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The time comes in every adult's life--provided you're not the sort of person who ends up being featured on "Hoarders: Buried Alive"--when you realize that you're in possession of one or more items that 1) you don't need and 2) you could probably sell for a tidy profit. While there are definitely times when a yard sale might pay off, if you only have a few things to sell, it makes more sense to just sell those items by advertising them individually. But what's the best avenue?
Today we're looking at eBay when it comes to selling your unwanted stuff.
Convenience. This is one point where I see no clear winner between the two; it depends on your personal preference. Listing items on either Craigslist or eBay can be done from the comfort of your home, and only you know if you find meeting with potential buyers more or less annoying than taking a trip to the post office.
Anonymity. Point to eBay for allowing you to, essentially, conduct a transaction more or less anonymously if you wish. I've never had to talk to anyone on the phone when using eBay, whereas lots of Craigslist folks expect a phone number and a person to talk to. Plus you'll need to either let prospective buyers come to your house or arrange to meet them somewhere, which can be nervous-making for those of us who are a little paranoid.
Fees. Two points to Craigslist here: first, for being completely free to use, and second, because you'll be conducting your transaction in person (avoiding Paypal fees).
Crowd-drive profit increase. Point to eBay's auction model for allowing you to earn top dollar on in-demand items. It sometimes happens that you unwittingly make a lot of money on something on eBay if the market demand supports it. With Craigslist, you set your price and hope someone bites. In general (not always), you will make a larger profit on eBay. (But then you have to figure out if the fees eat that extra profit.)
Profit (and hauling) even on large items. Point goes to Craigslist, here, as selling large/heavy items on eBay is often difficult as folks factor in the shipping costs. It's true that you can specify "local pick-up only" on eBay, but most folks there are looking for shipping, while everyone on Craigslist is expecting you to expect pick-up.
Bottom line: As a seller, there are good reasons to use Craigslist and good reasons to use eBay. You may wish to decide which one to use on a case-by-case basis depending on what you're selling.
(What's that---you say you're looking to buy rather than sell, and want the 411 on that? Next time we'll break down the skinny as a buyer, instead.)
Image courtesy of stock.xchng
Last time I gave you the breakdown on eBay vs. Craigslist if you were looking to sell your unwanted items;