Founded in 1995, Craigslist is a classified advertisement website with many different sections such as jobs, housing, services, items for sale, etc. Craigslist makes it easy for its users by classifying sections into each consumer’s local area. One can sell items on Craigslist by creating an account, deciding on the item’s price, writing the item’s description, and posting some photos of the item. Users can also buy things off of Craigslist as many items are used, which makes it much cheaper than the price for the same items that are brand new in stores. However, Craigslist is not the only website to sell and buy things.
Check out this list of the Best Craigslist Alternatives for Buying & Selling Stuff.
Amazon.com
Amazon.com (as you most likely already know) is a website where you can easily buy and sell things, whether you are a commercial business or just want to sell some items you no longer want. Amazon.com has almost every item you want, ranging from small things like books and jewelry to bigger appliances like refrigerators and washing machines.
To sell things on Amazon, you simply need to create an account, list your item and its conditions (new, good, acceptable, etc.), and take some photos for buyers to have a better look. In most cases, the shipping fee will fall on the buyer if you choose so. Because of how popular Amazon.com is, there might be many sellers on there, so pricing can be quite competitive. It is a good idea to look at similar items for sale to choose the price most applicable to your item.
To buy things on Amazon, you can either create an account or subscribe to Amazon Prime, which provides better deals on some items and free, speedy shipping on Prime products for a small monthly fee. Amazon Prime subscription also provides access to many movies and TV shows, music, exclusive deals and selection, and more. If you like online shopping and fast shipping, remember to check out Amazon Prime.
Facebook Marketplace
Most teenagers and people in their twenties nowadays use Snapchat, Twitter, and Instagram (which is owned by Facebook, interestingly enough) more than Facebook. If you use it sparingly or don’t even touch this social network website/app, you might not know that Facebook Marketplace is a good alternative to Craigslist. Similar to Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace has listing for apartments for rent, local furniture, phones, bags, and more.
It is completely free to post things for sale. Photos and item description are expected to be included. If a buyer is interested, he or she will contact you directly through Facebook Messenger. You can discuss with the buyer details on shipping and payment method.
If you are a buyer, during the research process, you can choose to research how far or close a buyer is by filtering the distance. you can choose buyers within a radius of 1 mile or as far as 500 miles; it’s up to you. Some people are also looking for roommates here, so if you’re looking for a place to stay or a roommate it’s worth looking into Facebook Marketplace.
eBay
eBay is famous for its auctions; eBay users either buy fixed price items or give the seller their best offer, and the highest offer gets the item, just like at an auction. However, besides auctions, eBay also allows users to post and search classified ads. Although, categories in classified ads are limited to only a handful, unlike the many categories on Craigslist.
If you are planning on selling things on eBay as a classified ad, you might want to be aware that the website charges $9.95 for 30 days to list items for sale. After setting up an account, create an “advanced listing”, which will show the classified ad format.
If you are a buyer and are considering classified ads on eBay, you can filter the buying format to “classified ads” after searching for your item. If you want your seller to be within a certain distance, make sure to use the distance. Additionally, you can filter for “free local pickup” if you are interested in this feature. eBay is also a great place to resell your used goods.
Letgo
Letgo is a website for buying and selling secondhand items. Letgo focuses on an image-based format, meaning buyers are expected to post photos of the item they are selling. As Letgo claims, you can “sell things you don’t use and find great deals” on their website. The shopping categories on the website ranges from electronics, cars, fashion, to jobs and services. Letgo offers an advantage over the websites by not asking for your phone number or email address when you create an account. For those who are concerned about cybersecurity, this might be a feature you would enjoy.
To sell items on Letgo, you only need to create an account, post photos, and decide on the price. If a buyer is interested in your offer, he or she can communicate with you directly through the website’s chat feature. Buyers might or might not try to negotiate on the price, so make sure you let them know the price is fixed if you don’t like negotiating with buyers.
To buy items on Letgo, simply click on the item you’re interested in and communicate with the seller through the website. You can also filter your minimum and/or maximum price, distance, relevance, sort prices from high to low or from low to high, and when a listing was posted. If you frequently use the same filters, you have the “Save Filters” option so that you don’t have to reset it every time you want to buy something.
Locanto
Locanto is similar to Craigslist except that it offers a premium subscription that blocks third party ads. Locanto has a variety of categories; in addition to items you can buy or sell, Locanto also has categories like dating, classes, jobs, and services like musicians or pet sitting. There is also a “Lost & Found” category that allows you to post what you have lost.
It is free to post an add on Locanto. You can create an account with your email address or quickly register with your Google account. If a buyer is interested, he or she will contact you through the website’s messaging feature.
To buy an item, contact the advertiser directly through the website. When searching for your item, you can filter the distance; the buyer can be as close as 5 miles or as far as 100 miles. If you haven’t found your desired item, you can also sign up to receive notification when new ads related to your search are posted. To do so, provide your email address and choose whether you want to be alerted instantly (as soon as a new related ad is posted), daily, or weekly.
ClassifiedAds
Classified Ads is a website for “free classified ads online”, ranging from vehicles, jobs, to pets. The website does not look as organized as Craigslist, however. When you search for something, the page appears to be more similar to a google search than a Craigslist search.
As a seller, you can post ads for free on this website. To post an ad, select your category and subcategory, add an ad title, the asking price, and description. You can also link the item for sale to an external site in the description like Amazon.com or Facebook.
It is a bit harder to navigate ClassifiedAds.com as a buyer simply because it looks more “chaotic” than Craigslist. However, one advantage the website offers is that it allows buyers to link users to external sites, therefore providing a greater variety of offers to buyers.
