milanuncios.com

What is Milanuncios.com?

Milanuncios is a Spanish online classifieds platform: a website/app where users (both private individuals and professionals) can post ads to buy, sell, rent, trade or offer services. (Wikipedia) It covers a wide variety of categories: vehicles, real estate, jobs, home & garden, electronics, fashion, pets, services, etc. (Wikipedia)
It is free in its basic form for posting ads (for many categories) and acts simply as a “meeting place” between buyer and seller — it does not act as a full-mediator or escrow service. (Wikipedia)

History & business model

Origins

Milanuncios was founded in Spain around 2005. (Wikipedia) It grew organically and by 2012 it was already one of the leading classifieds portals in Spain: e.g., in 2012 it had 11 million monthly visitors versus 8.2 million for a major competitor. (Wikipedia)

Acquisition

In February 2014, SCM Spain (which is part of the Schibsted Media Group ecosystem) signed an agreement to acquire Milanuncios. (Schibsted) The acquisition meant Milanuncios remained independent in brand but benefited from the larger group’s resources.

How it makes money

While posting basic ads is free for individuals in many categories, Milanuncios earns revenue in various ways:

  • Paid enhancements/promoted listings so that certain ads appear more visibly. (Typical in classifieds platforms.) (Vizologi)

  • Services for professionals or businesses who want to use the platform more intensively.

  • Possibly advertising and partnerships given scale of traffic.

Since users conduct the actual transaction offline (or via third-party payments) Milanuncios’ role is primarily connecting and facilitating visibility. That makes it a classic classifieds marketplace rather than a full ecommerce escrow platform. As described: “Milanuncios helps to connect advertisers with those interested in the ad but does not mediate between the parties.” (Wikipedia)

Key features & categories

Some of the major categories of Milanuncios:

  • Motor (vehicles) — cars, motorcycles. (Wikipedia)

  • Real estate (buy, rent)

  • Jobs / employment opportunities

  • Home & Garden, Furniture & Decor

  • Electronics, Phones, Computers

  • Pets

  • Fashion & accessories

  • Services (plumbing, home repair, etc)

  • Business & industrial items

  • Hobbies, Sports & Leisure
    The breadth of categories makes it a “generalist” classifieds site. (Adevinta)

Usability

  • Users can post ads with images, descriptions, price.

  • There are filters and search tools to locate local items (important since many transactions are local). (Wikipedia)

  • The platform emphasises that users should be cautious (meet in person, don’t pay in advance) since Milanuncios is not directly managing the transaction. (Wikipedia)

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • Wide audience: being one of the top classifieds in Spain gives sellers access to many potential buyers. For example, visitors in the millions monthly in earlier years. (Wikipedia)

  • Free basic access means low barrier to entry for individuals wanting to sell.

  • Simplicity and familiarity: users tend to know it, trust it to some degree.

  • Category breadth: many kinds of items and services.

Limitations / Risks

  • Because it is essentially peer-to-peer classifieds, the risk of scams or fraudulent transactions is present. Indeed some user reviews call out concern about scams. (Trustpilot)

  • It does not guarantee or escrow payments, so you must act carefully (meet in person where feasible, verify items).

  • The app interface is sometimes criticised as “old style” or “messy”. In reviews:

    “The application its a bit old style. … And as well still it’s the most favorite app of frauds and scammers.” (Trustpilot)

  • Geographic limitation: primarily focused on Spain. Posting or buying from abroad may be more difficult or less supported. Some reviews note functionality issues from outside Spain. (Trustpilot)

Use cases: Buyers & Sellers

For a Seller

  • Decide what category your item fits into.

  • Take good photos, write a clear description + price.

  • Post the ad — basic posting is free (for many categories).

  • Monitor responses (via the platform’s message system or whatever contact info you provide).

  • Arrange meeting / payment / handover of item. Because Milanuncios won’t handle the logistics/escrow, you should take safety precautions: meet in daylight, bring someone along, accept secure payment etc.

For a Buyer

  • Use filters (by category, location, price) to narrow choices.

  • Review the seller’s ad carefully: photos, description, any red flags (very low price, pressure sales, off-platform payment).

  • Communicate via platform chat where possible (offers keep record).

  • Meet in person or verify item before full payment. Avoid sending payment before you receive the item.

  • Be cautious of deals that seem too good to be true — again, because peer-to-peer marketplaces carry fraud risk.

Security and best practices

  • Always verify the item is real: ask for additional photos, ask for serial number (where relevant).

  • If meeting in person, pick a safe public location. Bring a friend if possible.

  • Avoid wiring money up-front if you’ve never seen the item or seller. Cash or in-person transaction is often safer.

  • Use the Milanuncios internal chat (or at least keep evidence of communication). The site itself warns users about paying before receiving item. (Wikipedia)

  • Check that price is realistic — extremely low prices may indicate scam.

  • If something feels off (seller unwilling to meet, insists on off-platform payment, claims they’re abroad, etc) then proceed with extra caution.

How Milanuncios fits into the marketplace ecosystem

In Spain, Milanuncios competes with other classifieds and specialized marketplaces. For example, earlier its competitor Segundamano (later rebranded as Vibbo) was a major classified portal. (Wikipedia)

Milanuncios’ strength is in its generalist approach and scale. It belongs to a larger group (via Schibsted/Adevinta) which allows shared tech, cross-traffic, etc. (Wikipedia)

Because the classifieds model is relatively low-overhead (platform + listing + traffic) compared to full e-commerce, Milanuncios can focus on being a strong marketplace for local and second-hand goods.

Key takeaway facts / figures

  • Founded: around 2005 in Spain. (Wikipedia)

  • Acquisition: At the end of 2014, SCM Spain acquired Milanuncios. (Wikipedia)

  • Categories: 16+ major sections including motor, jobs, real estate, services, electronics, fashion, pets. (Wikipedia)

  • Basic posting by individuals: free for many categories. (Wikipedia)

  • Review rating: On Trustpilot, Milanuncios has an overall score of about 4.7/5 based on ~38,000 reviews (with many positive, but also some complaints about fraud risk and interface). (Trustpilot)

Is Milanuncios a good option?

Yes — for many situations. If you’re in Spain, want to sell or buy used items, want a simple platform with wide audience: Milanuncios is a very viable choice.
However you should not treat it as a fully-managed ecommerce site. Because it is peer-to-peer, you’ll need to take due diligence. If you expect buyer protection or escrow features, you may want a different platform or to complement Milanuncios with your own safeguards.

FAQs

Q: Is Milanuncios available outside Spain?
A: The service is Spanish-based, and most listings and users are in Spain. Some reviews suggest limited functionality for users outside Spain. (Trustpilot)

Q: Is posting always free?
A: For many categories and for private users yes, posting is free. But enhanced services or professional usage may incur fees. (Wikipedia)

Q: Does Milanuncios handle payments or shipping?
A: No — Milanuncios primarily provides the ad and connection service. The actual transaction (payment, delivery/collection) is up to the buyer and seller. This means risks are higher than fully-managed marketplaces. (Wikipedia)

Q: What categories are most popular?
A: The “Motor” category (vehicles) is historically one of the busiest sectors for Milanuncios. (Wikipedia)

Q: What are the main risks?
A: Scams/fraud (e.g., fake buyers, payments, mis-represented items), interface or service bugs, language or support issues for non-Spanish speakers. As with any classifieds site: you need to verify, meet in person, etc.

Comments

Post a Comment