Side Hustling With OfferUp Vs. Craigslist: Which Is Best For You?

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By Jacob Maslow

Nowadays, people are always looking for ways to make money on the side. Side hustles come in many forms, from starting a blog to freelancing.

One of the most popular options is leveraging online marketplaces such as OfferUp and Craigslist.

These two online marketplaces allow individuals and businesses to buy and sell various items. Many individuals today have made a living using these consumer-to-consumer marketplaces, but people also use them for one-off sales.

Examples of this could include getting rid of old furniture or if someone is seeking a rare and hard-to-obtain item.

While both operate similarly, finding the right platform for you and your side hustle is important. Here, we will discuss some of the differences and the benefits of each so you can choose the best marketplace.

What Can You Sell on Offerup and Craigslist?

Both sites allow you to sell anything—from furniture to electronics, clothing, books, jewelry, collectibles, toys, and more.

There are many profitable side hustles you can start from home, and selling items like those mentioned above is a great option. It’s important to note that both sites have policies prohibiting the sale of certain items, including dangerous items like weapons, illegal substances, and potentially stolen goods.

Due to these policies and strict moderation, these sites are generally considered safe today.

However, it’s always wise to be cautious when using any selling platform like this.

Benefits of Using OfferUp For Side Hustles

OfferUp is an excellent platform for side hustles because it has many features that make buying and selling easier.

Ease of use for buyers and sellers will naturally be one of the more essential aspects of a platform, but there are plenty of other benefits, too.

Incredibly User-Friendly

First, we should address the tremendous user-friendly nature of OfferUp, as this is one of the primary benefits of using this platform.

The user interface is streamlined, making it easy for almost anyone. This naturally means that many people will use this platform compared to similar marketplaces, which will benefit you as a seller.

Easy Messaging System

It also has an easy messaging system that allows buyers and sellers to communicate quickly and effectively.

As a seller, in this case, having the ability to discuss a sale with a potential buyer and answer any critical questions they may have can make all the difference between a successful sale and a failed one.

Convenient Payment Options

The site offers a secure payment system that lets you receive payments quickly and securely via credit/debit cards, PayPal, or Cash App.

Knowing that there are many more options for people to purchase your items means that you will naturally make more sales on average than on a platform that might restrict buyers to using just PayPal or their credit/debit card, for example.

Buyer and Seller Protection

Offerup also has buyer and seller protection so users can shop confidently, knowing their transactions are safe.

However, this also means that you, as a seller, can feel much more confident that a buyer isn’t going to try to scam you.

Benefits of Using Craigslist For Side Hustles

Starting a small online business can be a great side hustle for students and young professionals. Craigslist is another excellent platform for side hustles, as it has many benefits.

It’s free to use, and the listings are visible to a broad audience of potential buyers.

Here are some reasons why Craigslist is still a handy marketplace platform for people looking to earn some extra cash.

Wide Audience Reach

With Craigslist, you can reach a much wider audience than with Offerup, as listings are visible to a larger audience of potential buyers.

This works great for those looking to sell on a larger scale, such as people starting dropshipping businesses.

Multiple Photos

You can also post multiple photos in your listing, giving potential buyers more information about the product and helping you increase your chances of selling faster.

The more information you provide to potential buyers, the more chance you have of convincing them to buy from you.

High-quality images are also important, as well as simply having multiple photos. Having poor-quality content and pictures on their website is one of the common website mistakes that small businesses make, so if you’re using a platform like this to operate your business, you should avoid this, too.

No Fees or Charges

Unlike other online marketplaces, Craigslist doesn’t charge fees or commissions for listings or sales.

This makes it attractive to side hustlers who want to keep costs low and maximize profit potential.

Overheads are often the bane of profits for small businesses. While you might save money by not hiring employees, you’ll likely not be selling as much as a more significant business and will still want to cut costs wherever possible.

That means finding a site that charges no fees on your sales is ideal.

What are the Differences Between OfferUp and Craigslist?

OfferUp has advantages over Craigslist, including posting more photos, secure payment options, buyer and seller protection, and a streamlined interface.

However, Craigslist’s advantage is its more significant audience reach, meaning you’ll likely make more sales on average with this platform.

It also has an easy messaging system, just like OfferUp, in which you can communicate effectively with potential buyers to answer any questions or arrange a pickup of the item.

OfferUp Vs. Craigslist: Which is Best For You?

Whether you choose OfferUp or Craigslist depends on your needs and goals. Create a handy checklist for starting your online business to help you identify which platform will be best for you.

If you’re looking for a platform where you can sell quickly and easily, then OfferUp may be the better option for you due to the platform’s quick and easy-to-use interface.

On the other hand, Craigslist could be the better option if you’re looking to reach a wider audience and maximize your profits with zero fees or charges.

Ultimately, you need to weigh up the pros and cons of both and figure out precisely what you want to use one of these platforms for.

Summarizing: OfferUp Vs. Craigslist

In summary, Offerup and Craigslist both offer excellent platforms for side hustles. Each forum has advantages and disadvantages you’ll need to consider before deciding which platform to use for your side hustle.

But remember that with any online platform like this, you should also endeavor to protect yourself from scams and take the appropriate precautions to protect yourself and your data.

FAQs

What should you avoid on OfferUp?
It would be best to avoid several things on OfferUp, including sharing confidential information like passwords and banking information. You should also avoid giving out personal contact information and use the official OfferUp chat service to communicate with buyers.

Is there anything better than OfferUp?
This all comes down to personal opinion and your needs for your side hustle. Craigslist might be better than OfferUp in some scenarios, whereas OfferUp might be better than Craigslist in others.

It’s important to always research every possible option before committing to one. You could also try at many platforms to find one that feels right.

What’s the best app to sell stuff on?
As stated, each selling platform has advantages and disadvantages, and no one platform is better than the rest. Please choose the right platform for you, whether Craigslist, OfferUp or any of the many other marketplaces on the web.

Images Courtesy of DepositPhotos