Pros
I worked at VarageSale for about a year before being let go during the lay offs. Let's start by addressing the layoffs - it was a business decision that was driven by the global venture capital markets and the difficulty of raising capital in 2016. Unfortunate - most definitely. If I was in the same position I would have done the exact same thing. If you're looking at any startup in North America in 2016, you should be asking a lot of questions about their funding - this was not unique to VS. They currently have more money in the bank then probably 80% of the startups in Canada, are continuing to grow with an incredibly loyal user base. The layoffs gave them the runway required to continue to make a run at developing a great business. The product and company story is so much fun - helping people around the world buy and sell locally. The heartfelt stories from users about how VarageSale helped a family go on their first vacation to disney, or pay for the mortgage is a constant reminder that you're working on something that truly matters. The people are amazing. They work hard, play hard, and are all driven to succeed. Andrew, the new CEO (former VP of Growth) is a phenomenal leader. His ability to quickly grasp a problem, determine the value in solving that problem, and push it from idea to production is a true gift.
Cons
The world is an increasingly competitive place, and VarageSale has some large competitors - many whom have raised a significant amount of money. If VarageSale can stay focused on it's true users, I believe they stand a true shot to win, but there are some heavy hitting competitors out there.