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12 Foolproof Ways to Sell Your Stuff Online

by on Jan 23, 2017

If you need a little extra cash, a great place to look is in your own home. Today I want to share 12 foolproof ways you can sell your things online. My goal is to give you enough details so you can find which way is best for you. I love selling stuff so I also want to share 12 tips I’ve learned to help me present my stuff as something others will want. Ready to sell your stuff? Let’s get to it.    

12 Foolproof Ways to Sell Things Online

1. Local Facebook Groups

In my personal online selling experience, Facebook selling groups are the most simple and fastest way to sell anything in your home. There is no shipping involved and the process of posting and selling is easy. Right before Christmas I decided to sell my beloved mustard mid-century chair. This chair was posted and sold within an hour. 

The How Tos:

First ask to join the group. After being approved as a member, start posting items to sell. The members of the group will see it and comment if they are interested or want to make a purchase. You can make final agreements through personal direct messages. What you can sell depends on the group, so make sure you read the rules before you post something.

Tip #1: Pay attention to what items are selling quickly on your local group. To determine price look for similar listed items and watch the sale.

Pros and Cons:

Facebook is local so you don’t have to worry about boxing something up and shipping it. I also think it feels a little more safe selling things through Facebook because I have more contact with the buyer. Items sold on Facebook groups don’t always get top dollar, but if you have a great item that is priced right it usually sells quickly. Make sure you are available to engage with people who comment. An inactive seller will get passed by quickly.

Tip #2: Great pictures are worth the extra effort. Your items will stand out if you take clear, well-lit pictures. Style your pieces in a clutter free area with natural light. Use your smart phone editing tools to brighten the photos.

2. eBay

ebay is time tested and it still works. There really isn’t anything you can’t sell on eBay. Your buyer group is huge and spans a wide variety of niches.

The How Tos:

To start selling, create an account with a username and post your first item. Before you list an item figure out the shipping price. eBay does give good explanations on how to determine shipping. Aside from determining the shipping cost, the selling process is simple. When the item sells, you package and ship your item to the buyer.

Pros and Cons:

Because of eBay’s wide audience your items have a better chance of having value. Collector items and electronics are great items to sell here. I’ve even had luck selling broken electronics for parts on eBay. The site allows you to list for free, but takes a fee upon the sale of your item. The amount depends on the item, but they do provide this calculator to help you determine the fee. You are also in charge of shipping the item and knowing the shipping costs upfront. This makes selling furniture a little bit more work, unless you offer local pickup.

Tip #3: eBay can be a great resource to figure out how to price your item on any online site.

3. Etsy

Etsy is the place to sell all sorts of vintage items, vintage furniture, and all things handmade.

The How Tos:

To sell on Etsy, you first must create a store. There’s no cost to do this and there’s no time limit for things listed to be sold. You’re also not required to have a certain amount of inventory. It costs 20 cents to list an item and then there is a 3.5% transaction fee when the item sells. Here are some more details on how to sell on Etsy.

Tip #4: An easy way to create a crisp white background to all your item to stand out is to purchase two white foam boards from a craft store.

Pros and Cons:

If you have a large amount of vintage items or like to make and sell handmade things… Etsy may be for you. It does take time and effort to grow a following on the site, but they give great tutorials on how to do this. But just remember that you’re competing with experienced store owners who have customers and full inventories. It might take some time to get your items sold, but once you get your store going it could become a great source of income.

12 Foolproof Ways to Sell Things Online

12 Foolproof Ways to Sell Things Online

4. Poshmark

Download the Poshmark App on your phone and start selling your stuff. This app is a place where you can sell used or never worn designer/brandname clothing and accessories. Poshmark is full of items for women, children, and men.

The How Tos:

Download the Poshmark App and follow the steps to create an account. Take a picture with your phone and then list your items. Listing your item is pretty easy, and Poshmark helps you get it into the right category so buyers looking for that brandname/size will find your listing. Once your item sells, Poshmark will send you a pre-paid shipping label via email and you take the packaged item to your post office. After the sale, Poshmark will send you a check. You can also choose to deposit it directly into a bank account. Poshmark gets $2.95 for sales under $15 and 20% of the price for sales over $15.

