Selling your unwanted stuff on the internet is easier than you think. Instead of thumbing through what seems like an endless list of categories on Craigslist, you can now sell your stuff with a few handy apps on your phone. Also, selling your unwanted stuff online is a great alternative to throwing it away or donating it to Goodwill. Why not pad your wallet instead? We'll cover 6 of the best apps out there for selling locally, shipping your item, and specifically selling your old clothing. Also, we included some tips to help get you started.
Selling Anything Locally:
These apps have made it easy to sell your stuff in your local area. Your for sale ad can be up and ready in a matter of minutes.
LetGo is a free app available on both the App Store or Google Play. It allows you to buy and sell your stuff locally. No shipping is involved. Which is great way to avoid the pain and price of shipping something. You can sell electronics, toys, clothing, and everything else in between. You can even sell your car if you want. Payment for your item can be tendered either by physical cash or PayPal. It does not charge you a listing fee or take a commission off of your sell. It does feature optional premium options where you can bump/boost your ad to the top of the list.
OfferUp can be used through a web browser or through the phone app, which is free on both the App Store and Google Play. It too allows your to buy and sell things locally. OfferUp may be easier for those who are looking for a more simplistic way of posting their ads. It has a transaction history, so you can see how users have been rated and what for. The app offers premium services that will bump/promote your ad to the top of the list. The app also allows you to ship your item, and get paid through the app for your shipped item.
Summary: Once you've published your ad on either app, your item will be on the open market. If someone is interested in your item, they can send you questions about it as well as make an offer. You'll receive an email/notification (if you've enabled it) once someone messages you. Both apps feature a review and messaging system which allows users to rate each other and write reviews about their buying/selling experience, as well as message each other. This helps buyers and sellers get a better idea of who they're dealing with prior to the transaction instead of having a blind meeting which can be risky. This a great tool to help you avoid scams.
If You'd Rather Ship Your Item:
Selling and shipping your item on your phone is simple and painless. This is a great option for those who do not want to sell face to face with their buyer.
Mercari is a service that you can access via your web browser or through the free app, which is available on both the App Store and Google Play. Mercari makes it simple for the user to ship their item by automatically emailing a shipping label to them once the transaction has been complete. It boasts a large variety of diverse item categories, including handmade items. Once you have a balance of $2 in your account, you can request the buyer to pay you via direct deposit into your checking account. Mercari takes a 10% cut from each completed sale.
Ebay is still the age-old standby for selling and shipping your stuff online. It may have been around for a long time, but its app makes it a strong competitor with the other selling services. You can access it the old fashioned way through the web, or you can find its free app on both the App Store and Google Play. The app comes in handy for those who are on the move or prefer something a bit more simplistic. You fill out your ad just like you would online. Pretty much everything you can do on its site, you can do on the app, which is nice. Ebay takes a percentage of your sale. It features addons such as extra photos, and bump listing which comes out of the total of your transaction with the buyer.
Summary: Both services are good ways to sell and ship your item. Being able to access them on both your web browser and the app adds versatility and simplicity to the selling process.
Selling Clothing:
For those looking to whittle down their wardrobe, Poshmark and Tradesy are two services worth looking into.
Poshmark can be accessed via the web or through their free app on the App Store and Google Play. You can sell both kids and adult clothing on there. It allows users to shop by brand which makes the interface simple and the process easy. Making a listing only takes 60 seconds. It too provides you with a prepaid shipping label at no additional cost, which is included in the price by the buyer. It also has what it calls "Posh Parties" every day. It's pretty much a sales event that features a certain theme or brand. It not only makes it stand out in a fun way, but can boost sales. Poshmark takes a commission from the sale of your item. Listings under $15 have a flat $2.95 commission. Anything over, is 20% of your sale price.
Tradesy is another fashion oriented service that is available on the web or via the app which is available on the App Store and Google Play. It is specifically marketed toward women. Just like with Poshmark, listing is simple and quick. The service allows you to receive payment from the buyer via PayPal, Tradesy Credit, Debit card or bank account. Tradesy takes an almost 20% commission on items sold for $50 and over. Items that are sold under that receive a flat $7.50 fee.
Summary: These two are good options because the focus only on the sale of clothing which creates less unrelated traffic for potential buyers to go through.
What Should I Sell?
I've sold everything from electronics such as iPods and smart phones to clothing and motorcycle parts. There's a market for pretty much anything out there that is legal. Here's a list of items to give you an idea of what you should look for in your unwanted items as well as what the best apps are to sell them on:
- Electronics - smart phones, music players, video games and consoles, TVs, laptops/computers, home appliances. Apps: LetGo, OfferUp, Ebay (for the smaller items)
- Handmade Items - crafts, clothing, and jewelry. App: Mercari
- Large utility or yard equipment - mowers, weed eaters, blowers, edgers, washers, dryers and fridges. Apps: LetGo and OfferUp.
- Clothing - shirts, pants, hats, shoes, jackets and accessories. App: Poshmark and Tradesy.
- Tools - powered drills, saws, sanders etc. Tool boxes and non powered hand tools. App: OfferUp, LetGo and Ebay.
Shipping Your Stuff:
Many of the services above that allow you to ship make the process pretty painless. You're able to print off a shipping label which is prepaid by the buyer and send it off. It doesn't take but a minute to figure out how much shipping would cost to a certain location within the United States. Both USPS and UPS provide shipping calculators. USPS' flat-rate shipping boxes come in a variety of sizes. If your items fits into the box, it ships at a flat rate. This is a good no-fuss method of shipping, although sometimes it's cheaper to ship through other types of post. If you're not sure, talk with your post master or UPS Store clerk.
Tips And Advice:
Not matter what app you use, it's all about getting the most exposure and presenting your item in the best way you can. Here are some tips that I've found to come in handy.
1. Use more than one app simultaneously. This will give you exposure to more than one community of potential buyers which increases your chances of selling your item.
2. Take good pictures of your item with clean backgrounds and decent lighting. You need to make your item as attractive as possible. This helps your item stand out from the rest of the heap.
3. Check the market and see what other's may be selling your item or something similar for. This way you can include a fair or even competitive price for your item.
4. Pay attention to reviews and ratings on potential buyers. This helps you get an idea of who you're dealing with if your going to do the transaction in person or ship your item.
5. For those selling locally - Once you've struck a deal, meet in a public place such as a grocery store parking lot. This will provide an added level of safety to your transaction.
6. Be kind a courteous to those who ask questions about your item. Your demeanor could be reflected in your rating or review.
7. Make sure your item is free of dust, dirt, debris. If it's clothing, wash it before you hand it over. Common courtesy goes a long way.
8. Most spam accounts are very young accounts or they do not have any reviews at all. One obvious sign is when you are messaged about them paying more for you item if you to A, B or C. Most are pretty obvious, and many of the apps above do a good job at deleting these accounts.
There you have it. It's very simple to sell your unwanted stuff this way. Some people have made it a business to sell through these services. You may be surprised what you might find collecting dust int he back of the shed or closet. That old push lawn mower may pay for your next date night or take the edge off of your next credit card payment. If you weren't using an item or didn't want it in the first place, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.