The 7 Best Places To Sell Stuff Online: Where To Get Top Dollar for Your Unwanted Items

Looking to declutter your home or just make some extra cash? 

Selling your unwanted items online is a great way to do just that. 

With so many online marketplaces to choose from, it can be overwhelming to decide which one to use. 

In this article, we will explore the 7 best places to sell stuff online and help you get a better understanding of which option is right for you.

Etsy

Etsy is a popular online marketplace that specializes in handmade and vintage items. 

It is a great platform for artisans, crafters, and vintage collectors to sell their unique products to a global audience.

Pros of Selling on Etsy

One of the biggest advantages of selling on Etsy is the large and diverse customer base. With over 81 million active buyers, 

Etsy provides a massive opportunity to reach a wide audience. 

Additionally, Etsy has a reputation as a trusted and reliable marketplace, which can help build trust with potential customers.

Another benefit of selling on Etsy is the ease of use. 

Setting up a shop on Etsy is simple and straightforward, and the platform offers a range of tools and resources to help sellers optimize their listings and grow their business.

Etsy also offers a range of payment options, including credit cards, PayPal, and Etsy gift cards.

Cons of Selling on Etsy

One of the main drawbacks of selling on Etsy is the competition.

 With millions of sellers on the platform, it can be challenging to stand out and get noticed.

 This means that sellers need to invest time and effort into creating high-quality listings, optimizing their SEO, and promoting their products on social media and other channels.

Another potential downside of selling on Etsy is the fees. Although we don’t have time to dive into all of the ins and outs of how their fees work in this article, it’s important to note that they can easily add up to between 9 and 10% of your selling price.

If you’re interested in a deeper dive into the breakdown of what and how Etsy charges their fees, you can find that here.

Overall, Etsy is a great platform for selling handmade and vintage items, but it does require some effort and investment to be successful. 

By creating high-quality listings, optimizing SEO, and promoting their products on social media and other channels, sellers can maximize their chances of success on Etsy.

eBay

eBay is one of the most popular online marketplaces, where users can buy and sell a wide range of items.

It has been around for over two decades and has a large user base, making it a great place to sell items quickly.

Pros of Selling on eBay

One of the biggest advantages of selling on eBay is its large user base. With millions of users, sellers have a greater chance of finding buyers for their items. 

Additionally, eBay offers various tools and features to help sellers optimize their listings and reach more potential buyers.

eBay also offers a range of payment options, including PayPal, credit cards, and more. This makes it easy for buyers to pay for their purchases, which can help improve sales for sellers.

Another advantage of eBay is its seller protection policies. 

eBay offers protection for sellers against fraudulent buyers and chargebacks, which can help give sellers peace of mind when selling on the platform.

Cons of Selling on eBay

One of the biggest disadvantages of selling on eBay is the fees.

eBay charges sellers for listing items and takes a percentage of the final sale price. 

These fees can add up quickly, especially for sellers who sell a large volume of items.

eBay also has strict rules and policies that sellers must follow.

Violating these rules can result in account suspension or even permanent banning from the platform. 

This can be a significant risk for sellers who rely on eBay as their primary source of income.

Overall, eBay can be an excellent platform for sellers looking to reach a large audience and sell items quickly. However, sellers must be aware of the fees, competition, and strict policies that come with selling on the platform.

If you’re debating between using eBay or Etsy, you may want to check out this article here

The $64,000 Etsy Roadmap

The Simple 5-Step Process We Used To Generate $64,000 In 12 Months Working Part Time On Etsy.

Yes, Send Me The Roadmap!

Amazon

When it comes to online marketplaces, Amazon is one of the biggest and most popular options. 

It offers a wide variety of products and has a massive customer base, making it a great platform for sellers to reach a large audience. 

Pros of Selling on Amazon

Amazon, in living up to its namesake river, is absolutely massive in the eCommerce world.

The site covers hundreds of millions of customers and has a fairly solid customer base in just about every niche you can imagine.

In addition to being easy to use for both buyers and sellers, Amazon has the Fulfillment by Amazon (or FBA) program, which allows you to ship products (new or used) to them for fulfillment to the customer.

The FBA can be a massive time savings for sellers and is one of the biggest reasons Amazon has grown to the size it is today.

Cons of Selling on Amazon

Unfortunately, Amazon isn’t without its downsides either.

One of the most common complaints from people who sell on Amazon is the level of fees that they charge.

In fact, between charges for selling, referral fees, fulfillment fees, and storage fees, it can feel like the platform has a fee for everything.

This means, that you will need to be extra careful with your pricing on Amazon to ensure that you are making sales at a profit.

Additionally, since Amazon is likely the most known and trusted selling platform, there can be a massive amount of competition.

This can make it a bit more difficult for new sellers to get their start and gain their first few sales.

Lastly, unlike many other platforms, Amazon has an extremely strict set of guidelines that all sellers must follow.

Amazon is notorious for quickly banning people for even SEEMING to violate the rules, so it’s best to take the time to learn the ins and outs of the platform before really diving in.

