Buy your vintage finds from the comfort of home at online flea markets. This Penny Hoarder guide goes beyond eBay and Etsy to discover lesser-known sites. This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers...
Where can you find antique Pez dispensers, hot vintage heels and (finally!) the perfect lamp to match your weirdly patterned bedspread all on sale for just a few bucks? Or better yet, where can you sell them to make some extra cash?
Well give you a hint: Its not Walmart. At least, not our Walmart. (And if yours fits the bill would you let us know where you live?)
No, its your favorite online flea market.
A New Way to Browse: Online Flea Markets
Not only are regular flea markets wacky and wonderful, but their goods are usually pre-owned, pre-loved and dirt cheap. (Who wants to pay the full retail price?!) In short, theyre a Penny Hoarders dream.
But everything is virtual these days. You turn to your laptop (or, lets be real, your smartphone) for everything from takeout to taxi rides to a date for Friday night.
So its no surprise theres a whole world of online flea market shopping out there. And its just as quirky and addictive as the real thing especially since you can see it all with just a few clicks.
The Obvious Online Flea Markets
Of course, a few online flea markets are industry giants you almost certainly already know about.
Amazon: A once humble bookselling website, Amazon has become an online marketplace so powerful that its astronomic growth sent its founder, Jeff Bezos, into space. Vendors big and small can sell new and used products on the site and they can appear on your doorstep in as little as one day. Craigslist: Known for sending shivers down the spines of journalists due to upending newspaper revenues, the online classifieds site is an easy way to pawn off your tchotchkes to neighbors, find some hidden treasures yourself and so much more. Its all anonymous, though. So give out your personal deets sparingly, and always meet in a safe, public space! eBay: This classic buy-and-sell site has been around for more than a quarter century. Although it bills itself primarily as an online auction site, it operates like most online flea market sites. Many of its listings are available for immediate sale and it seems you can find just about anything you might desire. Etsy: Sort of like eBays quiet, artsy little sister, Etsy specializes in handmade goodies, but its also a treasure trove for lovers of all things vintage. In fact, it has a whole category devoted to vintage items, and its well-organized enough that you can dive into niches as specific as bolo ties, fedoras and marbles. Facebook Marketplace: Compared to the other geezer sites so far, Facebook Marketplace is relatively new. Launched in 2016, the online marketplace feature is built into regular ol Facebook, and you can buy or sell all kinds of stuff on Marketplace, including cars and campers. You can even find rental properties. Marketplace is locally focused, but it also supports shipping.10 Online Flea Markets You Might Not Have Heard of Yet
OK, we covered our basic-online-flea-market bases, so now its time to move on to the weird and wonderful ones. Half the fun of a traditional flea market is stumbling upon offbeat items and great deals you never would have found elsewhere.
To replicate real flea market experience virtually, we checked out a variety of smaller online flea markets and compared inventory, prices and user experience to help you find the best deals at the digital folding table.
Heres what we found out.
1. Flea-bay(.com)
Flea-bay.com at a Glance
Pros
Cons
In a battle of the Fleabays (Fleabay.net is a less reputable site), the dot com version comes out on top. Flea-bay (notice the hyphen) is a solid online flea market that features a pared-down and slightly dated interface. But that doesnt make it at all difficult to use.
The site has dozens of categories to browse, but most listings seem to be focused on electronics, clothes or accessories. Like many small online flea markets, it lacks the thousands or even millions of listings like some of the better-known online marketplaces.
Still, its fun to browse when youre trying to get a quick flea-market fix online.
Similar to Craigslist, Flea-bay simply connects you with sellers. No transactions take place on the site, so haggle away!
2. vFlea
vFlea at a Glance
Pros
Cons
Compared to other online flea markets,vFlea feels the closest to actually thumbing through junk until you find a treasure before leaning across the table to make a bid. The interface is also a touch more polished.
Each listings thumbnail specifies whether items are shippable or for local pickup only and also includes an asking price. The platform has built-in buy now and haggle options, and even an opportunity to barter with goods of your own.
Like most online flea markets, items are organized by tags as well as categories, creating better searchability and organization. The site populates the number of listings currently available in each category in parentheses, so no mysteries there.
Finally, vFlea still has some weird stuff available, although it draws the line at community events. For instance, youll come across the occasional hilltop timeshare, which apparently can be shipped or picked up locally.
3. Bonanza
Bonanza at a Glance
Pros
Cons
Although Bonanza seeks to be the best eBay alternative, it doesnt offer bidding or bartering options.
It does, however, list categories for everything from home goods to collectibles, including coins and paper money.
And theres also a wonderful category called Everything Else, with subsections like Metaphysical (which features haunted items) and Weird Stuff (We found cockroach earrings).
Theres even a Vintage section under fashion so you can easily shop for those precious duds from another era.
4. Nextdoor
Nextdoor at a Glance
Pros
Cons
Technically, Nextdoor is a social media site for your community. And it takes that seriously. You actually need to input a valid address, which you will have to verify, to join your community group.
Once youre in, you can do all sorts of stuff. Gossip. Post community PSAs. Discover local events. (Our photo director uses Nextdoor to save money by polling neighbors for recommendations and hunting for deals from local businesses!)
Another great feature? Finds, Nextdoors very own local buy-and-sell section. You can browse listings to find deals across all kinds of categories. Toys, games, furniture, vehicles, free stuff, and much more! Its nifty filters make finding exactly what you want a breeze.
