Buying and selling used makes perfect sense. You get a better price, give the item a new life, and can even re-sell it once you are done with it, often times for the same price you paid. We get a greener planet as a result, and bonus – a fatter bank account.
Having an item shipped thousands of miles before it makes it to our doorstep creates needles pollution and congestion (both air and road traffic). Especially when it can be sourced from our own neighborhoods.Failed delivery attempts and returns only compound the problem, along with lost and damaged goods.
Buying new and shipped to our door is certainly convenient and has it's place, It should just be kept to a minimum whenever possible.
During the years, I have done my fair share of buying and selling of used goods through kijiji. I have dealt with far too many “Is it still available” and “do you deliver” requests (adding “if the ad is still up, item is still available” and “no deliveries” to your listing doesn’t seem to help), followed by ghosted replies. I have dealt with numerous no-shows, a few on-site “low-ballers” that tried to make me feel guilty by pointing out the used item i was selling for a fraction of the price was not brand new; as well as numerous scheduling conflicts. This resulted in far too much wasted time and frustrations.
As a buyer, I have driven 20 minute just to find out the item had just been sold to another buyer (even though they promised to hold it for me) , and showing up at a scheduled time to find that no one was home. There have even been a few instances where the item was not at all what was described as well as some pretty strange/awkward dealings with, let’s say, “interesting” individuals.
Luckily none of my dealings were near as bad as some of the stories I have heard from others. Unfortunately, there can be great risk when doing something that should be so simple.
A quick online search reveals the following articles:
- 2nd man robbed at gunpoint in Kitchener after answering Kijiji ad to buy phone
- Dying for a bargain: California college student robbed and murdered
- Florida teen killed in Craigslist robbery gone wrong
- Craigslist murder suspect says she killed 22 others
- 5 Craigslist crimes that will creep you out
- Thug used Gumtree to lure unsuspecting victims before robbing them at knifepoint
- Woman dragged behind car after being robbed in Gumtree sale
So, I decided to try selling online through ebay instead. While this went fairly well for the first 5 items sold, I did not like the shipping inconvenience and high fees. What turned me away for good however, was on the 6th item, when I got scammed. I lost the item, shipping fees, and on top of it all, received a charge-back fee.
I eventually settled into the "hide it in the closet and hope it will magically disapear" mode, however every time I open the closet, there it is, staring right at me! Someone else could use these items and having them made available to them would mean less pollution. There needed to be a better way!
Enter SpreeSpot.
SpreeSpot is an online classifieds marketplace, where users can buy and sell their items in a secure, convenient, and hassle free way. No more Shipping, meetups with strangers, missed deliveries, wasted fuel driving all over the city, and no more scams.
Marketplace transactions can, and will be:
- Quick
- Easy
- Convenient
- Secure
- Green
- Worth the effort
