Pros of selling used items online
- Access to a vast audience: Online selling sites like eBay have millions of users, providing potential for high visibility for your items.
- Built-in trust through reputable selling platforms: Sites with strong name recognition lend credibility to your virtual storefront, increasing buyers’ confidence.
- 24/7 selling opportunities: Unlike physical markets, online platforms operate round-the-clock, allowing sales anytime.
Cons of selling used items online
- Limited storytelling opportunities for your items: Online listings provide limited space for describing an item’s history or value, requiring effective copywriting skills.
- More price-conscious consumers due to the ease of price comparison: Online shoppers are likely to compare prices systematically, making them more sensitive to price variations.
- Increased consumer skepticism due to the inability to physically inspect the items: Buyers might be more cautious as they can only rely on photos and descriptions to assess an item’s condition.
Places to source used items to sell
1. Garage sales
Garage sales offer great opportunities to discover used items due to the sellers’ lack of awareness regarding the actual worth of their belongings. In addition, the convenience-driven nature of garage sales serves as an ideal environment for bargaining and obtaining items at reduced prices.
2. Thrift stores
Thrift stores like Goodwill and the Salvation Army are frequently the destination for rare used items. The advantage of these stores is their extended hours, which sets them apart from garage sales and allows for convenient daily browsing.
When looking for truly great items, it is advisable to scan the stores quickly and periodically instead of embarking on a lengthy trip. By doing so, you not only increase your chances of finding desirable items before they are taken, but also minimize the opportunity cost of wasting valuable time.
3. Flea markets
Similar to garage sales, flea markets typically take place on weekends, implying that you need to plan your visits strategically in order to obtain the finest items. Additionally, it is advisable to arrive at least 20 minutes prior to their opening time to guarantee that you have the opportunity to select the most desirable goods.
4. Craigslist
Craigslist, like garage sales, is frequently populated with sellers who are unaware of the actual worth of their items. Similarly, it attracts individuals who are eager to declutter and open to bargaining, just like in garage sales. The advantage of utilizing this online marketplace is the ability to conduct sales from any location and access it 24/7, which sets it apart from the conventional garage sale experience.
5. The company named Amazon
Given the abundant opportunity for profit from secondhand goods, it is unlikely that the biggest marketplace in the world would ignore this potential. Nevertheless, Amazon’s program for individual sellers is not designed as a replacement for a casual garage sale; it maintains strict quality standards in order to encourage greater online transactions.
Instead of simply using platforms like eBay, Craigslist, or Facebook marketplace and uploading random smartphone pictures of your used items, it would be better to explore the Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) program as a suitable option for selling your used belongings.
The program is intended for individual sellers who require support from Amazon, but it can also be utilized to sell your pre-owned items online. On the majority of Amazon product pages, below the description, there is a small link stating, “New & Used from $90 + FREE shipping.”
By clicking on the provided link, you will be able to view all the used listings that have been submitted by sellers and are fulfilled by Amazon.
To get listed in those spots, follow these steps: establish an Amazon FBA account, collect your pre-owned items, package them, and record the details of each item in the box, like its UPC, ISBN, or ASIN. Afterward, comply with Amazon’s shipping instructions. It’s as straightforward as that.
6. Online marketplace ETSY
Etsy is widely recognized as the top marketplace for handmade and crafted goods, but it also accommodates a flourishing storefront dedicated to vintage items. Nevertheless, the standards for quality are stringent. Merely sending them a collection of secondhand items with optimism won’t suffice. Etsy deems items to be vintage if they are at least 20 years old.
Etsy is considered as one of the leading online platforms for vintage items, which include:
- Furniture
- Collectibles (like cards or figurines)
- Musical instruments
- Clothes
- Art (sculptures, paintings, decor)
- Books or magazines
Selling on Etsy comes with great advantages since you won’t have to compete with a flood of low-quality items. Additionally, Etsy’s selling system is excellent and draws in a customer base that frequently tends to spend more money on the items you no longer want.
When listing an item on Etsy, there is a charge of $0.20 per item, and in addition, you will incur fees for all online sales at a fixed commission rate of 3.5%.
7. eBay
You can make money on eBay by passing on your previously loved garments. On this website, sellers have full control to upload pictures, set the price, and communicate with potential buyers. Moreover, the selling fees are limited to 12.35 percent and 30 cents.
If you want to establish a minimum sale price for your items and have buyers bid on them, you can consider utilizing the bidding option. At the end of the allocated time period, the highest bidder will be awarded. eBay is an ideal platform whether you are looking to sell a vintage bag, your wedding dress, or baby clothes as it helps find a new home for your used items.
8. Depop
Depop is not just an online resale app, but also a marketplace and social app that fosters a creative community for buying, selling, and sharing fashion inspiration. Moreover, it provides sellers with full autonomy over their photos, prices, and descriptions, with Depop only claiming a 10 percent fee from finalized sales.
To begin selling, first download the app and start making listings for your pre-owned clothing. Enhance the likelihood of attracting views by interacting with buyers and sellers who share a similar fashion taste. Whether your items are vintage, designer brands, or well-known labels, you can be confident that there will be potential buyers exploring this worldwide marketplace.
9. The RealReal
If you are interested in selling a Chanel dress or a Louis Vuitton bag, The RealReal is the ideal platform for online consignments. Although you will not recover the full amount that you initially paid for your luxury items, you can definitely make a significant profit (up to an exact 85 percent commission).
To ensure sustainability, you can either send your items using a prepaid label or personally drop them off at one of the Luxury Consignment Offices. Unsellable items are donated to prevent them from ending up in landfills. By the end of 2021, The RealReal aims to be carbon-neutral and is committed to sustainability through its membership in the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and One Tree Planted’s Million Tree Challenge.