5. Mercari
Mercari at a Glance
Pros
Cons
Mercari touts a user-friendly experience whether youre browsing on its websites or scrolling through listings with the smartphone app.
There are tons of freshly listed items across a host of different categories. And if you live nearby the seller, you can opt for pickup. Otherwise shipping allows you to tap into a massive selection of goods.
Whats great about Mercari is how easy it makes reviewing the seller. Click the sellers name and, boom, you can see more details about them and quickly check out any reviews. Mercari also handles payments. So no worrying about forking over cash to strangers in person!
6. The Internet Antique Shop (TIAS)
Internet Antique Shop at a Glance
Pros
Cons
Founded in 1995, The Internet Antique Shop (TIAS) is a bit of an antique itself. While it never took off quite like its buy-and-sell siblings eBay or Craigslist, TIAS has carved out a remarkable niche for all things antique.
The site looks a bit dated. But, hey, it sells antiques. Maybe thats an intentional part of its charm? It still functions just fine. The categorys sidebar makes browsing simple. And, before you click, it shows upfront how many listings are in any given category a feature other virtual online flea markets could learn from.
This site is truly a gem. Its one online flea market you dont want to overlook. With subcategories like vintage sewing tools and breweriana (read: old signage, steins and more from classic breweries), TIAS really makes it feel like youre about to stumble upon unique treasures with each click.
7. OfferUp
OfferUp at a Glance
Pros
Cons
When new fathers Arean van Veelen and Nick Huzar ended up with a bunch of extra stuff they didnt need, they saw an opportunity and co-founded OfferUp. The company (with accompanying smartphone app) was created in 2011 and OfferUp claims to be the largest mobile marketplace in the U.S.
The marketplace doesnt force sellers to enter names and post profile pictures, though it is encouraged in OfferUps posting rules. Optional anonymity is both a pro and a con. Similar to a dating app, communication and transactions between buyers and sellers can be anonymous, so youll want to check out a sellers profile for ratings and any reviews.
The good thing about anonymity in this virtual online flea market is that if you want to sell an embarrassing couch locally, your friends and neighbors wont necessarily know its yours!
We talked to a frequent user who said the best thing about OfferUp is its easy to use and I dont see a lot of duplicate listings on other sites like Facebook Marketplace. The user recently sold a bedroom set and bought some cool vintage, mid-century lamps.
8. 5 Miles
5 Miles at a Glance
Pros
Cons
Founded in 2014, 5 miles is similar to OfferUp because the focus is on local buying and selling. A unique feature of 5 miles is comparatively robust options for pro sellers, which means you might find more high quality and vintage items.
The site (and app) promotes safety and security in transactions. Created by Lucas Lu who earned a Ph.D. in physics and has a professional background in e-commerce at Alibaba and Light in the Box, the look and feel of the site is more similar to Etsy than Craigslist.
Despite the 5 Mile(s) title, you can search up to 50 miles from your location and there are shipping options if you dont want to drive that far or meet up in person.
9. Poshmark
Poshmark at a Glance
Pros
Cons
Poshmark isnt just for buying and selling used clothes. Now they sell kids toys, home goods, electronics, and even pet accessories.
If youre looking for an online shopping destination that includes brand names for less, sustainable buying, and a social media experience in one, Poshmark could become your go-to.
With Posh Stories, sellers can craft videos to describe and promote their listing, which gives you a better idea of what youre purchasing.
We talked to one user who had success selling high ticket clothing items. The user said, If you have some gently used, brand name items sitting around, you can get more for them on Poshmark than on other sites.
10. Ruby Lane
Ruby Lane at a Glance
Pros
Cons
With daily and weekly arrivals, a magazine, and seemingly endless scrolling for one-of-a-kind items, we could easily get addicted to Ruby Lane.
Buyers and sellers can feel secure with the sites long history in e-commerce. Founded in 1998, the shop pre-screens items and has a Secret Shopper program where buying experiences are checked for quality.
Oh, the weird and wonderful things youll find and sell for less.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Online Flea Markets
Heres everything else you should know about online flea markets.
Generally speaking, yes, online flea markets are safe. As with any online purchases, guard your personal information. And if you need to make a transaction, be sure the website is encrypted. This sounds fancy, but its actually pretty easy to confirm. You can check by looking at the address bar of your browser: You should see https before the websites name. The letter s in https means the website is secure. Many small or old websites ignore this crucial security feature.
Exercise good judgement, just as if youre at a real flea market. Verifying sellers and vendors is a tough nut to crack for almost all online shops even major corporations like Amazon. As best as possible, try to check whos selling the item on any given listing before you make your purchase. Some flea market sites more than others make it easy to see the reputation of the seller. For sites that are locally-focused, the sellers are likely neighbors. But still, stay vigilant.
Almost every flea market website mentioned in this article allows everyday sellers and established vendors to sign up and start selling. Depending on the online store, it could be as easy as creating a listing and publishing it for the world to see. Other sites are more selective, and the sign-up process might require you to provide lots of personal information to verify your identity. Shipping is something you should definitely factor in when you get started.
You may notice that Srchie is included in just about every top online flea market article. (It was even included in an older version of this article.) However, the beloved website and its social media accounts have been abandoned since 2017. RIP Srchie. Well never forget all your great deals.
Adam Hardy and Veronica Matthews are Penny Hoarder contributors. Staff writer/editor Tiffany Wendeln Connors and freelance writer Jamie Cattanach contributed to this post.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.