Do you have too much furniture in your house or stored in your garage? If so, you could be sitting on hundreds of dollars of extra money, which you can use to take a weekend trip, pay down debt, or finally build an emergency fund for the first time.
These days, it’s easier than ever to sell your furniture online. There’s a plethora of apps, online marketplaces, and local groups full of people searching for good deals on furniture and other home goods. And, if putting pictures of your furniture online makes you uncomfortable, there are still many places you can sell it offline too.
Places to Sell Your Furniture Online
Over the past ten years, there’s been an explosion of online marketplaces to sell used goods. Craigslist and eBay used to be the only two major players, but these days, there are many new apps and companies who make selling furniture online easy.
Letgo
Letgo is both a website and an app. Many people consider it a Craigslist alternative. The biggest draw is they have no listing fees, so you can take pictures of your furniture, post them, and then wait for the buy requests to come in. The interface is very user-friendly as well. Letgo makes money by allowing you to upgrade your listing to a featured listing, but this isn’t necessary. You can also provide your location, which allows you to find buyers much closer to you.
Craigslist
Craigslist is definitely an OG in the world of selling items online. For better or for worse, Craigslist seems to be the same as it always has. The website interface hasn’t changed much at all, and it’s still free to list your items (Craigslist makes money by charging companies to list jobs.) Although there are many new companies and apps in the marketplace, many people still use Craigslist. In fact, my business partner and I just bought office furniture from a listing there last week.
Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is rapidly becoming my favorite place to sell home goods online. Unlike Craigslist and Letgo, you can learn a lot about the person buying your items. You can see some of their Facebook profile and pictures. You also can learn their name, see if you have any friends in common and more. This adds a layer of safety to an online transaction that wasn’t available before. Additionally, you can now send money through Facebook messenger, which saves people a trip to the ATM before they pick up your furniture.
Etsy
When most people think of Etsy, they immediately think of crafts and jewelry. However, Etsy is a marketplace for handmade goods, so if you design and create your own furniture, you can sell it on Etsy. You can also sell antique furniture as well as products relating to furniture like table legs, wooden shelves, and more. A quick search using the keyword “furniture” pulls up hundreds of thousands of results. If you’re interested in selling furniture on Etsy, keep in mind they do charge several fees, including listing fees and transaction fees, so calculate those costs when deciding the price to list your item.
OfferUp
If you love negotiating, OfferUp is for you. It’s an app designed to help you sell items locally, but it will also let buyers search by keyword if they’re looking for a specific item. As a seller, you can decide to only sell locally, or you can speak with buyers to arrange shipping. Keep in mind, OfferUp encourages buyers to make an offer, so get ready to negotiate. The good news is it’s free to list your furniture on OfferUp, making it a seamless and easy way to sell your furniture online.
1stdibs
1stdibs is a website with one goal: “to sell the most beautiful things on Earth.” In order to be a seller on 1stdibs, you have to be a professional seller, meaning it’s not for casual, one off furniture sales. You have to fill out an application, get approved, and then work with an account manager to sell your items. 1stdibs does charge fees to be listed and requires items to be unique. However, if your items fit the market, you could find great success using them as your primary marketplace.
Chairish
Chairish is a high-end online marketplace, so if you have expensive furniture you want to turn into cash, this might be the best option for you. There are no listing fees, but Chairish does charge a commission once your item sells. If you want to know what your item could sell for, you can always browse recently sold listings. What’s nice is you upload several photos, and Chairish does the rest. They’ll optimize your images, arrange shipping, and more. It’s definitely considered a full-service marketplace.
Apartment Therapy Bazaar
Did you know Apartment Therapy has its own marketplace on their website? It’s called Bazaar, and it’s free to list your items (they’ll only take a commission if it sells.) Keep in mind most of the items in this marketplaces are vintage or antique, so cater to those buyers if you’re interested in creating an online storefront.
Trove
Trove is in the same category as Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist in that it’s best for those who want to sell their items locally. It’s free to list, but Trove takes a 10% commission if your item sells. Buyers can filter their search based on zip code or city, so it’s easy for sellers to connect with people right in their area (and avoid the hassle of shipping furniture across the country.)
