The Listia Blog

Every day, more and more people join our community, and send us notes describing their incredible experiences on Listia. We are dedicated to growing a positive, healthy environment where members enjoy listing, bidding, socializing and winning items.  In an effort to maintain a safe & healthy climate, we are implementing two new rule changes, effective October 1, 2014.

Photography
Creativity is encouraged, but certain kinds of photos are no longer permitted.

Yes:  Photography of artistic / scenic quality, at Listia’s discretion
No: Selfies, ordinary photographs of other people or everyday items

Coupons
No coupon listings of any kind are permitted, after October 1, 2014. We don’t allow coupons because it violates the manufacturer’s terms of use.

As we grow, we take all of your feedback  into consideration.

Note: New rules go into effect October 1, 2014. Listings prior to this date are subject to the original set of rules, prior to October, 2014. For a complete set of rules, please refer to listia.com/rules

Listia Stories is a series featuring  you, and all of the Listia community members. Tell us about the friendships you’ve made, or simply why you love Listia. Members whose stories are published here on the blog receive a unique Listia All-Star Badge, 5 Listia stickers which will arrive in the mail & 100 bonus credits deposited into your Listia account. Email your entries to Ilove@listia.com.

I’m So Addicted, by Aaronrothenberg12:

Visit aaronrothenberg12 on Listia

I joined in march of this year and know I am hooked. Its been almost 2 years I have been out of work due to multiple bulging disc in my L4&5 along with blocked nerve ending damage. Listia became a gateway out. I won Birthday presents for my wife and son,  things I couldn’t afford because money has become tight. I’ve made a lot of new friends and even met some in person who lived close by, so I didn’t have to ship!  And [we’ve] had play dates with our kids. Without listia I would fall short on giving out gifts. So far all my wins went to my wife and son except one. I won a fishing lure I look forward to using one day. Thank you listia and all the great listians on this amazing site.

Friends From Around The World, by renaewilliams615:

Visit renaewilliams615 on Listia

I LOVE LISTIA! I have been a member for quite some time, and find myself spending a lot of my day on Listia. Listia has given me the opportunity to get rid of my unwanted items that I would otherwise just toss, and helps me get new items for my son and myself, that I otherwise would not have the money to spend on. I’ve met some Amazing people here from across the globe. It’s definitely the Most Friendly site ever! Thank you Listia for giving me a chance to grab some cool and much needed things 🙂

Home away from home, by TiffanyHunt

Visit TiffanyHunt on Listia

Listia is my home away from home! I’m always checking to see if I have any new bids, or fans. I’m able give away things I no longer want or need and in return get things I want for FREE! It’s an awesome combo! As a single mother of 2 boys times are always tight, i’m able to get them things they need. I’m always telling my friends at work about Listia, they all think i’m crazy until one day I walked in the door with my brand new Coach purse! They asked ‘where did you get that’? One word…LISTIA, and I didn’t pay a dime! I have been lucky enough to make some awesome friends along my journey, and look forward to making even more! Thank you Listia for making this such a fun site…I’m addicted, what more can I say?

I Am A Jewelry Artist, by Juniebug1

Visit juniebug1 on Listia

Listia made it possible for me to discover that I had a knack for making jewelry. One day I was looking through fb and saw the Listia logo. I logged on, received a bunch of credits right away and started shopping. My mom gave me a bunch of jewelry to list and I became hooked.  I noticed that some of her jewelry needed to be fixed so I took it apart and made other jewelry out of the old. I didn’t even know I could do that! Ever since then I’ve met marvelous , wonderful people her whom have become actual friends , I enjoy showing off my creations and I’m very addicted to the auction aspect it’s very fun. Thank you Listia and all my Listia friends.

Over the next few weeks, Listia members* will notice a new look to the Credit Activity page. Now, you will be able to view all of your activity on a simple transaction sheet, making it clear how many credits are available to you for bidding, versus credits that are tied up in bids, or simply pending.

As a result of this change, the green number in the upper right hand corner reflects the number of credits available for bidding, but not the total number of credits in your account.

