In the past, there was not very much demand for second hand stuff. Today, that has all changed and it is now quite easy to sell your stuff for good money. These days, people are far less worried about buying used goods. Motivated by the fact that money is tight and worries about the environment, more people are choosing to buy second-hand items rather than buying new. This fact and the emergence of the internet has made it far easier to sell used goods and generate cash from them.
Traditional methods
There are several places that you can use to list items that you want to sell. You can choose to either sell your items online, or use traditional off-line advertising.
Some supermarkets and shops still allow you to post items for sale in their shop window or on their notice boards. Many allow you to do so for free. It only takes a few minutes to write out your advert and put it up, so this technique is well worth considering.
Some local newspapers also still accept classified adverts for second hand items. These days, the majority do not charge for this service provided the item is not expensive. Therefore, this selling channel is also worth considering.
However, using these traditional methods somewhat limits the number of potential buyers. This is because these mediums are only seen by a relatively small group of local people. Generally speaking, the more people that see your advert the more likely it is that you will make the sale. Therefore, is well worth advertising anything that you have for sale on the web. Every day, tens of thousands of people go onto the web in search of second hand items, which means that there are far more potential buyers online.
Where to advertise on the web
If you do not mind paying for listing, you can use an auction site to sell your second hand items. However, before doing so find out how much you will be charged for each listing. It is also important to establish how much it will cost you to post the item to the buyer. When deciding how much you want for the item, remember to ask enough to make a profit after paying for listing and postage.
Some goods, such as jewellery, electronics and clothes can be sold to resellers or recycling firms. Most of these firms have a web presence. Another place you can sell used items is classified websites and community websites. Usually, you can list items for sale without any charge.
What to do with items you cannot sell
If you find yourself unable to sell certain items, you may be able to give them away. Local charity shops are always in need of second hand goods, which they can sell. In addition, some local organisations will gratefully receive used goods, recycle them, and put them to use within their organisation. If you still cannot find a home for used items take them to the dump, because there they will be sorted and recycled rather than end up in landfill.
