There was a time when classified ads in newspapers were pretty much the only way to sell things you didn't need anymore. Or to buy something you wanted. The ads were tiny, quite expensive and often cryptic because the papers charged by letter or word. While they often made for comic relief due to all the typos and misspellings that came from dictating ads and abbreviations over the phone, those ads just didn't work very well. It's therefore no surprise that online buy and sell classifieds have taken over. They are simply better in every respect. As a result, a large number of classified ad services have sprung up, all vying for your attention. Some large ones have become so popular that they have almost replaced traditional print classifieds. The fact that they are free helps, of course, as does the fact that they are more convenient and offer more. But not all online classifieds are created equal. Some are clumsy or just plain ugly. Some are overrun by spam, and who needs that? Some are sluggish, and some do not offer good search capabilities. Personally, I consider the ability to search efficiently more important than anything else. Why? Because unlike print ads in local newspapers, online ads are essentially global in nature. It may be that you don't mind buying something from abroad, but if you do, a good search filter will only display ads from your state or city or zip code. That's important as you may be interested in buying a small item from a vendor in Hong Kong, but if you're looking for a wash machine you want to get it locally. Searching and filtering are not the only way where online classifieds are better. While papers charged for every single ad and you couldn't change it once it was submitted, there are no such limitations online. Free services let you submit as many ads as you want, and you can change them anytime. Further, some of the better services tell you how many times your ad has been viewed, and they may even provide reviews and ratings. But there's more. Good online ads may have a direct interface with Yahoo maps so you know where the seller is and how to get there. Yet another great thing about online classifieds is that your ads may not be limited to a particular service that you like because of its look and feel. The service may have agreements with other classifieds sites, which means many more people will see your ads! Some people shy away from online classifieds because they do not want to use their email address for fear of getting spam. That's a legitimate concern, and the reason why good online classified systems have completely private email. Seller and buyer emails are never seen or published. This may require registration. No big deal; it's usually free. How can something that used to cost be free? Well, that's the beauty of online. Classified services make their money in other ways. They may offer premium services like special fonts or graphics in addition to the free ads. Or there may be some advertising on their sites. The bottom line is still that you get free ads. Some services even let you set up online stores. Any way you look at it, to buy and sell online classifieds is more effective than the old print ads. They are free and they are here to stay.
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