3 Best Places To Sell Furniture Online When You Need Money Fast
Written by
Gabrielle Olya
Edited by
Gary Dudak
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Furniture is likely one of the most valuable things you have around your home or in storage, so if you need to make money quickly, you might consider selling some of it to help you stay afloat. There are a number of places you can sell furniture online, each of which comes with its own unique pros and cons.
Here’s a look at some of the best places to sell furniture online, specifically when you need money fast and don’t want to deal with long payment processing times.
Craigslist
One of the original online marketplaces, Craigslist remains a great place to sell furniture quickly. Toni Assaker, a professional reseller and founder of OB-hustle, said he is typically able to sell furniture within a day of posting.
“It is so easy to use,” he said. “You can even pay to promote [your post to sell it] faster, which I did often.”
However, there are some cons to using Craigslist. “A bunch of times I got weirdos texting me, and even prank calls,” Assaker said.
Because the platform is anonymous, he recommends taking extra safety precautions. “I always get my furniture in my truck and take it to a public place or parking [lot],” he said. “You need to be careful.”
eBay
One of the main advantages of posting your furniture on eBay is its wide reach.
“eBay is a global marketplace and reaches millions of potential buyers,” said Kerry Sherin, consumer advocate at Ownerly. It’s also easy to use. “eBay has an easy-to-use platform and user-friendly tools to help you list and manage items,” Sherin said.
However, there are some drawbacks. “While listing fees may be low, eBay takes a percentage of each sale,” Sherin said. “Profits can be eaten away by this quickly.”
Another disadvantage is that “you’re competing with many other sellers, and buyers may be swayed by the lowest price,” Sherin said.
In addition, it does take some effort to sell on eBay. “Listing and managing items on eBay can be time-consuming and tedious,” Sherin said.
Facebook Marketplace
“Facebook is a global platform with millions of users, which can help you reach a much larger audience,” Sherin said. However, this is both a blessing and a curse. Because of the number of people using the platform, “your items may not get as much visibility as they would on other platforms,” Sherin said.
Other advantages of Facebook Marketplace are its simple, straightforward platform, and the fact that you can buy and sell furniture completely for free.
As with Craigslist, it’s important to exercise caution when selling on Facebook Marketplace. “There is limited security when dealing with buyers on Facebook Marketplace, which can lead to dealing with scammers or people with bad intentions,” Sherin said.
Tips for Selling Furniture Online
If you want to sell your furniture online quickly, you need to make your post as appealing and well-optimized as possible. Here’s some advice on how to do that.
Clean Furniture Before Posting
Do your best to remove spots and scuffs before photographing your item for your post. Make sure photos are well-lit, show the product clearly from multiple angles and are free from clutter.
Be Strategic About Pricing
Before listing a price for your furniture item, do a search on the platform of your choice for what similar items are selling for. To gain a competitive edge, you may want to consider pricing your item slightly lower than what others are selling for.
Don’t Be Afraid To Negotiate
Buyers will often make an offer below your asking price. Don’t be afraid to push back if you know your asking price is fair; serious buyers are often willing to come up from their initial offer.
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