Overall, Amazon can be a great platform for sellers to reach a large audience and increase sales. However, it's important to be aware of the fees and competition, as well as the limitations on control.

Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace is a popular online platform for buying and selling items locally or shipped. It is free to use and accessible to anyone with a Facebook account. 

Here are some pros and cons of selling on Facebook Marketplace.

Pros of Selling on Facebook Marketplace

With over 2.8 billion active users, Facebook Marketplace provides a massive audience for sellers to reach. 

It is an excellent platform for sellers who want to sell their items quickly and to a broad audience.

Additionally, Facebook Marketplace is user-friendly and straightforward to use. 

It has a simple interface that allows sellers to upload photos, add descriptions, and set prices for their items.

Unlike other online marketplaces, Facebook Marketplace doesn't charge any fees for listing or selling items. 

Sellers can keep 100% of the profits they make from their sales, which makes this a VERY tempting place to list and sell your stuff.

Cons of Selling on Facebook Marketplace

Unfortunately, Facebook Marketplace has limited categories, and not all items can be listed. Sellers may find it challenging to sell unique or niche items on the platform.

As Facebook Marketplace is free and accessible to everyone, it can be a highly competitive market.

Sellers may find it difficult to stand out from the crowd and attract buyers.

Lastly, because they don’t charge any fees and are simply designed to help you and a buyer connect, Facebook Marketplace doesn't provide any protection for sellers or buyers. 

Sellers need to be careful when dealing with buyers and ensure they receive payment before shipping the item and buyers need to make sure they set clear expectations about payments and refunds with buyers, to avoid issues down the road.

Overall, Facebook Marketplace is an excellent platform for sellers who want to reach a broad audience and sell items quickly. 

However, sellers should be aware of the limitations and risks of using the platform and take the necessary precautions to protect themselves.

Craigslist

Craigslist is one of the oldest and most popular online marketplaces for buying and selling goods. 

It is a platform that connects buyers and sellers in local communities. 

Pros of Selling on Craigslist

One of the biggest advantages of selling on Craigslist is that it is free to use. 

There are no listing fees or commission charges, so sellers can keep all the profits from their sales. 

Additionally, Craigslist has a large user base, which means there is a high chance of finding a buyer for your items.

Another advantage of selling on Craigslist is that it is a local marketplace. 

This means that buyers can come and pick up the items in person, which eliminates the need for shipping. 

This can save sellers a lot of time and money, as they don't have to worry about packing and shipping their items.

Cons of Selling on Craigslist

One of the biggest disadvantages of selling on Craigslist is the risk of scams and fraud. 

Craigslist is known for attracting scammers who try to cheat sellers out of their money or items. 

Sellers should be cautious when dealing with buyers and should always meet in a public place to ensure their safety.

Another disadvantage of selling on Craigslist is the lack of buyer protection.

 Unlike other online marketplaces, Craigslist does not offer any buyer protection programs, so sellers are at risk of losing their items or money if a buyer decides to scam them.

In conclusion, Craigslist can be a great platform for selling items locally.

 However, sellers should be aware of the risks and take necessary precautions to ensure a safe and successful transaction.

Poshmark

Poshmark is a popular online marketplace for selling and buying secondhand clothing, shoes, and accessories. It has gained a reputation as a great platform for fashion enthusiasts and resellers alike. Here are some pros and cons of selling on Poshmark.

Pros of Selling on Poshmark

Poshmark has a large and engaged user base, which means there is a high chance of your items being seen and purchased.

Additionally, listing an item on Poshmark is a straightforward process. 

All you need to do is take a photo of the item, write a description, and set a price.

Poshmark gets even better when it comes to fees.

Unlike most other fee-based platforms, Poshmark takes a flat fee of either $2.95 (if the item is priced under $15) or 20% (if the item is over $15).

Although 20% may not sound all that good, when you add up all of the different fees you’ll find on other platforms (like Amazon), it’s actually a great deal.

Additionally, Poshmark will help handle any of the customer support issues AND provides sellers with a prepaid shipping label to use, once an item has been purchased.

Cons of Selling on Poshmark

Unfortunately, While Poshmark has expanded its categories beyond fashion, it is still primarily a fashion-focused platform. 

This means that if you are selling items outside of the fashion category, you may not get as much visibility.

Additionally, Poshmark has strict policies regarding what can and cannot be sold on the platform. This can be frustrating for sellers who have items that do not meet the guidelines.

Overall, Poshmark can be a great platform for selling secondhand fashion items. With a large user base, easy listing process, and low fees, it is definitely worth considering for anyone looking to sell their clothing, shoes, and accessories.

Bonanza

Bonanza is an online marketplace that offers a wide range of products, from clothing and accessories to home goods and electronics.

Pros of Selling on Bonanza

One of the biggest advantages of selling on Bonanza is its low fees.

The site doesn't charge a listing fee, and the final value fee is only 3.5% for most categories. 

