Listia.Com is an eBay-like web auction site that operates on the barter principal.  First, you earn 300 credits for just signing up, then you earn more credits by “selling” your stuff.  Think about it — you list your stuff free on Craig’s List and 47 people send you email and want appointments, then none of them take your stuff.  On Listia, folks bid for whatever you have to offer.  They do all the work and you have only one person to deal with.  Not bad, huh?

So, now you’ve got all those credits.  What are you going to do with them?  Easy!  Check out the other auctions and get your own free stuff!

There are other ways to earn credits.  When I saw the little link that said one could buy credits I thought, “Aha!  And here is how Listia earns money!” Then I clicked and read.  If you buy credits from Listia, you can donate the money to charity!  Now that I appreciated.  And, I Goggled Listia looking for scams, but couldn’t find any — though I did find a few complaints from folks who received products that weren’t as advertised.  Listia, itself, is straight forward and above board, but just like eBay & Craig’s List, caveat emptor — buyer beware.

Another thing that caught my interest on Listia, is that corporations are listing their logo items there.  Amoeba and I are of the opinion that buying items with advertising on it is rather like paying to be a billboard.  If I am going to wear or use products that advertise for somebody, they’d either better pay me, or give me their product free of charge.  I am NOT paying them so I can be their shill.   So, you want those logo items but don’t want to pay for them?  Check out Listia.Com.

Here’s a clip from a current auction: