Find local bargains online

Lavinia Thompson was eager to hand over her cash when she found exactly what she was looking for nearby, on MNA Digital's auction site.

"What was great about it was that it was delivered the very same day by the seller," she said.

"I didn't have to wait. He seemed to go out of his way to help."

Mother of one Lavinia, who is in the process of setting up her own business, was impressed by the fact that she didn't have to pay for postage or wait for a third party to get the item to her – the local seller brought the item to her in person, and even carried it into the house for her.

"It's also good because you meet the seller, so any quality concerns you might have with the item can be rectified quickly."

With no postage charges attached to so many of the items, which is one of the key selling points of StarBidz, Lavinia was free to splash out more money on the purchase than she would have been able to do otherwise.

"I bought the cabinet for the seller's asking price of £25, which I thought was fair as there were no postage and packaging costs," Lavinia said.

Registration with StarBidz is a simple process, as is browsing the various listings and bidding on items.

"I found it easy to use and easy to navigate," Lavinia said.

"I've used eBay before and it compares well. I'll definitely check StarBidz again in the future. It's local and more convenient."

It is free to advertise on StarBidz for a limited period. Selling stuff on the site is as easy as 1-2-3.

And there are no hidden costs. Sellers fill out an easy-to-use online form, describing the item and uploading photos.

You can sell it quickly at a fixed price, accept offers or hold an auction - the choice is yours.

After the closing time for bids, you simply collect payment and then deliver or ship the item to the buyer.

The Premium ads, which usually cost £6.00, are currently free. They appear above the Standard listings in the search results and appear in the Featured Items gallery to gain maximum attention.

They also allow a 2000-character description and up to 8 photos. The standard ads, which appear above the free listings, are usually £2.00 but are also currently free.

They include a 500-character description and up to four photos. The free ads feature one photo and a 150-character description.

All three types of ads stay live on the site for 45 days, or 7 days for auction listings.

StarBidz is one of a number of initiatives being carried out by MNA Digital, the online arm of the Express & Star's owner Midlands News Association.

To find a bargain or book an ad, click here