THE REALITIES OF SELLING THINGS
Selling things is probably harder than you imagine. This is not to say that you should not try to do so but being clear about what is involved will help you make an informed decision. Below are factors to consider when planning to sell items, divided by types of venues where appropriate.
General
- Most people over-estimate the value of their items. A reality-check can be gotten on eBay or Craigslist by looking at prices for items similar to yours.
- Items must be clean and in good condition.
Garage or Sidewalk Sale
- You need a helper to prevent theft and enable taking breaks.
- You need to plan pricing, make labels, & arrange for bags.
- Things sell better if they are nicely displayed.
Flea Markets
- Again, a helper is pretty essential.
- You need transportation for yourself and your items.
- An entry fee may be required with no assurance of selling anything.
- Displaying things nicely matters here too.
Consignment Shops
- These stores only accept things that are fairly new and in excellent condition.
- Getting your things there can be a big effort, so it is important to make sure that shop owner will be interested in your items before taking them there.
- If the item doesn’t sell, you have to go pick it up.
Online Sales
- To sell items online you need to:
* take a digital photo
* write a detailed description
* calculate the price and postage
* determine a shipping method
* obtain boxes and packing material
- You have to pay certain eBay fees whether your items sell or not.
- Creating an honest, accurate description of the item is essential to prevent negative buyer feedback (which would doom future sales). Writing such descriptions takes time and practice.
- There are eBay listing services that will do all of the above work for you but they charge substantial fees.
- If your items are large (such as a washing machine) or fragile, it might be best to use Craigslist and specify ‘for local pick-up only’