Our Top 12 Online Actions in Australia that Aren’t eBay

Looking for an eBay alternative? If you’re tired of the fees and penalties it may be time to venture beyond and explore a world teaming with [pause for effect] other online marketplace platforms. They’re out there, and there’s more money to be made than ever.

While eBay Australia continues to reign supreme in the online retail and eCommerce realm down under, its high fees and other issues have sparked a quest for alternatives among its user base. So the first piece of good news is you’re not alone. On top of that, we’re here to tell you that there is a vibrant treasure trove of alternatives tailor-made for Australian sellers and buyers.

Your dropshipping dreams don’t have to stay in a world of pure imagination. If you want to learn more about each platform, read on.

If you simply want to see a side-by-side comparison of marketplace costs and fees, we can help you out there too.

1. Amazon

This vast online marketplace is perhaps one of the most like eBay, although without the option of an auction-style listing. Today, more than 40% of Amazon’s reported unit sales come from third-party sellers rather than the online retailer itself. Although competition can be high, you’ll also enjoy a huge customer base. One of the benefits of selling on Amazon is that the site is well-regulated and a trusted source for buyers due to their secure platform and buyer protection.

If you want to sell items on Amazon, you can choose between becoming an individual seller (fewer than 40 items per month) or a professional seller (more than 40 items per month.) Both tiers have separate fees and benefits.

How does Amazon compare to eBay?

• Amazon is like eBay in that they’re both large marketplaces with a huge variety of products.
• Unlike eBay, Amazon is not an auction site, and offers a more traditional retail model with fixed prices.
• Listing on Amazon is free, with a $0.99 charge per sale, plus commission. eBay charges you per listing in addition to the commission.

Who is Amazon most suited for?

Much like eBay, Amazon is suitable for just about anyone trying to sell products online due to the huge diversity of products available. Perhaps you could dropship health products, pet supplies, electronics. You could sell almost anything! The challenge is remaining competitive in such a vast market, so it’s important to get your prices right and make sure you’re selling the right products.

2. Etsy

If you sell vintage or handmade items, Etsy is the perfect platform for you. Customers shop Etsy for unique and one-of-a-kind items rather than name brands, and their secure system and payment options make Etsy a trusted source for both buyers and sellers. Setting up an Etsy seller’s account is free, and all sales are subject only to a $0.20 USD listing fee.

How does Etsy compare to eBay?

• While you can sell just about anything on eBay, Etsy is designed for the sale of vintage and handmade items.
• The majority of Etsy’s products are handmade by vendors.
• Etsy’s listing fees are cheaper, at $0.20 per listing, and last up to 4 months, compared to eBay’s 10-30 day listings.

Who is Etsy most suited for?

Etsy is perfect for vendors who sell handmade or vintage items or crafting supplies and resources. If you have your own unique product to sell, Etsy is for you.

3. CQout

Much like eBay, CQout is an online auction site and marketplace that boasts a range of sellers in over 80 countries. Sellers on QCout don’t have to worry about listing fees, but a percentage is taken from each sale. All sellers are subject to a validation process during registration to ensure they are reliable and legitimate.

How does CQout compare to eBay?

• This international online marketplace offers both auction-style listings as well as “buy now” pricing options, much like you’ll find on eBay.
• Unlike eBay, CQout sellers enjoy zero listing fees.

Who is CQout most suited for?

Touting their reputation as the “Most Trusted Online Auction Site,” CQout is an attractive eBay alternative for online retailers who want to avoid the high competition of larger platforms, but still, want to maintain an international audience.

4. GraysOnline

With categories ranging from jewelry to boats, GraysOnline is the largest industrial and commercial auction site in Australia. Items are auctioned directly from distributors and manufacturers seeking to liquidate assets and dispose of excess stock. The site offers a number of protections to buyers such as 30-day returns and extended warranties, making GraysOnline a trusted source in Australia, New Zealand, and southeast Asia.

