Once in a while, we get rid of our old furniture to make room for new ones. Maybe we’re replacing a couch, a dresser, a bed, or a dining table, whatever it is, taking it to the Goodwill or disposing of it in the dumpster isn’t the only choice available. You can sell your old furniture and make some money to offset the cost of the new ones, and here’s how.
1. Facebook Marketplace
A few weeks ago, I was in a Nothern California pie shop with a few friends and family. Somehow, we started talking about affordable baby strollers — a pregnant couple was sitting across from us, that’s how we got to the topic. Everybody started talking about Buy Buy Baby, Target, Once Upon A Child and other baby stores. And in the midst of that, I suggested Facebook Marketplace.
“Facebook Marketplace, what is that”? They asked, almost in unison. I was as surprised as they were. I thought I was getting punked. “Ah, Facebook Marketplace, don’t you guys know it”? I muttered, studying the looks on their faces. To my surprise, none of them knew what Facebook Marketplace was — and all these people are on Facebook.
If you are one of those who don’t know what Facebook Marketplace is, let me tell you what it is.
Facebook Marketplace is an excellent resource for buying and selling things to people within a certain radius of where you live.
How To Join Facebook Marketplace
If you already have a Facebook account, go to Facebook.com/marketplace and click on the “sell something” button. You will be prompted to upload photos of the item you which to sell, along with a detailed description.
You then set your price and post the item to the marketplace. People will see your listing and start to contact you through Facebook messenger about how to pay and pick the item up. Simple!
2. OfferUp
I discovered OfferUp a few years ago. My brother bought a used car from a friend of ours, and within two weeks, he realized he’d made a horrible decision. The car started to break down often, and sometimes it wouldn’t start at all — what do you expect from an old $1,100 PT Cruiser!
He smartened up real fast and decided to sell the car. He called me, and I suggested posting it on OfferUp — he previously had a “for sale” sign on it, and no one cared. Within a few days of posting it on OfferUp, he got several offers — some offering to buy the car in exchange for iPads and laptops, which he promptly rejected. Finally, he sold the car for $1,350 to a guy who was a mechanic and made a nice $250 profit — not bad at all.
What Is OfferUp
OfferUp, as you may have already guessed from the story above, is an app for buying and selling stuff to your neighbors or people who live in the same city as you. It is a free app, and all you have to do is download it and start using it.
How To Join OfferUp
You can join OfferUp using your e-mail or Facebook account. After you sign up, OfferUp will ask you to confirm your e-mail. After you do that, you’re good to go. You can download the OfferUp app from the IOS or Google Play stores.
3. Letgo
So here’s a funny story. I bought this computer from Letgo. Yes, the computer I’m using right now to write this blog post you’re reading was bought on Letgo, and here the story.
In early 2018 I was looking for a Macbook because I wanted to learn how to code in Swift — I saw this neat Swift course on Udemy and I wanted to try it.
I started looking on eBay, OfferUp, and Letgo for used Macbooks. I came across a few, but the deals didn’t work out.
Then one day, I saw this “water damaged” 15.4-inch 1tb 2015 Macbook Pro on Letgo for only $350. Wow! I immediately messaged the seller and offered to buy it for $250. He accepted! I figured if it was completely damaged and didn’t work at all, I could sell it as “parts” on eBay for at least $600.
Below is part of our conversation. I was surprised to see it still in my messages on the Letgo website.
Long story short, I bought the laptop, and it turned out to be perfect! At first, it wouldn’t come on. Then I charged it overnight, the next day it worked like a charm. It hasn’t given me any problem ever since. The laptop appeared to be brand new with absolutely no scratches, and I haven’t seen the dead pixels he mentioned either.
Buying And Selling On Letgo
Letgo is an excellent place to sell your used furniture. It is also a great place to buy stuff to flip on other websites like eBay or Craigslist, but that’s another story.
>>Read our Letgo Review here<<
4. eBay
The very first time I ever made money online, it was on eBay. I sold my wayfarer Ray-Ban sunglasses for $37. I still remember getting that first “cha-chang” notification sound on my phone, with a message saying my item had been sold.
I later went on to make tens of thousands of dollars in sales on eBay.
eBay is a great place to sell your furniture. However, since furniture is usually bulky, you will have to activate the “available for pick-up” option on your eBay listing. That way, you don’t have to ship. Only local customers will bid on your furniture, and they can simply come and pick the furniture up when they win.
5. Trove
Trove is an app specifically designed for buying and selling furniture. You can join Trove by signing up on their website or using their IOS app.
Trove charges a 10% transaction fee on each sale on their website. The 10% fee is subtracted from the sale price, and the remainder gets remitted to the seller.
6. Bonanza
Bonanza is sort of like eBay. Third-party sellers get to list their items on the platform, and buyers get to either buy upfront or place bids.
