Who Buys Furniture? 10 Best Places to Sell Used Furniture
People may not believe that selling antique furniture is profitable. You’re probably thinking, ‘who buys furniture from someone when they can undoubtedly go to Ikea and select something new?
Of course, this is dependent on the state of your old couch, but I can tell you right now that used furniture has its appeal and can be a wonderful way to make some additional money.
You can sell old furniture not only if you’ve decided to upgrade and need to get rid of yours but also if you’d like to start a new side business.
Yes, there are people who acquire used furniture, tidy it up, and then resell it for a higher price.
Uniqueness attracts, as does knowing you’re helping the environment (purchasing a one-of-a-kind restored piece is undoubtedly a more eco-friendly alternative).
Anyway, how about I tell you where you can sell used furniture and quickly make money?
Continue reading to learn about the best ways to sell your old furniture and how you can transform that Barcalounger your girlfriend thinks is an eyesore into cash.
What Condition is Your Furniture?
This may influence how you go about selling it. If your item is damaged or broken, it may not be worth selling on sites that charge a portion of the selling price.
If it’s broken or fragile, it might not be a good idea (or it might be too expensive) to mail it.
Items that are new, like new, repaired, or in good condition are more likely to command a higher price.
Keep this in mind as you determine your asking price, as well as how and where you want to sell.
Selling Used Furniture Online vs. Locally
There are numerous choices available to people wishing to sell their used furniture, both online and locally.
If you Google “sell used furniture near me,” you’ll find a plethora of local used furniture stores, consignment shops, antique stores, and markets where you may do precisely that.
However, the days of limiting yourself to your local consignment business are long gone, and many astute side hustlers now sell used furniture online.
Selling online broadens your reach beyond your own neighborhood and increases your chances of closing a more profitable sale.
As you’ll soon discover, there are numerous methods for selling furniture online, each with advantages and disadvantages.
So, where are the greatest online marketplaces for selling used furniture and making a quick buck? Let us investigate.
Best Places to Sell Used Furniture for Cash
If you want to sell used furniture online for money on a regular basis, we believe Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, and Craigslist are viable options.
However, if you want to start a dedicated side hustle or business, eBay and other platforms may offer greater assistance.
Let’s look at the finest places to sell unwanted furniture for cash to see which one is right for you.
Letgo
Letgo is one of the first apps that comes to mind when thinking about selling furniture, possibly because it’s quite useful – and completely free.
Letgo is all about graphics, and a nice image is essential for attracting shoppers.
Listings are categorized by category and shown in a photo gallery manner, so the better your photos, the more likely someone will click on your item.
The good news is that once potential buyers click, Letgo allows them to examine other products you offer, making it simple for them to see what else you’re selling.
This is ideal for a small business that sells a lot of office equipment. You may sell on their website or through their Letgo app, which is quite convenient.
You can take images with your smartphone and simply upload them as a listing. Simply enter your price and details, and you’re ready to earn money!
OfferUp
Another alternative for selling used furniture is OfferUp, which is simple to use. All you have to do is install the app and create a selling account.
Just like on Letgo, you’ll need images of your things, a description, and a location to get started.
Listing an item on OfferUp is free, but other fees (such as shipping or service fees) may apply when the item sells.
However, all fees will be given to you in advance, so there will be no unpleasant surprises.
What makes OfferUp unique is that customers can offer a counter-price for your things (thus the name).
You can sell an item and send it, or you can meet the buyer in person to exchange the item and cash.
This may be a better alternative if you want to avoid unnecessary expenditures (such as delivery).
Shopify
Shopify is a wonderful choice for people wishing to make a side income selling used furniture. You’ll need to set up an online store with Shopify – it’s much the same as selling furniture as a business.
If you select one of the hundreds of pre-made themes, creating an e-commerce website should be simple.
There is a 14-day free trial period after which you must pay to sell secondhand furniture on Shopify – options begin at $29 per month.
Furthermore, Shopify assists you in increasing sales by giving analytics tools to analyze the efficacy of your marketing initiatives.
Bonanza
Another site where you’ll need to put up a storefront is Bonanza, although it’s not as difficult as it sounds.
It’s integrated with Google (for greater visibility) and is frequently regarded as a viable alternative to eBay or Amazon.
There are no listing costs; however, you will be charged a commission if your things sell. The amount you pay will be determined by the value as well as the advertising choice you select.
For example, if you sell an item for $50 and your shipping expenses are $5, your total item worth is $55. The cost will be calculated based on the $55 value, and it will begin at 3.5%.
Etsy
You might think of Etsy as only for handmade, artsy trinkets and craft materials, but it can also be a terrific place to sell used furniture.
To attract the attention of potential purchasers, your works must be unique. Is your furniture vintage, antique, or custom-made? That’s the sort of thing Etsy buyers are seeking for.
To begin selling on Etsy, you must first create an Etsy shop, which is a simple process. Simply follow their website’s requirements and list your first item (each listing costs $0.20).
