5 eBay Alternatives Worth Trying

I'm a huge fan of eBay. It's a major part of my life and my business, and I've made a great income from this online marketplace. However, I recognize that eBay has its limitations. For every person who succeeds on eBay, there's at least one who fails. However, that failure isn't (always) linked to a lack of business savvy. It's usually for one of these reasons: 

• eBay is highly competitive. There are tens of thousands of businesses operating on eBay. Many of these are small mom-and-pop stores, but quite a few are large retail companies you simply can't compete with if you are selling the same product. 
• eBay's feedback system can be brutal. If you get any negative feedback, it can be hard to make future sales
• Drop shipping on eBay can be difficult. PayPal often holds funds. This means when a buyer pays you, you cannot use the money to purchase from your drop shipper. You might have to wait 21 days to have your payment cleared, but you cannot expect your buyers to wait that long to have their items shipped! 

Many eBay alternatives have helped retailers start fantastic, profitable businesses, so why not give it a try yourself?

5 of the best eBay alternatives worth trying 

In no particular order, here are my favorite alternative places to sell your goods: 

1. Bonanza

Time and time again, Bonanza has won awards for ease of use and exceptional customer service, making it a wonderful place to sell. Here are more reasons why it's a favorite among many SaleHoo members: 

• Bonanza offers you free listings and low success fees. I love only paying fees when I actually make a sale. Don't you? 
• All Bonanza listings are automatically distributed to Google and Bing, making it easier for customers to find your products.
• Bonanza supports payments via PayPal, Checkout by Amazon and more.
• Import/export your existing listings from Amazon, Etsy and eBay. This makes it faster and easier to get started on Bonanza. 

Bonanza calls itself the place to find "everything but the ordinary" so it's best for you if you are selling something unique. It's not so great if you are selling generic items such as mainstream DVDs or common clothing brands. Quirky jewelry, decor, art, collectibles and books are popular categories.

Learn more about selling on Bonanza.

2. ArtFire

ArtFire is another "darling" among eBay alternatives, with a loyal following of ex-eBayers. Like Bonanza, it's best for anyone selling items with a little personality. Buyers come here for handmade items, collectibles, art, etc. ArtFire has won many awards and accolades; it even took first place in the 2011 Auction Bytes Seller's Choice Marketplace Awards. Here are some important things to know about selling on ArtFire:  

• Sell as much (or as little) as you like. Pay a flat rate of $12.95 per month with no other fees. 
• ArtFire has a 30-day money-back guarantee: Try it for 30 days and if you are not happy, get a full refund.
• The site has cool features such Sale Mode (so you can offer store-wide discounts), coupon code functionality and vacation mode (great if you want to go away and can't take orders for a few days). 
• Track your success with Google Analytics.
• Accept payments from Paypal, ProPay, Amazon Payments and Bill Me Later.

Learn more about selling on ArtFire.

3. SaleHoo Stores 

SaleHoo Stores buck the trend among eBay alternatives in that the marketplace is so diverse. With SaleHoo Stores, you can sell anything you want, not just unique and crafty items, and build your own loyal following of customers. SaleHoo Stores free you up from the 'marketplace grind' and allow you to create your own independent online store with no technical knowledge. Here's more of what you will love about SaleHoo Stores: 

• Choose from 75 beautiful themes. Change them as often as you like for free, to give your store a fresh new look.
• SaleHoo Stores come with built-in marketing tools to keep your customers buying from you again and again.  
• You can get a SaleHoo Store up and running in just minutes, and there's no experience needed.
• Exceptional customer support when you need it: Call, email or watch help videos for answers to any questions you might have.
• Easily import listings from eBay to save time on setup.
• All this and more from just $29 per month. That's less than $1 a day, and a LOT less than the fees you would pay on eBay for selling just one item. 

Learn more about SaleHoo Stores.

4. Rubylane

Rubylane, similar to Bonanza and ArtFire, is geared towards sellers who offer vintage items, collectibles and art. Here's what you need to know: 

• Rubylane has won awards for customer service, ease of use and profitability. 
• The average sale price on Rubylane is higher than some other marketplaces. 
• The site offers a fixed-price format — no auctions.
• The seller fees are reasonable, but kind of complicated. Get pricing information here. 
• Rubylane has lots of useful marketing and store tools, similar to ArtFire. 

Learn more about selling on Rubylane.

5. Amazon 

Amazon needs no introduction. The former online book store has expanded into the one of the most-visited websites in the world and gets significantly more traffic than eBay, but is it right for you? These quick facts will help you decide: 

• Thanks to Amazon's high levels of daily traffic, anything you sell on Amazon will get unmatched exposure. 
• Fees are a sore point on Amazon. They're extremely high (but possibly worth it). Get pricing information here. 
• It's just as competitive as eBay, so be prepared to work hard for sales.
• Amazon's product reviews can help or hinder your product sales. If what you are selling is sub-par, your buyers will tell other potential buyers, which will affect your sales. On the other hand, if your buyers love what they get, they'll reward you with good reviews, which will win over more customers. 

Learn more about selling on Amazon.

So which is right for you? As you may have noticed, the best eBay alternatives are generally geared toward sellers of anything unique or collectible. If you are like most people and selling more generic items such as clothing, accessories, DVDs, electronics and housewares, you might not do as well on ArtFire, Rubylane or Bonanza. That leaves Amazon and SaleHoo Stores. These are fantastic options and really, there is no reason why you can't try out both.

Call me biased, but I'll always rally for SaleHoo Stores, or any other independent online store option, for one good reason: When you sell on your own website, you build an asset.

Compare that to selling on Amazon, or any other marketplace, when you are working hard, but not really building a long-term standalone business with real-world value. Put it this way: if you are happy to earn a little pocket money each week, selling on a marketplace is probably the way to go. However, if you really want to build a business and build a future for yourself, you need your own online store. 

Try SaleHoo Stores, the Ultimate eBay Alternative