Is it LEGAL to advertise items SIMULTANEOUSLY on different e-commerce sites?

[artforartssake]

I have a number of household items (beds, wardrobes, tables etc) which I will need to sell QUICKLY prior to moving to a new apartment next month.

To expedite the sales, I’m considering listing them SIMULTANEOUSLY on eBay, Gumtree and Qsales.

If I use the “Buy it now” option i.e. NO AUCTION, is there any problem with this strategy? Do I need to mention on each of these three sites that I’m also advertising on the other two?

And what would happen if an item was sold on two of the sites at the same time?

Any other ideas as to how I can leverage this plan to EXPEDITE sales and MAXIMISE proceeds?

[digital*ghost]

As far as I know, it's not against the law to use multiple advertising channels (eBay policy is debatable - they once had a specific policy prohibiting it, but it's disappeared from the site), but you could wind up in a sticky situation if two people purchased and paid for the item, that then - legally - creates two contracts, so you'd have to break at least one of them.

I would personally only use one site where an item could be purchased on-site - if there's no "buy / pay now" type of facility via the site, I can't see the harm in using it to advertise, it'd basically be a classified, and you'd be in control of whether it sells (and can end the eBay listing if it does). 

[artforartssake]

Thanks,

so what do you reckon if I do Gumtree and ebay simultaneously and leave off Qsales?

As far as I know, Gumtree doesn't have that "sudden death" facility, where you buy it and pay for it immediately. Isn't Gumtree done via negotiation first?

[digital*ghost]

I've never used Gumtree, so can't speak how it all works, but pretty sure there's no buy now facility, people send enquiries and you negotiate either online, by phone or they come to inspect - there'd probably still be a bit of danger of selling it twice, in all reality (eg, say someone from Gumtree enquired, wanted to come and inspect, you're negotiating with them etc, they decide to buy and take it away, then before you can end the eBay listing, it gets sold...)

But, if you have a smartphone (or don't stray too far from a computer) and a quick trigger finger, it'd be a bit easier to minimise that risk. 

[artforartssake]

thanks

So, if I put my items simultaneously on gumtree and ebay do I need to state that fact on BOTH sites?

[phorum_junkie*]

IOf you state on ebay that it is advertised elsewhere you risk having your item removed as well as ending up with 2 buyers and if you sell to the Gumtree buyer you will get an ebay defect. You will also greatly annoy a buyer who will almost certainly leave you a neg if it is ebay and will probably be sticking pins in an efigy if it is Gumtree. Remember too that Gumtree is owned by ebay.

If your items are pick up only then you would be better not using ebay at all, stick to Gumtree and facebook.

[englishrosegardens]

You can do classifieds on qs but the site is barely alive so you wouldn't be in much danger of selling anything there.

If you list on ebay and gumtree, I'd say nothing about listed elsewhere, but if a gumtree buyer wants it I'd tell them you have to end the ebay listing before you can let them have it.  As far as ebay knows, you could have been talking to your neighbour and they decided they wanted it.

[englishrosegardens]

I'd favour gumtree over ebay because your ebay buyer could turn out to be a non-payer, or not show up to collect the goods once they've paid, and you couldn't relist the item until it was sorted out.

If you're on facebook, most areas have a buy, swap & sell page. Also try the free advertising boards at most supermarkets. People who see your ads would at least be local.

[whiznumber6]

I've bought a bit of stuff (inlcuding my current car) off Gumtree, but there's no way I'd ever sell on there!

Gumtree doesn't cater to the same type of sellers as eBay - if you're trying for volume sales, Gumtree's just not the place to go. If you're hoping to list for $5 opening price, sell for $25 final price, Gumtree's a dead loss.

From my own POV, the problems with Gumtree are:

1) Woeful lack of search functionality - it's just awful. Key-word searching is a nightmare: if you enter "leather jacket", you'll get every listing that has either of the two words. Youll get leather gloves, denim jackets, etc. The leather jackets you were actually searching for will be in there somewhere, but buried amongst a whole pile of other stuff that you're not interested in...

2) They're not "auctions", they're effectivel "fixed price" listings  - if you list an item at $10, that's what it'll sell for. Fine if you were only ever doing "But It Now" listings on eBay, but you'll have no more of the old "two buyers going nuts bidding against each other" and driving the price up - opening price is final price.

3) A lot of Gumtree users search only in their local area rather than nationally - so, many of them will never see your listings. Again, useless if you're going for volume - you want your listings seen by the maximum number of users possible.

As a sidelight, I've lost count of how many eBay listings I see with a version of "I reserve the right to end this auction at any time, as the item is listed elsewhere" spiel, particularly on higher-dollar items: cars, motor-bikes, etc.

[artforartssake]

thanks for the advice,

BUT I'm really just selling once-off items like a cupboard, dining set, bed, desk etc, not volume items, so would Gumtree not be appropriate for these types of items COMBINED with ebay as well, WITH the disclaimer that you mention?

Altho someone else on this thread has warned me that saying something like:

"my item is listed elsewhere AS WELL as on ebay",

could get my item removed from ebay

Is that not the case?

And what about Gumtree? Can you say on Gumtree that your item is also listed on ebay?

I have a 100% perfect scoresheet with ebay and wouldn't like to jeopardise that and NOR would I like to upset any buyer, but as I said in my opening post, I need to sell my stuff quickly and for max price as moving is an expensive business as you all know

And yes I am aware that ebay also owns Gumtree but from my perspective that is irrelevant