eBay has been around since 1995, making it one of the oldest places to buy and sell things online.
Even though the site has been around for more than 20 years, over 159 million people have bought something from it.
Even though eBay is still used by a lot of people, a lot of its sellers have started to look into other options.
The main reason for this is that the platforms favor buyers and charge high fees.
Those who want to change ships now have a lot of options.
In this article, we’ll talk about the best alternatives to eBay, including their pros and cons and main features.
So let’s start right away!
Etsy
Etsy is the best alternative to eBay for people who want to sell vintage, handmade, custom, or one-of-a-kind items.
Etsy is also a C2C site, like eBay, because most of the people who sell on it are one-person craft businesses.
Etsy has grown over the years to have more than 90 million buyers.
Some of the most popular things to buy on the site are jewelry, home decor, and gifts.
The listing fee on Etsy is also a lot like the listing fee on eBay.
You have to pay $0.20 for each item you list, plus 6.5% of the price of the item when it sells.
Etsy is a great place for people who want to start a small business and make money from their hobbies.
But if you’re looking for scalability, you’ll have to look elsewhere, since the platform’s product limitations and fee structure don’t work for larger businesses.
Pros
Lots of customers
Less competition
Handmade items have a high profit margin.
No fee to sign up
Cons
Fees of $0.20 to list and 6.5% per transaction
Limits on products
Key Features
Users can only sell goods that are hand-made, custom-made, vintage, or one-of-a-kind.
Sellers can put as many things in their shops as they want.
Encourages artists to be creative and lets them show off their work.
Amazon
Most likely, you’ve heard of Amazon before. After all, it is the biggest place to buy and sell things online in the world.
You can find almost anything on the platform, from hair pins to furniture.
More than 197 million people buy something from Amazon every month because it has so many products.
Amazon is a great alternative to eBay, and it is also one of eBay’s biggest competitors.
Before you switch to Amazon, though, keep in mind that the site has a lot of strong competitors.
At first, it might be hard to make sales, so you’ll have to work hard to market your business.
Amazon doesn’t charge a fee to list a product, but depending on the type of product, you may have to pay a commission.
Lastly, if you choose Amazon’s FBA program, the company will also store and ship your goods.
Pros
Largest online shopping market in the world. Easy to scale up and expand internationally.
No fees to list
Private labeling could be a way to build a big brand.
Due to the large number of users, marketing costs are low.
Cons
It’s hard to be the best.
You cannot access customer data.
Key Features
Amazon FBA makes it easy for you to pack and ship items.
Free shipping in two days with Amazon Prime
FBA also takes care of customer service.
eBid
On this list, eBid is probably one of the most similar sites to eBay.
It’s also an auction site, as its name suggests, where you can sell a wide range of things.
On eBid, you don’t have to pay to list items because the commission is only 3% per sale.
If you pay $64.99 for an annual Seller+ subscription, you don’t have to pay any commission at all.
Everything about eBid seems perfect, so why shouldn’t you start selling on the site?
Well, the problem is that not many people use it. Even though eBid is a great platform, you shouldn’t use it until you know how to market your business well.
The best thing about eBid is that it is a low-risk platform, which means that it can also be used to test new products.
Pros
Only 3% per sale, which isn’t much.
Many different kinds of products
Most sellers don’t look into it.
Low-risk market
Cons
Few people visit and reach
Some ways to sell are only available to accounts that have been upgraded.
Key Features
It works like an auction, like eBay. Since the risk is low, it’s a great place to try out new products.
Craigslist
Some of you may have heard of Craigslist from years ago.
The platform is still pretty active, and even though Craigslist is technically a forum, it is still a good alternative to eBay.
Craigslist is not an eCommerce platform, so there are no commissions or fees for selling things on it.
But as great as this sounds, the site’s biggest flaw is that it doesn’t have a way to settle disagreements.
It is a seller’s market full of con artists who want to make quick money.
Pros
There are no fees or commissions.
You can sell just about anything.
More than 70 countries are included.
Good for selling old things
Cons
No dispute management service
There are a lot of scams on the site.
You can only sell in your own area.
There are no shipping systems or warehouses.
Key Features
On the platform, people can sell things for free.
You can post classified ads on this site.
