If you’re trying to clear out your closet before the new year or add some money to your shopping budget before the holidays, you might consider selling used stuff to bring in additional income. From old gift cards to your wedding dress, there are marketplaces designed to sell all kinds of items and bring in some extra cash.
“When it comes to buying and selling pre-owned items, there are various applications available in the market that can help you turn your unwanted possessions into cash,” Andrew Lokenauth, founder of the website Fluent In Finance, says.
Here are 15 of the top platforms:
1. CardCash
Best for: unused gift cards.
It happens to the best of us: Friends and family give gift cards on birthdays and holidays for restaurants or stores we don’t frequent enough to redeem. Rather than let your gift cards go unused, CardCash allows you to sell or exchange your cards for up to 92% of their value.
The actual value you get will depend on the offers you receive, but you can increase your value by trading for a card from another business instead. You get your funds via check, direct deposit or PayPal.
The site also has protections in place for buyers, offering a 45-day guarantee if the balance on the gift card is not as advertised.
[Sites to Cash in on Unused Gift Cards]
2. Chairish
Best for: home furnishings.
Curating furniture and decor for your home can be painstaking, especially if you want to save the high cost of new products. Enter Chairish — a marketplace for buying and selling unique home furnishings. Buyers can find rare items, as the site edits listings and posts more than 2,000 each day.
Selling your furniture is simple on Chairish as well. Your listings are free (up to nine per month) and you can set a price you think is fair. The Chairish team will either approve or deny your listing and present to verified buyers.
Best of all, Chairish will help set up shipping for you, which is especially nice for larger or fragile items. Sellers receive payments via PayPal, but be aware that Chairish keeps 30% of the final sale price.
3. Craigslist
Best for: established platform.
“Craigslist is a classified ads website where users can buy and sell used items locally. It’s been around for over 20 years and is a popular platform for finding deals,” saysBrad Cummins, chief executive officer and founder of Insurance Geek.
Craigslist is a giant in the online buying and selling game for a reason, allowing its users to list all kinds of items and services on the platform — from books and clothing to moving services and more.
“With years of experience, it has gained a massive following,” Lokenauth says.
Because it’s so popular, listings reach a large number of people and better your chances of finding a buyer. Just keep in mind that scams are abundant on Craigslist, so meeting in a public place to buy or sell is wise.
4. Decluttr
Best for: unused tech.
Decluttr specializes in buying unused tech, including cell phones, game consoles and DVDs. Decluttr offers immediate valuations on products and pays you via direct deposit or PayPal as soon as your items are received — or you can choose to donate your earnings to charity.
[Read: How to Donate to Charity From Your IRA.]
According to Decluttr, you’ll get an average of 33% more for your cell phone than you would with carrier buyback programs. In addition, Decluttr buys are either refurbished to sell or recycled if unsold, making it a more sustainable option.
5. eBay
Best for: auctions.
Yet another giant in the e-commerce space, eBay is well known for its auction-style platform. It’s one of the oldest and most popular marketplaces available now, Cummins says.
“It’s a top-notch platform for purchasing and selling all kinds of items, including used goods. It offers auctions and outright buying options and has a massive user base,” Lokenauth says.
Whether you’re looking to sell electronics, sporting goods, clothes or even cars, you can do so via eBay.
You can sell using the traditional auction platform — buyers place bids during a set number of days and the highest bidder purchases the item — or via a direct sale method for a set price, called “Buy It Now.”
Depending on your listing, you might be charged a fee of up to 10% or 15% of the sale price.
6. eCampus
Best for: college textbooks.
College textbooks are notoriously expensive, with the average secondary student spending up to $1,471 every year on books and supplies, according to the Education Data Initiative at EducationData.org.
But eCampus enables students to save up to 90% on renting or buying both new and used textbooks. Simply search for the book you need by ISBN or title and browse options from renting to ebooks.
If you’re looking to recoup some book costs at the end of the semester you can also sell your old textbooks on the platform. You’ll get an instant quote and free shipping label when you sell a book, and you’ll get paid via PayPal, direct deposit, check or store credit. Opting for store credit will give you the best value.
Alternatively, you can list books on the marketplace for other students to buy. Just keep in mind eCampus will keep a 15% commission on these sales.
[Read: Websites to Sell Your Stuff for Cash.]
7. Facebook Marketplace
Best for: buying and selling in your area.
“Facebook Marketplace is a popular platform for buying and selling used items within local communities. It’s easy to use and allows buyers and sellers to communicate directly,” Cummins says.
Facebook Marketplace enables you to sell all kinds of items and it’s directly linked to your Facebook account so you don’t have to download another app. You just add images of what you want to sell, your price and a description of the item(s) and it will be visible to locals.
Another benefit of this platform is that you can see the Facebook profile of the person buying your stuff — a safety plus.
8. 5miles
Best for: local sales and cross sales.
5miles is designed for local sales and it displays items based on your location. Safety is a priority on the site, and buyers and sellers have the option to verify their identities on their profiles by adding their phone numbers or Facebook profiles. That way, you can ensure you’re doing a deal with a real person. Users can also rate sellers to flag potential fraud or scams.
