What Is Gumtree?

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Gumtree is the UK’s largest website for online classified ads, but it’s also more than that: it offers a place for people from other countries to connect. It can be used as a place to post job listings and for hiring. Read on to learn more about Gumtree.

Key Takeaways

• Gumtree was created in London and envisioned as a way for people from New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa who have moved to the UK to connect and acclimate.

• Gumtree exploded and is now one of the biggest classified ads websites in the world, with different Gumtree branches in different countries.

• Gumtree is for everyone, with a lot of different offerings, including items for sale, job openings, lifestyle blogs, and more.

• There is a cost for posting a job ad on Gumtree, and you cannot hire someone in the United States through Gumtree.

What Is Gumtree?

Gumtree is a British-based company that was founded in 2000 by Michael Pennington and Simon Crookall as a local London classified ads website. They initially envisioned it as a way for people from New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa who have recently moved to the UK to find work.

In 2005, Gumtree was bought by eBay’s classified ads group and rebranded. In the last couple of years, it’s gone through a series of sales and divisions. In general, it’s still a large classified ads website that can be used in a variety of ways.

Gumtree’s website states that it’s a “platform for people to connect around a life stage, a need, a pastime, passion or interest.”

Who Is Gumtree For?

Gumtree is similar in concept to Craigslist in the United States, except it is more popular and has had fewer publicity issues. It can be used for buying and selling items, posting jobs and getting jobs, looking for services, connecting with different communities, and more. With this broad list of things you can do on Gumtree, it’s for just about anyone.

The one downside to Gumtree is that it’s primarily a local platform for specific countries, which means it’s not completely available to anyone. For instance, if you’re an employer in the United States, you can use Gumtree to hire a freelancer from Australia but not a freelancer from the United States.

What Are Gumtree Services?

Gumtree services include allowing users to buy and sell just about anything, as it is a platform that facilitates the sale and purchase of goods and services. It also offers guides for buying and selling and managing the lifetime moments that include moving, getting a new job, having a baby, and more. Their list of advice blogs includes the following topics:

• Buying and selling guides

• Latest in lifestyle

• Trust and safety

• Moving house

• Buying guides

• Health and well-being

While their lifestyle guides are a great extra and can be very useful, it’s the open market part of Gumtree that is the most popular and the biggest draw.

How Does Gumtree Work?

Gumtree is a platform where people can post ads for items they are selling or giving away; they can also post job listings and find lifestyle guides.

Gumtree doesn’t charge for posting on its site, so it’s a good way to find items without additional markup. It can also be a great way to unload some items, sell things you make, and even find an employee without paying any fees for posting.

Gumtree does not arrange shipping and delivery; these services must be worked out between the parties involved.

Gumtree for Hiring

If you’re looking to post a job opening, then Gumtree is an option for finding workers from the UK and Australia. If you don’t have an account, you can sign in with Google or Facebook, or you can create an account for yourself and register. To post a job opening, you click on Post Ad, just as though you were offering something to sell. You can then select the Post a Job on Gumtree category and choose a posting package. There are pricing packages for job postings, and they vary based on what you’re looking for.

Follow the instructions to post your job information, purchase the ad you want, decide if you want to buy any of the upgrades and link to your website, and then you’re ready to click save and continue. You’ll then be walked through the payment options until your purchase is made and the job ad goes live.

Gumtree for Business

Gumtree has an entire area dedicated to businesses. You can get your business live on Gumtree with different options, a pay-as-you-go option, an ad-hoc basis, or a pro account subscription. The business area is broken down into four areas in which you can advertise:

• Jobs

• Property

• Services

• Motors

They can help you connect with others to sell goods and services or to find your next new employee.

Pricing of Gumtree

One of the best things about Gumtree is that it doesn’t cost to put a post on the website, so it’s basically free. There is a caveat in their terms of use that states that it is generally free, but they sometimes charge a fee for certain services. If there are fees for promotional events or new services, these fees are transparent, and you can opt out of them before signing up.

If you’re posting a job ad, the fees vary, and there is no set pricing available on their website. You’ll get that information once you register and begin posting your ad. You can opt out at any time if you decide you don’t like the prices they’re offering.

Gumtree Competition

Of course, there are many other job posting boards online, but few also offer a marketplace for selling other items. It’s also rare to find something that offers lifestyle information and a way for people from other countries to connect. The closest thing out there is probably Craigslist.

Craigslist is based out of the United States, and if you’re looking to post a job listing or buy and sell items in the United States, it’s probably the better option. In some cases, you cannot trade locally on Gumtree, and shipping can be cost-prohibitive. If you’re looking to hire someone in another country, especially the UK and Australia, then Gumtree is a better option.

In addition, LinkedIn, Zippia, and Indeed all offer job boards for hiring and for people looking for a job. They don’t offer the other services or marketplace features that Gumtree does, but they specialize in job listings. This can make each of these three websites a better option for employment searches.

Gumtree FAQ

1. What does it cost to post a job listing on Gumtree?

   The cost to post a job listing on Gumtree varies. You’ll have to go through the steps of registering and indicating you’d like to post a job opening before you can see the price points available. Once you’ve created an ad and decided on your price point, you will also have the option to consider some add-ons. In general, the cost of posting a Gumtree ad is roughly $17 to $114, but business is conducted in pounds and sterling and not dollars.

2. Does it cost anything to sell stuff on Gumtree?

   No, it generally does not cost anything to sell stuff on Gumtree, but there could be fees during special promotion times. Gumtree is good about letting you know if there will be a charge before your ad goes live, so you’ll know if there’s a charge or not.

3. Is Gumtree a good place to post a job listing?

   Yes, Gumtreea good place to post a job listing if you’re looking to hire an employee in the UK or Australia. If you’re looking to hire someone in the United States, another site or tool might be a better option.

4. Who owns Gumtree?

   The Market Herald announced that it purchased Gumtree Australia in August 2022, and Gumtree UK announced that it would be sold to a consortium of O3Industries. The companies are no longer tied together, and they are not owned by the original duo who created them in 2000.

Author

Kristin Kizer

Kristin Kizer is an award-winning writer, television and documentary producer, and content specialist who has worked on a wide variety of written, broadcast, and electronic publications. A former writer/producer for The Discovery Channel, she is now a freelance writer and delighted to be sharing her talents and time with the wonderful Zippia audience.