There are thousands of home business owners who earn the majority of their income from online auction sites such as eBay, and for years, eBay was the only player in the game. They've hit a rough patch lately, and sellers and buyers alike are looking for better alternatives. If you're trying to turn a cottage industry into a profitable business, use one or more of these five choices.


Best eBay Alternatives

Five Best Alternatives to eBay


Amazon.com

In its Marketplace, you can list your items for free and you'll only pay when a sale is made. Allowable items are limited to those already sold by Amazon, but that list is so large that it's practically endless. Keep in mind that you'll not only be competing against other small sellers like yourself, but against Amazon.


ASOS Marketplace - https://marketplace.asos.com

Exclusively for buying and selling fashion, ASOS offers two different memberships. A basic membership will cost 10% commission of each item sold, with no monthly fee. Frequent sellers can upgrade to a ‘boutique’ membership. This costs £20 a month and 20% commission is taken, but the membership offers many advantages, including a dedicated ‘account manager’.


Etsy.com

If you're a crafter looking to turn your hobby into a business, Etsyis a great eBay alternative. Selling "all things homemade", Etsy.com charges a listing fee of 20¢ per item, along with a 3.5% commission.


Overstock.com

The "O" offers an auction-style listing service for almost any item you may want to sell. Fees are charged based on a percentage of the item's selling price, and buyers can also purchase items without bidding.


Craigslist.com and other classified sites

Many people use these sites to get rid of unwanted household items, but they are becoming much more popular with home business owners. Listings are free, but it can be tricky to get your ads to "stick" sometimes, and you'll be dealing directly with your customers as far as packaging and shipping is concerned.

However, the sales process is generally a lot smoother on these types of sites. Usually you’ll be dealing with people in your area – this means you often won’t even need to think about what type of packaging to use or how much postage will cost since the buyer will simply come and collect the item from you.


A Final Point:


Before you list your items for sale, you should see what other sellers are charging for comparable items. If you're selling through an auction-style listing, setting a too-high reserve price will push potential bidders away. Ebay is no longer the only player in town- you can run a successful home business by selling your items on any or all of these sites.
 
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