sell used furniture
Updated October 01, 2022

12 Best Places to Sell Used Furniture

Side Hustles

We may receive a commission if you sign up or purchase through links on this page. Here's more information.

We often want to remove or replace furniture, but selling used furniture can be a major inconvenience. Whether you’re moving to a new place or need a change, finding a way to move furniture quickly can remove a lot of stress.

Selling used furniture has never been easier, and there are tons of options. If the furniture is in decent condition, you should be able to find a good buyer in your area.

This article will go over some of the best places to sell used furniture, including pros and cons of each.

1. Facebook Marketplace

  • Facebook Marketplace: Best for local sales
    Learn More

    We earn a commission on this offer.

    • Basics: Facebook Marketplace is a convenient option for posting listings and receiving offers from people in your area. You can also view each user's profile to detect scams and keep track of them in case of anything suspicious. Buy and sell groups on the site can facilitate local transactions.
    • Pros: Facebook is an incredibly popular website, so this is one of the best ways to find a seller. Tying transactions to your Facebook account could have a significant effect on security and privacy.
    • Cons: There won't be as many interested buyers if you live in a sparsely populated area. You'll be responsible for creating the listing and transporting the furniture to the selling location.

Most people don’t associate Facebook with sales, but Facebook Marketplace is a popular option. It facilitates local transactions while protecting users by keeping them connected to the rest of Facebook. A buyer without any Facebook friends or posts, for example, is a significant red flag. You won’t get that kind of information on an anonymous platform like Craigslist.

In addition to selling items on Facebook Marketplace directly, you can look for local buy/sell groups on the network. Yard sale groups also help coordinate large-scale events.

Facebook is one of the most popular online platforms, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a buyer. Users can pay full price or make a smaller offer for you to accept or decline. Take high-quality photos of all items from as many angles as possible.

2. Letgo

  • Letgo: Best for reaching mobile users
    Learn More

    We earn a commission on this offer.

    • Basics: Letgo is a platform for classified ads and local sales. You can create a listing with basic information about your items.
    • Pros: Like Facebook Marketplace, Letgo doesn't charge any fees for creating listings or selling items. Its mobile app is available for Android and iOS.
    • Cons: Letgo may not be as popular in some areas relative to more well-known platforms. Unlike on Facebook, you won't have any way to trace potential buyers.

Letgo is similar to classified-ad websites like Craigslist and offers many of the same functionalities. It has a sleek modern interface, making it easy to browse listings and find what you’re looking for as a buyer.

In addition to its website, Letgo’s mobile app is available for iOS and Android. You’ll reach a decent number of buyers on Letgo. It also allows users to set a location radius to limit the listings they see.

Like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace, Letgo doesn’t charge any fees to sellers or buyers. You’ll keep the entire sale price.

3. Craigslist

  • Craigslist: Best for reaching an audience
    Start Selling

    We earn a commission on this offer.

    • Basics: Craigslist is one of the most well-known sites for local classifieds and sales, and it makes the sale process easy. Buyers will contact you through text, email, or phone rather than through the app.
    • Pros: With so many users, Craigslist gives you a good chance of connecting with buyers. You won't pay any fees to list or sell through the site.
    • Cons: Like Letgo, Craigslist is more anonymous than Facebook and could expose you to more risk. You'll have to provide your contact information when creating a listing.

Selling on Craigslist is similar to selling on Facebook, although there are important differences between the platforms. Listings on Craigslist aren’t connected to a profile, so buyers will contact you through email, text, or a phone call. You’ll agree on a price and work out a convenient and safe meeting place.

While Craigslist isn’t as popular as Facebook, it’s much more focused on classified ads. With that in mind, you should get a number of requests from people interested in your furniture. It’s easy to set up a Craigslist listing in just a few minutes.

Given how simple the process is, there’s no reason not to create a listing on Craigslist while you set it up on other platforms. You can reuse the information and pictures to reach a wider audience. This strategy gives you a better chance of receiving multiple offers and starting a bidding war.