Tips #5: Taking a picture of the clothing on you helps buyers see the shape and fit. Another trick is to hang your clothing item on a nice hanger with a white backdrop.

Pros and Cons:

Selling your name-brand jacket in your garage sale or on your local Facebook group depends on who shows up and if that person values that particular brand. At Poshmark, you have people specifically searching for all types of brands. Poshmark buyers do expect quality items, so only submit items in great condition. 

Tip #6: Be detailed in fit and size when you are listing a clothing item on any site. If the item is new with tags, make sure you take a picture of the tag.

5. ThredUp

Clean out your closet of clothing in good condition and earn money via ThredUp. I buy clothing from ThredUp often. It’s actually one of my favorite places to shop.

The How Tos:

Clean out your closet by setting aside gently worn clothes, shoes, and accessories that you don’t wear anymore. Order your ThredUp Clean Out Kit and bag up the things you want to send. Use the pre-paid shipping label and take it to your local post office or UPS store. ThredUp will send you the money or give you store credit. You can even use their Payout Estimator to figure out what you will receive for an item.

Pros and Cons:

Bagging up a bunch of closet items is much easier than listing and selling individual items yourself. ThredUp styles your item, takes pictures, and gets it ready to sell. They do all the shipping when the item sells. If they know and item will sell, ThredUp will purchase it from you immediately. Other items they will sell on consignment, meaning you will get paid upon the sale of the item. Some items they will not accept and you can choose to donate them or have them sent back. You might get more for your clothing by selling yourself, but using ThredUp is definitely be much easier.

Tip #7: “On trend” and “in season” clothing items will sell for more and will sell faster.
12 Foolproof Ways to Sell Things Online
Caption

6. Let Go App

Let Go is a free smart phone app designed to buy and sell secondhand items in your area. I’ve seen things from vacuum cleaners to cars listed on Let Go.

The How Tos:

Download the app, create an account and then start listing your things via your phone. There is no listing or transaction fees for this service. The app uses your location to populate things that are for sale in your area. To me, it feels like a phone-based Craigslist.

Tip #8: Be brief in your descriptions yet accurate. It is always good to mention why you are selling the item. It is also good to list the retail price if it is relevant.

The Pros and Cons:

The app is well designed and it’s easy to post and engage with buyers. It really does populate things in your area, but the quality of items and number of users depends on how well-known Let Go is in your area. The app uses your phone for location, and I don’t actually love that people know where I am, even though the location listed is approximate. You’re in charge of negotiations and pickup agreements. I personally feel safer using Facebook because I can see the user and engage their profile a little more.

Tip #9: Multiple pictures on any site can make a buyer feel more confident in the item you are selling.

7. Chairish

Sell your amazing vintage furniture on Chairish. If you have vintage furniture in really great condition, Chairish is one of the best options out there for you. Chairish is used by both designers and consumers looking for unique items for their spaces. Chairish is extremely reputable and makes selling your item really easy.

The How Tos:

Take good pictures of your item and use their submission form to upload pictures, write descriptions, and answer questions about your items. You get to decide on price, but Chairish might encourage you to lower your price based on the time of listing and what has sold. You can choose from a variety of the shipping options that work best for you. Here are more details on how to sell your things on Chairish.

The Pros and Cons:

This is the place where your vintage furniture will be valued. In my opinion, unless you are a professional antique dealer, this is where you will get the most value for your vintage furniture finds. Chairish gets 20% of the sale price for items sold under $2500, 12% for items sold between $2500-$25,000, and 3% for items over $25,000. It can take awhile for your item to sell and you might have to do a few price drops. Shipping furniture can be intimidating, so research your options first. You can always choose “white glove” shipping and Chairish will do it all, but understand that will make the price higher for a buyer.

