Four Sites Where You Can Buy and Sell Stuff

Fin is a writer in California who shares tips on buying (and selling) stuff on various sites.

You Are Looking to Downsize

Perhaps you are planning to prepare a yard sale to do your annual cleaning. Maybe you need some extra money and some extra space. You may be relocating to another city. It could be you just have too much stuff.

Whatever the situation, living in today's era has many advantages for a potential person hoping to get rid of stuff in a businesslike way. You don't have to take an ad out in the paper and hope someone will see it. You can do more than just put up signs at the corner and remember to take them down. Fliers are helpful too, but they cost money to print, and then you have to distribute them, hoping someone will see them.

Thankfully, we have the internet.

A List of Sites I Have Used to Sell My Stuff

There are many out there, but I will review the top four I've succeeded with:

• Facebook Market Place
• Craigslist
• Let Go
• Offer Up

The Rankings

These Sites Are Free!

The sites I've listed have many advantages:

1. They are free.
2. There is little wait time to sell—you meet and make the transaction.
3. The buyer gets to see the product(s) right away.
4. You can post multiple items at one time. It's a lot less time-consuming. You don't have to be concerned about special mailing envelopes.

Craigslist Advantages

Craigslist is useful if you are having a yard sale. There is a yard sale section, and you can take up to 24 photos.

I posted my CL ad for my yard sale and had several people come by. Some even asked for the specific items I had posted.

There are people who literally drive around on weekends with their phones and look for CL yard sale ads. The site also lets you put descriptions of your items. You can post in specific areas: If you are selling furniture, there is a category for that.

The Site

Usually, you can type in www.craigslist.com and choose from a list of locations.

Or try typing: nameofyourcity.craigslist.com, and you will get there. For example: phoenix.craigslist.com .

You must remember to take your ad down when your sale is over or when you sell your product. Some people might be concerned about putting their personal information out there, but then again, this doesn't make sense to me, so I won't try to explain it.

Facebook Marketplace

If you have a Facebook page—and you may not—then there is a marketplace that serves your area.

Basically, this is an online page—connected to your social networking site—that allows you to post an image of the item, a price, and a description.

It will be associated with your nearby urban area, which means that someone in a place like Bakersfield, such as myself, can post and access products for sale in Los Angeles and beyond.

Advantages

Some advantages to the site include the fact that you reach a large audience immediately.

• If you use Facebook, there is nothing additional to set up.
• You can talk with the seller in real-time chat to discuss any questions.
• You can reach a wide range of people—within 100 miles of your chosen geographic setting.
• FB is free, so there is no cost to post nor do you have to pay a commission.
• There is little room for deception. What you see is what you get.

Let Go

For this site, you have to set up an account linked to either your email or social networking site.

It is free, which is a good thing. There is no limit to how many items you can post. There are even designed categories (home, sports, etc.) that you can list your items.

It's an app that can work off of your phone. It knows where you are, and lets people in your area reach you.

The site also has a chat area with some dialogue programmed in. Someone can ask, "Is this still available?" and you can say, "Yes, it is available," without typing it out.

The geographic area is large, and you are permitted to place many photos. At one time, this site offered to make "commercials" for you using a video template. It's very popular among users, and I have sold many things on this site.

Offer Up

This site is just like Let Go. See above for information.

Here is a list of other sites that may be more or less convenient than the ones listed above:

• AbeBooks
• Amazon
• eBay
• Etsy
• Your Online Store

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.

Comments

Finn (author) from Barstow on September 17, 2018:

well let me know how it works out...good luck

Dale Anderson from The High Seas on September 17, 2018:

I had heard of the other sites but not Let Go. Thanks for alerting me to this one. I'll give it a try.

Larry Rankin from Oklahoma on December 06, 2017:

Very helpful:-)