Online classifieds are digital platforms where individuals and businesses can post advertisements to buy, sell, or trade goods and services.
Classifieds may also be known as classified advertising, classified ads, want ads, or small ads.
Classified advertising has a long history. As far back as ancient Egypt, Rome, and China, people used various methods to announce goods and services for sale. Inscriptions on walls, public notice boards, and handwritten messages on papyrus scrolls were common ways of disseminating information about offerings and trade opportunities, and these might be considered forms of early classified advertising.
The invention of the Gutenberg Press in the 15th century revolutionized the dissemination of information and marked a turning point for classified advertising. The printing press made publishing and distributing printed materials easier and more cost-effective, including newspapers and pamphlets.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, handbills and broadsides in Europe and the American colonies contained advertisements for a wide range of products and services. Handbills were posted on public structures, while broadsides were printed on larger sheets and displayed prominently.
The rise of early newspapers in the 17th and 18th centuries provided a dedicated platform for classified ads. Newspapers and magazines featured sections reserved explicitly for advertisements, where individuals and businesses could promote their offerings much more cheaply than in the publication's regular advertising venues. The Boston News-Letter, established in 1704, is the first known newspaper with a dedicated classified section.
Most magazines also featured classified sections, typically located near the end of each issue. Unlike newspaper classifieds, which accepted a wide range of ads, magazines often limited these sections to products and services relevant to their content. For instance, a magazine dedicated to horses would include ads tailored to its subscribers.
With the advent of the Internet, classified advertising found its way onto online platforms.
The first online classified ad appeared in 1994 on the San Francisco Chronicle's website, receiving more than 10,000 responses. While newspaper websites generally feature classified sections similar or identical to those in their print versions, dedicated classified websites soon began appearing.
Platforms like Craigslist and eBay Classifieds (formerly Kijiji), both founded in 1995, revolutionized online advertising, separating it from newspapers and magazines, providing new avenues for advertising and connecting buyers and sellers.
Craigslist is a widely-used platform yet today, where people can find various items, services, jobs, and housing online. It covers a broad range of categories and is accessible in many locations. Integrated with the social media platform, Facebook Marketplace allows users to buy and sell items locally. While known primarily for auctions, eBay also offers classified advertising. Gumtree is a classified website popular in the United Kingdom and Australia, where users can find everything from jobs to real estate and second-hand goods.
These are just a few of the better-known online classifieds. These and other websites specializing in classified advertising are appropriate for this category.
Recommended Resources
Alaska's List is an online service that features classified ads placed by people and businesses throughout Alaska and beyond. It has thirty-two state and province categories, and subcategories covering transportation, rentals, farm and garden, pets, real estate, employment, and general listings. Its most popular categories are highlighted. Classified ads can be easily posted, edited, or deleted through its ad management page. Featured ads receive better coverage.
https://alaskaslist.com/
Owned by Trader Corporation, a Canadian technology company specializing in classified automotive advertising, Auto Trader is an automotive marketplace that hosts classified listings for new and used passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, trailers, heavy equipment, personal watercraft, and other motorized vehicles. The site also offers news, vehicle reviews, expert tips, advice, and a vehicle information database. The site facilitates buying and selling activities.
https://www.autotrader.ca/
Expanding from a weekly classifieds publication found in local markets to an online marketplace in 1996, the site offers a wide selection of new and old boat listings. Prospective buyers can search and find boats, yachts, sails, and personal watercraft by boat type or manufacturer, as well as boat dealers and surveyors locally or nationwide. Those wanting to sell a boat can build a listing, choose a package, and add their listing to the classified section. Finance options are posted.
https://www.boattrader.com/
An online marketplace for commercial business classified advertising listings and resources, the site features classified sections offering a variety of properties and services for sale, including operating businesses, closed businesses, shelf and shell companies, land, commercial properties, used equipment, inventory and assets, IP trademarks and patents, licenses and permits, rights, commercial vehicles, and space for rent or lease, as well as a small business directory and wanted ads.
https://www.businessnation.com/
The auto classified website allows people to list their cars for free across multiple websites and platforms. To list a car, enter the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). The VIN will display the year and model of the vehicle. Enter the color, mileage, price, and description, then upload photographs of the car in JPG format. Verify your email to continue. Buyers can search by make, model, maximum price, and state or browse several selections. A new car quiz is also available.