4. Used Furniture Stores

  • Used Furniture Stores
    Used furniture stores: Best for store credit
    • Basics: Every used furniture store is different, but many stores will offer you a decent price for pieces in good condition. They may send an in-house appraiser to give you a quote. Depending on the store, you may be able to get more money by taking store credit or transporting the furniture yourself.
    • Pros: Most stores have professional appraisers who will be able to accurately estimate your item's value. While you may get a lower price, some stores will be able to move the furniture from your home.
    • Cons: Furniture stores are planning to flip your items for a profit, so you could make more by selling directly to a buyer. It can also take a lot of time to contact stores, get estimates, and compare offers.

Used furniture stores have their own buying and selling policies, and they can be an easy way to sell furniture. Most stores have in-house appraisers who can come to your place and look at your furniture. Depending on the store, you may get more money by bringing the furniture in yourself.

Some furniture stores offer higher sums in exchange for taking store credit. This is a great option if you’re interested in replacing your furniture with something else. You can always compare the appraiser’s estimate to offers from online buyers.

Getting offers from multiple used furniture stores can be a time-consuming process. It may not be worth your time unless it’s a particularly valuable piece. It’s usually more convenient to look for buyers online.

5. eBay

  • eBay: Best for auctions
    Start Selling on eBay

    We earn a commission on this offer.

    • Basics: eBay works similarly to many other sites, but you can configure listings as auctions rather than fixed prices. You can stick to the traditional format if you'd prefer, and eBay supports local pickup in addition to shipped packages.
    • Pros: Like Craigslist, eBay is one of the leaders in peer-to-peer sales, so there are countless buyers looking for furniture. The auction format can help you earn more money on each item by leading to bidding wars.
    • Cons: eBay is more commonly used for shipped items than for local pickups. The website charges a fee on each sale, typically around 10% to 12%.

Most people associate eBay with online sales and shipped items, but you can also make local listings. When listing a new product, simply select the local pickup option rather than offering shipping. You’ll be asked for your ZIP code to determine your location. From there, organizing a meeting works the same as it would on any similar website.

eBay lets you run auctions or opt for a set price with offers. In general, an auction gives you a better opportunity to pit buyers against each other. They’ll drive up the price and maximize the total sale value.

eBay charges a fee on each sale, usually around 10% or 12%. Depending on the furniture’s value, this could lead you to lose a substantial amount of money. You’ll also pay a per-listing fee once you hit 50 listings in a single month. This is especially annoying given that Letgo, Facebook, and Craigslist all offer no-fee sales.

eBay is more often used for shipments than local sales, so there may not be as strong a local buying and selling community on eBay relative to other sites. You can always ship smaller items rather than selling them in-person.

6. OfferUp

  • OfferUp: Best for flexible listings
    Download the App

    We earn a commission on this offer.

    • Basics: OfferUp is a relatively standard sales platform, but it lets users sell items in person or through shipping. You can ship small items if the buyer isn't close enough to arrange a convenient meeting, and you don't have to decide in advance.
    • Pros: Being able to sell items either way adds an element of flexibility to your listings. OfferUp’s mobile app for iOS and Android maximizes your potential audience.
    • Cons: Shipped items are subject to a fee of 7.9%. OfferUp may not be as active as Facebook, Craigslist, or other well-known competitors.

OfferUp is a platform dedicated to buying and selling with many similarities to Letgo. You can buy and sell items on the website or through the mobile app on iOS and Android. Listings include most of the same elements, including a title, photos, and a short description.

Once you set a listing price, potential buyers can send offers for you to consider. This helps you aim for a target price while hearing potential offers. Like its competitors, OfferUp is intended to facilitate in-person sales rather than shipments. That said, you can ship items on OfferUp for a 7.9% fee.

7. Garage Sales

  • garage sale
    Garage sales: Best for selling a variety of products
    What to Know About Holding a Rummage Sale

    We earn a commission on this offer.

