The slang phrase used to describe the growing number of online marketplaces
that provide selling channels that does not include eBay,
the top number one ranked marketplace in terms of traffic.
In a general sense of the phrase, because eBay has long been ranked as the top
selling channel, all others can be called an alternative to it, much in the same
way that people tend to refer to any operating system that is not
Microsoft Windows, an alternative operating
system.
The term eBay alternative is used when describing a non-eBay
Web site that offers services similar to eBay, such
as auction and fixed price listings and hosted storefronts, but it is also used
when describing a marketplace that offers classified ads and other types of
selling services. The sites that make up the vast and constantly growing list of
eBay alternatives are loosely grouped into two categories; those that can offer
online sellers a high Web site traffic number (which
equates to a larger number of sales) and those that are smaller and serve fewer
numbers of buyers and sellers on their site. In many instances, when referencing
the first group, they may be referred to as viable eBay alternatives.
The larger alternative sites are generally more firmly established marketplaces
that are corporate-owned. These channels, like eBay, are more expensive than
other, smaller, alternatives to use as a selling platform. However, they are
highly trafficked sites with millions to tens of millions of visitors each
month, making them more appealing to larger sellers and merchants. Some sellers
will use these alternative channels in connection with their eBay business.
These types of channels are used by B2C (business-to-consumer) and C2C (consumer-to-consumer) sellers
and merchants. While not a complete list, some examples of this type of eBay
alternative includes; Amazon, craigslist, Etsy, Kijiji, PriceGrabber
(storefronts) and others.
Some people, however, do not consider the corporate-owned bigger marketplaces
when using the phrase eBay alternative, despite the fact that these are a more
viable and financially stable (or financially backed) alternative to eBay for
online sellers and merchants.
For many, the phrase eBay alternative is used in reference only to the many
smaller online auction sites and niche-focused marketplaces. These sites usually
promote their services specifically as an alternative to eBay, with lower and
fewer fees and policies, and many were started by ex-eBay sellers who opposed
fee increases and corporate policy changes at eBay. These sites typically bring
in traffic ranging from a thousand or so monthly visitors up to hundreds of
thousands of visitors monthly. They rely on attracting sellers who take issue
with fee and policy changes on eBay and the larger alternative sites.
This type of eBay alternative tends to appeal mostly to the online sellers who
do not sell online full-time; casual, lower-volume, and hobby sellers looking
for a community-oriented marketplace to buy, sell and trade online. Few of these
sites use proprietary backend systems, but rather are created using an
off-the-shelf software product or script (like PHP Pro Bid, Active Auction Pro,
or rwAuction Pro). While not a complete list, some examples of this type of eBay
alternative includes Webidz, PlunderHere, Blujay, iOffer and many other niche
category and auction-based sites. These types of marketplaces are used most
frequently for C2C sales.
See
Online Auction Abbreviations in the
Quick Reference section of
Webopedia.
