Carousell Review

Overview
Carousell is a commission-free marketplace that allows the seller to coordinate transactions. It has both a web version and app for the marketplace. The variety of accepted items is one of the broadest out of all the smaller lesser-known marketplaces. They also feature items in special collections like Valentine's Day gift ideas or back to school items. The customer support staff are very quick to respond to emails, friendly, and personable.

Experience as a Seller

I love that I can coordinate transactions on my own, have so much flexibility, and don't pay a penny for using this marketplace. I'm basically getting a free website to list and showcase my items. It can't get much better than this, right!? I had high hopes for Carousell and uploaded hundreds of items. It's been over two years and I've sold next to nothing. It's been a huge disappointment and I have since back peddled on using this marketplace. I have never had such slow sales! I get a lot of likes from Asia-based wholesalers who've made their way to Carousell. They will like a bunch of items to try and direct attention to their items. From the looks of it, sales are far and few. Even the large wholesale sellers appear to have sold next to nothing. The few potential customers I did hear from, were either 1) scam and spam accounts (both of which I quickly blocked), 2) window shoppers that just like a bunch of stuff and never inquire, or 3) teenagers who want to barter or pay with concealed cash. I do not do either of these.

There is no way to refresh listings (like Vinted offers) or share listings (like Poshmark). There are no insertion fees, so you may delete and relist items to your hearts' content. There is a slight problem: the marketplace saves a copy of every photo you upload, to your phone. If you upload 400 photos, they become 800 and you'll have to manually delete them from your phone. Ouch! Not fun. >_< As of May 2016, there is no way to turn this feature off.

On the topic of listing and managing inventory, it is definitely tailored toward newbie and amateur sellers. Amazon, Bonanza, and eBay sellers, are likely to be bothered by it's simplicity. It almost feels like there is something missing. This holds true for most smaller marketplaces, so it isn't limited to any one marketplace. I wanted to mention this, however, I won't factor this into the grade because it is more of a personal preference.

Buying Experience Grade: F

Experience as a Buyer

I decided I need to see the marketplace from both sides, so I did a little shopping. I picked seven items from seven different sellers. I purchased ZERO of the seven items. Why? All seven of the sellers were inactive.

Support should help... right? While the staff were very nice, their response to my inactive seller woes was rather nonchalant. They simply told me they would watch the accounts. The funny thing is, the first time I tried to buy something was shortly after I joined in 2014. It's been two years since this seller was active, yet her items are still listed. I don't think Carousell is doing a very good job of removing items from inactive seller accounts. When items from countless inactive sellers remain on the marketplace, it makes for a frustrating shopping experience for customers. As a seller who has also been on the customer end at Carousell, it's easy for me to see why many people would give up and go shopping elsewhere.

To add to this, it's tough finding specific items. For example: there is a general category that just says "for her". It has everything from shoes to bikinis, all scattered about with no subcategories, size options, colors, or brands. Finding something specific is nearly impossible. A simple search for "red flats" left me with all sorts of obscure things from watches and cars to a boat motor.

Buying Experience Grade: F

Changes I want to see:

1) Better moderation of inactive users. I recommend automatically deactivating listings or automatically put accounts in a "vacation mode" if the seller has been inactive for more than 6 months.

2) More subcategories and better organization

3) Item specifics (e.g. operating system and system requirements for software within the tech section, and clothing sizes within the categories for clothing.)

4) Add a feature that sends a notification to people who've "liked" an item, when the price is dropped.

5) More objective criteria for "recommended sellers". Set objective criteria or opt for a list of sellers sorted by number of positive feedback. Give the top 50 or so, a "top seller" badge next to their username.

To Etsy, or not to Etsy?

Unlike some other sellers, I am always excited to branch out and try new marketplaces. That's not to say I end up using all of them. Some of them (such as Mercari and Tradesy) have exceeded the expectations I had for them upon registration. On the other hand, many others fall way too short of my expectations and after a reasonable trial period, I opt to no longer use them.

Etsy is one marketplace I have yet to try. This is just because I'm not an artsy crafty person. I have a lot of admiration for the talent of countless Etsy sellers, but handmade stuff isn't my thing. While I do sell a considerable amount of vintage items, I prefer to sell them on eBay where I have a much larger consumer base. Ebay has been an excellent place for my vintage items and I'm not entirely sure Etsy will provide me with a comparable experience. That's not to say I won't ever give Etsy a chance. I am considering it! For now, I'll remain an Etsy shopper and bask in the beautiful things I could never make by myself. Let's just say I'm not an artist. ;-)

My Top Three Marketplaces

While I have my favorites, I am always willing to branch out and at least sample new marketplaces. I have tested nearly every marketplace with the exception of etsy.

Today, I want to share some of my top performing marketplaces. These marketplaces are where I sell the bulk of my items. I don't intend for this to be a review, but I will add a little blurb as to why I believe the following have worked well for me.

1) Vinted
Vinted has changed so much since I joined back in 2013. One thing is for sure, their phenomenal layout makes them a hotspot for sales. The dynamic feed and ability to "push up" items after a select period of time, means your listings won't be hidden. Their excellent searchable catalog makes it easy for customers to find very specific items. Customers can find relevant results for the most specific things. Size 8 beige ballet flats? We've got it! Galaxy phone cases for iPhone 6? Got that too! This combination of a well cycled catalog and excellent search engine, makes it easy to see why items sell faster on Vinted than say Depop.

2) eBay
We can't forget this classic! EBay is a name everyone knows! It was one of the few marketplaces that has been in existence since the 90's. EBay helped pioneer the idea of eCommerce and make the idea appeal to people around the globe. With this sort of legacy, it's understandable as to why it's among the largest marketplaces. Their large consumer base and large breadth of categories, make them remain among the top for sales.

3) Mercari
I am hesitant to put this one on the list provided their absolutely pitiful customer and seller support. That aside, there is no denying they are one of the best smaller marketplaces for turning items fast. This is mostly due to the real time feed that changes precisely as an item is uploaded. List hot ticket items during prime sale times (usually 7:00 PM -10:00 PM) and you can sell more than you would ever imagine to sell in the same time on Vinted or eBay. Customers can also subscribe to updates for their favorite items. Mercari will frequently share which types of items have been popular as of recent.

Want me to write a specific blog entry? Interested in a topic I haven't yet blogged about? Let me know! I love hearing from all of you! :)