If you’re a Canadian reading this, you’ve probably heard of Kijiji, an online classified ad service that has been around for 15 years now. Locals in more than 100 cities have been using the site for a wide range of activities, but what we’re interested in talking about today is how to make money with Kijiji.
There are plenty of opportunities for everyone here, so let’s get cracking.
Kijiji at a Glance
Kijiji is home to countless niches that gather people who’re interested in some kind of exchange; whether it’s a favor or involves a monetary transaction. Users can view numerous listings on every category/group and contact the owner of the posting if they find something interesting within an area.
Like most things on the internet, making money on Kijiji typically involves selling products or offering services. It’s great for local businesses, as well as individuals who are thinking to do some hustling.
There are 3 main ways to get started. In the next few minutes, I’ll briefly describe how each works and what are the pros and cons to consider.
(1) Search for Jobs
There are literally hundreds to thousands of job opportunities in every Canadian city at any given time. While this may not favor professionals or the highly-skilled, there seems to be a lot of workforce demand for general labor, construction, and retail.
Meanwhile, the job board is also suitable for anyone who’s looking for a part-time or full-time position in;
- Task-specific jobs (also see Air Tasker, Task Rabbit, and Instacart)
- Childcaring or nanny jobs (also see UrbanSitter)
- Tutoring English language (also see Verbling and VIPKid)
- The beauty industry (also see Avon, Mary Kay, Younique and Monat)
- Selling CBD products (this is a booming niche ever since it was legalized in October 2018)
Most offers have detailed job descriptions including the expected pay rates; some may require a resume while others will want you to contact them directly. Either way, always get in touch with the prospective employer if the job sounds like a good fit.
The Pros
The category-specific listings allow for free access to the latest job opportunities within an area of interest. Since high qualification is rarely the requirement, most places are ready to hire as long as you’re keen to work.
If you happened to be in a jobless situation due to the current pandemic crisis, now is the best time to see what else is available within your city, especially in sectors that are thriving in spite of the global situation. Better to pocket some extra income than not doing anything at all.
The Cons
Fast money-making schemes are some of the listings you will inevitably come across on the job boards. Beware of such programs if they sound sketchy or too good to be true because they probably are. Never reveal your personal information to these contacts unless you can confirm the legitimacy.
(2) Sell Products
Platforms like Kijiji let users sell almost any kind of non-prohibited items from unused cutlery to second-hand cars. It’s literally like running an online garage sale, listing stuff you no longer need in exchange for what’s left of the values.
The same works for new products too; wholesalers who are trying to clear excessive stocks and small businesses who are trying to promote their store to the local community. Following the sales agreement, these items can either be delivered or picked up by the buyers.
If you have the budget, you can also pay for ad exposure (varies in costs and duration) so that your ad will appear at strategic positions within the listings. These placements include;
- Top Ad – The ad appears at the top of the search list. This prime position is good if you’re selling multiple items or highly-priced goods.
- Highlight Ad – Ad is placed against a blue background to grab viewers’ attention. It makes your listing stand out from the crowd.
- Urgent Ad – A feature that flags your ad with a red banner, informing viewers that you’re looking for a quick response.
- Homepage Gallery – This position will feature your ad on the Kijiji homepage, showcasing your offer to all buyers and not just within a given category.
The Pros
Using classified ads is a great way to upcycle products for money by converting trash into someone’s treasure. Some people actually buy stuff that is obsolete which proves there’s value in every pre-owned item. Setting the prices at a bargain usually attracts a lot of buyers and cashless options – pay through PayPal – are available for smoother transactions.
The Cons
As a seller on Kijiji, your existence might be taken lightly by other others and this can be frustrating. Buyers may initially express interest towards the item but will bargain for the lowest price or end up not buying anything at all. Dealing with such situations can be a waste of time and money.