How does GraysOnline compare to eBay?

• While eBay offers a range of product categories, GraysOnline is a niche-based marketplace that focuses on commercial and industrial assets and excess stock.
• GraysOnline offers a number of unique benefits to sellers that aren’t available on eBay, including valuation and project management services.

Who is GraysOnline most suited for?

GraysOnline is designed for sellers who have large industrial equipment, machinery, restaurant equipment, and likewise stock that they need to sell online. You’ll also do well selling fine jewelry, appliances, furniture, and other high-end items.

5. ASOS Marketplace

A UK-based online retailer, ASOS Marketplace offers the ability to open an online boutique for new and vintage styles for twenty-something fashion lovers. Boasting a global audience, personal Account Manager, and editorial coverage across the ASOS website and social media channels, the ASOS Marketplace is a great opportunity for selling clothing online. One unique aspect of the ASOS Marketplace is the ability to edit and customize your own storefront and boutique blog, allowing you to create better brand recognition and connect with your customers.

An ASOS boutique costs £20 per month and 20% commission per sale. Sellers must maintain a minimum of 15-20 styles at a time.

How does ASOS compare to eBay?

• While eBay boasts a huge variety of item categories, ASOS Marketplace is exclusively for clothing items.
• Unlike eBay, ASOS provides a customizable storefront and blogging feature.

Who is ASOS most suited for?

If you’re a fashion retailer looking to build your brand online, ASOS Marketplace is for you. The personalization options are a must-have for anyone serious about their brand recognition, and you’ll enjoy added perks such as an Account Manager to help build the success of your online boutique.

6. BidMate

Available since 1997, BidMate is an online auction site like eBay, but is exclusively for Australian buyers and sellers. The auction platform has zero listing fees (unless you want to boost your listing’s exposure) and a flat rate sales fee of 2.49%. All shops are free for the first 100 items and only $1 per month for up to 500 items.

How does BidMate compare to eBay?

• BidMate offers a wide range of product categories comparable to eBay, and a similar auction-style setup.
• BidMate allows for multiple payment options, while eBay requires the use of Paypal as a primary payment method.
• BidMate is exclusively made for an Australian market.

Who is BidMade most suited for?

BidMate was made for Australian-based sellers who aren’t happy with eBay’s listing fees and high sales fees. Their flat rate fees and free listing options are a huge perk to new sellers trying to get their start in the online retail world.

7. Fishpond

Fishpond’s mission is to build the best place for consumers to buy online. On this Australian-based marketplace you’ll find books, music, beauty products, toys, jewellry, home decor products to sell and more. In addition to their huge selection, Fishpond offers free shipping on all items. Fishpond offers multiple options for people to sell their products online, whether you’re an online retailer looking for a new selling platform, or you just have some extra stuff lying around you’d like to sell.

How does Fishpond compare to eBay?

• As with eBay, Fishpond provides an online listing platform for a huge variety of categories.
• Fishpond offers more than standard listing and selling options, including the ability to ship your item to Fishpond directly and allow them to take care of the listing and sale.

Who is Fishpond most suited for?

Fishpond is a good option for established online retailers looking for an additional platform on which to list their items. Their Trade Account option allows you to set up an online store quickly and easily.

8. Bonanza

Once named the “most recommended” eBay alternative, Bonanza is an online marketplace that aims to help online retailers build their businesses by connecting them with customers and offering a simple, easy to use platform. They offer multiple seller’s tools such as automatic inventory imports for Shopify, eBay, and Amazon, multi-item editing capabilities, and customized marketing tools designed to save you time and hassle.

How does Bonanza compare to eBay?

• Both companies share a large variety of products, making the platform a great choice for almost any retailer.
• You’ll enjoy higher profit margins on Bonanza due to free listings and low sales fees.

Who is Bonanza most suited for?

Bonanza is a good marketplace for just about anyone who has something to sell online.

9. Quicksales

Quicksales is an online marketplace “for Australians, by Australians.” With only a monthly shop fee starting as low as $5, perhaps one of the biggest perks of Quicksales is their policy for zero listing and zero commissions fees. Categories range from cars and motorcycles to electronics, beauty products, home decor, clothing, and much more. Sellers are also able to take advantage of several verification processes that allow them to become a trusted seller and add credibility to their store.

How does Quicksales compare to eBay?

• Quicksales boats no listings fees and no commission; you just pay an ongoing monthly shop fee.
• Like eBay, Quicksales offers a wide range of product categories.

Who is Quicksales most suited for?

Online sellers who want to avoid high shipping fees and stick to an Australian market are encouraged to give Quicksales a try. Their policy for zero listing fees makes for a low-risk startup, and the extra vetting options can be a perk that attracts buyers to new shops.

10. eBid  

eBid is an international site with local versions available in 18 different countries, including Australia. This site gets a significant amount of traffic, has no listing fees, and takes only a small final value fee. The Happy Hour auction gimmick – 20 auctions running from 6-10 pm with no reserve – works well to draw in more buyers and is a great promotional tool for sellers. Like Oztion, eBid also has a rewards system for referrals, which is well worth checking out.

How does eBid compare to eBay?

• Both eBid and eBay have an auction-style format for listings.
• Although eBay enjoys more traffic, eBid is a cheaper alternative to eBay.

Who is eBid most suited for?

With free listings and a wide product range, eBid is perfect for someone looking for a more affordable alternative to eBay. You can do well on eBid if you aren’t afraid to take charge of your marketing efforts and drive your own traffic to your listings.

11. TradeMe

This immensely popular NZ site is open to Australian sellers and buyers. Although shipping between countries can potentially be expensive, judicious item selection and opening a business account with your shipper means TradeMe is a very profitable selling platform for many Australians.

With TradeMe you’ll face a basic listing free, but photos cost $0.55 ($0.25 for books) and all listing upgrades cost extra. Success fees start at 6.9%  

How does TradeMe compare to eBay?

• Like eBay, TradeMe offers an auction-style listing and selling process, and allows you to set a reserve price.
• Unlike eBay, professional seller accounts on TradeMe allow you to customize the look of your store with custom banners.
• TradeMe stores have a one-time setup fee of $399 and a monthly fee of $79.

Who is TradeMe most suited for?

TradeMe is great for serious online sellers looking to build their brand. While upfront costs are high, motivated sellers will enjoy the customization features that allow for better brand recognition and help them stand out from their competitors.

12. TradingPost

TradingPost is an Australian-based online marketplace that focuses on the sale of vehicles and other property, including boats, caravans, motorbikes, and farm equipment, although you’ll also find categories for smaller items such as electronics, clothing, toys, and more. Their fee-free listings and sales are a huge perk to sellers.

How does TradingPost compare to eBay?

• TradingPost boasts no listing fees and no selling fees for all items.
• TradingPost allows you to add up to 15 videos to your listings as a better way to showcase your item. Although you can add video to your eBay listings, doing so isn’t officially supported.
• TradingPost allows the sale of live animals, including dogs, cats, birds, and horses.

Who is TradingPost most suited for?

Australians seeking to sell their cars, caravans, live animals, or even real estate will have better luck on TradingPost than they might find on eBay, as these are some of the platform’s most popular categories.

Of course, these eBay Australia alternatives have their own issues and setbacks, just as eBay does. For starters, none of them even come close to generating the user traffic on eBay Australia, and most of them, at some point, have been stumped by the same problems that currently plague eBay. They do offer alternative options, however, and in many cases the reduced scales allow smaller sellers to be seen, which can be a great benefit for new retailers looking to sell online.

Have we missed any eBay alternatives that you’d like to see listed here? Please let us know in the comments below and we’ll add it to our list! Stand-out suggestions may be researched and added to our next update of this article.