Best eBay Alternative Sites for Private Sellers – Best Platforms to Sell 2024

Are you feeling a bit stuck with eBay? or just curious about other sites to sell your stuff? Well, either way, you’re here now. We will tell you the best alternative sites to eBay and help you figure out which one might be right for you.

eBay has been a giant in the online selling world since 1995, holding its place among the largest marketplaces in the world. It has made thousands of regular people into successful sellers. But things have changed on eBay recently. The incorporation of new rules and policies has made some sellers look for better options.

So, if you’re thinking, What else is out there? – you’re not alone. A bunch of alternatives have popped up recently, giving you more choices than you can shake a stick at.

This guide will break down each option, tell you who it’s best suited for, and even compare them directly to eBay.

Overview of eBay Alternatives:

There are lots of places online where you can sell things, each with its own way of doing things. Some are great for sellers; some are more focused on buyers. Some are for specific types of products, while others let you sell almost anything. With so many choices, finding the right alternative to eBay can be tricky.

Before we look at other popular places to sell online, let’s take a moment to talk about when it might be a good idea to switch to a different platform.

Why Do Sellers Often Look for Options other than eBay and What are the Common Platforms they Choose?

Every business needs to make money to survive, and that goes for online stores too. eBay is a popular online marketplace, but it only makes up about 3.5% to 4.7% of the American online market. This is relatively small compared to other options. Depending on what you’re selling, eBay might not attract the right buyers, and many sellers switch to other platforms when their eBay sales slow down.

So, when sellers on eBay aren’t making enough money, they often start looking at other places. This is especially true for sellers with new items because eBay is mostly known for selling used stuff.

But it’s not just about new items – sellers of secondhand and vintage things often prefer more specialized marketplaces. They might use these alongside eBay or completely switch over to them.

What are the Best eBay Alternatives?

1.      eWorldTrade: Connecting Businesses Together through a B2B Portal

eWorldTrade serves as a B2B platform and database connecting business professionals with wholesale suppliers for their stores. The platform has a lot of positive reviews with users praising its user-friendly interface and the ability to find reliable suppliers.

With approximately 500,000 registered users, eWorldTrade continues to expand its database of manufacturers and suppliers. For suppliers, there’s yearly fee they need to pay to be a part of the eWorldTrade community, ranging from $1499 to $7999. This fee allows them to showcase their products and connect with potential buyers.

This place is not only beneficial for sellers but also for buyers. Many users have shared positive experiences, highlighting their online journey with eWorldTrade was unique but effective. They were easily able to find and purchase quality products from reliable suppliers.

Comparison between eWorldTrade and eBay:

• eWorldTrade is B2B, focusing on business-to-business connections, while eBay is mainly business-to-consumer (B2C).
• eWorldTrade helps merchants find suppliers, while eBay serves as a selling platform for merchants.
• Suppliers on eWorldTrade pay a minimum fee of $1499 annually without guaranteed sales, while on eBay, sellers pay per item sold.

Who Would Benefit Most from eWorldTrade:

• Shop owners seeking wholesale suppliers for their businesses.
• Suppliers or manufacturers in search of new buyers.

Tips for Success on eWorldTrade:

• Clearly define the terms of your membership with eWorldTrade to avoid communication issues regarding pricing and conditions.
• If you’re a supplier, showcase your best products, especially if you’re on the basic plan ($1499/year), which allows you to display only 10 products.
• If you’re a buyer, exercise caution with suppliers, ensuring detailed due diligence and having all agreements documented.

2.      Facebook Marketplace: Making effective sales to target Audiences

Facebook is used by billions of people, so it makes sense for them to also have a place for selling things online. If you put your stuff on Facebook, there’s a higher probability of people in your target area seeing it.

Facebook Marketplace is kind of like eBay because most people sell used things. It’s a handy spot to get rid of stuff and reach people nearby. In the U.S., Facebook Marketplace has some extra features for serious sellers, making it sort of like having your own online store.

Whether you’re in the U.S. or somewhere else, people use Facebook Marketplace to sell both new and old stuff. It’s not as big as eBay or Amazon yet, but it’s getting there. So, if you want to use Facebook’s big audience, think about posting product listings on Marketplace.

Comparing Facebook Marketplace and eBay:

• Selling on Facebook Marketplace is free, while eBay charges fees.
• Facebook Marketplace is best for selling to local people, but eBay has customers all over the world.
• Some types of buyers, like those into antiques, might prefer eBay.
• Building a brand on Facebook Marketplace can be tricky unless you’re in the U.S., where you can sell through a Facebook Shop.
• Outside the U.S., payment negotiations are done on messenger. This can waste a lot of time while selling in larger volumes. eBay has a more streamlined payment process.

Who Should Use Facebook Marketplace?

• If you’re selling used stuff to people nearby, Facebook Marketplace is a good fit. Just stand on your grounds and be prepared for a lot of negotiations with buyers.
• If you’re in the U.S., you can use a special Facebook Shop to sell your things and reach more people.