Buyers don’t have to sign up in order to see the ads.
Newegg
We know that this site’s name sounds funny, but it is a great place to sell tech products.
Most of the things that are sold on Newegg are computer parts, electronics, and games.
This website is popular with tech-savvy people between the ages of 18 and 45, so you can easily reach a certain group of customers.
Even though Newegg is based in California, it has distribution centers all over the U.S. and Canada.
The platform is used by more than 4.2 million people every day in more than 50 countries.
We know that this doesn’t sound like much compared to eBay, but keep in mind that Newegg is aimed at a specific group of people.
Like Amazon FBA, Newegg also has a fulfillment service that makes shipping easy. If you don’t want to do it yourself, you can also get help from a third-party logistics service.
They have three subscription plans, and the commission they usually charge is between 8 and 15%.
Pros
You can go after the technology market.
More than 50 countries can get it.
There are distribution centers in both the US and Canada.
Cons
8 to 15% commission rate
Only for products with a tech focus
Still, there aren’t that many customers.
Key Features
Use the site’s “Best Deals” section to sort products that are on sale.
Similar to the Amazon FBA program, this fulfillment service gives you an SEO guide to help you improve your listings.
Bonanza
Bonanza is one of the newer and less popular eCommerce sites on this list.
But the platform has been getting a lot of attention quickly because of the strange and unique things you can find on it. Even their slogan says, “Where you can find everything but the ordinary.”
On Bonanza, you can buy a huge range of things, from colorful shoes to jewelry made by hand.
And if you’re not sure if you can trust them, you can check out their high rating on Trustpilot.
Bonanza’s only fee is a 3.5% cut of sales that are less than $500, which goes down to 1.5% once the amount goes over $500.
One of the best things about Bonanza is that you can share a portion of your earnings with the platform to improve ads and move up in search results.
Pros
A wide range of strange and unusual goods
Seller-friendly platform
There are no fees to add a listing.
Cons
Mainly targets unique items
Small number of customers
Key Features
Share a portion of your earnings for more advertising and move up in the listings.
Once the amount goes over $500, the 3.5% transaction fee goes down to 1.5%.
Ruby Lane
Ruby Lane is mostly about selling rare and old things like jewelry, art, antiques, and collectibles.
You don’t have to pay a commission fee, but you do have to pay a listing fee, a monthly maintenance fee, and one-time setup fees.
We know this sounds hard, and you’re probably thinking it’s not worth the trouble.
The best thing about Ruby Lane, though, is that it attracts collectors who are often willing to buy expensive items that you might not be able to sell on eBay.
Pros
There are no commissions to pay.
Excellent place to sell expensive items
Perfect for selling jewelry and other collectible fashion items
Good global reach and number of users
Cons
A complicated fee structure is aimed at a small group of people.
Key Features
Website design that looks good and is easy to use
The perfect place to buy vintage items
known for giving good service to customers
eCrater
eCrater is a good alternative to eBay if you don’t want to spend a lot of money on your online business.
It’s a lot like regular eCommerce sites where you can sell anything you want at whatever price you want.
Setting up an account on eCrater is free, and they only charge a 2.9% commission, which is the cherry on top.
You can also choose from a number of templates to make a storefront that looks good.
And to make things easier, you can move quickly by importing your eBay listings to eCrater.
Your marketing efforts will have a big impact on how many people visit your eCrater store, so this is an area where you’ll have to work harder.
Pros
Charges only a 2.9% fee.
Tools for marketing that help with social media
You can sell just about anything.
Cons
No analytics tools
You have to bring people to your site yourself.
Key Features
There are a lot of templates already made.
The market is free to use in every way.
You can bring your listings from eBay to eCrater.
Walmart
With sales of $64.62 billion in 2021, Walmart is one of the most well-known retail companies in the United States.
Not only that, but more than 120 million people use Walmart’s website every month.
It means that there are a lot of ways to make money on Walmart, especially once you know how to use the platform.
The only bad thing about the site is that it has a strict process for getting new users. But that is to make sure that the site stays good.
Walmart doesn’t charge an insertion fee like eBay does. You only have to pay an 8–20% cut if the transaction goes through.
Walmart doesn’t have too many rules, and you can sell most things there.
