From Trash to Treasure : How to Sell Things Online

Looking to declutter your home? If you want to create more space and make some extra cash, there’s no shortage of apps and websites that will help you sell your unwanted items. Check out the list below of some of the best online marketplaces to sell your products. 

1. Decluttr 

If you like the idea of selling your stuff, but you’re less excited about the prospect of taking pictures, creating listings, and waiting around for an interested buyer, Decluttr could be the perfect option for you. The way Decluttr works is simple: You create an account, get an instant valuation for the items you’re selling and then ship it off for free if you like the price. You can select your payment method: PayPal, direct deposit or check and get paid as soon as the day after your items arrive at Decluttr. The app specializes in tech and media items such as cell phones, tablets, DVDs, games, and/or CDs.

2. thredUP

thredUP is an online consignment store offering to buy gently used women’s and children’s clothing. In other words, items must be high-quality, or like new, and freshly laundered. Once you’ve signed up, you’ll be able to request thredUP’s “cleanout kit,” which is a bag that you will use to ship all your unwanted clothing back to thredUP. You can drop your bag off at the post office or schedule a free residential pickup. Once thredUP has received your clothing, you’ll receive an email with details on the payout you can expect and which items they accepted. Whatever profit you receive from your clothes will show up in your account after a few weeks and you can either cash out or use the total towards a purchase on thredUp. For items that are not accepted by thredUp, you'll find that they are sold to third-party sellers or donated/recycled. You do have the option to buy them back too but that defeats the whole purpose of getting rid of your unwanted clothes.

3. eBay

We can’t talk about selling used items online and not mention eBay. There is almost nothing that you can’t sell on eBay, which means that anything from collectible toys to designer handbags to spare engine parts is fair game. To get started, you simply create an account, list your items, upload pictures, and write descriptions so customers know exactly what they’re buying/bidding for. The more information you include, the more likely you’ll be able to attract potential buyers. eBay lets you experiment with different selling models. The $1 auction is unbeatable for attracting interest, while setting a specific Buy It Now price (which you can use in conjunction with auctioning) and can appeal to buyers who may prefer to purchase the item immediately. You can also add in a Best Offer feature if you're up for some haggling, or put a reserve on auctions so that items won't sell unless they hit particular prices. Overall, selling on eBay takes the most effort but can turn the most profit. Just don't forget to account for listing and shipping fees.

4. letgo

Letgo is one of the biggest and fastest-growing apps for buying and selling locally. You can sell pretty much anything with this app from cars to electronics to clothing and accessories. The app itself is fairly straightforward. Take a photo of the item you want to sell, upload it, fill in some basic data including the price you want to charge, then start messaging potential buyers. Letgo will also automatically recognize your item and help categorize it in the right section. They even offer automated responses, which makes conversing with potential buyers that much simpler. The downside is that the app only advertises your items – it’s up to you to complete the sale. This means there's no payment integration in the app; you'll have to work out both how to accept payments and how the items will be picked up separately.

5. OfferUp

OfferUp is an app similar to Letgo and eBay that allows you to sell anything from used cars to clothes to furniture. Simply upload photos of the item, then input a title, category, condition, description of the item, location, and price. Buyers can then ask for more information about the item, or make an offer (hence the app’s name). With OfferUp, you can also select whether you’d prefer to sell the item locally or ship nationwide. As far as getting paid, if you sell the item locally, then you’ll be paid directly by the seller when they receive the item. If you choose to ship, you will be paid via the OfferUp app. 

 

 

Published by on April 26, 2021
Last Modified March 29, 2024