I’ve discussed many times in the past about how you can make money from the comfort of your own home. One of the tips I discussed is that you can sell some of the stuff in your house on Ebay or Craigslist. After all, there’s no point in throwing out your children’s old clothes, because they’ve simply outgrown them. So, if you’ve went through your home and you have some stuff you want to get rid of, I’m going to give you a list of pros and cons for both Ebay and Craigslist. That way, you’ll have a better idea of which service you should go with.

Ebay:

Pros:

• People will get in “bidding wars” for your items, which means more money for you.
• There’s a time limit that you’re able to set for your items.
• People can make quick payments through Ebay. Usually, you’ll get paid for your item the same day someone wins the auction.
• Ebay gives you an unlimited reach. Basically, the whole world will have the chance to view and bid on your item.
• You can set a reserve price on your items. That way, you don’t have anyone offering you something insulting.

Cons:

• Ebay does charge fees once your item has been sold.
• Buyers can leave you feedback, which can be devastating if you get a negative feedback.
• There’s a decent bit of fraud that goes on at Ebay and Ebay isn’t known for protecting sellers.
• It’s more difficult to sell larger items on Ebay.

Craigslist

Pros:

• You’ll be able to sell large items on Craigslist, because people will be able to come pick them up themselves.
• You’ll typically receive cash when people come to pick up items.
• The transaction will take place face to face, so you know who you’re dealing with and you don’t have to worry about them ripping you off. Plus, if anything did go wrong, you could always call your local police.
• There are no fees to make a listing on Craigslist.
• Typically, you will be able to get more money out for your items.

Cons:

• Typically, you’ll be limited to only selling to people in your local area.
• People may email you and tell you they want an item, but they don’t show up.
• You could have unknown people come to your home.
• People will definitely try to haggle the price with you.
• It can take longer to sell your item on Craigslist.

At the end of the day, you can pick whichever site sounds the best to you. Just look over the pros and cons and figure out which is more suitable for your needs. Personally, I would suggest that you try both services to figure out which one works the best for you. That way, you get an understanding for both.

SAFETY TIP

If you sell items through Craigslist to someone you don’t know, you should try to meet with them in a public settling and make the transaction there. If it’s a larger item, you’ll probably have to have them come to your house to pick it up. In this case, I’d suggest having a friend over, so you’re not alone.