Tip #10: Be honest about the flaws of the furniture you are selling and even include some pictures.
12 Foolproof Ways to Sell Things Online
Raise.com

8. Raise.com

If you have gift cards that you will never use you can sell them on Raise.com for cash.

The How Tos:

Go to Raise.com and list the gift card to sell. Raise.com will sell your gift card and you’ll get money.

Pros and Cons:

When you sell a gift card on raise, you’ll get less money than the original value of the gift card. 

12 Foolproof Ways to Sell Things Online
Cash 4 Books

9. Cash For Books

If you have books lying around that you will never read it may be time to sell them on Cash for Books.

The How Tos:

Enter the ISBNs of your books and Cash for Books will give you a quote. If you want to sell, they’ll email you a pre-paid shipping label and you can simply box them up and get them to the post office. The money will be deposited into your checking account. Click here to see what your books are worth.

The Pros and Cons:

Most books are valued in the $2-5 range so you won’t get a ton for your haul, but it’s better than $0 taking up space on your shelf. They don’t buy all books back, but you’ll know the price once you type in the ISBN of your book. Cas for Books is not really the place to sell vintage books.

Tip #11: There are many websites that will buy your used books. Bookscouter.com will help you find the site that will give you the best price.

10. Amazon Trade-In

Amazon has a trade in program where you can trade in items for Amazon credit. If you are looking to get rid of books, DVDs, electronics, phones, watches, televisions, cameras and so much more, you can trade them in for an Amazon credit.

The How Tos:

Go to Amazon Trade In to see what type of items are offered for trade-in. You can type an item in the search bar to see what the the trade-in value will be based on the condition of your item. Amazon will send you a pre-paid shipping label to send it to them for store credit. I’ve never done this, but loved the insight The Krazy Coupon Lady gives on Amazon Trade In.

The Pros and Cons:

The process seems really easy, but you won’t get as much as if you would selling it yourself. To me, the ease of a trade-in is much more valuable than making the extra money. The bummer is you don’t get cash, but then again, an Amazon gift card is like having cash these days.

11. Amazon

You can sell certain used and new items on Amazon. As an individual seller you can only sell 40 items per month and you are limited to what types of items you can sell. Amazon is clear about what you can and can’t sell. If your items make the cut, you have the force and ease of Amazon behind you as you sell your product.

The How Tos:

First you must have an Amazon account and then agree upon their selling terms. Make sure your item doesn’t need approval for listing. The cost to list an item is 99 cents and then there are selling fees based on the item. You can handle shipping or Amazon can handle shipping upon the sale of your item. Check out all the details on how to sell with Amazon.

The Pros and Cons:

Everyone is shopping on Amazon, so you can easily find the right buyer for the right product. As you know, Amazon reviews are highly valued, so you want to take the effort to get those good reviews. 

12. Craigslist

Craigslist is still a great place to sell furniture and many other things. It’s still one of the largest online communities for selling things. Whether or not Craigslist will work for you is based on the city or community in which you are trying to sell.

The How Tos:

Take pictures and post your items and respond to potential buyers through the contact info you listed. You set the price, negotiate, and agree upon delivery/pickup with the buyer.

The Pros and Cons:

You can still find great things on Craigslist, but you have to filter through the ads of furniture dealers and salesman. Craigslist is still one of the best venues to advertise your local garage or estate sales. Beware… spammers and unsafe situations are out there and they tend to find their way into Craigslist deals. 

Tip #12: If I’m having a garage sale, I create an individual Craigslist listing for the larger/more valuable items that can be found at my sale.
12 Foolproof Ways To Sell Your Things Online
Pin It: Ways to Sell Your Things Online

 

Do you any tips that have helped you sell your stuff online? Please do share!

Check out this roundup of YouTube Channels to get the stuff you don’t sell organized!

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2 Comments

  1. These are not “ways” to sell, as the title suggests – these are place to sell, and there’s a big difference.
    So disappointing.

  2. Super tips! We have so many choices today. I wasn’t aware of all of these. Thank you for sharing!