Why is it free to list on Gumtree, Wallapop, and others?

The question arises from many a seller regarding the cost of listing an item for sale online. Why should I pay fees to sell my items to the world? Logically a free sale would be fantastic, but it is not really viable. A lot of the time if something is free to use there will always be a few problems here and there.

Gumtree is the leader in classifieds sites today in the UK. It has a very simple format, and is easy to understand. However due to it’s lack of regulation, it is a site which is plagued by spammers, time-wasters, and non-serious traders. Therefore it for the most part, ends up becoming a bit of a nightmare to use.

Wallapop is very similar to Gumtree, however it uses geo-proximity as it’s unique selling point. It is a great way to sell locally, and potentially rapidly. In a similar vain to Gumtree, this app has also had a few issues regarding problematic customers/sellers. More specifically the app currently has an in-built chat functionality which has meant that users have reported being harassed and stalked.

The concluding remarks surrounding free listing sites is that with the lack of cost comes the following: a smaller less-competitive marketplace; lower sales prices; a lack of secure transactions; no guaranteed sales; no seller protection; an potential increase in wasted time. As the old saying goes: “you get what you pay for”.