Credit Balance: Total number of Listia credits in your account
Pending: Credits you will receive after the winner receives their item
Current Bids: Credits that are temporarily in use as with winning bids. When you bid on an item, if you have the winning bid, those credits are temporarily held while you have the winning bid.
Credits Available: Credits you can use to bid right now

When you bid on an item, if you have the winning bid, those credits are temporarily held while you have the winning bid. Now, it will be easier for you to distinguish how many credits you actually have available to use for bids while the other credits are tied up in other auctions. As always, if you lose the auction or are outbid, you will notice the return of your pending credits into your available credits.

We’re really excited to bring this improvement to all of you, and are eager to hear your thoughts. If you don’t see it yet, don’t worry. This feature is rolling out to all Listia members over the next 2 weeks.

Do you have the new Credit Activity & Transaction Sheet? What do you think about It?

*If you are a new member, you already have this view and will not notice any changes. Questions? Our Support Team will help.

Each week we bring you stories from Listia members about all of your experiences and the friendships you’ve made. Members whose stories are published here on the blog receive a unique Listia All-Star Badge, 5 Listia stickers which will arrive in the mail & 100 bonus credits deposited into your Listia account. Email your entries to Ilove@listia.com

Visit usmithbiz on Listia

This has been a tough 2 years for me. I lost 3 family members on separate occasions, broke my left big toe (my most favored foot), almost lost my only son, ran into financial difficulties and fell into a depression. My broken toe further limited my mobility from what it already was with my chronic, severe arthritis of the knees. I live alone in a high rise for the elderly. I found myself spending hours in my bed, bored to tears and mourning my lost family members. I could not afford to order online movies and I don’t own a television. Occasionally, I would peruse Facebook in an attempt to alleviate the boredom. That, at times, seemed only to add to my emotional stress. Anyone who does Facebook knows what I mean. However, one day this past June, I spotted an ad on Facebook that read, “Listia – Auctions for Free Stuff”. Free stuff?! That got my attention and I decided to look into it. I have tried other auction sites and didn’t find them to be of much interest: I couldn’t afford most of the items on them and what I could afford, I did not want. The Listia website was user friendly and I immediately found items that I could use. I won the second auction that I bidded on and fell in love! This is really FREE STUFF! Well, then a thought occurred to me. I wanted to show my living family members that, although I may not stay in touch as much as I would like, I do think of them often and love them dearly. Listia could make it possible for me to get thoughtful gifts to send to them: something tangible to show how much they mean to me. My tight budget, impaired mobility and long distance from them no longer had to be a hindrance. With Listia, I can get beautiful stuff to send to them that they can hold on to — not just paper cards that tend to get thrown away. I have now begun bidding on items for friends also. This has helped me to recover from my mourning and focus on the living. Lying in bed is so much more exciting now. I’m hooked on Listia and I have been telling everyone about this great find. Keep up the great work, Listia. I love being a part of the Listia online family.

 

Visit cshakely on Listia

It was a typical cold day in October and I was suffering from cabin fever, being cooped up in the house for a weeks at a time because its too cold to go anywhere. So one morning, I got on my computer and decided to check facebook, and this woman I did not know sent me a invite to a site called Listia. At first I took a glance, and was sort of  apathetic towards joining, not knowing that it would be the beginning of a beautiful and interesting relationship 🙂 I started out like everyone does at first, getting my feet wet and living and learning what to do and not to do. I have met some great friends on here,who I see in outside of Listia at times. There is so much Listia has  to offer, and I love to look into all categories when shopping. It is hard just to browse, you always catch your eye on something spectacular or useful.  I just received a glittery red long formal gown that looks like you could wear it on the red carpet at the Academy Awards-and it was free! Listia is a amazing marketplace, and you can learn so many techniques on being a good seller /buyer that can help you in real life as well. I have improved my life, and found my passion in life with Listia…so thank you for all you do and I look forward to logging in and seeing what is hot on the auction block!

 

Visit organicgrandmadi on Listia

I joined Listia to get rid of the clutter that seemed to develop a life of its own. My husband said he hoped to live to see the day when our house would look the way it used to, with a place for everything and everything in its place! As we are both disabled due to exposure to a toxin, I secretly doubted it. My goal was to get enough credits to get Amazon cards so I could get a commercial first aid kit for our kids’ new business–still saving. What I got that was totally unexpected–whole network of supportive friends! I am daily amazed at the caliber of caring & kindness that abound here! I have to include the Listia help desk who patiently and fairly provide support to all of our millions of questions. I’ve developed a whole new circle of friends–besides the opportunity to give our “clutter” to people who can use and work toward my own goal even when I am stuck in bed or a wheelchair. It’s great to feel useful again!

