Enlarge image
Photo for online sales (symbolic image): You don't just get to serious prospects online
Photo: Ketty BEYONDAS / picture alliance / PHOTOPQR / JOURNAL SAONE ET LOIRE /
An island property, a T-Rex skeleton and a crab cutter with a crab sorting machine: Among other things, such offers were found on Ebay classifieds in 2021. The portal, which only connects its name to Ebay, is a superlative online flea market. The Norwegian operating company Adevinta has 35 million users per month, and an average of 45 million ads are online. What better place to get rid of inappropriate gifts or clutter?
Perhaps. The gigantic range of the platform, the uncomplicated registration without any identity check and the direct communication between providers and interested parties not only attract nice people. For example, you can meet online criminals on Ebay classifieds who want to cheat careless sellers. And guys who misinterpret ads on women's clothing as an invitation to sexually harass their owners.
There are also no guarantees for the courtesy and reliability of interested parties. So it happens that someone wants to urge you to bring products that you have kindly advertised as »To give away« to their home right away. Or it happens that you arrange a handover with numerous chat messages, during which you only find out in the doorway that the interested party only wants to pay half. Everyday life on Ebay Classified ads are also users who write "I'll be back" a minute after an offer has been posted, but then never get in touch.
How can you sell things in such a world without going crazy?
To answer this question, SPIEGEL asked three people with different perspectives on the platform: a consumer advocate, a particularly active user and a student whose online forum screenshots of strange experiences on Ebay classifieds end up.
Now read on with SPIEGEL +
Read on now.
With the right SPIEGEL subscription.
Special reports, analyzes and background information on topics that affect our society - from reporters from all over the world.
Try it now.
All articles on SPIEGEL.de are freely accessible.
DER SPIEGEL as an e-paper and in the app.
Try one month for € 1.
One month for € 1
Try it now for € 1
Already have a digital subscription? Register here
Read more with SPIEGEL +
More perspectives, more understanding.
Free access to all articles, videos, audio content and podcasts
All articles on SPIEGEL.de are freely accessible
DER SPIEGEL as an e-paper and in the app
Until June 30th, 2022 including audio:
DER SPIEGEL to listen to
Only € 19.99 per month, can be canceled at any time
Buy now
Already have a digital subscription? Register here
Restore iTunes subscription
SPIEGEL + is processed via your iTunes account and paid for with a purchase confirmation.
24 hours before it expires, the subscription is automatically renewed for one month at the current price of € 19.99.
You can cancel the subscription at any time in the settings of your iTunes account.
In order to use SPIEGEL + outside of this app, you must link the subscription to a SPIEGEL ID account immediately after purchase.
With the purchase you accept our general terms and conditions and privacy policy.
