Log out
Remember yard sales? How fun it was to rifle through your neighbor’s old junk to find a treasure?
The days of yard sales are long gone as more and more people turn to online marketplaces to sell their old stuff.
There’s no reason to wait for a summer weekend and to drag the old folding table out of the garage, instead just snap a few photos, post them to an app, and you’re off on a new money-making venture.
It’s now easier than ever to sell items you no longer need. From luxury clothes and broken electronics to used furniture and cars there’s an app to sell just about anything.
Browse our list of favorite apps to find your ideal match.
1. Poshmark
Mobile App: iOS and Android
Cost: Seller Fees
Poshmark is the perfect app if you want to clean out your closet. Their focus is women’s fashion – shoes, dresses, handbags, etc. – but you can also sell home decor, beauty products, and accessories. With over 80 million members it has a large base from which to attract buyers.
According to Small Business Trends, sellers on Poshmark can rake in anywhere from $100 a month to $2,000 a month based on the number of active listings they have on the app. Nicole Spector
With Poshmark the selling process is straightforward. Easily create a listing by uploading photos, adding descriptions, and setting prices. When a buyer purchases an item they pay the $7.97 shipping fee and Poshmark gives the seller a prepaid shipping label simplifying the shipping process. For all of these services, you will have to pay a small commission of 20% or a flat rate of $3 for sales under $15.
Poshmark is unique in that it offers a social element, allowing users to follow and interact with each other. This can increase the visibility of your items and so attract potential buyers.
2. eBay
Mobile App: iOS and Android
Cost: Selling Fees
Shipping assistance: Yes, seller chooses shipping option
Founded in 1995, eBay is the original online marketplace and is still a popular destination for sellers and buyers worldwide. The platform lets you sell almost any type of item from electronics to collectibles. A few best-selling categories include: automotive, home and garden, clothing, shoes, and accessories, jewelry and watches, and sporting goods. eBay is the tried and true way to sell just about everything in your home.
Sellers can easily create listings with detailed descriptions and multiple photos to attract buyers. What makes eBay stand out is that you can sell via auction or set price. Your choice. If you put an item up for auction, you can set a reserve price, the lowest price you’ll accept, so you can be sure that you’ll be satisfied with the sale.
eBay does take a cut of the final sale. The amount is based on the type of item and the sale price and can be anywhere from 2.35% to 15%. Sometimes there aren’t any fees at all.
The average eBay seller earns about $35,000 per year. Some top earners make as much as $70,000, and many earn just a few thousand per year. It all depends on how much inventory you can sell, the price of your items, and any extra expenses that you incur like shipping materials. Annie Pilon
3. OfferUp
Mobile app: iOS and Android
Cost: Seller fees if you ship items
Shipping Assistance: Yes, provides a prepaid shipping label
OfferUp was founded in 2011 as a competitor to Craigslist. In 2020 it acquired Letgo, expanding its reach to 20 million active users. Like with eBay, you can sell anything you want on this app but its emphasis is on household items like furniture and appliances plus electronics and even cars!
OffUp lets you connect with local buyers or ship items across the country. If you sell locally, everything is free, but be sure to chat via the app and meet up in a public place for safety’s sake.
If you choose to ship an item, then OfferUp will send you a prepaid shipping label (buyer pays for shipping) – it’s fantastic to not have to worry about postage – but in exchange, they will take a service fee of 12.9% or $2.
OfferUp has a secure payment feature called TruYou, which allows buyers to make payments directly through the app. This eliminates the need for cash transactions and provides a safer selling experience.
New
if I had to pick just one to look at, it would be Offer Up. I love just scrolling through the pictures, and I have been able to find SO MANY great deals through that app. I bought this exercise machine for $40 and sold it for $1,000, and I bought this Yeti cooler for $75 and sold it on eBay for $275. Robert Stephenson
The average seller makes around $368 selling furniture and home goods on OfferUp.
4. Decluttr
Mobile app: iOS and Android
Cost: Free
Shipping Assistance: Yes, provides a prepaid shipping label
Imagine an app where you can sell used electronics. That’s exactly what Decluttr does. Launched in 2014, this innovative app pays you for your old phones, wires, tablets, textbooks, video games, gaming consoles, headphones, speakers, computers, CDs, DVDs, and LEGOs. Used, broken, it doesn’t matter. If they can’t sell an item, they’ll simply ship it back to you for free.
