Are you looking to offload some used items but finding it hard to know where to start? There are many alternatives to sites like Craigslist that take anything you want to dispose of.
We've rounded up a list of the best specialty sites to help you turn your preloved items into cold hard cash.
Best Site for Selling Clothes: Poshmark
Poshmark is a virtual marketplace that specializes in clothing and fashion-related goods. Use the Poshmark app to create your own virtual closet and sell on the go. Founded in the US, Poshmark expanded to the Canadian market in 2019 with tentative plans to enter more countries in the future.
Selling on Poshmark is as easy as downloading the app on your phone, taking a photo of the item you wish to sell (up to eight in a single listing), and entering the listing details (title, description, price). When your item sells, Poshmark will email you a pre-paid pre-addressed shipping label that you can slap on your carefully packaged item and drop off at your local post office.
What sets Poshmark apart from other online fashion marketplaces is the community features that echo a resemblance to major social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. You can amass followers, share listings from other sellers, and like or comment on other sellers' listings.
Poshmark's standout feature is the four daily virtual "Posh Parties" where Poshers can share their own items to the party and shop from a curated showroom of selected items after the party is over.
Download: Poshmark for iOS | Android (Free)
Best Site for Selling Vinyl Records: Discogs
If you (or someone in your household) grew up between the 1950s and 1980s, then there's a good chance you have a treasure trove of intact vinyl records looking for a new home. Largely phased out in the '90s, vinyl had a revival in the late 2000s with listeners craving the warm analog sounds absent from the newer digital music formats.
Available worldwide, Discogs relies on users to contribute to its comprehensive database of records. After registering, the Discogs database makes it easy to add your vinyl record to the marketplace for its specific release.
The most difficult part of listing your vinyl on Discogs is grading the condition of the media and sleeve. Luckily, Discogs has a handy grading guide for newbies. Discogs will also automate a suggested price for your item (however it's up to you to pick a price you think is fair).
Perhaps the best feature of Discogs is its dedicated community of audiophiles that populate the community groups and forum. If you have any questions about selling your vinyl records you'll have no shortage of help from Discogs' most active users.
Best Site for Selling Sneakers: StockX
If streetwear were a country, then sneakers would be the currency---at least in the way StockX handles their business. Claiming to be the first stock market in the world for things (sneakers are their most popular resell item by far), StockX facilitates auctions between buyers and sellers in a self-described live 'bid/ask' marketplace.
Real-time data on the homepage keeps you updated on whether the price of your "stock" is increasing or decreasing, and visiting the page of a specific sneaker will show you the lowest bid, the highest sell, and whether the price of that particular sneaker is increasing or decreasing over time.
You are protected as a seller on StockX. After you have sold your sneaker to the highest bidder, instead of shipping it directly to the buyer, your item is first sent to StockX for professional authentication. Once the sneakers have been authenticated, payment will be released to you.
StockX acting as the middleman to authenticate your sneakers safeguards you from fraudulent customer chargebacks that happen frequently on other online marketplaces. And the peace of mind is important when you are selling something that is worth a couple of hundred dollars (or even more).
Best Site for Selling Gift Cards: Raise
One billion dollars in gift cards goes unused every year according to MarketWatch, and Raise aims to bridge that gap by enabling third-party sellers to sell new or partially used gift cards on their fixed-price online marketplace.
After setting your desired price (there are no auction style listings on Raise), you are guaranteed to get 85% of the sale once the card is sold (Raise takes a 15% commission from the selling price). It's a win-win situation. The buyer gets a small discount on their purchase and you get cash in place of a gift card you never would have used otherwise.
Best Site for Selling Luxury Goods: The RealReal
The RealReal is an online marketplace for authenticated luxury goods. The RealReal platform differs substantially in how your items are sold compared to other online marketplaces.
After you have decided what you want to sell, you can book an expert consultation to have a video chat about pricing, or an online consignment appointment with a luxury manager to discuss if your items are appropriate for The RealReal. Once you are ready to part ways with your luxury goods you can send them to The RealReal HQ for authentication with free UPS pickup.
The RealReal takes the hard work out of listing the item for you by photographing and pricing the item to sell at the highest possible price within 30 days.
Once your item has sold you will be paid based on a commission rate structure.
Although you are charged significantly more fees than other online marketplaces per sale, you are also protected as a seller from fraudulent customer disputes.
Choosing the Right Site For Your Secondhand Items
Selling online is a fine balancing act when you want to maximize profit and minimize the possibility of something going wrong and losing money.
Specialty sites, like the ones listed in this article, tend to have specialized tools that simplify the selling process for the niche products you want to sell. Before you start selling, make sure you fully understand the fee structures and rules of the site you decide to use.
