Top 10 Facebook Marketplace Alternatives in 2024

While Facebook Marketplace is a fantastic platform for selling & buying second-hand goods and consumer-to-consumer (C2C) transactions, it isn't as all-encompassing as we'd like.

Whether you are a seller or buyer, you can try out one of the other plentiful online marketplace platforms.

So today, we've made a list of the 10 best Facebook Marketplace alternatives to find the perfect platform for you!

Part 1: Brief Overview of Facebook Marketplace Alternatives

Here is a brief overview of these Facebook Marketplace alternatives:

Part 2: Top 10 Alternatives to Facebook Marketplace

Below is the detailed review of these alternatives to Facebook Marketplace.

1eBay

First up we have one of the OGs of the online marketplace, eBay. eBay needs no introduction and while you might not have browsed their selection lately, it's got almost anything you could possibly think of.

For buyers, this is a great deal since you can find anything on eBay from electronics, collector items, antiques, furniture, toys, and much more. For sellers, you can create incredibly expansive catalogs of items that know no limits and can reach a global audience.

However, while this is a good thing, this can also be its downfall with so many competitors on a global stage.

Niche Market: General marketplace for all kinds of goods

Unique Feature: Auction-style purchasing with real-time bidders

Commission Fees: 2.35% - 15% of final sale price (Dependent on item type)

My Experience: Ebay is a popular platform used by worldwide people, and it has a strict security policy, so I feel safe and happy shopping on eBay.

2OfferUp

OfferUp is a local marketplace-focused platform that allows users to find and sell used items and goods. It offers a great variety of item categories from furniture, and electronics, to cars, clothes, and everything in between.

It focuses on users to perform in-person transactions but also has the option to ship items within the U.S. Sellers on the platform also have 'unique' seller profile pages so that users can see reviews on the seller and check their reputation within the community.

Niche Market: Local marketplace for used items & goods

Unique Feature: Community marketplace with user ratings & profiles

Commission Fees: No fees for in-person transactions; 12.9% for shipped items + shipping fees

My Experience: The app works fine and I can search for secondhand items I need. But there are ads that are a little bit annoying.

3Etsy 

Etsy is your one-stop shop to sell and purchase handmade goods, crafts, and vintage items. It has an incredibly supportive and inclusive community of artisans and DIY crafters with a unique catalog of items you won't find anywhere else.

With a focus on a platform for independent creators, it's a great place to buy and sell gifts, personalized goods, and more. Etsy also supports international shipping so you're not limited to local marketplaces.

Niche Market: Handmade, crafts, & vintage items

Unique Feature: Variety of handmade & unique one-of-a-kind product catalogs

Commission Fees: 6.5% of the sale price + $0.20 per listed item

My Experience: This is a nice site, especially for unique artisan products not easily found elsewhere. Moreover, Etsy offers various customer services that bring convenience to both sellers and buyers.

4Mercari

Mercari is another fantastic community-driven marketplace that has a great variety of categories to buy and sell.

Most products on Mercari are second-hand goods and the user interface is clean and simple enough for most users. It's also got an avid user base and you'll also find plenty of deals for collectible items.

However, the description and the condition of the listed items can be hit or miss depending on your location so that's something to look out for before purchasing.

Niche Market: General marketplace for second-hand goods

Unique Feature: User-friendly interface & listing process

Commission Fees: 2.9% of transaction price + $0.50 fee

My Experience: Mercari is easy for both sellers to sell and buyers to buy. It has an intuitive interface on both the website and the app. I wish the app can offer live chat to handle with customer support, instead of using emails.

5Craigslist

Next up we have the notorious Craigslist, which is usually the butt of many jokes in popular sitcoms, but in reality is a dependable and vast 'local classifieds' style marketplace geared toward local communities.

You can post essentially anything on Craigslist to purchase or request; from roommates, and products to services, and jobs. The best part is most transactions on Craigslist are free so it's an affordable place to sell on.

Niche Market: Focus on 'local classifieds' for selling products, services, jobs, & more

Unique Feature: Simple & direct platform for any kind of buying/selling

Commission Fees: Mostly free except for certain categories like job postings/services

My Experience: Craigslist sells a vast variety of goods on the platform. It's not the goods, but the app itself. The app is kind of glitchy, and I can't select the specific city to search for items.

6Nextdoor

Nextdoor is a local-community-driven marketplace that allows your neighborhood to collate and sell items to your neighbors. This supports both individual users and local businesses and has a stringent approval process, so it's a trustworthy platform to try out.

However, with the focus on being 'local', if your community doesn't use Nextdoor, you won't find much use out of their platform.

Niche Market: Focus on local/neighborhood transactions with users & businesses

Unique Feature: Verified neighbors-only platform

Commission Fees: Free

My Experience: Nextdoor is amazing because it not only allows shopping on the platform, but also helps me discover local neighbor events and connects with people.

7Swappa

If you're looking for a reliable platform to buy or sell your used electronics like smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, watches, cameras, and more, Swappa is one of the premier marketplaces to check out.

With a focus on tech gadgets, you'll find an abundance of good-condition electronics for sale. The approval process for the site is stringent, so you can trust that products sold on the platform are reliable.