 

Visit blindman0208 on Listia

My name is Jason and I am 100% blind due to trying to help a female that was getting beat by 3 males and I tried to stop them and I was jumped by all 3 guys. They ended up breaking my jaw and my nose and I ended up taking a bullet to the head which left me blind. Since then it has been really hard to find ways of getting stuff I need and want and to find new friends. But thank GOD for a program called JAWS which is a screen reader that reads to me what’s on the screen and a great site full of awesome people. Now thanks to Listia I can get garden seeds to plant for food, I can get home and kitchen supply, I can get phone accessory stuff for my computer, stuff for my kids which is really important to me and so so much more stuff and it is all free. That helps a lot since I am now blind and disabled. And Listia works really well with my JAWS program and my voice over on my  iPhone. I can not state how thankful I am that I found this site and gave it a try now I spend most of my time on here looking thru all the great auctions and starting up conversations with people and I have met and made so many new friends because of LISTIA. I spend hours telling my other friends about the site and suggest to them to give it a try that they would fall in love with it. And I just wanted everyone to know how much impact Listia has had on my life in such a short period of time.

 

Visit WendyE1 on Listia

I LOVE jewelry. I’m an entertainer who wears brightly colored clothes onstage, and I always want my jewelry to match. Needless to say, this can get pretty expensive! Well, discovering Listia has saved the day because there is sooo much jewelry available on Listia. It’s so much fun scrolling through all the auctions! I create a list of items I like and then watch the bidding for each one as it progresses. I’ve won dozens of pieces of beautiful jewelry! To earn credits, I round up unused things lying around my house and put them up for auction. It’s rewarding knowing my unused items are going to people who really want them. I enjoy being part of a large community of like-minded people who want to swap their stuff….it saves us a ton of money, and of course, it’s also great for the environment. So thanks for your awesome website, Listia…..you’re the best!

Each week we bring you stories from Listia members about all of your experiences and the friendships you’ve made. Members whose stories are published here on the blog receive a unique Listia All-Star Badge, 5 Listia stickers which will arrive in the mail & 100 bonus credits deposited into your Listia account. Email your entries to Ilove@listia.com.

Congratulations to the newest Listia All-Stars!

 

Check out TreasuresinTexas on Listia

I came across Listia in May, 2014 and was super excited to find such a FUN place to trade with people. I quickly started listing things and discovered how this forum works. I have a husband that is disabled and because of his disability, I am unable to work a regular job outside the home. We spend 4-10 weeks a year at the hospital and can have 4-10 doctors visits each month. Besides the physical strain, we have a very large financial strain on our household and going out at buying anything that is not an absolute necessity was just out of the question. That is why Listia has been a blast for me.. I have been able to win a Kreuig Coffee Maker for my Daughters College Dorm Room, several pieces of Pampered Chef (Expensive Kitcheware) for me and some Amazon gift cards to buy gift for people, so it sounds a little cliche but Listia is helping our family fill the void by letting us find homes for things we already have but do not use and earn points for things we really need or things that we are just not able to afford on our reduced budget. Then, I just can’t tell you enough about the super people. I have shipped about 300 items and everyone has been very nice. I have already made some friends on Listia from all over the United States. I hope to be able to do this for years to come.  **Visit treasuresintexas’ on Listia.

 

Visit crazyenough1 on Listia

Listia is a single parent’s best friend. Life is hard when raising kids as a single parent and I struggled every time holidays came around until I found listia. last year i only spent $42 total paying for items. I won the rest of my christmas on listia and all it cost me was a few hours of my time and about 20 dollars worth of stamps to send my auctions out. I love to bid and see if I can win. not to mention I’ve made a ton of new friends. l now look forward to holidays with all the really nice things I’m able to get my four kids and not put myself in a bind doing it. I auction off things that they outgrow or things I have had laying in drawers never using and. In return I get to enjoy my holidays now instead of worrying how I can get them things they want. I also got all their school clothes on listia this year. Listia is an Awesome place. I ove you listia and thanks to you this single parents life is so much less stressful.And my kids love the things im able to get them on your site. **Visit crazyenough1 on Listia.

