Services like Kijiji and Craigslist are widely used by Canadians to buy and sell online. But if you’re tired of the clunky user interface or afraid of buying a second-hand mattress from an anonymous creep, there are alternatives. Take VarageSale. It’s a Canadian startup that allows users to sign in using Facebook and buy and sell goods within their own communities, free of cost.

The biggest difference with VarageSale? The communities’ users are regulated by an admin, usually someone who lives in the neighbourhood and is active on the service. And unlike Kijiji or Craigslist, VarageSale allows you to sign into the service using Facebook, thereby verifying a user’s identity and adding a level of comfort and safety.

It’s friendlier, too. Buyers and sellers on VarageSale can leave “praises” after successful transactions, much like how renters rate hosts on Airbnb and pas- sengers rate drivers on Uber. (Gold med- als appear next to the names of trust- worthy top members.) To its benefit, VarageSale resembles a social media site and even has a newsfeed populated with the latest neighbourhood listings. It also has a great user interface compared to its competitors. The downside? If you want to reach a bigger audience of buyers, VarageSale is not for you—Craigslist and Kijiji attract more traffic, even though you’ll need more back and forth to find the best buyer.

Our verdict: VarageSale is easier to use and a safer experience than the larger online selling sites. Give it a try.

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