https://www.cheapusedcars.com/
Based in Seattle, Washington, the free classified advertising website lists vehicles, services, rental properties, real estate, community events, pets and pet products, jobs, and other items for sale. The site is 100% free to use, free to post an ad, free to browse listings, and free to contact sellers. Visitors can browse product categories and subcategories or listings in popular U.S. cities, states, Canadian cities, or worldwide. Keyword searches are also available.
https://www.classifiedads.com/
Created in 1995, Craigslist is a classified advertisement site with sections devoted to the community, housing, jobs, services, for sale, and gigs, in which users can list items for sale, services, job offers, resumes, and so on, and readers can respond to them. With subsections for countries, states, and cities throughout the world, the site also includes discussion forums. Other resources include information on avoiding scams and fraud, personal safety tips, and other bulletins.
https://maine.craigslist.org/
The online site is a source for free garage sale listings throughout the United States. It has listings for each of the U.S. states and the Armed Forces in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Canada, and the Pacific. Listing fields include a title, brief description, full description, items for sale, photographs, stock items representing those at the sale, payment options, addresses, dates and times, and contact data. Tips and advertising opportunities are available.
https://www.garagesales.com/
GunsAmerica is an advertising platform for sellers of guns, ammunition, and accessories. There are no posting fees for standard ads or auctions, although fees will apply if the ad is to be highlighted or featured or if it includes a gallery of images. Classified ads and auction-type listings can run up to 180 days. Seller terms and conditions are specified, a community forum is available to discuss buying or selling on the site, and reviews and contacts are included.
https://www.gunsamerica.com/
Since 1998, iBoats has been an online boating equipment and accessories store. This section of the website brings boat sellers and buyers together. Classified listings can be sorted by boat types, boat brands, state, or province. Buyers can also search the boats for sale by type or manufacturer to find the boat they are looking for. Sellers can easily list their boats on the site. A boat buyers guide and forums are available. Features listings are displayed on the index page.
https://boats.iboats.com/
Founded as a free classifieds magazine advertised as a means "to buy, sell, or exchange absolutely anything," Loot is currently a division of New Ventures and features private and business advertisements. Print editions are distributed in London, Manchester, Liverpool, and the West Midlands, apart from its online edition, which advertises fashion products, pets, cars, property, jobs, services, and community events, with specific categories in each section. Its policies and a FAQ are available.
https://www.loot.com/
Oodle Holdings operates a network of online marketplaces, including the Oodle Marketplace. Users can find listings near them by entering their country, city, state, or zip code. Users can also browse general merchandise, vehicles (cars, motorcycles, boats, RVs), rentals (apartments, office space, vacation rentals), real estate, jobs, pets (dogs, cats, horses), tickets, services, personals, and community. Domains for separate countries are available, along with a help section.
https://www.oodle.com/
Although many classified publications have the same or similar names, the original Pennysaver has been connecting buyers and sellers in the United States for more than fifty years. Available in print and online, the publication sorts classified advertising into several categories, including real estate, pets, cars and vehicles, merchandise, jobs, garage sales, services, and food and dining. Free classifieds and other advertising options are available. Its billing terms and conditions are stated.
https://www.pennysaverusa.com/
The Pet Classifieds can be used to find local buyers for pets, find local pets for sale, and post searches for lost pets. Basic classified ads can be placed for free. Ads for nearly every type of animal can be placed as long as they aren't a species under conservation protection. Ads may be viewed by category (species, breed) or location (country, state, city). Searches may be conducted with category, type, price, and keyword filters. Basic ads are free, and featured ads are available for a fee.
https://petclassifieds.com/
Connecting local buyers and sellers for years, the Los Angeles-based classifieds has been published as "Recycler Classifieds" since 1995, and its web version has been online since that same year. Now, with nationwide reach, the Recycler allows sellers to easily set up accounts and place ads online, with assistance in designing an advertising solution. Classified sections for cars, pets, rentals, sales, real estate, sports, community, jobs, music, services, tickets, and want ads are available.
https://www.recycler.com/
The Caribbean classified advertising website features vehicles, real estate, electronics, clothing and accessories, toys and games, pet supplies, fitness and health, and other items in Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Bahamas, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis, Cayman Islands, St. Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago, and St. Vincent & Grenadines. Products can be found through a keyword search, location, price range, type of classified ad, and by browsing several categories.
https://www.yaadie.com/