9. OfferUp
Best for: negotiation and quick sales.
OfferUp allows users to buy and sell anything from electronics to vehicles and art. It merged with Letgo, another popular used item marketplace, in 2020.
OfferUp buyers get to make an offer on listings to try and negotiate the price. As a seller, communication is key for ensuring you get the best deal.
“OfferUp is your best bet for selling used items, but you need to do it the right way. First, respond quickly. The biggest complaint on OfferUp is that people don’t answer questions. Next, list as much as you can. Volume helps. If a customer isn’t interested in one of your items they may be interested in another,” says David Bakke, financial expert and contributing writer at DollarSanity.
“Include multiple photos. Most OfferUp customers shop visually so make sure they can see exactly what they’re going to get. Finally, include clear descriptions verbally that need them. Pictures are great, but if you need to include a description of something, such as if it includes a charger or not, do so,” he adds.
10. Mercari
Best for: no meetups.
Mercari is a great app for sellers looking to get rid of stuff from the comfort of their own homes because you don’t have to set up any meetings with buyers — or even trek to the post office. The site offers the option to set up a home pickup for shipments via FedEx, UPS or USPS.
You can get your cash via Instant Pay, which deposits straight to your debit card (there is a $3 fee), or direct deposit, which deposits within five days (transactions more than $10 require a fee).
Mercari also has an easy-to-use app and website for novice sellers. “It’s famous for its user-friendly interface and easy shipping options,” Cummins says.
11. Poshmark
Best for: peer-to-peer clothing resale.
Poshmark is best known for providing opportunities to buy and sell gently used clothing, or “shop your friend’s closet.” More than 80 million people in North America and Australia buy and sell on the site.
Sellers can build a listing in seconds and take advantage of features like bundling items and virtual buying-and-selling events, called Posh Parties. If you’re a seller, Poshmark sends you a prepaid shipping label so you can drop the item off at the post office or arrange for pickup at your home.
All sales less than $15 are subject to a flat commission of $2.95. For sales of more than that, Poshmark takes 20%. The site issues payments within three days of delivery via check, instant transfer, direct deposit, PayPal or Venmo.
12. The RealReal
Best for: designer items.
The RealReal specializes in luxury designer brands. Beyond clothes and handbags, you can buy or sell home furnishings, jewelry and fine art.
A team of experts authenticates all items listed on The RealReal, and the platform accepts only certain brands.
Selling is especially easy: You simply ship your items to The RealReal and its team will handle the listing, sale and shipment to the buyer. You get your earnings via direct deposit, check or site credit.
The commission structure on The RealReal varies based on how much you sell and the type of item. “Trendsetters,” or those with net sales less than $1,499, get the lowest earning rates, while “VIP” sellers unlock higher payouts.
13. Stillwhite
Best for: wedding dresses.
According to The Knot, the average cost of a wedding dress in 2022 was $1,900. That’s a hefty price tag for an outfit you’ll likely wear only once. Stillwhite lets brides sell their new or used wedding dresses to recoup some of this cost.
Stillwhite charges a flat fee for listing your dress. The standard listing costs $25, while a premium listing costs $35 and comes with more photos and better placement on the homepage gallery.
Brides looking to save some money on their gowns can find some great deals too, and know they chose a sustainable option of rewearing. Further promoting this mission, Stillwhite donates 1% of revenue to carbon removal.
14. Swappa
Best for: verified tech listings.
Swappa is another marketplace specializing in tech. You can buy and sell phones, laptops, video games and more. Users buy and sell products directly, and all transactions take place via PayPal. Both buyers and sellers are subject to a 3% fee on sales.
To ensure all devices are fully functional, real people review every listing and impose strict condition requirements. The customer service line is available 24/7 and promises a response in 20 minutes or less.
15. ThredUp
Best for: consignment clothing.
ThredUp is a sustainability focused marketplace for thrifted clothing. According to the site, 73% of apparel ends up in landfills, even though 95% of it could have been reused or recycled. The site aims to reduce waste while offering buyers dozens of well-known brands at up to 90% off retail prices.
To sell items, users request a “Clean Out” bag, which they fill up with any clothing or other items they no longer need. ThredUp handles all sales from there, and staffers determine prices by brand and quality. You can cash your earnings out via Stripe or PayPal, or redeem them for store credit on ThredUp or several partner brand stores.
Tips for Buying and Selling Your Used Items
Almost all the apps listed here have protections in place to prevent fraud, but it can still happen. And it’s really important to be very, very careful if you need to meet a stranger in person to buy or sell an item.
“These apps can help buy and sell used items, but it’s essential to be cautious when transacting with strangers. Always meet in a public place and bring a friend or family member if possible,” Cummins says.
Additionally, whether you are buying or selling, you should always do your research to ensure the price of the item is fair according to market standards. For sellers: Check the terms and conditions of your platform for any applicable commission or fees as well.
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Best Apps for Buying and Selling Used Stuff originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 10/27/23: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
