Need money? Got stuff you no longer use nor want? You may be surprised at how much stuff you have lying around that you might be able to turn into cash quickly.
I found this truth out first hand and made a bundle of cash. One time we decided to go through our bookcases, drawers and cabinets to look for things to sell. It turned out that we had a lot of stuff we just didn’t use anymore. Or want laying around.
Some of the stuff we found was stuff I knew we could sell quickly. Designer clothes and accessories, gaming paraphernalia; I knew that stuff would move quickly. However, I was shocked to find old text books that were worth money as well as last years cell phone that there still was a market for.
When you start going through your stuff, you might be shocked to find out you can sell it, just as I was. Here is a comprehensive list of the best places to sell items online and locally. We’ll cover just about anything you can imagine you have to sell here. Read on to potentially make some quick money.
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Selling Things Online
If you want to utilize the internet to sell you stuff fast, there are so many options to choose from these days. Some sites will allow you to sell anything and everything. Other sites specialize in selling specific items.
Here are the best apps and sites to sell your stuff online:
1. Craigslist
Unless you have been living under a rock, you have probably heard of Craigslist. You can use Craigslist to sell just about anything. Here’s a list of some of the popular things people sell on Craigslist.
- Cars, trucks and recreational vehicles
- Houses and real estate
- Home repair and improvement items such as ladders, tools and landscaping supplies
- Clothing and accessories
- Baby and kid items such as toys, playpens, and high chairs
- Electronic items
If you have ever visited the site, you’ve probably found that you can sell most anything you find in your house on Craigslist. Craigslist has been around for years, and nowadays there are actually other apps that make the listing process easier and that are user friendly.
Even with that being the case, Craigslist is still the leader when it comes to selling big items like cars and furniture. If you are looking to sell smaller items, check out some of the apps listed below.
2. Decluttr
Decluttr can be a great place to sell your used textbooks, tech and other stuff. One nice thing about Decluttr is that there’s no waiting around for someone to want to buy your stuff. Instead, you just type in your item’s barcode number or other identifying features and Decluttr gives you an immediate quote.
If you accept the quote, they send you a free shipping label. You box up the items, attach the free shipping label and bring the box to any UPS store or other authorized shipping center.
Once Decluttr receives your items, they’ll assess them and send you your money via PayPal. Here’s a list of some of the items Decluttr will buy from you:
- Used textbooks
- Legos (they pay by the pound)
- Used DVDs and CDs
- Tech items such as smartphones, iPads and more
- Gaming systems and accessories
Check out Decluttr today and see if you can get some quick cash for the items you have that are mentioned above.
3. Facebook Marketplace
I’m seeing more and more people sell stuff on Facebook Marketplace. Like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace is free. There are no listing fees or selling fees. You can negotiate item/cash exchange directly with buyers. And since Facebook is still quite widely used, you’ll have a large audience viewing your for-sale items.
Choose to put quality items for sale when using Facebook Marketplace, and price them attractively for quickest sale.
4. Letgo
This app is awesome and makes it super simple to list stuff. You can even use the website to sell stuff and manage your listings. One of the things I like about LetGo is that the pictures for items are right on the home page of the website. The items are listed by “most recent”, but you can search a variety of ways to find exactly what you’re looking for quickly.
5. OCBuyBack
OCBuyBack will buy your old cell phones, tablets, iPods, smartwatches and more. They’ll buy old Apple TVs and GoPros too.
Like the name says, OCBuyBack will buy your electronics directly. This means no waiting around for a buyer. Just enter your item’s details and get an immediate buyback quote.
If you like the quote, you send in your phone or other item with the free prepaid shipping label OCBuyBack sends you. Once they’ve assessed your item, they’ll pay you within two business days.
You can choose to get your cash via PayPal or check.
6. OfferUp
The OfferUp app is very similar to Letgo. It allows you to do everything form your phone or tablet.
7. ebay
If you have custom items to sell, ebay is a great place to list items that are specialized. eBay will get you a much broader audience for the stuff you’re trying to sell too. If the item your trying to sell doesn’t have a bar-code then this is worth considering. You can easily customize your listing and add pictures when selling on eBay.
However, it’s important to remember that while Craigslist, Letgo and OfferUp are free to use, eBay will charge you listing fees and selling fees. So check the fine print and price your items accordingly before listing on ebay.
Also, be aware that if you list on ebay you may have to deal with shipping and handling as you may have an out-of-town buyer.
8. Amazon
Amazon is my favorite online marketplace to sell items that have bar-codes. If you download the Amazon App, you can scan the bar-code and list an items in minutes!
You have a couple of options for selling on Amazon. They’ve got different pricing plans depending on how much stuff you plan to sell. The Amazon website suggest the Individual account if you plan on selling less than 40 items per month.
Individual
With Amazon’s Individual selling plan there are no monthly membership fees. However, you will pay other fees. You’ll pay a 99 cent per item selling fee, along with varying referral fees and closing fees. This plan is probably best for you if you don’t plan on making a business out of selling items on Amazon.
Professional
Amazon also has what they call the professional plan. With this plan there are no individual selling fees, however there is a $39.99 per month membership fee. As with the Individual plan, you’ll pay varying referral fees and closing fees as well.
This plan is probably best if you plan on making selling stuff into a business. However, if you’re just selling stuff in order to de-clutter and make some extra cash, you’ll probably prefer the Individual plan.
9. thredUP
When you are trying to sell women’s or children’s clothing, thredUP is the best place to go. They will ship you a bag to put all of your clothes in so that you can ship it back to them in one load. After they process the clothing you send, they’ll send you a cash payment for the items.
Here are some of the standards they set for the clothing they’ll accept:
- Clean and freshly washed
- Must be a name brand item (they have over 35,000 brands they’ll accept)
- Less than five years old
- Free of tears, stains or rips
- Excellent condition
In other words, thredUP isn’t the place for the old, worn clothes you have in your closet. Instead, it’s a place to sell quality clothing in great shape that you simply don’t need or want any longer.
Places to Sell Things Locally
There are also ways you can sell your stuff locally, right in your own neighborhood. This can be another way to get quick cash. Check out these options.
10. Consignment Stores
Consignment stores take your items, display them for sale at their store location, and then split the profit with you when they sell. These stores can be a easy way to sell big items or higher priced items.
Different consignment stores will sell different stuff, but most focus on clothing and home goods and accessories such as furniture and wall art. Check your local yellow pages or the Internet for consignment stores near you.
11. Garage Sale
Ahh, the good, old-fashioned garage sale. Garage sales do require some work. You’ve got to sort your stuff and put price tags on it. You’ll need to advertise and be prepared to spend a day or two in your garage.
However, the benefit is cash on the spot. Depending on what you have and how you price it (think “price to sell”), you may be able to make a decent amount of cash. It’s not uncommon to make several hundred dollars selling your stuff at a garage sale.
In order to increase the amount of visitors (and sales) you get at your garage sale, follow these tips.
- be sure your items are clean and organized
- price your stuff attractively
- go in with other friends or family members to increase your offerings
- hold your sale during neighborhood or citywide sales when more people are garage saling
- advertise on Craigslist, Facebook and other places so people know you’re having a sale
Summary
There are a variety of places that you can sell stuff whether online or locally. Try different venues and find out which ones work best for you.
Have you sold your items using any of these places? If so, what has your experience been like?