Tips for Doing Well on Facebook Marketplace:

• If you have a bunch of used stuff, you can do well on this platform.
• Don’t price things too high, leave a margin for people to negotiate.
• Make your pictures look good because others might not.
• Describe your stuff well in the listing to reduce questions from buyers.

3.      Amazon:  Another Massive Marketplace Like eBay but more Affordable

Can you believe that Amazon started as an online bookstore? Now, it’s one of the most popular websites globally, selling millions of products in different categories.

Amazon is similar to eBay because many people trust it to buy things. But there’s a catch – fees are higher, and more sellers compete for attention. On Amazon, sellers with the same stuff are in a race to win the Buy Box.

Still, lots of people check out Amazon, so even if you get a small piece of the pie, it’s worth it. Amazon’s traffic is why it’s as profitable as eBay.

Amazon also has a cool feature – it suggests your stuff to buyers based on what they looked at before.

Comparison between Amazon and eBay:

• Amazon sells things almost instantly at fixed prices; eBay takes longer with auctions.
• Both let you list things for free, but they charge fees when you sell something.
• Amazon charges $0.99 per item plus 8%-15% of the sale; eBay charges $0.30 per item plus 12.9%.
• Amazon offers perks like fast shipping and good customer service; eBay lets sellers handle everything.
• If you use Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA), Amazon takes care of shipping, but eBay doesn’t have a similar service.

Who Should Think About Selling on Amazon?

• Anyone can sell almost anything on Amazon.
• It’s tough for small sellers because prices need to be low to compete.
• You need to offer good prices without compromising too much on your profits.

Tips for Doing Well on Amazon:

• Make sure to do thorough market research before investing time, energy, and capital into a product.
• You use analytical tools to find popular products with less competition.
• Stay updated with changing trends on the platform.

4.      Walmart: The New Player in the Game

Everyone’s familiar with Walmart, one of the largest retail corporations in the world. It has now become a big player in the eCommerce landscape.

Walmart Marketplace is where people can list and sell things for free. It’s a bit like Amazon and can be a good alternative to eBay.

You can leverage Walmart’s vast reach and customer base, and it doesn’t cost anything to get started. Walmart seems to be taking online selling seriously, so they might invest a lot in this over the next few years. Who knows, maybe in five years, everyone will wish they started selling on Walmart first?

Comparing Walmart Marketplace and eBay:

• Account is super easy to set up and has no maintenance fee. Only when a seller sells something successfully, they must pay a referral fee. (between 8% and 20%).
• There are no auctions; it’s just about saying a fixed price for your stuff.
• Depending on what you’re selling, you might have to compete with things that belong to Walmart, which might get more attention.
• Walmart’s online sales are not as much as eBay’s (and Amazon’s), but it’s still early.
• You might not make as much money because Walmart wants things to be sold at low prices, so everyone tries to lower their prices.

Who Should Think About Selling on Walmart?

• People who already have successful businesses and well-known brands.
• If you always wanted your product to be in Walmart stores, this could be a way to do it.
• It could also be good for new sellers who want more people to know about them.

Tips for Doing Well at Walmart:

• Make sure to provide your customers with good quality products at low prices.
• Provide good customer service and fast shipping.
• Ask customers for reviews – it can really help you do well on this site.

5.      Etsy: The Crafty Marketplace

Etsy is a great place to sell things online, especially if you make handmade items, vintage goods, or craft supplies. It started in 2005 as a small community in New York but has grown a lot since then, with millions of sellers and buyers. People like using Etsy because it’s easy, and it’s also quite profitable.

Etsy is all about unique and creative stuff, like handmade products and vintage items. They’ve added more categories recently, so even if you’re not sure, it’s worth checking if your items fit.

If you’re into selling cool home decor or crafting geeky things like costumes, jewelry, or accessories, Etsy is the perfect place for you.

Comparing Etsy and eBay:

• eBay lets you sell almost anything, while Etsy is more for handmade and vintage items.
• People come to Etsy for special and unique things, while eBay is more about big brands.
• Both charge fees, but Etsy charges $0.20 per item, and eBay lets you list up to 350 items for free.
• Etsy listings last four months, while eBay’s last only 30 days.
• Etsy charges a 5% fee on sales, and eBay charges 12.9% plus $0.30.
• eBay has more people visiting each month, but Etsy has caught up a lot in the last five years.

Who Should Use Etsy?

• If you make things by hand, sell vintage items, or have craft supplies, Etsy is perfect.
• If you create your own unique products, Etsy is a great place for you.
• Etsy is growing, so check out the categories; you might find a good opportunity.

Tips for Doing Well on Etsy:

• If you make your own things, try selling them on Etsy.
• If you want to sell things wholesale, read Etsy’s rules first.

Final Thoughts:

Every online marketplace comes with its unique strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, it’s crucial to explore various alternatives to eBay for sellers before making a decision.

There isn’t one perfect place for everyone. The good and bad parts of each place depend on what you sell and the kind of selling experience you want. So, make sure to do the required market search before you start selling. Good luck!