App of The Week: Letgo

A new way to sell used or unwanted items has arisen and is growing quickly.

Resale services like Craigslist and eBay have been mainstays in American culture for years. However, a new competitor called Letgo has recently began gaining attention, it boasts the ability to sell and buy items from local people for reasonable prices.

Sites like Craigslist and eBay prepare for new resale apps entering the market. A new app produced by Ambatana Holdings B.V. called Letgo has emerged as a competitor.

 

The process of using the new app is simple: take a picture of the item, attach a price point, and wait. Accounts can be directly linked to one’s Facebook to make contacting and earning credibility easier. The app allows for the sale of a variety of items: guitars, cars and more.  Search filters help users find what kind of things they are looking for within a certain area, at certain price points.

 

“I’ve been using Letgo for awhile now and I like it much more than Craigslist and eBay,” senior Max Tubbs said. “The layout is easy to use and it is much more personal than other sites. I have sold items on it and it’s a good way to get rid of things and pick up some cash.”

 

There has been controversy surrounding resale sites in the past. In 2009, Philip Markoff used Craigslist to find people and rob them of their possessions, eBay has seen their fair share of scam over their years of operation. A popular tactic among thieves on eBay is selling broken merchandise at full price.

 

“There are always risks that come with buying things online,” senior James Tognarelli said. “There are always scandals dealing with people stealing credit card information or in some cases, armed robbery or even murder. I like Letgo because the people on it are local people and in Antioch’s case, people that I know.”

 

With Letgo gaining popularity, it is important to watch out for scammers. As useful a service as the app may provide, one should always be cautious about their interactions on it. Use the buddy system by never going to pick something up alone and when selling something, make sure to do the same.