Thumbnail of user wendyw118

Wendy W.

Contributor Level

Total Points
86

1 Review by Wendy

  • Listia

12/3/17

I think it's worth mentioning my current credit balance is 879,900 with over 200,000 credits pending coming to me while the items I've sold are being shipped and the only money I've spent resulting from my usage of Listia has gone to the USPS or Dollar Tree. I've never bought credits on the site, or shipped through the site and all of my auctions are offered at FREE SHIPPING. The money I've spent is a result of the purchase of stamps and envelopes. I think knowing the financial aspect of usage of the site is important when evaluating others reviews.

I've been using Listia for a few years and I do have to agree with most reviewers that the value of using the site is trending downward. My major issue is that a vast majority of sellers are asking ridiculous prices for their goods. Kind of like when you go to a yard sale and people say "yes but I paid $2,000 for that couch in 1997 " well, the value of goods is what people are willing to pay for the item now. Not what you paid for it when purchased new. So your 20-year-old broken down outdated couch is probably now worth $50 regardless of how much you paid for it.

But here's the thing, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PURCHASE THE ITEM! So while I agree with most reviews about the ridiculous pricing, for me it just makes the site less valuable and I don't see this as making the people at Listia.com as scammers. For me it's a perception issue, I do think that Listia could address this issue and make the site more valuable like it once was by addressing/requiring some standards from their sellers and exercising tighter controls. I'm sure no one wants Listia setting prices but if they evened out the playing field with necessary criteria from their sellers (and enforced those criteria) in order to offer an item it could drive pricing down. I personally would like to see a pricing valuation guideline just for reference. Similar to the one that I use for valuing my donations to charity when I do my taxes. I would like to think it may deter some of those sellers who aren't really using Listia in the way I think it was intended. When I first began using the site it was like an online yard sale, sadly it does feel more like eBay these days. I think Listia can still be fun and there are definitely ways of buying and selling on the site that are more successful than others. I personally only buy/sell goods for my craft projects. These items are typically lightweight and therefore I only purchase those that are shipped for free and I'm always able to offer free shipping. As a seller, I only sell items that I no longer have a use for and previously may have donated to Goodwill so I offer an item at 499 credit start (which is as high as the price can go and the listing still be free to the seller) and let the auction go from there. I believe this is how Listia was intended to be used. Sending that item is going to cost me a stamp or two and a box of envelopes every few months. Very little cost to me and the seller so it's a win/win. I would definitely feel differently if I were selling an electronics item I paid hundreds of dollars for a few months ago that weighed 5 pounds. I think this type of usage being out of line with the concept has created major issues. I'd love to see Listia get back to doing a great job of filling the niche of "one person's trash is someone else's treasure."

I should mention that I've not had an issue where I needed to dispute or had one of my transactions disputed so I can't speak to that issue and that seems to be a recurring theme in other reviews. So overall I see the site headed in the wrong direction but do think it is still a great concept. There is always a price for freedom and with Listia not micromanaging their sellers you are always going to have liars, gypsies, tramps and thieves in any business. There are some protections at least touted on the site, so my suggestion is to know that information very well so that you can do all that you can to protect yourself on either side of the transaction and to hold Listia accountable for their claims. I think it's a case of a few bad apples ruining things for everyone as well acceptance of the current social and corporate trend of it being admirable to get what you can, when you can and while you can without regard for integrity.

Wendy Has Earned 6 Votes

Wendy W.'s review of Listia earned 6 Very Helpful votes

Wendy hasn’t received any thanks yous.

Wendy doesn’t have any fans yet.

Wendy isn’t following anybody yet.

Empty.

Similar Reviewers on Sitejabber

Thumbnail of user kendrao39
Kendra O. reviewed Listia
10/21/23

I don't recommend this after what happened to me! I have done nothing wrong and now my account...

Thumbnail of user maryh4572
Mary H. reviewed Listia
7/9/23

Listia used to be very good. Around 2014 they changed everything including points as a medium of...