Take a moment to think of buying and selling online, and chances are the first answer to come to you will be eBay. It's not surprising - from small beginnings, the popular online auction site has become synonymous with buying and selling online. So much so that even the music satirist Weird Al Yankovic wrote a song parodying the site.
However, as good as eBay is, it's not for everyone - with restrictions on what can be sold and rising fees, a small business using eBay as a means of selling products can cost quite a bit extra, depending on sales levels. Thankfully there are a few alternatives to eBay, with some options more effective than others.
Online Auction Sites
As well as eBay, there are a host of other online auction sites. These range from small sites to ones that at least equal eBay in terms of size and users. Some of the more popular ones include Amazon Auctions, Bidz.com and Auction Addict. There are literally hundreds of online auction sites now - for an updated list just type "Online Auctions" into Google and you'll see some of the more popular ones.
Classifieds
Another way to sell online is via classifieds. Just like you'd advertise in the newspaper, you can do the same online. The big difference here is that may of the classified sites are free of charge, which can save you quite a bit in editorial charges. Some are more popular than others, as well as being more effective. The most-used at the moment include Yahoo Classifieds and Craigslist. The latter in particular has grown quickly over the last couple of years, due in no small part that it's free and its ability to target your own specific metropolitan area.
Social Networking Sites
The explosion in popularity of social media in the last 2-3 years has seen an unprecedented opportunity to use this new medium. Websites like Facebook and MySpace offer an instant potential customer base that runs into the hundreds of millions, and a relaxation of the rules and regulations means that these sites now allow you to post classified adverts to sell your products. And with the likes of Squidoo and Zubby.com showing that the social network phenomenon is continuing to grow, there are more opportunities springing up every day.
Niche Product Sites
If you sell products in a certain niche, there are a few sites where you can set up your own shop. For instance, if you sell craft items, you can sell on sites like
Handmade Catalog. If you sell antiques or collectibles, set up a shop on
Ruby Lane. These are just a couple - you can find online "malls" for these and many other product categories as well.
As well as these alternatives, there are also other ways to sell online. Obviously there's your own website, but if this isn't an option, you can also find details on police and government auctions. You can also just set up a simple blog and sell stuff from there, using nothing more than a PayPal account for your transactions. Whichever you decide is best for you, at least you know there are alternatives to eBay for you.