How To Sell On Bonanza
To start selling on Bonanza, you will first have to create your account and then agree to Bonanza’s terms and conditions. Membership with Bonanza is open only to people who are 18 years old and above.
Once you set up your account, you can then list your furniture and start selling.
7. Chairish
Chairish is a destination for buying and selling furniture and home decor. They are not as well known as eBay and Amazon, but they are a leading online marketplace for design lovers to buy and sell chic vintage decor, furniture, and art.
Chairish is a great place to sell your furniture, especially if your furniture is easy and inexpensive to ship.
Selling On Chairish
Chairish charges one-off sellers a 20% – 30% commission on sales. Professional and Elite sellers, however, are charged between 3% – 20% on a graduated scale.
A one-off seller selling an item for $100 on Chairish will pay the platform between $20 – $30. That’s very high. Most people don’t make 20% margins in profit, talk less about losing it in commissions.
8. Classified Ad In The Newspaper
This may surprise you, but many people still read print newspapers, and they check the classified ads section of the papers too.
Using classified ads is a great way to offload your furniture. Just make sure you describe what you’re selling adequately, and then give a number they can contact you on.
9. AptDeco
Just like Chairish, Aptco is one of those companies that is dedicated to buying and selling used furniture.
AptDeco is pretty new on the scene right now. They currently serve the New York City metro area.
How To Sell On AptDeco
Selling on AptDeco is easy and straightforward. However, unlike, AptDeco arranges pick-up and delivery when your item sells. Here are the steps:
- List your item.
- AptDeco shares your listing with people who might be interested.
- When you receive a purchase request, you have 24 hours to confirm the request — stating that the item is still available. If you don’t respond within 24 hours, AptDeco cancels the sale.
- Once delivery is confirmed, and everything is okay, AptDeco pays you in two to three business days. Simple.
10. Apartment Therapy’s Bazaar
The Apartment Therapy Marketplace is another fantastic place to sell used furniture. Unlike AptDeco, which operates primarily in the NYC Metro area, Apartment Therapy Marketplace is all over the country. You can list your item on the platform wherever you live in the US, and you might get buyers.
How To Sell On Apartment Therapy Bazaar Marketplace
Selling used furniture on Apartment Therapy is similar to selling on Bonanza or eBay. You list your item, and buyers send in their offers.
The platform charges a reasonable seller’s fee of 3% of the sales price. Stripe, the payment processor, charges around 2.9% plus $0.30. on each sale amount.
11. CraigsList
Long before all these fancy apps came on the market, Craigslist was the destination for buying and selling stuff — even used furniture. Well, let me tell you, Craigslist is still a destination for buying and selling.
All you have to do is sign up for a Craigslist account and list your furniture. Unlike the other platforms, selling on Craigslist is completely free.
>> Read Craigslist Selling Tips <<<
Other Honorable Mentions
- Wertz Brothers
- Furniture Finders
- Route 66 Furniture
- 5 Miles
- Varage Sale
- Offer It
- Listia
- Shpock Local Marketplace
How To Sell Successfully Online
You’re not going to get anywhere selling online if you’re lackadaisical. Selling online requires enthusiasm and attention to detail. Here are some of the things you need to pay attention to if you want to succeed in selling online.
Photos: Take as many pictures of the item as possible. The customer wants to see the item from every conceivable angle, especially when it is a piece of used furniture. Photograph all the flaws and defects on the product and let the buyer know about them upfront.
Don’t pull any surprises. You don’t want someone driving 20 miles hoping to pay and pick up their furniture, only to be blindsided by flaws and defects on the product — things they didn’t see in the photos.
Description: Give as detailed a description of the product as possible. Give brand name, color, fabric or leather type, model number, and item number (if available).
If you don’t know the information, look it up, call the manufacturer, do all you can to get the information, and let it be accurate. Buyers get very impressed and are more likely to deal with you when they see such details on a listing.
Be responsive: People are very busy. If someone expresses interest in what you’re selling, please try to respond within the hour. If you don’t respond, people move on, and it can be hard to get them back. I don’t have the patience for unresponsive sellers.
Cast your net wide: Don’t just sell on one platform. Put your listing on all the platforms, if possible. You want as many people as possible to see it. The particular buyer who’s looking for the item you’re selling may be on the other platform, and if you’re not there, you may miss the sale.
Related: 36 Legit Ways For Teens To Make Money
Bottom Line
You don’t need a list of 100 places to sell used furniture. This list of 11 sites, plus the supplemental list are all you need to offload your used furniture.
Make sure you post ample crispy clear photos of the item, along with details descriptions. Also, be responsive and don’t limit yourself on just one platform.
Sell your furniture on every one of the platforms listed here, and within no time, your used furniture will be off your hands.
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