Do you have a favorite couch in your living room you need to get rid of, but don’t just want to throw away? Or maybe your antique coffee table that was passed down from your grandparents holds value that you weren’t aware of.
Truth is, there is a lucrative market for selling furniture online. So, next time you’re thinking about throwing out your old couch, consider this guide for all of the steps you’ll need to prepare your furniture for a sale, including: pricing your used furniture, where to sell old furniture online as well as how to maximize the value of your old items today!
Best Way To Sell Used Furniture Online.
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Before Listing Your Furniture Online
When selling your furniture online, the goal is to prepare your furniture to be as show-room ready as possible, meaning it should look brand new, fully-repaired and clean.
Repair Broken Furniture
Start by gathering the necessary materials to repair your furniture, no matter if its chipped, cracked, missing corners or entirely broken.
Tools For Refinishing Furniture
- Power Drill
- Epoxy Putty
- Wood Sealant
- Paint Strippers
- Vacuum Cleaner
- Wood Stain & Paint
- Drop Cloths
- Paint Scrapers
- Wax Coating Agent
- Safety Goggles and Gloves
- Sandpaper and Power Sander
- Dish Soap, Towels and Sponges
If you’re simply just fixing a broken leg of a couch you just recently bought, you may need not all of these items. These tools, however are necessary for restoring old furniture to make it look as new as possible, which is crucial for maximizing the value to sell your furniture online.
Related reading: How To Get Rid Of Old, Broken Furniture.
How To Clean Used Furniture
Before you even consider the value of your used couch or start researching how you’re going to sell it, you’re going to need to know how to clean your furniture properly. After all, no one is going to buy a dirty couch or sofa.
- Vacuum Thoroughly: Make sure to clean every corner of your furniture, including in between the cushions where debris can build up.
- Wipe Down & Disinfect: Use a non-bleach disinfect to fully wipe down the entire couch with a brush, killing any existing bacteria.
- Rid Furniture Of Pests: Spray your couch with an all-purpose bug spray to keep your furniture protected against pests.
- Use Baking Soda: Sprinkle the furniture with baking soda on the surface. Let it sit for a few hours before any additional steps.
- Mix Homemade Cleaning Solution To Spray Furniture: Mix a solution of one cup of warm water, 1/4 cup vinegar and a tablespoon of soap or dish detergent. Spray the solution on the furniture.
Where To Sell Furniture Online
Before you even consider the best way to sell furniture online, you need to figure out where you will list your old items to give you the best chance of selling to the right prospective buyers of used furniture. Luckily, there are tons of services that will gladly assist in this department, and some will even offer local furniture drop-off or pickup.
Selling Furniture Locally Vs. Shipping
If you’re choosing to sell your used furniture locally, you don’t even necessarily need to sell your item online. You can hold a local garage sale or find a friend who needs that old couch. However, selling furniture locally online is still easier, especially if you have the means to transport your furniture to the customer yourself.
There are, however, furniture stores that will buy used furniture. Companies both in-person and online such as IKEA, eBay, Craigslist, OfferUp, Shopify, Ruby Lane and more are all great places that offer unique ways to sell off your old furniture.
There, is however, the issue that arises with shipping. Places like Craigslist and EBay will almost certainly require you to cover the cost to ship your furniture. Consider trying all avenues to sell your furniture locally before you broaden to a bigger market.
Related reading: Furniture Stores That Take Away Old Furniture.
Tips To Sell Successfully
In order to have success in the furniture flipping business, you’re going to need to be aware of trends. What are the popular furniture items right now? You’ll also want to make sure you’re offering a fair price and that you’re willing to negotiate, because chances are, you will have to at some point.
Furniture Buying Trends
In order to determine the popular trends in the marketplace, you’re going to need to figure out what furniture items are in high demand. For example, in 2023, revenue in the furniture market reached $252.7 billion. The largest segment of that revenue came from living room furniture, which totaled $70.5 billion.
Other good places to look for trends is websites like Shopify, which frequently releases articles breaking down trends in the consumer market, including home furniture. Understanding what’s popular in the market can help you drive decisions on what specifically to sell.
Offering A Fair Price
An easy rule of thumb when determining how to offer a fair price for furniture is to slash 20% off of what you bought the furniture for. This is consistent with the industry standard, and serves as a good guide for most used furniture.
Another good option is to look around online for similar pieces of furniture to compare pricing to help determine the most fair price.
Be Willing To Negotiate
Negotiating properly is an important piece in maximizing the value of your used furniture. After all, the customer is looking for the lowest price possible, while your job is to make the most money you can.
Simple Negotiating Tactics
- Take The Lead: Make sure you’re the one that begins the conversation, rather than letting the buyer take over.
- Build Value: Explain why your furniture is valued at what it is. Don’t cave at the first objection, be willing to adapt.
- Use Your “Poker Face”: Poker is all about not showing your cards, and the same is true with negotiating. Stand your ground but don’t let the buyer see you sweat!
- Be Ready To Counter: A qualified buyer likely has done their research in the marketplace. If they come with an asking price that’s too low, be ready to counter with an offer that works better for you.
- If Necessary, Walk Away: Sometimes a customer will insist on asking for a lower price that just won’t work for you. Don’t be afraid to walk away and try again with someone else.
What To Do With Furniture That Won’t Sell
If you’re having trouble selling your old furniture, you have options. If you still want to recoup some money off of it, you can haul it to a local consignment shop, which will resell your old furniture but take a percentage of the revenue. You could also hold a garage sale or even a simple yard sale to see if someone in your neighborhood will buy your furniture.
If you’ve given up on selling your furniture, you could find it a new home! Donating your furniture is a good way to get rid of it, potentially earn a tax break and get peace of mind knowing your old items are being put to good use. If all else fails, recycle. You can place some items in your curbside recycling bin, otherwise, take your old items to a local recycling center.
Seems like a lot of work just to get rid of your old furniture that won’t sell, right? Luckily, there are junk removal services like LoadUp who will not only pick up your old furniture, but they’ll haul it away for eco-friendly disposal, donation or recycling for you.
Related reading: The Benefits Of Furniture Removal Companies Offering Old Item Haul Away
LoadUp Can Help With Pricing Used Furniture
When you’re looking to price your furniture, there are local appraisers you can bring them to, and furniture stores that can not only help price items, but also offer furniture removal as well.
Yet, what if there was a service that could not only price your furniture, but will also provide removal and eco-friendly disposal for you, all in one fell swoop.
The trusted professionals at LoadUp can evaluate the marketplace for furniture and give you a fair, honest price. From there, it’s up to you to choose, but LoadUp can make decisions easier with solutions like on-demand services and guaranteed upfront pricing when you book online!
Related reading: How Much Does Furniture Removal Cost?