Meanwhile, you also need to get used to the competition within the Buy & Sell category which is fairly popular with the users. If you’re looking to sell clothing and accessories in the city of Toronto for example, there are more than 90K individual sellers, excluding businesses that are doing the same at a much larger scale.
So getting your printed T-shirts or used pots seen amongst these numbers can be a challenging feat, unless it’s tagged with branded names or an irresistible price. Your offers could be published for days without any viewers.
(3) Offer Services and Rentals
Instead of searching for a job, an individual can publish his/her skills and qualifications to sell services. House moving, freelance writing, and even weight loss coaching are among some of the offers that can be found in this section of ads.
If you’re a business provider or a property/vehicle owner, you can also showcase your specialty, highlight unique locations, and attract more inquiries. Putting your strength and competency out there is a great way to stand out amongst other businesses.
For maximum exposure, you can choose from 3 different ad packages that come with different combinations of ad placements.
- Plus – Cost $32.95/month, bump your ad every 7 days, and link to your website.
- Premium – Cost $111.95/month, bump your ad every 5 days, link to your website and appear on the Top Ad section
- Supreme – Cost $242.95/month, bump up your ad every 3 days, link to your website, appear on Top Ad, Homepage Gallery, and Highlighted Ad
The Pros
Classified ads are a good way to list properties online and also get exposure for local service providers.
The Cons
Just like selling products, users may not take your offer seriously. You may get a lot of inquiries that don’t transpire into any sales.
How to Post an Ad on Kijiji
Now that you know the potential of Kijiji, let’s see how ads are created and published on the platform. After registering as a user, you can proceed to click on the Post Ad button which can be found on the upper right-hand corner.
(1) The first few things to do is to enter the Ad Title, which category it relates too and additional details relating to the offer, your location, and payment options.
(2) Then, proceed to tag with relevant keywords to help increase exposure to your ad.
(3) The next section will prompt you to insert photos or YouTube videos relating to your offer. If you’re a business owner, you can also include a company website for viewers to learn more. There’s a small fee to pay when using this feature but it’s worth the investment if you want to create a strong online presence for your business.
Don’t have a website yet? Now is the time to get one. Create a free WordPress site using this tool and add a custom domain to make it look more professional.
Is Kijiji a Good Platform to Use?
Overall, Kijiji is great for targeting local markets and I personally feel the user-experience is way better than selling on Craigslist. Every user is entitled to 2 free ads that expire in 60 days so if you don’t feel like spending, just use the free option to get started.
However, if you’re serious about taking your personal skills or business to the next level, it’s crucial to go beyond classified ads. Immerse in this robust training platform to learn more about smart local marketing or sell something even when you don’t own an inventory.
Yes, it can be done. Join free for 7 days to learn the sustainable way of making money online.
First time hearing about Kijiji as I’m not a native of Canada. What a great site to boost and share local business information. It’s a simple to use platform and will surely come handy for those wanting some local exposure. I wonder if this kind of site is available where we live…
Wow, great information in your article on how to make money with Kijiji. I do have a question. Since this is in Canada, can people from the USA post on it? Kijiji seems to function a lot like Craigslist and eBay so it sounds like you can score big with it.
All your pros and cons really help to make your mind up if you want to go that route. Great review in my opinion and I will share this review with my friends in Ontario so they can use it to make some extra cash or find new jobs.
Hi Zach, I don’t think so because the site uses geo-detection which only allows Canadians to post their listings.
Kijiji is a very active site where people basically come together to do business and trade stuff so there’s definitely some opportunities here to make money as an entrepreneur. It will serve the community well for locals who know how to make the best out of the platform.
While some have declared them dead online and offline classifieds ads are still alive, kicking, and performing well for both retailers and affiliates alike. I am glad you found such an amazing local resource. Here in the United States, we have Craigslist that performs a similar task on a grand scale. Tens of millions of sales a month come through their pages. Learning classified marketing should be on the radar of any affiliate marketer of retail business owners.