 

Visit jabulonestar on Listia

I would like to thank Listia for giving me a way to have fun, give back to great causes, pass on things I no longer need and acquire things I really do need. At first I was skeptical that I would  like Listia but then once I started being active by earning points, listing auctions and bidding I found that it is easy and that I loved it. I have met some wonderful people through this site who share their love of animals and the environment, who like to support each other and who like to have fun. I have started commenting and watching auctions to show support and many times start a conversation and a friendship with fellow listians. **Visit Jabulonestar on Listia.

 

Send us your story! Email it to Ilove@listia.com.

Notifications Are Here

Over the next few weeks, Listia is rolling out a new feature for all members, and we’re really excited about it! The new Notifications icon keeps you informed about various activity around Listia while you are logged in. Now you can get everything done at once just by logging in to Listia.

The Notifications icon is simple; the symbol will be visible in the top-right corner of your screen.

When there’s a new notification,  a red icon with the number of unread notifications will appear. Click it once, and it drops-down to show you a summary of activity. Once you see it, you can click on a specific Notification to get more information.

This feature is rolling out to all Listia Members slowly over the next couple weeks. Some of you will notice it today, others may not notice it for a few more days. We look forward to hearing back from you and are so excited for you to see it!

Welcome New Listia Members!
The Listia community is diverse; our members are located all over the world. With our 5th birthday only 2 weeks in the distance we recognize that many of you are newer to Listia and just getting started, or might just be curious about how it works. Welcome! We’re glad to have you with us. Whether you signed up via your computer or your mobile phone, we thought these tips might be helpful to our newer friends:

Become a Listia Member
If you invite a friend, or are still just curious, it’s easy to become a member of the community. Becoming a member of Listia is simple and only requires your email address. Once you click “Submit” you will receive an email with a link to confirm your account. Click that link and you’re ready to get started! Oh, and you’ve already earned 1000 Credits! Please note: Listia is 18+ only.

Address Verification
Because Listia involves members shipping items to one another, we provide Listia Assurance. To qualify, you must have a verified address. Once you log in to your account, get your shipping address(es) verified. If you move to a new home, city, or state (or have more than one location to which you want your items shipped), you can add multiple addresses later. Do this now, because this process can take up to 24 hours. Click here to get Listia verified.

Get More Credits
Now the fun begins! You have a few choices, and you don’t have to pick just one – you can do them all! If you have some items you’re not using, whether new or used, gather them together. Take pictures, and list the items. You can also take a variety of surveys, perform a number of different tasks around the site, participate in our facebook contests, watch videos or purchase credits (check frequently for credit specials).

Search, Discover, Trade, Make Friends
Browse the Listia marketplace by performing searches. Don’t know what you’re looking for? That’s ok, just choose from your favorite categories and go from there.

Love Star Trek? Search Now
Need crochet yarn? Search Now
Are you a vinyl collector? Search Now
Need to shoot some video? Search Now
Never pay for another book again: Search Now

Tip! Save your searches:  to receive notifications which will inform you when items that match your searches are listed. To do this, look for “Save Search” above your search results. Once you click it, you will be prompted to save the search and can choose how you receive your notifications.

We think you’ll find it enjoyable to know more about where your items are going, and who is receiving them. In addition, our members enjoy convening on our facebook page and are known to help each other with questions.

Have Fun – We’re Here
If you have any questions our Support Team is ready to help you. The most important part? Enjoy Yourself! 

We asked you for your stories, and what a response! So many of you have made lasting friendships and new friends, but the common thread remains the same: Listia is enriching the lives of so many of our members. We are grateful you’re here –  many thanks to everyone who shared with us. Keep sharing! Write to ILove@Listia.com and tell us why you love Listia, or about your friends on Listia – or both! If your email is published on the blog you’ll win an exclusive All-Star Badge, 5 Listia stickers which will arrive in the mail & 100 bonus credits deposited into your Listia account.

