If you’ve ever tried to sell your secondhand items to relocate, you’ll understand the difficulties and frustrations it can cause. Regardless of whether you’re just shifting apartments in the same city or it’s a full-blown international relocation, selling your items can be difficult. You’ll need to decide on a price for your items, find buyers, find a means to get your items to buyers et cetera. You’ll be surprised to know that as long as your items are in good condition, almost anything can be resold. Whether you’re looking to sell your used books for extra cash or sell most of your appliances before moving out of your home, there are several things you need to be aware of.
In this article, we’ll be providing you with a few tips you can use before you sell your items.
Where can you find secondhand sales services?
First, you’ll need to decide if you want to sell your items online or in person. There are pros and cons to both, but we find that selling your items online is the most convenient option.
If you want to get your items off your hands in a hurry, say if you’re relocating internationally, you’d want to go through the in-person route. This is because you won’t have to wait for the right buyer to chance upon your profile and contact you. However, if you want the best deal possible, you should put your items for sale online, as you’ll be able to negotiate far more on these sites than you would in a shop.
Online sites.
When you want to resell your items, go online is a good option. Fortunately, different countries have different Apps or Websites for you to explore. We have listed them out for you to check!
Singapore:
Carousell
Carousell is the most popular reselling app in Singapore. To list items for sale, all you need to do is take a photo of your item, write a brief description, set the terms of your offer (i.e. price, delivery method), and your item is officially on the market! Of course, if you want to get your item off your hands as soon as possible, there are a few tips you’ll need to know of (more on this later).
Australia:
CashConverters
CashConverters is exactly what it sounds like: it’s a site where you can buy and sell pre-owned items. There are thousands of products in various categories, so if you have an old memory stick or even a phone case you want to sell, CashConverters is the place to do it.
IK2
Like the other sites on this list, IK2 is a marketplace for people to buy and sell secondhand items. However, IK2 makes it easier for buyers to trust you since the site offers buyers protection from scams in the form of a friendly return policy, allowing their customers to return all whitegoods within a 6-month warranty period. Should their items sustain damage in transit, they can be returned for a refund of the value of the purchase item.
UK:
Gumtree
Gumtree has everything you could possibly need, whether it’s a room for rent or second-hand furniture. To get started, just snap a photo of your product, write up a short description and wait for buyers to roll in!
Things to consider If you’re selling them online:
• Be clear about your offer. Assess how much your items are worth by taking into account their condition and how old they are. Look at your “competitors” on the site you’re selling your items on and see how much they’re charging for the same item. These steps will help you get a clearer idea of what the terms of your offer will be. Tip: Price your items slightly higher than what they’re worth so you’ll still profit if someone manages to negotiate you downwards.
• Take good photos of your items and describe them well. The usual tips like using natural lighting, avoiding shadows will set you ahead of the pack. As for descriptions, don’t exaggerate details. Calling a faded couch, a “timeless classic”, will only get you so far before a buyer realises that it’s just old. Be as truthful as possible in your descriptions to avoid negative pushback from buyers. However, you will want to describe every feature your item has to attract the most number of buyers.
• Be ready to negotiate. Buyers on apps like Carousell will most certainly attempt to get a better deal. As such, you should be open to the idea of negotiating. In exchange for a lower price, you could ask for something you want in return, like for them to pick up the item from you directly, instead of you having to deliver it to them. If someone presents you with an insulting offer, don’t be afraid to reject lowballers. There’ll always be more people who will want your item.
Physical Stores.
You can still find many physical stores that can dispose your secondhand items around you. No matter where you are, some strategies are always useful. In general, most stores prefer to buy in bulk, so you might be able to get a better rate if you have more than a few items. We’ve listed some suggestions that you might find useful before you make a deal!
Things to consider if you’re selling them to a physical store:
• Verify that the company is reputable. A cursory Google search will provide you with reviews of the company. Check to see if most of them are positive. If they’re rated three stars or lower, it’s probably better to avoid them altogether. Go through all the common questions, like how long the company has been around and what other services they offer to ensure that the company you’re selling your items to is legitimate.
• Check if they accept all kinds of secondhand items or just furniture. Even if they accept furniture, check to see if they accept furniture made from your materials. Clarifying this will save you unnecessary trips as you shuttle back and forth to the company’s building, which will be especially important if you’ve engaged the services of another company for your relocation.
• Get a quote from more than one store. Too often, people visit one shop and get excited at the prospect of being able to sell off their old furniture that they neglect to get a second opinion, leading to money going down the drain. It’s avoidable, so please do your due diligence before making a decision.
Final Thought
While international relocation may be difficult and stressful at times, Moovaz can help make it a breeze. As an international relocation platform, we promise a smooth relocating journey, through our intuitive and fuss-free planning process. We hope this article has helped you sell your secondhand items!
Moreover, if you want to dispose things you don’t want, you may want to read these tips for Choosing Disposal Services when you moving out.
Need help planning your journey? Let Moovaz help by creating and managing your move for you. All you need to do is to fill in a form on our website and let us handle the rest. Get started with Moovaz today!