But keep in mind that there might be a lot of competition on the platform.
Pros
Sell a wide range of products.
Fees and commissions are limited.
A lot of customers
Cons
Products that compete with those sold in Walmart stores
Only listings with a fixed price are allowed.
Key Features
Quality control is very strict
Network for the whole supply chain
Free 2-day-shipping program for Deliverr sellers
Rakuten
Rakuten is one of the most popular online shopping sites in Japan, but not many people know this. Some people have even called it the “Amazon of Japan.”
More than 40% of Japanese shoppers go there first when they want to buy something.
Rakuten has a lot of ways to customize your shop, like tools to help you design it and make quick changes to products, as well as a blog to help you improve your marketing.
Famous brands from all over the world, like Dell, Lenovo, Depot, and more, trust the platform.
One problem with Rakuten is that it has high fees. For example, they charge sellers $33 a month to keep the site running, and they also take other commissions.
But if you want to sell to people in the East and can pay the fee, Rakuten can be a great alternative to eBay.
Pros
at least 29 countries where it does business
Sell many different kinds of goods.
Best platform to reach customers in the East and Japan
Compared to eBay, there is less competition here.
Cons
Fees and commissions that are too high
Key Features
Options for making a site fit your needs better
Excellent seller tools and customer service
Zibbet
Zibbet is another well-known platform that is known for focusing on handcrafted items. It’s more like an alternative to Etsy, but creative eBay sellers can also use it.
Merchants can sell up to 10 items per month with the free plan of Zibbet. If you want to see more, you would have to sign up for their service, which starts at $5.
Another problem with the free plan is that sellers can only add one image to their listings, which makes it almost useless for marketing.
With Zibbet’s Ultimate Plan, merchants can make deals and coupons for their customers. It also gives you access to advanced analytics and premium themes to make the store look the way you want.
The platform lets you sell through multiple channels and can be linked to popular social media sites like Instagram and Facebook.
Pros
You don’t have to pay anything to sell up to 10 items.
The Unlimited Plan has premium themes
Make discounts and coupons for buyers.
Cons
Still not enough people use it.
PayPal is the only way to get paid.
Key Features
enables selling on multiple channels
Analytics for the Unlimited Plan
Mercari
Mercari is another good alternative to eBay that was started in 2013. It only works in the U.K., the U.S., and Japan.
Most of the people who use Mercari are from Japan, but it also gets a lot of traffic from other countries.
More than 100,000 products, like video games, phones, designer items, and much more, are added to the platform every day.
Signing up for Mercari and listing products is free of charge. But when a transaction goes through, the platform takes a 10% cut.
It is pretty easy to sell things on Mercari. You just need to download the app, add information about your product, and ship it as soon as someone places an order.
Pros
Freedom to sell just about anything
Users who are active, especially in Japan
No fees to join or list
The site makes it easy to start selling.
Cons
10% commission on successful transactions
Only works in the UK, the US, and Japan
Key Features
User interface that looks good
Products are easy to sort.
Reverb
Reverb is an online store that sells mostly music gear. You can find anything to do with music on the platform, whether it’s instruments, equipment, or accessories.
You can list items for sale on Reverb for free, and the prices will be set. They also only charge a 5% fee on each sale, which isn’t too bad since there are no other hidden commissions.
They’ve been trying to help merchants make more sales by adding features like Reverb Bump, which puts your listings in front of people who might be interested in buying them.
Since the platform is still new, there aren’t many people who use it yet. Don’t expect it to get too big, either, because it’s aimed at a small group of people.
But if you already sell music gear on eBay and want to try something else, Reverb is a great option.
Pros
Only 5% of the money from sales
Ideal for selling music equipment
Cons
Few people use it
Key Features
With the Reverb Bump feature, your listings get more attention.
Facebook Marketplace
Facebook is the most popular social networking site in the world. With more than 2.9 billion active users, Facebook’s marketplace is a great place to sell.
You don’t have to pay to use the Facebook marketplace. All you need is a Facebook account. Listing and selling products is also easy enough that even people who have never done it before can do it.
But that’s also the biggest problem, because there’s no way for buyers to be protected on the market. Users need to be extra careful to avoid scams, which can also hurt your sales.