Listia All-Stars August 2014

All-Star: LynneDunlap

When I signed up for Listia I had no idea what I’d find.  I signed up so I would have something to do since I’m disabled and don’t get out much.  What I found were a lot of really nice people who understood being disabled and it helped me come alive again and to feel like I actually have a purpose.  I haven’t been able to work for years, so having items on Listia made me feel like I had a job and I could give good customer service.  I love bidding on items as well, it’s been fun getting mail with good stuff in it instead of just bills!  I want to thank the team at Listia for being nice as well because they definitely make the experience better.  Thanks to all Listians for helping me feel better! Click to visit LynneDunlap on Listia 

 

 

All-Star: Jitterbugjim

I have made many friends on listia. I suggest the site to everyone I talk to, in person or online. I basically live on Listia. the one person that stands out though is George A. he messaged me after reading a comment that I had made on a listing. he noticed that we both lived in maine. after a quick few emails back and forth, not only did we live in the same state, but realized we were only 25 minutes away from each other. we very quickly became facebook friends. Unfortunately I have been out of work for a lil while, due to the economy in the rural area I live. i was desparate for any work. I am a carpenter by trade. my son was graduating from high school and I felt bad that I couldn’t even afford to pay for his cap and gown. I happened to mention this on facebook, when George commented that he might be able to help. he needed some repairs done around his home, which I was glad to do. this gave me enough to buy my sons cap and gown, but also it has led to more work and leads. This all has happened in a months time and couldn’t have been possible without Listia. Click to visit Jitterbugjim on Listia

 

All-Star: Cirad

When I happened to come across Lista on January 25, 2014, I was not doing too well health wise. Being disabled, there’s not much I can do physically, so I’m usually stuck inside. I love to browse other auction sites, “window shopping”, picking out things I wish I could afford to buy, which usually only adds to my feeling down on myself. On the day I found Listia, it became a very happy day in my life which has quite literally brightened up my life and has made me feel better overall! As usual, I was leery and hesitant toward Listia because life has taught me that nothing in life is free, but as I became more familiar with how Listia works, the more I came to realize, that old saying no longer applies. What a great feeling I felt as I slowly but surely built up my credits, seeing that indeed I could win things for free! Then I became a seller! To simply pick an item from around the house that has been stored away in a box or something I haven’t used in years and list it on Lista, then watch people bid for it, gave me a great feeling about myself and made me feel good that through my auctions I was helping others feel good by winning my items I no longer wanted or needed! I quickly forgot about the other auction sites that expected me to buy things. I am now spending all my time on Listia, and get so excited when my auctions end and when I win auctions myself! My new motto is, “Whoever said, nothing in life is free, evidently hasn’t found Listia!” I want to thank each and every one of the team members of Listia, you all have created a community where people can meet and share things with each other in a fun and rewarding way! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! I Love Listia! Click to visit Cirad on Listia

 

Some say charity is the greatest gift, and here at Listia we agree. With our monthly Charity program, all members are encouraged to donate funds to charity without spending any money whatsoever.

Members are able to donate a few of their Listia Credits to any one of our monthly charities. While members donate their Credits, Listia matches those credits with real money which is then donated once the month is complete. Over the years Listia has raised more than $40,000 USD for a wide variety of charities around the world.

August Charities

Music In Schools Today (MUST) is a non-profit organization that supports and develops music education programs that increase student achievement. Click Here to learn more or donate today.

Angela’s House: In 1992, the non for profit Angela’s House, was created to offer families and professionals an agency to call to help medically frail children and their families. Click Here to learn more or donate today.

MUST and Angela’s House join an impressive list of charities supported by Listia Members:

Ronald McDonald House

Toys For Tots

American Cancer Society

The Nature Conservancy

American Red Cross

Boys & Girls Club of America

American Humane Association

Shelter Network

Autism Speaks

Habitat for Humanity

Red Cross: Hurricane Sandy Relief

Boys and Girls Club of America

Make-A-Wish Foundation

Goodwill

Child’s Play

Khan Academy

Action for Healthy Kids

Be the Match

YMCA CA Youth & Government

Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Operation Homefront

UNICEF: Typhoon Haiyan Relief

Movember Foundation

North Shore Animal League America

Prevent Child Abuse America

BADRAP

Electronic Frontier Foundation

Save the Children

The Jimmy Fund

ASPCA

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

National Mill Dog Rescue

UNICEF U.S. Fund

Girls for a Change

Canine Companions for Independence

Check each month to see which charity is next!
Have a suggestion? Stick it in the comments here, and we’ll take a look at your favorite charity.