Mercari
Mercari is special in that it has a money back guarantee program. You will “receive your item as describe. Or your money back”, according to the website. You can quickly create an account by signing up using your Facebook or Google account. Mercari only sells shippable items, so you don’t have to expect an in-person meetup. Another interesting thing about Mercari is that buyers and sellers get rated using the Mercari rating system. This system informs people who is trustworthy on the website.
If you are a seller, it is free to post a listing on Mercari. However, there is a 10% flat fee when the transaction is completed, so you might to consider that in your pricing. When your listing gets a buyer, Mercari offers a prepaid shipping label.
If you are a buyer on the website, you have can either pay with a credit or debit card or via PayPal. Some sellers will also accept PalPal credit, which is interest free if you pay back items that are $99 or above within 6 months since the purchase date. Mercari guarantees that sellers never receive your credit or debit card information to keep it secure.
OfferUp
Similar to Craigslist, OfferUp has a variety of categories. Just like its name, OfferUp lets buyers make their own offer. OfferUp recently became popular with over 23 million app downloads from both buyers and sellers. Buyers and sellers can receive ratings after a transaction. This helps users know who is trustworthy and avoid scammers. There are shippable items on OfferUp, so if you want an item from a different state or city, sellers can ship it directly to you.
As a seller, you get charged a 9.9% fee at the end of a transaction. Buyers pay shipping label, so shipping is free to sellers. You can indicate whether you’re willing to ship an item or not in the process of posting a listing.
As a buyer on OfferUp, you need an account to accept a seller’s offer or make your own offer. You can sign up using your email address or Facebook and Google account. You will have to pay for the shipping fee if you want an item shipped to you. Or, if the buyer is local, you can discuss details with on picking up the item yourself.
AdlandPro
AdlandPro is proud to have allowed “free classifieds since 1998”. The website has a variety of categories with multiple sub-categories. Sellers can link buyers to an external site, be it a business or a social media website like Facebook. Users can create an account quickly using their Facebook account and will receive notifications via the email address in their Facebook account. Like the company claimed, it is free to post classified ads on AdlandPro.
As a seller, you can link buyers to an external website if you have one. Interested buyers will contact you directly through the website and you can discuss details like shipping, payment method, and price negotiation.
As a buyer, make sure your seller provides shipping or lets you pick up the item as there is a variety of sellers on here. Similarly, discuss payment method with the seller to ensure you can pay via your preferred method.
Oodle
Oodle automatically detects your location and shows you local offers when you go onto their website. If the detected location is incorrect, you can simply change it. Oodle has a variety of categories, including some features that not many websites have like event tickets, vacation rentals, and office space. To create an account, you are required to connect to an active Facebook account as the website attempts to reduce scammers.
You can post free classified ads on Oodle. The website claims that your ads will “reach millions of people”. An interested buyer will contact you through the website and you can reply directly to him or her. Oodle will also post your listings to other similar websites.
As a seller, you are encouraged to contact the seller directly through Oodle to protect your identity. If you two are connected on Facebook and you trust the seller, you can also contact them via Facebook Messenger as well.
Adpost.com
Adpost.com is a neat website with “over 30,000,000 views a month”, according to the website. Like most websites listed here, buyers and sellers can communicate directly on the website. Adpost operates in over 1000 cities, although you can always filter your location to look for buyers nearby.
Posting classified ads on Adpost is free. You will need an account to post a listing and unfortunately, you cannot quickly sign up using your Google or Facebook account. Adpost has shipping and supports international shipping, but you should always learn about their newest policy regarding this feature.
As a buyer, you can contact the seller directly through the website. Make sure you discuss with them whether they provide shipping or local pick up and your preferred payment method.
Trovit
Trovit is a research engine and has 3 main categories: Homes, Cars, and Jobs that are expanded into many sub-categories. Compared to other websites listed on here, these choices are quite limited. However, if you’re looking for a place to stay, buy vehicles, or a job, these limited categories are a good fit.
You cannot post ads directly on the website as Trovit is a search engine. However, if you add an ad on any of their partner’s site, your ad will be added to Trovit within 24 hours.
FreeAdsTime
FreeAdsTime is another website to easily buy and sell things. It is a bit tricky to navigate around the website, but I’m sure you’ll get used to it in no time. Living up to its name, FreeAdsTime is free for users. You can customize the filter based on your location, minimum and maximum price, and categories. Ads are listed in date order; the latest advertisements are at the top to make researching easier.
Geebo
Geebo claims that its website is a “safe community [of] classifieds” as the listings are actually approved by a human worker. It is not available in every state, so make sure to do your research ahead of time. You can post a free listing on the website or reply directly to a seller if you’re interested in an offer. As Geebo isn’t available in every state, you might want to discuss with the seller about shipping options if the item is not in your local area.
5miles
Although the website is called 5miles, you can search for items near you up to a 40 mile radius. It is free to post a listing and buy items on this website, just like Craigslist. If you’re interested in an item, you can make an offer to the seller or chat with them directly through the website. If you want the item shipped to you or to pick it up, communicate with the seller and arrange these details. If you want to buy or sell items and live in a metropolitan area, you might want to use this website as it is quite popular in such areas.
Summary
There are many options to buy and sell things online besides Craigslist. For some of these websites, you can even download their app to make selling and buying easier.
Looking for more places to buy & sell? Check out this article: 25 Best Consignment Shops of 2020 | Online Apps & Local Stores
