Are you tired of eBay fees? Well keep reading because I am about to introduce to you eBay’s shy cousin who likes to stay out of the limelight.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
- eBid offers lower fees compared to eBay, with no listing fees and lower final value fees.
- eBid has significantly less traffic and user base compared to eBay, impacting visibility and sales.
- eBid's user experience is mixed, with some praising its simplicity and others criticizing its navigation and customer service.
- eBid is a legitimate platform, but it comes with its own set of challenges, including lower traffic and customer service issues.
The Alternative to eBay: What is eBid?
(source: eBid)
eBid is a British online auction site that's been around since 1999.
It offers both auction-style and fixed-price listings across various categories, from antiques to electronics.
eBid aims to be a low-cost alternative to eBay and operates globally.
eBid vs. eBay Traffic & Audience
One of the biggest differences between eBid and eBay is traffic.
eBay is a giant, with around 135 million active users and 1.7 billion listings. That’s a ton of eyeballs on your stuff!
eBid, on the other hand, gets about 8 million visits a month and has 3.8 million active listings. Respectable, sure, but not quite eBay-level.
So, if you're in a rush to sell, you might find eBid a tad slow.
eBid vs. eBay Fees: Which is better for sellers?
(source: eBid)
Here’s where eBid really shines—its fee structure.
eBay can be a wallet-drainer with insertion fees, final value fees, and upgrade fees. It feels like they charge you for breathing!
eBid, however, has no listing fees and only charges a final value fee, as low as 2% if you’re on the right membership level. It’s like a breath of fresh air for your bank account.
eBid vs. eBay: Seller & Buyer Experience
Setting up my account on eBid was a breeze. No hoops to jump through, no endless forms to fill out. Within a few minutes, I was good to go.
I listed a few items I had lying around—some trendy jewelry, a couple of old self-improvement books, and a quirky Shiba ceramic diffuser I bought on a whim (don’t ask).
I did hit a snag or two. The listing process isn’t as intuitive as eBay’s. You have to dig a bit to find the options you want.
But hey, nothing worth having comes easy, right?
Plus, it gave me a chance to brush up on my patience skills.
What Do Sellers Say About eBid?
Selling on eBid, on the other hand, is a mixed bag.
While some vendors boast reduced fees and successful sales, others claim lower traffic and visibility.
Visibility Issues
Your listing on eBay has the potential to be seen by thousands of people, especially if you are paying for ads.
But on eBid, not so much.
Now, this might be good news for niche sellers, as the right buyers might be more easily found.
However, for some common items or hot, trendy items, the reduced traffic can mean longer wait times for sales.
eBid User Interface
(source: eBid)
In one of my blog articles about Mercari vs. eBay, I wrote about my experience with listing on eBay:
“Overwhelming is an understatement when describing eBay's listing process. Creating a listing is a long and daunting process if you’re not used to the platform.”
If you think eBay’s platform gives off this 2000-ish vibe, wait until you see eBid. It definitely takes you back in your Myspace days. Well, at least for me.
When I was trying to list my Shiba ceramic diffuser on eBid, I honestly almost didn’t finish it. Patience is definitely the theme in this blog post.
What Do Buyers Say About eBid?
Based on the reviews I found on forums and other sites, the buyer experience is generally not great.
And yes, there are always going to be bad apples in every marketplace, ruining the experience for both buyers and sellers.
However, other marketplaces, including eBay, have checks and balances i.e. customer support.
The recurring complaints online about eBid are poor customer service, difficulties with returns, and account issues.
Is eBid Legitimate and Worth It?
Yes, eBid is a legitimate marketplace that has been around since 1999.
In fact, they’ve been in this e-commerce game for so long that they’ve kept the 90s website design vibe on their platform. I’m kidding. Kind of.
Now, is it worth cross-listing your items to eBid? Well, that’s a different story (more in this below).
Should You Use eBid or eBay?
If you absolutely hate eBay (yes, I know ‘hate’ is such a strong word) and your items are already cross-listed in other marketplaces, such as Poshmark, Mercari, etc., then yes, I would add eBid to my marketplace arsenal.
BUT if your items are not cross-listed in multiple marketplaces and you can only select one dedicated marketplace to sell on, then no, for the love of Jeeves, do not select eBid.
If anything, I would rather have you choose Mercari if eBay is not an option for you.
I’ve written a comprehensive blog about why Mercari is better than eBay.
Final Thoughts on eBid vs. eBay
As a part-time reseller of everyday items (non-vintage, super rare niche items), adding eBid to my marketplace arsenal does not make sense.
For two main reasons:
- eBid lacks market awareness, it’s just not a well-known platform.
- It was not a good use of my time: I had to manually list my items on eBid.
If you’re not crosslisting your items to well-known marketplaces, you’re seriously leaving money on the table.
The best way to learn about crosslisting is to sign up for Vendoo’s free trial, which will unlock effortless selling on eBay and other major marketplaces.
