Selling Used and Old things: How-To MasterGuide

Ever look around your house and its cluttered to the brim? Or do you have some old phones and gadgets that are now outdated? Rather than just keep these items and let them collect dust, perhaps there is another way to deal with these!

For people who have never sold items online, it may seem like a daunting task, worrying about shipping, if anyone will buy their products, and worrying about customer satisfaction and returns. There is a lot of logistics when it comes to these type of things, so we at Quills Digest have a guide prepared for you to help you along.

One of the main questions is: where to sell the products. Sure, you can post in on social media where your friends can see it, but this can come out as annoying, and lets be frank, most of your friends will not want to buy the odd gadgets you have lying around the house. So what platform to go with?

Any platform should work, and a couple of these are Mercari, eBay, Craigslist, Letgo, etc. The main thing to look out for is what device you will be using and “seller fees.” For example, Mercari is oriented more towards app usage while eBay is more focused on being used on desktop browsers. More “product-specific” websites can also be used as a supplement, such as Reverb (instrument/music), or other websites that only accept tech gadgets.

When you sell a product, generally, these websites take a fee out of your sale, which tends to roam around 10%. These numbers are subject to change, so make sure to know how much money you are earning before making a sale. Keep in mind the shipping cost too, which depends on the weight/size of the product. You always want to ship with a tracking number and get a receipt when you drop the product off so you have proof that you have delivered it to avoid scams.

When selling popular products such as iPads, phones, and video games, how do you stand out from the crowd of other people trying to get rid of them too? Well there are three main tactics that can be used: price, quality, and quality of service.

The most undesirable listing tactic is the price for obvious reasons. A lower price can attract consumers but also means you earn less money. Also, a lower price may make customers question the quality of the product or the legitimacy of it (imagine if someone was selling a Ferrari for only $1000). A good tactic after trial and error seems to put a product on the high-end average price-point wise so buyers can negotiate a lower offer.

The second tactic is one that seems to be unchangeable but somewhat is when listing. When you sell a used good, websites often force sellers to tell what quality the product is (unopened, like new, good, poor, etc.) It may seem advantageous to put a good at the highest quality possible to make a quick sale, but this drastically increases the return rate of buyers and buyer dissatisfaction. Even with only a couple of bad reviews and returns, a seller can go from making constant sales to never getting another offer.

So how can you increase the quality of a product? Well, by giving it a good clean and packaging it well, it can show the buyer the high quality of the item. The best possible scenario is using the original packaging and box, as that was what the product was designed to be shipped with. But when this is not an option, putting the product inside a plastic covering to prevent scratches is a great option. (Life Hack: cut the top part of a Ziploc bag off to make a semi-professional looking packaging)

Another important factor in product selling is the listing photos and description. If a product cannot stand out through price or other means, a good listing photo can stand out to buyers so much more. If you own a DSLR or a dedicated camera, always use that to make the product look like it was professionally taken (but don’t just download a product picture of the internet, you’ll have to show the real thing). Even without these, a phone stand, and good outside lighting can do wonders to make a product stand out.

A better picture makes both the product stand out and make the seller look like they know what they are doing, which can help sell things quickly. No matter what condition the product is in, a good quality photo will always make it stand out. Take the extra time to get a good listing, and you’ll thank yourself later.

Now a common misconception about broken products: people often think that they have to list at extremely low prices or else they cannot be sold. This is quite false in many scenarios. Sure, selling a broken plate is almost impossible, but when it comes to tech devices, it is a sure go. Many techies out there make side cash off of buying broken products and fixing them to resell. If you can’t fix your product with your skillset, that doesn’t mean the product is useless to everyone. For these products it is important to have a good listing, such as including an outstanding picture and description. Be sure to say the specific issue with the product: this will increase the chance of a buyer-fixer picking up the item if they know what the issue is caused by.

So overall, how should you sell your used goods? Give them a good clean with microfiber wipes and alcohol, take stellar pictures of them, and keep a clean track record with good reviews. Feel free to leave a note in the box for buyers so it feels more humanly and personalized: this can often lead to higher reviews. Ship quickly, and take the time and effort to list well, and all of your clutter will be gone in no time. Worst case scenario, drop the price by enough amount and it’ll be sure to be sold! We hope you found this guide/tip sheet useful, and we look forward to your comments if you have any questions!