In the digital age, the days of consumers having to save up their unneeded household items for the next garage sale are long gone, along with the need to post signs around the neighborhood to hype up the event. Instead, today’s internet-savvy sellers can easily list their offerings online, either posting items one at a time or many at once to spur more sales. And when they do, they can reach a substantial audience of potential buyers with minimal effort, then sell their unwanted items to both declutter their storage spaces and collect some cash in the process.
For sellers looking to unload anything from that unneeded TV set to those old baseball cards that have been collecting dust, those high-end clothes that simply do not fit anymore or nearly anything in between, these seven websites offer great ways to get exposure and close the deal:
- eBay: Among the original online auction houses, eBay got off to a humble start in the mid 1990s, and it has since grown to become a multibillion-dollar corporation with operations spread across 30-plus countries. This site is an especially good option for selling items that are rare or in high demand because the final price for most items sold there is determined via bidding, which opens up the possibilities for a bidding war that drives the item price up. Sellers can also choose to put a set price on their items with the Buy It Now option and they can also set a reserve price, the least they will take for the item. Because the eBay audience is nationwide and can even be global, sellers should be prepared to ship their sold items. Finally, sellers are required to pay insertion fees and selling fees for most items sold there.
- Facebook Marketplace: As the most-visited social media site in the United States, Facebook is a great option for sellers who want to get their up-for-sale offerings seen by lots of people. And without a doubt, the platform’s Facebook Marketplace gives sellers the chance to generate plenty more shoppers than even the biggest garage sales. With a Facebook account, sellers can post their goods for free, put them up for local sale or offer nationwide shipping, and chat with potential buyers who express any interest. Buyers and sellers can also get a good idea of who they are dealing with by exploring any contact’s Facebook profile.
- Craigslist: Functioning much like an online version of a newspaper’s classifieds section, craigslist allows sellers to list their items for sale within a long list of “for sale” sections such as antiques, appliances, cars, furniture, electronics and clothing. The site is broken up into geographic sections so that regions and cities each have their own specific sites for posting and there is no charge to list most types of items for sale on the site. Sellers can post photos and descriptions of the items they are selling on the site in addition to setting the item price. Buyers and sellers on craigslist communicate via alias email addresses, allowing sellers to remain anonymous until they decide to actually meet up with a buyer for a transaction. Note that, while this can be a perk for sellers who would prefer to keep their information private, the anonymity of the site also attracts a considerable number of scam artists.
- Amazon: Well-known as the internet’s largest retailer, Amazon.com also allows people to sell certain used and lightly used items on its website. With an Individual plan, sellers must pay Amazon 99 cents per unit sold plus additional selling fees, and account holders are limited to selling fewer than 40 items per month. Total costs to the seller vary depending on the type of item being sold, and certain item categories are restricted to sellers with a Professional seller plan. Among the popular items sellers with an Individual plan can offer on Amazon are books, tools, home and garden items, and toys and games.
- Poshmark: Poshmark is an online platform focused on the sale of clothing, accessories and makeup. Once sellers’ items are listed on Poshmark with photos and descriptions, the site also includes a feature that allows sellers to share their listings on social media platforms such as Facebook and Pinterest. And once items are sold, Poshmark provides sellers with prepaid and pre-addressed mailing labels to simplify the shipping process. When items are sold on Poshmark for under $15, the site collects a flat fee of $2.95. For those $15 or more, a 20% commission is collected.
- Etsy: Best known as an e-commerce site for those selling their homemade arts and crafts, Etsy also allows sellers to offer vintage items such as old coins, baseball cards, artwork and other collectibles. The site charges sellers a 20 cents per-item listing fee, plus, for each item sold, a 5% transaction fee and a payment processing fee of 3% plus 25 cents. One drawback to the site is that sellers cannot simply list their items without first setting up a storefront and a seller’s storefront traffic will vary based on the storefront’s site ranking.
- Decluttr: Most of the websites designed for personal online selling see users offer their goods to the buying public via item listings. With Decluttr, users instead sell their CDs, DVDs, books, video game consoles and other tech devices such as cellphones, tablets and laptops directly to Decluttr. The process starts with the seller providing the website with details about the item for sale and Decluttr responds with an instant valuation. If the seller likes the price, he or she ships the item to Decluttr, which confirms the item is as described before releasing payment. The prices Decluttr pays for items are typically below market value as Decluttr makes its money by reselling the items. But the site provides a relatively hassle-free way for sellers to collect money for items they no longer need.
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