Preloved - Free Classified no longer free.

hermum

The free classified sites, have as far as I'm aware advertised that it's free to sell, which it is. The buyers, who perhaps don't realise are the ones who pay for it.

daisy_darling

I'm a big fan of preloved and have been happy to pay the fiver. The things i've sold on there would have cost me far more in fees had i used ebay or fellows [ a jewellery auction site ]

Crowqueen

I don't think I'd pay to buy anywhere, except e.g. if I went to a car boot sale (and even then it puts me off if the fee to get in is too high).

There are plenty enough places to shop for free without even having to pay £5 a year.

And I'm not keen on shopping where people think I would be a timewaster if I hadn't paid an arbitrary sum just to look around - that's not the sort of seller I want to meet anywhere.

I'd also be wary of selling where someone was charging buyers to shop. It would reduce the number of people, willing perhaps to spend money with me, that would come in through the door, so to speak, and reduce my takings by what they were having to pay to the company. I'd rather pay per sale than per browser/bidder.

demystified

vinylmusic wrote: »

I got a surprise today when I went to contact a seller on Preloved.
I got a page saying that I have to upgrade my membership in order to contact the seller.

OK it's only £5 a year but for a site I hardly use I don't feel like paying since there are other sites that don't charge anything.

Also I feel that when I do advertize some people will be put off if they are forced to pay just to get my details

Agreeing to pay is helping them to set a precedent. Others may follow suit and then what? higher subscriptions to follow perhaps?

They already make money from commercial sellers and listing upgrades.

I answered a questionnaire that they put out expressing my feelings
If anyone else feels as I do then I urge them to do the same

http://www.preloved.co.uk/questionnaire

I rated them 0 in the questionnaire just to draw their attention to my view

DONT LET THEM SET A PRECEDENT Sites Like Gumtree, Freeads etc may follow suit then you can bet it won't be only £5 a year forever

I tried listing something on Preloved after a recommendation on here it was only a low value item and not exactly a specialist item either but upon trying to list was told it was not permissable and I'd have to upgrade to a pro sellers account and be charged some ridiculous fee per month, far more than the item was worth...

... I didn't even bother going any further with it. Seems like they're trying to cream people for money. And people complain about eBay fees....

hermum

I've sold quite a few things on there, I did upgrade & pay the princely sum of £5 a year to respond to an ad.
Other than that fiver, it's not cost me anything to buy or sell on the site.
So for me, compared to ebay, it's really cheap. Always sold locally, cash on collection.
If people list on ebay for 10 days, you have to wait, so not much different to waiting 10 days to call the seller if you can't or won't pay the £5.

vinylmusic

demystified wrote: »

I tried listing something on Preloved after a recommendation on here it was only a low value item and not exactly a specialist item either but upon trying to list was told it was not permissable and I'd have to upgrade to a pro sellers account and be charged some ridiculous fee per month, far more than the item was worth...

... I didn't even bother going any further with it. Seems like they're trying to cream people for money. And people complain about eBay fees....

As a matter of interest what was the item?. Were you advertising it as brand spanking new?

Ebay is another story. I went one item over the 100 allowed as a private seller and I was blocked, not only from listing more but for making any revisions to existing items.
In order to continue using ebay I was told I must upgrade to a business account. Hence no more free listing .
I pleaded with them that going over the 100 was just a mistake in calculation but there was no reasoning with them. Their take it or leave it attitude is disgusting
Thats another reason I use free ad sites. I can say one thing about those. Customer services do listen and respond quickly.

Have you tried contacting Preloved about your issue?

cally6008

Just do what us horsey folk do ... put a shout out asking who's a paid up member and can they send you contact details for (x) advert

Works every time

demystified

vinylmusic wrote: »

As a matter of interest what was the item?. Were you advertising it as brand spanking new?

It was a computer part, and it was well used. I'd listed it on Gumtree for a tenner for weeks and not a sniff of interest. I put it on eBay on a free listing weekend and it went for £30 in the end, I was well pleased.

indigo739X

Most Of them charge one way or another. Gumtree charges for reposting and some categories also.

I think the Preloved model is quite fair and gives them the finance to fight of the fraudsters.

One site that is currently free is InYourAreaNow. :jWhich I have used with success. Another is Vivastreet - but I think they have started charging for somethings:mad:

steviebabes

I've been a full member since 2005 and it was only £5 then so not bad value really. Lots of Sunday markets/car boots charge for entry or parking.