Where To Resell Your Items Online For Quick Christmas Cash

Last week I had you searching your home from top to bottom and storage areas too for items to both repurpose and sell. Today we are going to focus on where to sell the items you put in your resell pile.

The easiest way to sell your stuff that you found during your home audit is a yard sale. Yard sales can be a great way to get rid of multiple items in just a few short hours, but with it already being past prime yard sale season for most of North America (which is where most of my readers are from) I decided to concentrate on three different sites you can use to sell items any time of year.

Nowadays you can have a yard sale anytime you want using Facebook Buy and Sell groups (or the new Facebook Marketplace feature), Craigslist and eBay.

Where To Resell Your Items For Quick Christmas Cash

(Some links in this post are affiliate links. I will be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking those links. See my disclosure page for more information)

*Please note: in the printable pack that goes along with my free Christmas On A Zero Budget mini eBook there is a form that will help you get every item you want to sell ready to list with ease.

Facebook Buy and Sell Groups

Tips For Selling & Buying In Facebook Groups (most of these tips should apply to the new marketplace area too)

If you are not already in a Facebook Buy and Sell group, I suggest simply asking your friends on Facebook if they can recommend a quality one that is active in your area. Chances are you will get several responses.

When you get into the group, make sure to read all the rules before you list to avoid being deleted from the group.

I have tried out Facebook Buy & Sell groups several times and find them to be a quick and efficient way to sell items–Craigslist being a close second.

Psst…The new trend on Facebook is to sell in the Facebook Marketplace area and I think it is going to soon replace all Facebook Buy and Sell groups. I have not used it yet, so I don’t have tips to share with you on how to use it. However, I did take a few minutes to jump around the area and it seems very simple to navigate and use.

Craigslist

Tips for Successfully Selling On Craigslist

Craigslist advertisements take a bit longer to list, but the listings do stay at the top of the feed longer than they do on Facebook and Craigslist has great searching options for buyers that Facebook Buy & Sell groups don’t have, which is a benefit for both seller and buyer.

I recommend using Craigslist for big items only. Items like bikes, large appliances, cars, etc. These items just sell better on Craigslist.

eBay

Tips for Successfully Selling On eBay

Of the three sites to sell your goods eBay is my least favorite. There are pros, such as you can get a higher return for your time spent since you are dealing with a larger audience that could get involved in a bidding war for your item.

The other pro is you do not have to meet the seller face to face, which means you don’t have the fear of a personal face to face interaction going seriously wrong.

The cons of using eBay is that it is more time consuming to list your items, eBay charges fees, bad customers can ruin your customer ratings killing your future sales, and you have to take the time to package things well so that they arrive safe and sound to their new owners.

Still I do choose eBay over Facebook and Craigslist as a place to sell particular items. Items such as book sets, homeschooling curriculum, unbreakable collectables, designer clothing, hot toy items and more.

To find out if your item might be worth more on eBay than it would be in a Facebook Buy and Sell group or on Craigslist only takes a few minutes. Simply perform a search through “completed listings” to see what an item similar to your own is selling for. Remember to calculate all the fees you will pay before deciding if it is worth for you to sell the item through eBay.

How To Prepare Your Items For Resale

1. Clean your item well

The cleaner the item, the quicker it sells–and for more money too.

My favorite tools for getting items as clean as possible

Soft Scrub–Works great on plastic toys or outdoor furniture.
Magic Eraser–Takes scuff marks and other small markings off items. Don’t use on painted items as it does sometimes remove paint. Also I like wearing gloves when I use it.
Murphy’s oil soap–Makes wooden items glow!
Super Washing Soda–OH MY, this stuff is amazing! It takes out old mustard stains, grass stains and washes painted items without removing paint. I of course mix it in warm water.

2. Know your item’s true worth

An item overpriced won’t sell, and an underpriced item won’t sell either. I know the second one is hard to believe, but trust me. Particularly when I sell things online, an item I’ve priced too low won’t get any bites. It is like they think something is wrong with it.

3. Showcase Your Item

How to showcase your item well depends on how you are selling it. Essentially you want your item to look its best in the pictures you take, but you also don’t want it look better than it truly is. Make sure your pictures are a true representation of the item. Show its good side, but also show its flaws. If where you are selling it only allows for one picture then choose to photograph the item’s best side, but make sure to list all its flaws in the description area.

4. Be knowledgeable about the item

The more details you share upfront about your item, the less questions you are going to spend time answering. How old? How big? Its features? The pluses? The drawbacks? Measurements are also a great benefit to the buyer so make sure to list them.

I share in greater detail how to get top dollar for your items in this post here.

*Don’t forget! In the printable pack that goes along with my free Christmas On A Zero Budget mini eBook there is a form that will help you get every item you want to sell ready to list with ease.