Difference between eBay and Craigslist
By now you’ve probably have heard of, visited, or made purchases on eBay and/or Craigslist, two of the most popular websites on the World Wide Web today. If you are in search of goods or services you are sure to stumble on one of these sites, or even both. eBay, of course, is one of the largest online auction sites, while Craigslist is a leader when it comes to online adposting. Both sites offer a wide range of services and items that normal people need.
Popularity
Since its founding in 1995, eBay has over 240 million users who registered either as seller or buyer and it gets millions of page views every day. It has earned an Alexa rating of 23.On the other hand, Craigslist was also founded in 1995 but was incorporated only in 1999. It has over 30 million users each month and around 25 million of those come from the United States alone. Around 30 million classified ads are posted by Craigslist users every month, generating millions of page views. It now has 450 sites in the US and elsewhere. Its Alexa rating is currently 37.
Features
When you are looking for the best deals on certain products, try searching at eBay. This site practically has everything you need and want – especially if the items you want is hard to find. The basic features of the site are all about buying and selling. It provides a profitable marketplace for sellers to bring their products to the world, and for buyers, the virtual environment enables them to find the best deals.Craigslist’s main features include advertising of products and services, finding job opportunities, finding local service workers, work at home and so on.
Safety
eBay makes use of a unique feedback system which buyers and sellers can utilize to post their comments and testimonials. Shopping at here is guaranteed to be safe. Paypal users are assured of the Buyer Protection program which covers up to $500. Non-Paypal users are also secured by the eBay Standard Purchase Protection Program providing coverage of up to $200. The site has also minimized the incidence of fraud in that it enables users to keep a close watch of the sites they visit, and warns them if the site has every indication that it is a fraud.In the case of Craigslist, you have to be a registered user first before you can post ads. Not only that, upon signing up you will be asked to enter the 2-word CAPTCHA correctly. Another CAPTCHA is required again if you want to post an ad. In this manner, you have to confirm your account through phone. Then before you can finally post your ad, you will be asked to enter correctly another CAPTCHA. This should prevent spammers and unscrupulous minds to abuse the site.
Summary
Whether you’re after goods or services, you can really benefit from either websites. The following attributes basically sum up the whole thing:
- Popularity – eBay has 240 million registered users in 2010 as compared against 30 million for Craigslist; eBay’s Alexa rating is 23 while for Craigslist, it’s 37.
- Features – eBay’s main features are buy and sell; Craigslist is generally an online classified ads site.
- Safety measures – eBay makes use of online feedback system, Buyer Protection program for Paypal users, and eBay Standard Protection Program for non-Paypal users. Craigslist on the other hand requires registration upon signing up, phone and CAPTCHA verification to ensure that the site is not abused.
