There was a time when it looked like eBay would replace garage sales – or the Goodwill box. But putting things up for sale was probably too much work. In fact, garage sale postings in 2009 were up 80 percent on Craigslist last year.
Craigslist, Oodle and PennySaver have been among the leaders in online listings. Now add Garage Sales Tracker to the list. Based in Boca Raton, Fla., the start-up provides a full platform for local media companies, including TV stations and community newspapers.
Launched in January 2009, Garage Sales Tracker posts sales locations on an embedded Google Map, and includes useful tips for sellers (“have plenty of single dollar bills on hand”). It also provides related information about local consignment shops, and allows users to filter their search by item or geographic location. Garage Sales Tracker can be white labeled by the media partners
It is also a destination site in its own right, selling ads to related categories, including self storage (U-Store-It) and foreclosure listings (RealtyTrac). We’ve seen other self storage companies on the local media sites. Mortgage brokers are also envisioned.The site also earns revenue from featured listings. Otherwise, listings are free.
Mobile also a significant role in the site’s development. Garage Sales Tracker currently has an iPhone app, which helps garage sale shoppers on-the-go. An Android app is currently in development.