Overall, Facebook Marketplace is like eBay in that it lets people buy and sell things with each other.
Pros
Free to use in every way
Most popular social media site in the world
It’s easy to list and sell products.
Cons
No protection for the buyer
Key Features
You can talk to your audience in person.
Listings work well on mobile devices.
Better WorldBooks
Better WorldBooks is a great place for everyone who loves to read. As the name suggests, the platform helps you sell used books in more than 30 markets.
On the site, you can buy and sell almost any book you want. Avid readers can also easily find out about new books. They also have a search option that lets you narrow down your choices even more.
Better WorldBooks can help you do C2C transactions, just like eBay, but only in a certain niche.
Pros
There are more than 30 places where you can sell used books.
One of the best places to buy and sell books online.
Cons
On the site, you can only sell books.
Key Features
Use the search filters to find the books you want.
Wish
Wish is an online store that sells a wide range of things, like electronics, fashion accessories, clothing, and much more.
Wish is a good alternative to eBay because it has a smart algorithm that suggests products based on what customers have put on their wishlists and what they have bought in the past.
When you make a sale on Wish, you have to pay a 15% fee, which is a lot, especially for bigger businesses that make a lot of sales every day.
But on the plus side, there are no monthly fees or hidden commissions, so it doesn’t require much of an investment up front.
Pros
Charge only after you’ve made a sale.
Less competition, and most people sell products without a name.
Cons
Payments can take up to 3 months to process.
Key Features
The platform works well on phones.
Why Do You Need an eBay Alternative?
eBay is a powerful online market where sellers and buyers from all over the world can meet. You can sell almost anything on the platform, so why would you ever want an alternative?
Well, eBay has grown a lot over the years, and it has also made a lot of changes to its rules that aren’t great for sellers. This has led merchants to look for other ways to do business.
Some of the most common things that eBay sellers don’t like about the site are:
Biased Policies
The main reason why merchants are looking for alternatives to eBay is because the platform’s rules favor customers.
When there is a dispute, eBay puts its customers ahead of its sellers. Most of the time, sellers have no choice but to agree with eBay’s decision.
In the end, most of the money is lost by the seller. Even though a business should put its customers first, it should also have a more efficient and fair way to settle customer complaints.
High Fees and Costs
eBay charges quite a lot of commission in the form of final value and insertion fee. The amount of the fee depends on your selling price, your niche, and the items you sell.
All of these fees can be hard for small businesses to handle and can quickly cut into their profits.
Tough Competition
It can be hard to stand out on eBay because there are probably hundreds of other sellers with the same product.
We know that this is how most online stores work these days. But when you add this to the high fee and bad rules of the platform, it’s easy to see why some users think it’s not worth the trouble.
How to Choose the Best eBay Alternative?
Each platform has its own rules and limits, so what you want to sell is the main factor in choosing an eBay alternative.
For example, if you sell things that you made yourself, Etsy would be the best option for you.
If you’re buying from a third-party manufacturer, like Amazon, you’ll have to use a different platform.
So, before you decide, you should think about whether the platform’s rules match your business goals.
FAQs about eBay Alternatives
Is eBay Profitable for Sellers?
The average eBay seller makes about $35,000 a year, but the best sellers can make as much as $70,000.
It all comes down to your keyword optimization, customer service, marketing, and product price.
If you can do these things right, the numbers above show that there is a lot of money to be made on eBay.
What Is the Best eBay Alternative for C2C Businesses?
Etsy is clearly the best eBay alternative for C2C businesses that sell hand-made goods.
But eBid isn’t a bad choice if you want more freedom to choose the products you want.
The only problem with eBid is that it only has a small market. Other than that, it has everything it needs to make C2C transactions easy.
Is the User Base of eBay Getting Smaller?
Yes, Business of Apps’ data shows that eBay’s user base has been getting smaller every year since 2018. As of 2021, there are 159 million eBay users, which is almost a 9% drop from 2018’s 175 million users.
Final Thoughts
There is no doubt that eBay is a great place to sell things online.
But if you don’t like its rules and fees, you might want to look into other options.
We’ve listed a lot of alternatives to eBay that your business might like better.
Look through the list and pick the platform that suits you best.
