When you are busy with the move, selling your furniture is probably the last thing on your mind. However, this is a great chance to downsize and make some money. After all, the move is never cheap, and you will win by making extra cash from the things you do not need in the new place.
But selling your used furniture can be as challenging as arranging the move itself. We’ve compiled a guide to help you easily get rid of the stuff you do not want to bring into your new life.
Prepare your furniture for sale
If you are selling used furniture, make sure it looks appealing and awakens the desire to be its owner.
The condition of the furniture will define how much you’ve got to spruce it up. In general, if the item is in good condition, it would be enough to wipe it down and clean the dust. Then, look for the defects that could be easily fixed.
For example, if the coach has blemishes or the dining table is decorated by your kid with fascinating images, think of the way to get rid of them. Ask the cleaning company to take care of the coach and remove the spots from the table. If possible, take care of any other issues that might be the reason for the buyer to refuse the purchase.
If you are going to sell an expensive unit, invest in refurbishing it to increase its value.
Define the value of the item
Price is probably the major factor that would define how quickly the item will sell. However, that’s where many sellers make a huge mistake. They either overprize the furniture piece, making it unattractive for buyers, or give it away for nothing, losing the profit that they could have gained.
To define the golden middle in the price of the used item, assess its age, condition, and brand. We recommend listing the used furniture at about 60% of the original price on the condition that the item looks good and doesn’t have any issues. But it all depends, and if you are pressed for time, you can lower the price.
Check the competition
Look through the popular, well-balanced marketplaces and check out similar positions that resemble your furniture in style, condition, brand, and age. Compare the prices, how the items are listed, and any additional offers or discounts.
Analyze what makes their listings attractive and think about how you can improve your offer to overshine your rivals. This may include providing more detailed information, taking better photos, offering complementing items for free or at a reduced price, and more.
Take attractive photos
If you believe that providing stock photos to your listing will make it more appealing, you are mistaken. When selling used furniture, real-life images do matter. They show the real condition of the item, with all its pros and cons.
If you are selling online, it is vital to provide a full glimpse of the product so that the customers could see it from all angles. In this way, they would be able to make informed decisions about their purchase.
Here are a few tips on how to take great photos of the used furniture:
- Clean the furniture and space around it before you take photos.
- Photograph it during the daylight hours for juicy shots.
- Take eye-level pictures of your furniture’s front, back, and sides.
Choose where to sell
Online makes selling almost anything much easier, but you should not limit yourself to online marketplaces only. There are much more ways to market your items, which include:
- Asking your relatives or friends;
- Making an ad in a local newspaper;
- Adding an ad to the advertising dashboard;
- Offering vintage and consignment shops a deal.
But you should also remember that most sales happen online these days, so create listings on Amazon, eBay, or more targetted marketplaces like AptDeco, Apartment Therapy’s Bazaar, OfferUp, and others.
List your items on marketplaces
Every marketplace has its own rules, requirements, and regulations, so it would be better to check them before you create listings.
As you are researching, you can figure out that some marketplaces are more seller-friendly than others. Some channels might have a simplified registration process, while others will ask you to provide a wide range of details before they approve you. Also, you’ve got to consider the fees as they vary as well.
On top of that, the platforms might have different listing requirements, so pay attention to:
- Image size and type
- A list of prohibited words that might ban your listing
- Search optimization that includes keywords
As you create a description of the product, be honest. Include information about the condition and age of the furniture, issues like pet or smoke exposures, and more.
Also, be descriptive to awaken emotions. People love stories, so you can tell how you used the item and how you enjoyed it.
Create a safe selling environment
When you sell bulky furniture pieces, it means that people will be dropping in to check their real-life condition. Most people who will be interested in your offer would be nice people. But there is a chance to get in the hands of fraudsters who might not be interested in the purchase but show curiosity about what pricy items you have in your home.
So, follow simple safety rules to protect yourself from scammers:
- If the item is not bulky and heavy, arrange a meeting on site.
- Don’t give your exact address right away. Omit the apartment number if you live in a multi-unit building or arrange a meeting nearby.
- If you let strangers in, make certain you are not alone.
- Arrange the payment details in advance.
- Get the payment before handling the item to the buyer.
The Final Word
Selling used furniture can be as challenging as arranging the move. But with these tips, you will be able to get some extra money by selling the items you do not want to take with you to a new place.
If you feel overloaded with selling and the move itself, get in touch with the ABA Moving company to figure out how we can take away the stress from your move and handle the things that play on your nerves. We’ll go over the details and provide a custom service pack that would meet your unique move needs.
Request a free quote to have an idea about the cost of your long-distance move with the ABA Moving team.
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