Online Auction Sites - UK

“Going once! Going twice! Sold, to the person at the back wearing a trilby hat and holding a wooden goose!”

Aaah, the buzz of the auction house; a place where riches are bought and sold, where the next lot could be your ticket to happiness or despair. It’s such a shame that the auction house is so far away, and that they rarely sell anything you want, and that you end up paying over the odds for items or not making enough money on your sale. Such a shame.

Well, take off the trilby and pack away that wooden goose, Online Auction Sites (UK) are coming to a home near you (namely, your home) and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to sell or bid on items from the comfort of your own sofa.

There are one of two things you’d want to use an auctioning website for: selling or buying. If you’ve got a spare room full of troves and treasures that you want to get rid of (because you actually want to use that spare room, empty the loft and make some cash in the process) then this is easily done online. You simply post an advert with photos, set the minimum bid you’ll accept, and let the offers roll in. Once an item has sold, you simply accept the payment and post it to the winner. Simple!

Buying is even easier still, as all you need to do it search for an item, input your maximum bid, and wait for the auction to end. If you win, the item will be winging its way through the Royal Mail and landing on your doorstep in no time.

There are plenty of sites to choose from, each varying in one way or another. Whilst one bidding website might focus on bespoke items (such as art and jewellery), another might sell more common items such as electronic goods or cars.

You’ll find auctioning websites for the UK which sell an array of items, from cheese to pet supplies, furniture to clothing. Some sites charge commission on sales (paid by the seller) whilst others require buyers to pay a small fee to enter a bid. So, which ever system is best for you, it’s out there.

Our favourite UK online auctioning site is eBay, because it offers a huge range of products from millions of sellers, plus you can check out seller ratings to make sure they’re someone to trust. There is also a bounty of selling options, such as being able to restock your goods, change auction dates and so on.

We were also pleasantly surprised by Etsy Auctions, which allows you to set up shops selling more unique items to attract people who are interested in buying something a little different to the norm. In third place Bonanza takes quirky to another level, allowing you to buy and sell unique items for someone special (including yourself!)

So, whether you’re looking for a bicycle chain or a PS4, there’s someone out there willing to sell you one for a discount. If you want to make a bit of cash from the attic, there’s no easier way than selling online. With large and avid audiences, lower sales costs (compared with many auction houses) and a fun atmosphere, there’s plenty to like. Now talking about selling dodgy items, how about we put up an advert for that goose?