WebProNews

If someone gave you a tiki-head tissue dispenser for Christmas instead of the Disney vacation you wanted, online auction sites like eBay or Yahoo! Auctions could be the place to convert it into quick cash.

Instead of taking a receipt and an unwanted gift into the post-holiday traffic and store crowds, auction sites like eBay and Yahoo think you should take out your digital camera and your laptop computer instead. The Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113573215269332594.html class=bluelink title="Paid registration required">reported how those sites want the unfortunately-gifted to handle their nicely-wrapped white elephants.

Reselling may get a boost due to changes in return policies by retailers, the report observed. Stricter return policies and restocking fees may deter shoppers from taking something back to the point of purchase. Distance from the store and finding the time to do so could also be factors.

That's where the online marketplace comes to the rescue. While the Journal mentioned eBay's promotion of reselling over regifting, and Yahoo's free auctions and a forthcoming section of the site dedicated to gift reselling, a couple of online classifieds options may work just as well.

Craigslist has been well-known for its community focus and online classifieds. Direct selling from one person to another might be easier or preferable for many sellers. Reselling seems tailor-made for Google Base, though Google's Automat and Payments systems have yet to be released.

Yahoo and eBay do have the advantage of being brand names and having feedback systems in place, to help allay some concerns of online buyers. And if someone is willing to part with $20 for a tool you'll never use and received for free, does the gift-giver really need to know?

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David Utter is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business.