the truth as I know it and leave it to you and to your common sense and experience to judge. The deck is stacked against me. Aside from the natural resistance to believe I know that the boards are stocked with eBay’s tools. Their goal will be to discredit me. I will be accused of being a “disgruntled”, “paranoid”, and “emotional” seller. Their words will be specially chosen for effect. That is part of the function of the tools and I am not fazed by it. However, to protect my own identity within the corporation, I cannot be too specific lest the details single me out to the powers that be. What I intend to reveal is common knowledge to many in the management division behind the scenes. By the way, the tools are not only the mouthpieces that promote the policies. The psychological tactics employed by the powers that be are far deeper and grander than that. The subtlety of the method is remarkable. The tools come in a wide range of flavors with their own, individual “characteristic” rhetoric. From those who are “for” the policy - and spread various degrees of hostility toward the sellers - to those who are “against” the change - and spread panic and further the divide with the buyers. Both serve the same exact purpose: a manipulation designed to remove the more involved and savvy small to large sellers who will not fit into eBay’s future business plan. First, let me correct the record regarding the concept of sellers extorting positive feedback. While the violation was known to happen, the activity amounted to less than a tenth of a percent of the yearly transactions. Further, it involved sellers whose feedback percentages were below 80%. The absolute majority of sellers did not engage in such practices. Nevertheless, the powers that be could not resist the fact that promoting this notion of feedback extortion as a wide-spread phenomenon would be the perfect cover with which to hide the true intentions of the policy. The powers that be want to transform eBay into an overstock warehouse venue. A kind of outlet store for the internet much like a cheaper and streamlined version of Amazon. From a strictly business point of view, given the size of eBay and the growing costs of doing business, it makes a certain kind of sense to shift gears. Think about it: when eBay started, sellers were about rare and unique items but here and now the majority of items are common, used counterparts of what can be found new online at retail sites. Truly rare and unique items are sold at real auctions; the “stuff in your attic” isn’t glamorous enough and won’t keep eBay afloat any longer. The trend away from the rare and unique to the big box retailer is not new. Several years ago the powers that be noticed that the big “powersellers” were simply listing items that existed in their retail stores or inventories. Thus the concept of “buy it now”, “best offer”, and “eBay stores” were created. It was the nascent stage of the plan yet to be. Little by little, without the population noticing, the mechanisms required to replicate the average retail storefront were already in place - and with its rise came the slow, steady downfall of the auction format. Yet outright pursuit of a retail venue would have led to a major problem that at the time could not have been surmounted. The vast majority of people, on and off line, know eBay as precisely the place for auctions of rare and unique items. The sellers and buyers held onto that perception too but in truth their opinion even involvement in new and improved version of eBay is irrelevant by a certain Machiavellian calculation made by the powers that be. As part of the plan, eBay calculated thus: even if they lost the sellers as part of the change, the buyers will be coming back to buy regardless of who or what operated within the retail-outlet venue. No, it was the stock holders who the powers that be feared. Only the stockholders had the power to change the direction set forth by the CEO and the board. So it became imperative to change the equation. Part of the plan is to devalue the stock gradually so that investors merely dumped the stock as opposed to wanting managerial change ala Yahoo. Then to buy back the stock at lower cost and to such a volume that no rebellion against the powers that be were possible. By the end of July that phase of the plan will be successful and there est of the plan will be revealed without fear of backlash from those who otherwise would have had the power to pull eBay back from the brink. Indeed, if you believe the current changes are obvious signals that small sellers are not wanted - be prepared - you have seen nothing yet. So far what have they done? All they have managed to do is silence a seller’s ability to warn others about buyers (half of the purpose behind the original idea of feedback), burden you with higher and higher fees, dangle “treats” like discounts while setting the bar of eligibility so high that the rewards cannot be reached. and, by the way PayPal deals with “complaints” leave you vulnerable to fraud. What if worse was yet to come? They know if you do not feel safe that you will not use eBay. The changes that have been enacted only eliminates the small sellers. Meanwhile they want to eradicate the mid-sized seller too. And they want to ensure that both do not return. For the mid-sized seller the DSR became the tool of choice. The powers that be raised the level of what is a good seller artificially high. No manipulation is required; they know exactly the effect of the policy. This is why buyers are told that 4 is a good score and sellers are told that 4.9 yields discounts and higher listing placements. As long as that fractured point of view exists, eBay does not need to interfere with the DSR as has been suggested, the buyers will be killing the sellers naturally. By August there will be no pretense and the intentions of the new and improved eBay will be clear. The following is only a partial list of the rules that will be imposed. It comes from a memo that circulated within my corner of the managerial department the week before Chicago. I cannot be too specific about certain items and I cannot reveal details of the latest additions without endangering my anonymity. 1. Neutrals will be converted to negatives complete with red icons and reduced feedback scores. Afterward neutrals will not be offered as a choice of feedback. 