Have you ordered a new couch but don’t want to just throw out the old one? Or maybe your antique coffee table passed down from your grandparents looks like it holds untold monetary value that you could take advantage of.
While you could try to find free removal options, the truth is, there is a lucrative market for selling furniture online. So, if you are thinking about getting rid of old items, follow this guide for all the steps to prepare your furniture for a sale, including: pricing used furniture, where to sell old furniture online and how to maximize the value of your items.
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 a couch or recliner to look as show-room ready as possible, meaning it should look new, fully-repaired and clean.
How To Repair Broken Furniture
Start by gathering the necessary materials to repair your furniture, no matter if it’s chipped, cracked, missing corners or entirely broken.
Tools For Refinishing Furniture
- Power Drill
- Epoxy Putty
- Wood Plank
- 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 items 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 couch, including the surface as well as in between the cushions where debris tends to build up rather often.
- Wipe Down & Disinfect: Use a non-bleach disinfect to fully wipe down the entire couch, sofa or recliner to clear it of any dust or dirt with a brush, killing any existing bacteria.
- Rid Furniture Of Pests: Spray your couch with an all-purpose anti-bug spray like Raid or Ortho Home Defense to keep your furniture protected against any pests or varmints.
- Use Baking Soda: Sprinkle the furniture with baking soda on the surface to release odors and light stains. Let it sit for about 20 minutes to an hour before any additional steps.
- Spray Furniture With Homemade Solution: Mix a solution of one cup of warm water, 1/4 cup vinegar and a tablespoon of soap or dish detergent. Spray the furniture thoroughly.
Where To Sell Furniture Online
Before you even consider the best way to sell a couch online, you need to figure out where you will list your old items to give yourself the best chance of selling to the right prospective buyers of used furniture. Luckily, there are a number of services that will gladly assist in this department, and some will even offer the convenience of 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 items like a couch locally online is still easier, especially if you have the means to transport it to the customer yourself.
There are, however, furniture stores that will buy used items. 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 couches, tables, chairs and more.
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 items. Try all avenues to sell the couch or sofa locally before you broaden to a bigger market.
Related Reading: Furniture Stores That Take Away Old Furniture.
Tips To Sell Successfully
To have success in the furniture flipping business, you’re going to need to be aware of trends. What are the most popular items right now? You’ll want to make sure you’re offering a fair price and that you’re willing to negotiate, because chances are, you’ll 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 a couch is to slash 20% off of what you originally bought it 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 similarly styled pieces 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. This allows you to frame the discussion and show assertiveness.
- Build Value: Explain why your item is valued at what it is. Don’t cave at the first objection, be willing to adapt. This also helps build your reputation as reliable salesman.
- Use Your “Poker Face”: Poker is all about not showing your cards, and the same is true with negotiating. Make sure to stand your ground but don’t let the buyer see you sweat!
- Be Ready To Counter: A qualified buyer likely has done research in the marketplace. If they ask for a price that’s too low, be ready to counter with an offer that’s 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 an old couch or coffee table, 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 the idea of selling your items, you could find them a new home! Donating your furniture is a good way to get rid of it, potentially earn a tax break and you’ll know 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: 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?
Frequently asked questions
There are a lot of places online to sell your used furniture, but a few websites stand above the rest. Typically, websites like Facebook, Apartment Therapy and more, have online marketplaces where you can submit a picture of your item, list a price and even negotiate in real time with potential customers online. Other useful websites for selling furniture are Craigslist, Nextdoor, eBay, Etsy, Chairish, Bonanza and more.
If you’re having trouble determining the value of your furniture, LoadUp can help price furniture with our “free” furniture removal service. Just include a picture of your item along with some information about your item’s condition, and we’ll help determine the best avenue for your used furniture today. We can’t however, offer free furniture removal, but we’ll help you figure out what to do with your used furniture.
Most people typically make between $100 and $500 per month, on average as a simple hobby. Some of the most profitable furniture flippers make their money on online marketplaces like Facebook. However, at the end of the day, the profits you make from selling furniture are dependent on the time and materials it takes for you to refinish old furniture items, which certainly can vary on a case-by-case basis.