Many people consider Instagram to be a social media site where you catch up on your friends’ latest adventures. However, for savvy entrepreneurs, it’s an opportunity to reach millions of customers by turning your Instagram account into an online store. If you’re willing to ship furniture, you can post photos of your furniture on an Instagram page, and use the appropriate hashtags so buyers can find your items. You can collect money via PayPal; just be wary because there is no middleman to insulate you from buyer scams.
eBay
It should be no surprise to see eBay on this list. This marketplace continues to be one of the top places to sell just about anything. If you want to sell your furniture on eBay, you can indicate that you only want to sell locally. Or, if you’re up for arranging shipping, you can do that too. eBay often has deals on listing fees so keep your eyes peeled for those. They also charge final value fees, so be informed of what the total cost of selling your item will be before you decide on a selling price.
Ruby Lane
Ruby Lane is an online marketplace that specializes in antique goods. So, if you have antique furniture to sell, and you don’t mind taking the time to ship it if necessary, this is a great choice. You’ll be showcasing your goods to the exact population of people who love and appreciate antique furniture. That gives you a higher chance of selling your items than simply listing them on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. Keep in mind that in order to sell on Ruby Lane, you’ll be creating a store. So, this option is best for people who have many items to sell due to the monthly maintenance fees and listing costs.
Tips for Getting the Best Price for Your Furniture Offline
When it comes to selling items online, it pays to do your research. First, select the best online marketplace for the type of furniture you have to sell. For example, if you’re an antique collector, it might make more sense to sell your furniture on Ruby Lane than on Letgo. Then, try to search sold items on your marketplace of choice to get an idea on how to price your items. Take into account the fees and commission you’ll have to pay if your item sells. Lastly, don’t forget to take your time with pictures. Bright, well-lit photos make all the difference.
Places to Sell Your Furniture Offline
If you don’t want to sell your furniture through a website or app, you still have many options when it comes to selling furniture offline.
Local Newspaper
It might seem old school, but you can sell your furniture through a classified ad in your local newspaper. Many communities have small publications that only circulate in one specific town. Listing fees are usually a few dollars, and the best part is your customers are more than likely nearby.
Consignment Stores
Consignment stores are a great way to sell your used furniture locally. You’ll likely be responsible for bringing your furniture to the consignment store and displaying it. Then, if it sells, the consignment shop owner will take a percentage of the sale. Bringing it to a consignment shop means you’ll likely get more people to see your items than you would by taking out a newspaper ad. The consignment store owner is responsible for their rent and utilities as well as opening and closing the store. All you have to do is wait for your items to sell.
Antique Stores
If you have antique items to sell, you might benefit from renting a booth at an antique store or antique mall. If you have a lot of items to sell or have a garage full of items from your grandparents, this could be a good option to make money and declutter all at the same time. If you enjoy shopping for antique pieces, you could even shop garage sales and thrift stores for antique furniture and then flip them for profit by putting them in your antique store booth.
Mom 2 Mom Sales
If you have furniture items for kids and babies, you can sign up for a table at a Mom 2 Mom sale. These sales are usually held at schools or churches, and if you live in a populated area, you can bet they’ll be one at least every month. Again, these sales are specific to children’s items so think changing tables, cribs, toddler beds, and other kid accessories.
Have a Garage Sale
Last but not least, consider holding your own garage sale. The pro to having a garage sale is you only need to move your furniture to your front lawn. There’s no need to rent a truck to bring it to a Mom 2 Mom sale or a consignment shop. Keep in mind that garage sale buyers are looking for a great deal, so price accordingly.
Tips for Getting the Best Price for Your Furniture Offline
Selling your furniture offline is all about price. Most buyers who are shopping the classified sections or consignment stores are looking for a great deal. If you simply want to make some extra cash and clear out your clutter, price your items low to get a quick sale. However, you can consider pricing items higher if they are unique or sought after vintage items. Just be prepared for the items to take time to sell if you’re set on selling them offline.
Selling Furniture Can Be Lucrative
Ultimately, selling furniture can be a lucrative side hustle or even a full-time career. The good news is there are numerous places to sell your items both on and offline, which increases the likelihood of selling your furniture for cash quickly.