I know, it’s hard to believe, but some people just don’t use Craigslist. “Really?” I hear you ask. “Never?”
Never. In some places – such as the US, and Manila – classifieds posters flock to Craigslist. But in some countries, such as Australia, Craigslist categories are nearly empty. Why?
- not enough people know about it
- posters are put off by the cluttered, no-frills layout
- people want to keep listings local
- sometimes, legitimate posts get flagged, which can be frustrating for posters
If you’re not an avid Craigslister, or you just want to check out a few other classifieds venues, you have a lot of options.
Other National Sites
Kijiji
If you’re still interested in listing or searching nation-wide sites, start with Kijiji. Owned by eBay (which, incidentally, also owns 25% of Craigslist), Kijiji has a nice, simple interface (very similar to eBay’s), and most classifieds postings generate at least two or three responses. Add to that broader category listings (including pets), an easy-to-use email notification signup (simpler than the Craigslist RSS feed) and the lack of erroneous flagging, and you have something akin to Craigslist 2.0.
eBAY
Although not strictly a classifieds site, eBay is useful for anyone using classifieds to track down a bargain. To keep listings local, make sure you select “pick up only” and set a distance in the left hand toolbox.
Gumtree
For a similar experience to Craigslist, there’s Gumtree. With sites in the UK, Asia, Australia and the US, it’s set up in a similar fashion to Craigslist, but with a simpler interface, and easy to manage user accounts.
(For more classifieds sites by country, check out the list below.)
What about more local listings?
Nation-wide searches not your thing? Instead of looking for general classifieds, think about what you’re actually looking for, and target a specific service-oriented site. If you’re looking for onsite freelance work, for instance, try searching for a local freelance job board. If you’re after a dog-walking service, try googling “dog walking” and your location. Although these searches do sometimes turn up national sites, the specificity of the service helps you keep your focus.
Not local enough? Check out your local newspaper, in print and online, and those free magazines or penny savers in on-street paper boxes. Many penny-savers now have basic online content as well.
Finally, check your city’s town site for a list of relevant community listings. Not sure where to start? Even a simple search, such as “your city local site” or “your city community” will return useful results.
Classifieds Sites by Country
Want a few more places to start? Listed below are a few useful classifieds sites by region.
CANADA
BuySell.com
Classifieds at Canada.com
Kijiji Canada
UNITED KINGDOM
Gumtree
Tap That
Hallo London
Adzooks
Viva Street
USA
Alaska’s List
Matchifieds
Village Voice Classifieds
Michiana.com
Classifieds at Boston.com
By Peta Andersen
May 11, 2009
© Daype Inc.