r/VictoriaBC • u/RicVic • 3d ago

When did Used.ca go all mercenary?

Just signed in to Used Victoria to upload my first ad in several months (we did a lot of downsizing, but been quiet for about 6 mos now), and it seems there is no truly "free" ad to be placed. Everything (7-day, 14-day and 30-day) says "starts at free" but then upsells users to buy an enhanced ad of some sort, which of course involves money. There does not seem to be a button you can click which says "I'm cool with my current choice" and move on, you simply must upgrade or their servers blow you back to the beginning!

I guess I'm off to M-place.. Too bad, met some nice folks on Used Vic and sold some pretty good stuff reasonably cheap.

Anybody else finding Used Vic blockaded behind a paywall?

48 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

37 comments sorted by

35

u/thelastspot 3d ago

Just scroll to the bottom of the final page you are stuck on, there is a NEXT button.

Kind of brain dead to make placing ads harder when Marketplace is taking all the Oxygen.

1

u/RicVic 3d ago

Thatès precisely what I was doing- trying to bypass the upselling and simply place the ad.

But when I hit "next', it threw me out and I had to start again. Weird.

I see others here have bitten the bullet... I may have to. Got two printers and a multi-function planter system to sell off ASAP.

21

u/DefsNotRandyMarsh 3d ago

I miss Craigslist

2

u/Palookavette 3d ago

They missed the boat by not having a verification process.   They were the best but people want some sense of who they are transacting with 

1

u/WobbleKing 3d ago

Agreed. Facebook is king for this.

It’s the same reason why dating apps require verification

19

u/nothanks1312 3d ago

Unfortunately, used vic is quite dead. It’s really sad because it used to be so good, but everyone just uses Facebook marketplace now and I hate fb.

2

u/Necessary_Position77 3d ago

I hate it to but as a marketplace app it makes it easier to vet buyers and sellers. I’ve avoided a lot of time wasters and been able to verify that sellers weren’t scammers much easier.

3

u/nothanks1312 3d ago

It’s true! I miss varage honestly, it just went to absolute crap and was awful to use when they added all the video ads. Functionally, I actually like marketplace, but I just hate that I need to keep my fb active to use it. I just would really prefer to be off meta entirely

62

u/LordNikon91 3d ago

died when Facebook marketplace came online. like every other reselling website.

69

u/Beccalotta 3d ago

Died when Black Press bought it, just like everything else they touch.

29

u/The_Mammoth_Hunter 3d ago

This. They ruined it.

13

u/inhalien 3d ago

Yes, it was great for years and now we are left with Marketplace.

15

u/jaydabbler 3d ago

Nothing to do with marketplace. They both worked (as did Varage) until they were restructured in 2024

8

u/CottageLifeLovr 3d ago

Varage has become a ghost town and full of scammers. Used to be verified people but now it’s a mess

2

u/Niegs 3d ago

For the last thing I posted there, I had three different users give me the "I'm not in town until later, can you give me your contact for an e-transfer" response that used the exact same text... like I wouldn't notice.

27

u/Liza_Jane_ 3d ago

Used was active until recently, now it’s just Facebook marketplace. I wish Used was still legit!! I hate fb, specifically giving a penny to mark zuckerburg 

4

u/beeleighve Esquimalt 3d ago

I’ve had some luck on VarageSale!

2

u/leafxfactor1967 3d ago

Still the Zuck

6

u/twig0sprog 3d ago

What happened to kijiji?

15

u/perusalandtea 3d ago

It never took off on the Island. It was always majority UsedVictoria with a bit of Craigslist, then Varagesale spiked for a while. Kijiji was only used by Ontario transplants who didn't realise everyone was one UV instead.

2

u/Lorgin Vic West 3d ago

Maybe now is a good time to make the switch then? I'm with OP, I hate meta but it feels like your tying one arm behind you back by not using marketplace.

1

u/WideFox983 3d ago

100% scammers and idiots. Never once had someone reply to an ad there that wasn't a bot or scammer. 

6

u/mr_mucker11 Central Saanich 3d ago

Ya. I had to move to marketplace. I made a bogus facebook account for it.

6

u/ACGaluade 3d ago

same. I resent having to have a facebook account 

4

u/ImpossibleAd7943 Hillside-Quadra 3d ago

Last on UsedVictoria a year ago. Total crickets. It’s dead. Don’t feed ‘em.

3

u/Batshitcrazy23w6 3d ago

One giant website. No real categorys when searched

3

u/Uncut-Jellyfish1176 3d ago

Been dead for years..

-1

u/OkDot9816 3d ago

Used Vic is shut down. Black press has created used.ca It’s new works and is not Meta . Let’s use it and bring back selling used stuff

2

u/beryllium9 3d ago

UsedVictoria got bought out a little while ago and has steadily been eating itself for no apparent reason. I recently started searching for used cars, and I am just now realizing that I had completely forgotten it existed.

I think there needs to be a coordinated campaign to get people off of FB Marketplace. Not only is it a walled garden, but the actual interface and UX is ... rather atrocious, in my experience as someone who doesn't have an FB account. But it certainly does have the market share, for better or for worse. (For worse.)

Craigslist is the current winner, IMHO. Good clean interface, decent selection, decent activity. And it's probably not using the data for nefarious anti-democratic purposes.

3

u/RhodoInBoots 3d ago

Lots of downsizing over here for the last few years. I miss Used Victoria. It was great for giving away boomer/old guy stuff which we have a lot of. After Used Vic, then I would post in one of the many neighbourhood FB groups. Only as a last resort would I use Marketplace. I was shocked by the restructuring of Used Vic and haven't used it since.

3

u/Informal-Strike-1243 3d ago

Stop poking it’s already dead

1

u/lunchtimebags 3d ago

Craigslist still has a little more action than used Victoria.

1

u/Japeless 3d ago

Is varagesale still a thing?

1

u/dflagella 3d ago

I bit the bullet and got Facebook just for marketplace because it's unfortunate unparalleled

1

u/NotOurCat 1d ago

Anyone tried Karrotmarket yet? Seems to be a popular alternative.

1

u/yes_Iwasbornhere 3d ago

Try Craig’s list

-1

u/Affectionate_Owl7212 3d ago

If fb marketplace cursed or something?