2. The entire process of feedback will be automated. Buyers and sellers will chose standard feedback from a list. For sellers this operation will be performed automatically upon the buyer winning. For buyers there will be an extra free line with which to add a few comments about the seller without restriction to content. Replies will not be allowed. 3. The implementation of a stricter rules regarding shipping. From the boxes, packing, labels and tapes to where you can buy postage. Orders have been placed for prototypes of “eBay” boxes. UPS and FedEx will be instructed not to accept “eBay” merchandise if it’s not inside “eBay” boxing. They will know, of course, because when sellers buy the “eBay” postage from the “eBay” source, a detailed list of contents with item numbers will be available to the shippers upon scanning a bar code. As for those who continue to use USPS, another level of quality control will be implemented - buyers will be asked, upon confirmation of delivery, if the seller used “eBay” standard shipping items. Naturally, no verification of the buyer’s truthfulness will be attempted, and continued ‘infractions’ will result in suspension. eBay will have other ways to check if a seller is not using the “eBay” equipment - as they will be required to buy at cost the supplies immediately after items are listed. (This is such a large scale operation behind the scenes that I feel comfortable sharing as much of it as I know.) 4. Sales taxes will be included automatically; shipping cost and sales taxes will be used to determined FVF. 5. Item descriptions will be “standardized” with templates which include the posting of a new, universal return policy. Only yearly subscribers to the retail-outlet venue can opt out of these universal return policies but even they cannot alter the template structures being devised. 6. Strikes against buyers will be eliminated as the whole concept of a buyer and bidding will be altered. FVF will be calculated when payment is submitted. 7. Time to Close will be eliminated entirely. Best Match will be the non-alterable default. Best Match is a system that caters to the needs of shoppers not bidders. 8. Placement within Best Match will be determined by several factors, the most important of which will be the extra display features added onto the listing. 9. DSRs can be removed by retailers and powersellers who pay a certain yearly fee. 10. The end play itself which consists of four phases: a) the main focus shifts to retail sellers whose fees are on a per listing basis b) stores will be replaced by a classified section, fees will be based on yearly subscriptions and FVFs c) occasional auctions will be conducted for unique items (celebrity auctions, items that have been featured on the news, etc.) d) total elimination of auctions for regular sellers. >From the point of view of eBay’s agenda to change gears these alteration make sense. The powers that be want to turn eBay into a retail venue format. Therefore the “buyer” must be changed - bidding and commitments to buy are part of the past. In a retail venue, the item is either in your cart or not and you only commit to buy when you pay at checkout. The seller is also redefined in the way they will be required to do business. They will be forced to copy the methods of retail stores. The goal is to become Amazon Lite. Unlike Amazon the merchandise will be stocked by the retailers in their warehouses, eBay will be just an electronic centralized venue for outlet sale - a “trusted” name with a wide customer base and popular name recognition. That is the future and as I write this I know that it cannot be stopped. There are no investors with enough clout and will to challenge the CEO. Stock holders will simply walk away. eBay will not sink, however, it will be exactly in the position its rulers intend it to be at. Sellers, my advice is simple. You are not wanted. Leave. If you stay, you will be crushed. Leave. Go away. You cannot win. I am sorry because for too long I have been a complicit tool behind the scenes. I was part of those teams and think tanks that spearheaded many of the “innovations” you know very well and which will be used to destroy you. I know I will not be believed. I will be mocked and ridiculed by the tools and even those who are real, actual people will be hesitant to accept what I have to say. What has been done to this community, the plots and schemes hatched in meetings and across memos, is far, far worse to endure within my soul than any treatment I will receive at the hands of the tools by posting this. You do not know how much they hate you. It is my conscience that I want to clear going forward. Again I apologize. There should have been a better way for the powers that be to effect the change they wanted for eBay - instead they succumbed to cloak and dagger deception. RIP eBay
  • MJS 1st of September
    Jenn, I am looking around, including all sites that have been mentioned in this blog and comment area. If I find something promising, I'll come back here and share my findings, I know how important this is to us all. Take good care, -MJS ---------------------------- <>
  • 4th of September
    It seems that I arrived at eBay too late. I've recently listed items on 3 other sites with no bids yet, so if anyone has any great suggestions, I am all ears... Thanks in advance. I need to make a living & would like your feedback.
  • Sue 4th of September
    I've read all the comments with great interest. I've been a seller off and on since Ebay began, and had great success up until now. With the recent "no negative feedback by sellers" policy change, I've had a major increase in non-paying bidders, or bidders who won't even communicate with me until I file an NPB report on them. THEN they pay...usually. Bidders no longer care if you file NPB on them or not, because even if you get an unpaid item strike filed against them - or several strikes - their account will remain open, and they will be allowed to bid. Sellers are powerless against unscrupulous buyers. I am researching alternate sites and will begin moving my listings to a few of them this weekend to see what happens. I'm hoping for some success to make up for the huge fees I've been paying Ebay this year. There's something dreadfully wrong when your monthly sales don't add up to enough to cover your fees.
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