Beyond Craigslist: Easy ways to sell your stuff online
Over the years, tastes change, life stages progress and styles evolve. And if you’re anything like me, you buy new stuff every time one of those things happen, accumulating oodles of old furnishings and decor that clutter your basement (or the aisles of Goodwill if you did the noble thing and donated to charity).
But what if you have a piece that is actually worth something and you want to make a little money off of it? Yes, the tried-and-true sites like Craigslist still reign supreme, but we’re not all cool with having myriad random people parading through our home.
Here we compare three of the hottest online marketplaces (and apps) that can help you clean house and make a little extra cash.
CHAIRISH
What it is: Chairish is an online marketplace and app that allows users to buy and sell vintage decor, art and furniture.
What it does: Screen listings to make sure inventory meets standards. Chairish will edit photos and item descriptions to look uniform. Approved listings will remain online until the item sells or a user delists. If an item sells, Chairish orchestrates shipping and payment details. Buyers have two days to return the item if they don’t like it. Sellers aren’t paid until this return window closes.
What sellers do: Fill out an online four-step listing, then wait to hear if their listing made the cut. If using the app, you can curate the listing straight from your phone.
How much it costs: Listing with Chairish is free, and 80 percent or more of the selling price goes to the seller.
VIYET
Who it is: Specializing in new and secondary designer furniture and decor, Viyet offers a way to turn secondhand furniture and accessories into cash.
What it does: Viyet schedules an experienced curator to photograph and collect all details from the listing. Then Viyet handles every step of the selling process, from writing descriptions to arranging for pickup and delivery to the buyer. All prices are 40 to 80 percent below retail and available for immediate delivery.
What sellers do: Fill out a form to tell Viyet about the pieces you want to sell. Items must meet Viyet’s minimum original retail price of $1,000 for furniture, $500 for lighting and $200 for accessories; must be a designer brand or desirable antique; and must be in good to like-new condition.
How much it costs: Listing on Viyet is completely free. Once the company sells an item, the seller receives payment of up to 60 percent of the resale price.
Why you should choose Viyet: “Our average resale price per piece is $1,200, which allows us to deliver more value to the seller than any other consignment marketplace. For buyers, we offer incredible prices for rare vintage, antique and showroom items,” said Elizabeth Brown, CEO of Viyet.
EVERYTHING BUT THE HOUSE
What it is: An online estatesale business that aims to help transitioning families get rid of large amounts of personal property.
What it does: Sell items and collections, from coins to furniture to home accessories and accents. Employees come to your home for a free consultation to inspect, photograph and list items. Once on the web, the sale goes live, with all items auctioned in up to seven days; bids start at $1. After the sale closes, EBTH manages payment, pickup, shipping and delivery, all free of charge to the seller. The sold items are removed from the home by EBTH, which gives sellers an itemized receipt, along with a settlement check within 30 days.
What sellers do: All they need to do is contact the company for service, have a goal in mind and know what they need the company’s advice on.
How much it costs: No initial fees. The company is compensated for its efforts based on the final sale price of an item. Sellers receive 50 to 85 percent of the sale price, based on the value.
Why you should choose EBTH: “We’re not just about selling things—we are a white-glove service dedicated to helping families through their transitions by focusing on salable goods, what to donate and what to throw out. We want to make it simple. Our site is a great and fun place to buy, as well! Every day is something new to discover,” said Brian Graves, co-founder of Everything But the House.