eBay vs Etsy vs Vinted vs Facebook Marketplace: where should you sell? (UK, 2026)

The most common mistake in second-hand selling is not bad pricing — it is listing the right item on the wrong platform. Each of the big four has a distinct audience, fee structure and rhythm, and the same item can sit for weeks on one and sell overnight on another.

eBay — the universal default

Largest buyer pool, best for anything with a model number: electronics, tools, cameras, parts. Auction format can find the true price of unusual items; Buy It Now suits commodity ones. Fees are the highest of the four — roughly 13% + £0.30 per order as of mid-2026 — and buyers expect courier shipping with tracking.

Wins for: tools, electronics, camera gear, anything collectors search for by exact model.

Etsy — vintage and handmade only

Etsy’s rules require items to be handmade, custom, or 20+ years old ("vintage"). Within that lane it commands premium prices — buyers come to browse, not to bargain-hunt. Fees are moderate: 6.5% transaction + £0.20 listing fee. Tags and photo quality drive ranking more than price.

Wins for: vintage cameras, retro audio (a 1980s Technics turntable belongs here, not eBay), mid-century items, anything with a story.

Vinted — fashion’s fee-free lane

Vinted charges sellers nothing — the buyer pays a protection fee on top. That makes it unbeatable on margin for what it covers: clothing, shoes and accessories. Listing is fast and shipping uses prepaid labels. Outside fashion the buyer pool thins out quickly.

Wins for: clothing, trainers, bags — and effectively nothing else.

Facebook Marketplace — local, fast, cash

For anything heavy, bulky or cheap to make shipping worthwhile, local collection wins: furniture, printers, exercise gear, big toys. Local cash sales carry no fee; shipped orders cost roughly 5% + £0.50. Expect haggling and no-shows; price 10–15% above your floor.

Wins for: bulky items, sub-£20 items where any postage kills the margin, and quick local cash.

Or skip the choice entirely

When you analyze an item on OmniUse, the report recommends which of the four platforms suits that specific item — and generates a correctly-formatted listing for each one, respecting each platform’s title length, condition vocabulary and tag rules.

You can also publish straight to the OmniUse marketplace: 10% flat fee, the buyer pays through Stripe-protected checkout, and you are paid out automatically when delivery is confirmed — no cross-posting required.