Is OfferUp a more efficient platform for selling items than Craigslist?
Like Craigslist, the free mobile app OfferUp lets you sell locally without leaving your house. Craigslist, which has been around since 1995, is a website for posting free classified ads. Is there a superior option, or are they both equally good?
For many years, people relied on Craigslist’s online classifieds to sell refurbished furniture and other household items. As a seller, people have made extensive use of OfferUp as well.
We will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Offerup in comparison to Craigslist. We will discuss the fundamentals of buying and selling items online, comparing and contrasting OfferUp and Craigslist as we go along. Both are abundant in substance, so choose the one that strikes the most chord with you.
Personal Protection
When it comes to securing your identity when you are selling products online, various websites provide varying degrees of protection. The processes used by Craigslist and OfferUp couldn’t be more unlike one another!
OfferUp: TruYou Verification
In contrast to Craigslist, OfferUp uses a user’s driver’s license & phone number to verify their identity. The software also supports signup through Facebook. After confirming your account, a badge will appear on your profile to let others know.
Although it’s not necessary, verifying your account is a terrific feature since it allows you to restrict your commercial dealings to those, who have shown proof of identity. Having this assurance while using the software is a huge plus.
Craigslist: Anonymity
Personal information need not be included in your Craigslist post; instead, the buyer may respond to the ad by email in complete anonymity; however, this method is hopelessly out of date. Items sell much more quickly when a phone number is included in the advertisement. Over the years of selling stuff, people have learned that only serious buyers will call.
The primary drawback of putting your phone number on Craigslist is that bots automatically harvest it and then use it for unsolicited telemarketing purposes. Your real phone number should never be published. The secret is to use letters and words instead of numbers.
OfferUp: Anonymity
One major perk of selling with OfferUp is the ability to remain anonymous. Like a dating app, the seller and the buyer remain anonymous during the sales process and any subsequent correspondence.
OfferUp: Buyers Rating
The vendor may give the purchaser a score. The star rating is then published on their user profile. If a customer has a high rating, it is easier to decide whether or not to make a sale. Only those with a confirmed profile and a high rating were eligible for offers from me.
Craigslist: Buyers Rating
As of the date of this assessment, Craigslist does not seem to have a star system in place. Never assume you know who you’re working with.
OfferUp: Posting Ads
In most cases, it will take you less than two minutes on your phone to create and publish an ad on the app. Easy peasy! Just take a photo of the item(s) you want to sell, upload it to the app, and provide a short description and asking price. As soon as someone makes a bid on your wares, you’ll get a quick notice complete with a “cha-ching” cash register sound effect.
Craigslist: Posting Ads
It takes more time on a mobile device to submit an ad to Craigslist. The process is simple on the computer, but you’ll need to snap pictures of your merchandise to post. Buyers frequently have to wade through what seems to be spam to uncover legitimate adverts.
Deals and Meetups
To make a sale, you must physically interact with the customer. However, there is one major difference between the two sites: Craigslist is more unreliable for arranging a meet-up. Anybody who’s ever made a sale on the platform would agree.
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Both: Get Ready for Low Ball Offers
People have had a lot of success selling things on OfferUp, but like Craigslist, the program is full of lowballers who disappear as soon as you make a counteroffer. On the other hand, many app users want to buy your stuff at a fair price. People have successfully sold many items using the app. Depending on where you reside, it has a sizable user base and enjoys widespread popularity. If you post an ad in a large city, much like on Craigslist, it will likely get a lot of views.
Both: Meeting for Sale
You may sell products locally via both OfferUp & Craigslist by agreeing on a meeting place with the buyer. If feasible, I would advise against having someone visit your house. Find a public spot to meet them throughout the day.
Only while selling furniture did people ever have a buyer visit my home, and even then, everything was moved outside beforehand, and the sale took place during the day.
After arranging plans using the app, people have never had somebody cancel on them. However, things are not that cut and dried on Craigslist. they dealt with many no-shows and flaky folks over the years. After some trial and error, users found that it’s best to offer folks a two- to the three-hour window rather than a whole day to pick up their stuff. They will turn up if they are serious.
Is It Still Useful to Post on Craigslist?
When using Craigslist, you may as well hop in a time machine and go back to 1998. Everything about the site remains the same year after year. The website is unattractive and completely outdated, but it is still a decent way to sell furniture locally. OfferUp is my top pick when comparing classified ad platforms due to its simplicity and quickness.
With Offer Up, user can put up an ad in under a minute. Moreover, user can check out previous purchasers’ feedback to weed out potential scammers. Also, they don’t particularly appreciate having my phone number or email address made public to do business.
The site nevertheless attracts a large audience despite its advanced age and the proliferation of competing marketplaces. Many people will view your ad when you submit it on the site. Whenever users posted advertising, they would start receiving answers within the hour.
Despite revisions to Craigslist’s ad posting policies, it still doesn’t cost anything for an individual to put up an ad. If you run a commercial enterprise engaged in the sale of goods, you will be expected to pay a fee.
Winner
There may be some shady merchants on Craigslist, but it’s worth it if you can deal with that. Use OfferUp if you’re a frequent seller who wants to build a name for themselves among buyers. It’s fantastic for frequent users since it’s so simple to use.