This makes it an attractive option for sellers who want to keep their costs low.

Bonanza also offers a range of tools and features to help sellers optimize their listings and reach more customers.

These include automatic syncing with other marketplaces like eBay and Amazon, as well as SEO optimization tools to help improve search rankings.

Another benefit of selling on Bonanza is its strong community of buyers and sellers. The site has a reputation for being friendly and supportive, and many sellers report building lasting relationships with their customers.

Cons of Selling on Bonanza

One potential downside of selling on Bonanza is its smaller user base compared to other marketplaces like eBay and Amazon. 

This can make it harder to generate sales, especially for niche or specialized products.

Another issue some sellers have reported is the lack of customer support on the site. While Bonanza does offer some support resources, including a help center and community forums, some sellers have found it difficult to get timely assistance when they encounter problems or issues.

Finally, some sellers have reported difficulty with Bonanza's payment processing system, which can be slow and sometimes unreliable. This can be frustrating for sellers who rely on a steady stream of income from their sales.

Overall, Bonanza can be a good choice for sellers looking to expand their reach and keep their costs low. While it may not have the same level of traffic as larger marketplaces, its strong community and range of tools make it a worthwhile option to consider.

A Few Online Selling Basics

Selling stuff online has become a popular way for people to make some extra cash or even start a full-time business, but it can also be a bit confusing to start, so we put together a quick guide that should help you cover the basics.

Choose the right platform: 

There are many different online marketplaces to choose from, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Some popular options include Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and Facebook Marketplace. Consider factors such as fees, audience demographics, and ease of use when deciding which platform to use.

Understand the fees: 

Most online marketplaces charge fees for selling items. These can include listing fees, transaction fees, and payment processing fees. Make sure to factor these fees into your pricing strategy to ensure that you are still making a profit.

Take good photos: 

When selling online, photos are your most important marketing tool. Make sure to take clear, high-quality photos that accurately represent your item. Consider using a plain background and multiple angles to showcase the item in the best possible light.

Write a detailed description: 

Along with photos, your item description is key to attracting buyers. Be sure to include all relevant details such as size, condition, and any flaws. Use clear, concise language and avoid exaggerating or making false claims.

Price competitively:

Research similar items on your chosen platform to get an idea of what price point will be competitive. Consider factors such as condition, rarity, and demand when setting your price.

Communicate with buyers:

 When a buyer expresses interest in your item, respond promptly and professionally. Be willing to answer any questions they may have and provide additional photos or information if needed.

Ship promptly:

 Once a sale is made, make sure to ship the item promptly and securely. Consider using tracking and insurance to protect yourself and the buyer.

By keeping these tips in mind, you can set yourself up for success when selling online.

A Quick Recap

Selling stuff online has never been easier, with a plethora of platforms available to choose from. 

Whether you're looking to sell your old CDs or start your own online store, there's a platform out there for everyone.

Each platform has its own strengths and weaknesses, so it's important to consider your specific needs and goals when choosing where to sell your stuff online. 

With a little research and experimentation, you can find the perfect platform to help you turn your clutter into cash.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Some Websites Where I Can Sell My Stuff for Free?

There are several websites where you can sell your stuff for free, including Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and Nextdoor. 

These websites allow you to list your items for sale without any listing fees, although some may charge a small percentage of the final sale price.

Which Website Is The Easiest To Use For Selling Items Online?

The easiest website to use for selling items online will depend on your personal preferences and the type of items you are selling.

In many cases, local sites, like Facebook Marketplace or Offerup can be the best option for a bit of quick cash.

However, many people find that websites such as eBay, Amazon, and Etsy are user-friendly and have a large audience of potential buyers.

Where Can I Sell My Items Locally?

If you prefer to sell your items locally, you can try listing them on websites such as Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and Nextdoor. 

You can also consider selling your items at local flea markets, garage sales, or consignment shops.

What Are The Best Places To Sell Things Online For Free?

Some of the best places to sell things online for free include Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and Nextdoor. 

These websites allow you to list your items for sale without any listing fees, although some may charge a small percentage of the final sale price.

How Can I Sell My Stuff And Get Paid Instantly?

If you want to get paid instantly for your items, you can consider using websites such as Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp or Letgo. 

These websites allow you to sell your items locally and receive payment in cash at the time of the sale.

Where Do People Usually Sell Their Stuff Online?

People usually sell their stuff online on websites such as eBay, Amazon, and Etsy.

These websites have a large audience of potential buyers and offer a variety of selling options, such as auctions and fixed-price listings. 

Additionally, many people also sell their items locally on websites such as Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and Nextdoor.

Chris Shaffer

Chris lives at the intersection of business strategy and growth tactics. Having consulted with dozens of different businesses (as well as building several of his own), he brings a unique perspective on what's working across the eCommerce world in businesses of all shapes and sizes.

The $64,000 Etsy Roadmap

The Simple 5-Step Process We Used To Generate $64,000 In 12 Months Working Part Time On Etsy.

Yes, Send Me The Roadmap!