But with a focus on tech, you won't find much else, even if the platform itself is a reputable marketplace to use which is a big downside.

Niche Market: Tech-focused marketplace with great selection of used goods

Unique Feature: for smartphones, it verifies IMEI numbers to ensure the devices are not reported, lost, stolent, or under financing obligations

Commission Fees: 3% fee for buyers/sellers based on listing/sold price

My Experience: Swappa is a great app if you want to sell and buy secondhand eletronic products, such as smartphones, iPads, tablets, or smartwatches. The app is slightly different from the website, because the website has some categories that the app doesn't have.

8Poshmark

Poshmark is one of the premier online marketplaces for all things fashion and clothing. This includes new and used items so you can easily find bargains for cheap while keeping up with the latest trends.

Poshmark also has some fantastic 'social' selling features like Posh Parties, which are real-time events that have select themes where you can find items like activewear, casual clothes, dresses, etc in one place.

However, for sellers, Poshmark is a hard sell since all items above $15 will incur a heavy 20% fee which can add up pretty quickly depending on your inventory.

Niche Market: Focus on fashion items, clothing, accessories, etc

Unique Feature: 'Social' shopping features like 'Posh Parties' & 'Trends'

Commission Fees: $2.95 flat fee for transactions under $15 / 20% for items priced $15 or higher

My Experience: I can buy goods with an up to 70% discount, which is really attracting. I had some trouble while using the app, but the customer service was overall good to help me out.

95miles

Next up we have another solid general marketplace with a focus on local community transactions, 5miles.

Originally, the concept of 5miles was for users to find and sell to others within a 5-mile radius but has since expanded its range to include shipping nationally.

5miles has a great variety of categories to segment their products and even includes jobs and services so you can arrange for cleaning services, find renters, or even gigs. The downside is 5miles isn't as popular as other options on the list, so your mileage may vary depending on your location.

Niche Market: General second-hand marketplace for local/national goods

Unique Feature: Idenfity verification and user ratings to help increase trust

Commission Fees: 10% of total order amount

My Experience: I like this app, because it is simple and straightforward to use. Its chat feature is also intuitive for me to negotiate. But there are ads in the app.

10ThredUp

Lastly, we have another fashion-focused online marketplace, ThredUp that positions itself as an 'online thrift store'. For buyers, ThredUp is a fantastic place to find great deals on second-hand fashion items for women, men, and kids.

The process for sellers is pretty unique too, since you have to send ThredUp your items for them to photograph, list, and ultimately sell. You then get paid for the items that sell so it's a hands-off selling process.

The site also features incredibly detailed descriptions of the product and condition with professionally photographed product shots. However, for sellers, the process can take upwards of 4-8 weeks before your products are approved and start selling which is a downside.

Niche Market: Online 'thrift' store for second-hand fashion items

Unique Feature: Highly detailed descriptions of item condition

Commission Fees: Percentage received dependent on item price

My Experience: I love using ThredUp and it helps me find great deals easily on the platform. There are lots of brands and daily new arrivals. I can even set up notifications to let me know when the item is in new sale.

Part 3: Tips to Use Online Marketplaces

For Sellers

Create Detailed Listings

Make sure to include all relevant information including dimensions, colors, etc as well as accompanying photos.

This helps users gain a sense of trust and are more likely to purchase from your shop.

Research Market Prices

Make sure the products are inline with the other products listed on the market and take into account any price fluctuations. If the product is in demand, you can sell it for higher, if not, maybe set a discount to gain new customers.

Respond Promptly

Another important aspect is to keep your customers engaged by responding to queries or inquiries about their orders. It has been proven that online shoppers value and trust sellers who respond to them promptly.

Leverage AI

To upscale your online shop, consider using AI. You can use AI to help with your product description and tagging, and manage your daily messages acting as customer support.

ChatInsight AI allows you to create an AI chatbot without coding, and based on your company, service, or product information. And it can respond to customer inquiries and post-sales problems any time, anywhere, in any language.

For Buyers

Verify Authenticity

The first thing you want to do before completing any online transaction is to verify the authenticity of the product and the merchant. Don't purchase from sellers with no reviews or low ratings.

Additionally, keep in mind the price of the product you are purchasing. If it's much lower than the market rate and seems 'too good to be true', it most likely is.

Communicate Clearly

If you're buying second-hand, make sure to close on a deal within the app to certify any negotiations on the marketplace platform. Don't take the seller's word for any deals made verbally or off-platform as in most cases, these could be scams.

Stay Safe

Our last tip is mainly related to in-person transactions.Meet in public and crowded places (malls, parks, metro stations, etc.) during the day to keep yourself safe from any potential crimes.

Part 4: Final Words

There are a plethora of online marketplaces to choose from for both used and brand new goods and you're not beholden to using just one. Shop around and try each site to see which fits you best.

If you're a seller, consider platforms that allow transactions locally for second-hand goods since these are typically more affordable in the long run, especially if you're just looking for a place to unload stuff you don't use anymore.

The post Top 10 Facebook Marketplace Alternatives in 2024 first appeared on www.airdroid.com.