Over the past two decades, Craigslist has maintained its market share in the online classified space, despite neglecting to make any major updates to its interface or optimize for mobile.
With 20 billion page views per month, it’s hard to imagine a competitor challenging Craigslist. But some think this dot-com era company’s refusal to adapt to 21st Century standards is its Achilles heel. A new wave of startups, like Seattle-based OfferUp, hope to exploit this weakness by presenting more mobile-friendly and secure alternatives.
On this week’s episode of Generation App, we talk about the strange, enduring legacy of Craigslist, and whether its new competitors pose a real threat. Listen below, and continue reading for our key takeaways.
Key takeaways
- Despite an interface that leaves something to be desired, Craigslist’s enduring success relies on its massive, sustained user base.
- Users often go to Craigslist and its competitors when buying and selling products online.
- For the most part, online classifieds are used by people across generational lines.
- Buyers and sellers have mixed feelings about the idea of using mobile payments on Craigslist and similar sites.
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