When you sell, you’ll be charged a 5% transaction fee as well as a 3% + $0.25 payment processing fee.
eBay
One of the first sites that comes to mind when someone mentions “selling online” is probably eBay.
If you’ve ever sold on eBay, you’ll know that you have two options: sell as an auction or for a fixed price. Fees will include a 13% commission fee on the final selling price.
You also don’t have to worry about sending products that are too expensive to ship – eBay will handle it for you (there’s a local pickup option, which is very convenient).
Craigslist
Craigslist is one of the most popular online classified sites, so it’s a great location to sell anything, including used furniture.
You can post your stuff for free, and it will only take a few minutes.
Remember that, like with many other online sites for selling secondhand furniture, having high-quality images of your things is essential.
Buyers want to see the products they’ll be acquiring; knowing they’re in good shape is reassuring.
Include a descriptive description of your things as well – the more, the better! Buyers require specifics, especially when making a significant purchase.
Facebook Marketplace
When potential customers in your area explore Facebook Marketplace, they will display your things.
Creating a listing takes approximately a minute, and the methods are straightforward. Listing products are free, and there are no fees for sold items, which is a plus.
You can also quickly increase the visibility of your listing by posting on local Facebook garage sale pages.
Personally, I believe Facebook Marketplace is one of the greatest sites for selling used furniture (and other items) locally while still having a greater online reach.
It’s ideal for the frugal seller who prefers to make money without spending any (no fees!).
Pinterest may not be the first site that comes to mind when someone discusses selling used furniture online, but let me explain why it is.
Pinterest provides the audience that every vendor desires, with 1.250 million users globally each month.
You can pin photographs from your own website (a great method to grow your brand) or without one if you don’t have one.
Pinterest is especially useful for furniture makeovers because it is all about the pictures on this platform.
The better your furniture appears, the more re-pins it will receive, and the more likely it will find a new, excited owner willing to pay you for it.
Chairish
Chairish makes sense if you primarily want to sell one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture that might not be appropriate for Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.
That could be the case if you’re seeking buyers who are interested in specific sorts of furniture, such as high-end, antique, or vintage pieces.
Chairish is particularly useful if you have high-ticket things that you don’t want to risk selling on sites that don’t provide much protection or assistance.
However, take in mind that most markets don’t offer much assistance for deals involving local pickups.
Please keep in mind that, depending on your seller plan, Chairish may charge up to 40% in commission fees.
How to List Your Item for Sale Online
If you’re listing your item online, make sure you give a complete picture of its condition and quality. Here’s what we suggest:
- When taking images, avoid using the flash (this can cause discoloration or glare). Instead, select a well-lit location to shoot a photo during the day.
- There should be no filters! You want to represent the piece in its natural state in natural light.
- Provide all dimensions: length, width, height, depth, and don’t forget the seat height and arm height of the seats. Any other important dimensions for specific items (for example, drawer size for a dresser or nightstand) should also be included.
- Get close-ups of the pattern, texture, or fabric. These particulars are critical. In a similar vein, describe the color as best you can because it appears differently on different screens.
- Be forthright about any damage, photograph and identify it clearly.
- Make certain that the content is clearly identified.
- Use as many keywords as possible in your listing and title (Tip: Look at similar postings online and take cues from the adjectives they use).
- Finally, and most importantly, provide imagery of all angles of the piece (front, back, side, and inside).
How to Price Your Piece
Whether you’re selling in person or online, you’ll want to set a price that’s reasonable enough to elicit offers but high enough to maximize your profit.
- Do your homework. Begin by looking for comparable things to get an idea of what they sell for. If your item is one-of-a-kind (say, a rare antique), seek an estimate from a vintage or antique merchant.
- Consider your level of adaptability. Do you have a specific pricing in mind? Are you willing to bargain? Consider this while deciding on pricing. If bargaining is an option, you may want to set a higher price; if you want to post on a bidding site, such as eBay, determine your lowest acceptable price and work from there.
- Consider the following additional costs: In addition to the worth of your item, you should consider any additional costs: Will you be responsible for shipping and packaging the item? If so, will you offer free shipment (and absorb the cost)? Will you require insurance to move your item? Will you provide delivery for a local purchase? If so, will it be at no cost? Everything influences the price you set.
Are You Willing to Ship?
Shipping is a major consideration when purchasing and selling furniture.
If you don’t want to pay these fees or deal with the bother, put your item on a local site, such as Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace (more on those below), or sell it in person.
Consider holding a tag sale if you have a lot of furniture to sell.
That’s all there is to it! Selling secondhand furniture can be a simple and quick method to make some additional money.
Money that you could put towards an investment (learn how to use tiny investments to make money work harder for you) – or look at my investing method.
And who knows, you might enjoy the process so much that it becomes one of your side hustles!
Some people purchase used furniture (or obtain it for free), clean it up, and then resell it for a profit. This method is known as retail arbitrage.