To sell items you can quickly and easily scan the barcode to get an instant valuation or just tell them what you want to sell and they’ll quote you a price. If you’re happy with the price, you can ship your items to Decluttr for free. If you’re not, best go elsewhere because they won’t negotiate. It does happen fairly often that Decluttr’s valuation is far below what the seller originally paid.
The app also offers a fast payment process, with options for direct deposit or PayPal. Decluttr takes care of the entire selling process, including listing, pricing, and shipping, making it a hassle-free option for selling unwanted tech items.
According to Decluttr’s research, most of us have money on the table and don’t even realize it. The site claims that the average American has $199 in old tech just lying around. Plus, the company claims to offer up to 33% more cash than your phone carrier. So when you upgrade your smartphone to one with a more teleconference-friendly camera, you know you’re getting the best deal.
Reselling old tech is also good for the environment too. According to the UN, e-waste contributes 20-50 million metric tons of waste every year. Keeping even a percentage of that junk out of landfills is a win for all of us.
Four in every 5 people have an old cellphone, and most people stand to make at least $200 by cashing them in. Jennifer Jolly
5. Facebook Marketplace
Mobile app: iOS and Android
Cost: Free
Shipping Assistance: No
Selling on Facebook Marketplace couldn’t be easier. Like OfferUp, it allows you to create listings and connect with buyers within your local community or ship goods across the country. Launched in 2016, it’s a great place to sell big-ticket items like appliances, furniture, and cars. You can sell anything though, games, toys, apparel, electronics, and more. Facebook Marketplace makes it easy to post photographs, create descriptions, set prices, and then chat with potential buyers via Facebook Messenger.
With over 1 billion users every month Facebook Marketplace is the app with the largest audience. With such a large number of users, you have a high chance of finding interested buyers and getting the price you want. Be careful though, as with other local sales apps, there is no buyer protection and it’s best to use cash and meet in public spaces to avoid potential scams. But you will avoid all shipping fees and Facebook Marketplace does not take a sales commission.
You can make some serious money selling stuff on Facebook Marketplace. In just one week, I made nearly $700 selling my old stuff! Eden Ashley
I made $230 by selling a bookcase. Selling furniture on Facebook Marketplace can be a great way to make extra money and it’s one of the most profitable products to sell on Facebook. Eden Ashley
Tips for Successful Sales
Now that you know the best apps to sell stuff and make money, let’s discuss some tips to maximize your success and make more money.
- Photos: Take high-quality photos of your items. Clear, well-lit images will attract more potential buyers and increase the chances of making a sale.
- Descriptions: Detailed and accurate descriptions are crucial.
- Honesty: Be honest about the condition of your items and provide all relevant information, such as brand, size, and any imperfections.
- Price: Do a little research to understand the market value and price your items competitively. Sites like Spiltwise’s Furniture Calculator can help you determine the best price for your item based on brand, condition, and age.
- Communication: Be responsive and communicate promptly with potential buyers. Answer any inquiries or questions as soon as possible to maintain buyer interest. It’s also helpful to be flexible with negotiation and pricing.
Tricks and Tips to Avoid Scams
- Be VERY careful about giving out your phone number. Maybe just don’t do it at all. If you’re using an app that sells locally they will have a chat feature that you can use to communicate with.
- NEVER send someone a Google code no matter how much they pressure you. This code will let them access your phone and all the personal and financial information you have on it.
- If someone is pressuring you to act fast and not letting you have any time to think they are most likely trying to scam you. Walk away.
- Don’t even think about accepting a cashier’s cheque, traveler’s cheque, or even a regular cheque. Money exchange services, money orders, and wire transfers (like Western Unions) are also off limits. It’s best to use good old fashioned cash.
- Always meet a buyer in a public location like a cafe or even a police station. If you want, bring a friend with you.
- If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.
- If you can’t meet the buyer in person, ask them to verify their identity. They could send you a picture of them holding their ID or provide links to social media. Do not ask about sensitive personal information and beware of someone who asks too many personal questions.
Selling used items online has never been easier.
Clean out your space and make a little extra cash or even open your own online shop and start a lucrative side hustle.
It’s time to turn your clutter into cash.
For more ways to make money in your spare time, check out our.
