The fall of the middle man: online classifieds and the internet effect

Before the age of the internet, second hand shops, newspaper classifieds and word of mouth were the main ways to advertise your wares for sale. These worked adequately, but had their limitations - namely that only people living in the local area were likely to see your advert.

But the internet has changed the way buyers and sellers connect, allowing a market place with far greater reach. Internet auction sites and online classifieds allow people from all over the world to browse and buy items that previously would have either been hard to get hold of, or would have cost much more. It's great for the personal buyer and the casual seller, but this trend has affected the more traditional ways of buying and selling.

It's now very quick and easy to get an estimate of how much anything is worth on the global market. From a used TV to a set of tumblers, from bicycles to bongo drums, a quick internet search may reveal that your unwanted items are actually worth selling online.

Second hand shops and charity shops say that they are receiving fewer items than before, as more people are realising the worth of their unwanted goods and selling off these items themselves on ebay or through online classifieds.

Some people have used the power of the internet to create new businesses, turning classifieds into a cottage industry. Scouring traditional sources such as charity shops, second hand stores and car boot sales for under priced items, they buy up the cheap goods and then list these in online classifieds or internet auction sites for a profit.

The rise of web 2.0 is bringing about similar changes in other industries, cutting out the middleman wherever possible. For example, in the recruitment industry, new websites now allow anyone to recommend a job to a friend; and if the friend is successful in their application, the person who made the reference receives the recruitment fee that previously would have gone to the recruitment agency.

We are also seeing a move to social lending and borrowing, where anyone can lend money to those who need a loan. This negates the need for banks and the huge costs associated with them and means that both borrower and lender benefit, with better rates.

The internet has levelled the playing field in many industries, so next time you need to buy or sell something, cut out the middle man and go straight to the source via the world wide web.

Elisha Burberry enjoys writing, and sharing her works on the internet