    • Basics: The success of a given garage sale depends on numerous factors, but a good garage sale can help you sell a number of things at once. Buyers may be willing to move the furniture from your home, avoiding the need to transport it yourself.
    • Pros: If you can get enough people in your neighborhood to agree on a garage sale, you can organize it together and generate a lot of interest. Selling to buyers is usually more lucrative than selling to someone who plans to flip it for more money (to a buyer).
    • Cons: Organizing a garage sale is complicated, and you may not get as much traffic as you hoped. It could be frustrating to go back to the drawing board after going through the work of setting up the sale.

Garage sales can be unpredictable, but you may find a buyer who’s willing to pay a fair price. You won’t have to deal with the stress of moving the furniture to their home. Some people may ask to come back later in the day to pick the piece up.

You’re more likely to sell your furniture when other homes in your area are also running sales. Try to coordinate an event with people in your neighborhood to sell anything you no longer need.

You could look for a neighborhood group on Facebook and ask whether anyone else has items to sell. There are also apps and platforms dedicated to putting together garage sales. The more people agree to sell, the easier it will be to market the garage sale and find buyers.

8. AptDeco

  • AptDeco: Best for New York
    Learn More

    We earn a commission on this offer.

    • Basics: AptDeco is only available in and near New York City, but it's a great option for people in that area. Unlike sites such as Craigslist and OfferUp, AptDeco plays a more active role in moderating listings.
    • Pros: As a furniture marketplace, AptDeco may be more likely to connect you with people looking for items like yours. It’ll even edit and optimize your listing to make it more attractive for potential buyers. You'll make things more predictable by going through an established vendor rather than making an independent transaction.
    • Cons: AptDeco charges a significant amount of money for its services, with fees between 19% and 33%. The platform is only available in and around New York City.

AptDeco is available in and around New York City, but it’s quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to sell used furniture there. While it takes a larger cut than most other websites, there are also good reasons to use it. If you aren’t worried about losing some of the sale, AptDeco is an easy option for getting rid of your furniture.

Because AptDeco is designed entirely for furniture, it’s easier for buyers to find what they’re looking for. In contrast, people are buying all kinds of items on websites like Craigslist and Facebook. This may also give you the opportunity to sell your furniture for more money.

AptDeco keeps between 19% and 33% of each sale, which could constitute a lot of money, depending on the item’s value. Considering that there are numerous free and low-cost options available, you may prefer to sell your furniture on another platform.

AptDeco gives buyers more tools than other sites to identify their target furniture. For example, they can filter by designer rather than simply scrolling through listings or typing in a keyword. This increases the chance that an interested buyer will find your listing.

The website guarantees sales and inspects each item, providing more oversight over each transaction. With that in mind, you’re clearly getting something for the additional fees. Whether or not that security is worth it likely depends on a variety of factors including the value of your furniture.

9. Chairish

  • Chairish: Best for luxury furniture
    Start Selling

    We earn a commission on this offer.

    • Basics: Chairish is more similar to AptDeco than laissez-faire sites that don't charge any fees. Its costs are in the same ballpark, with a 30% fee applied to most transactions.
    • Pros: Chairish focuses on valuable items, so it attracts buyers who are willing to spend more money. You can reduce the fee to 20% or less by upgrading to a Professional or Elite membership.
    • Cons: Chairish charges a 20% to 30% fee per transaction.

Chairish is a popular home store selling a variety of products such as furniture, rugs, and decor. It focuses on luxury items, so you may not be able to sell less expensive furniture. Its fees are similar to those of AptDeco, with most sellers keeping 70% of each sale.

Professional and Elite sellers pay significantly less depending on the sale price. They lose 20% of the price on items up to $2,500, then 12% from $2,500 to $25,000, and finally 3% above that. Professional is free for sellers with at least 10 active listings, while Elite costs $149 per month and introduces a number of additional benefits.

Like AptDeco, Chairish supervises listings more closely than other websites. Your listing won’t even be published until a Chairish employee has reviewed it. While you’ll lose a portion of the sale price, listing items on Chairish is free.

Whoever reviews your listing will also make edits to improve its attractiveness. Aesthetic adjustments can lead significantly more interest from buyers. You’ll have access to seven-day customer service, and Chairish gets a lot of traffic from people willing to spend large sums on furniture.

10. Oodle

  • Oodle: Best for quick sales
    Sell in Your Area

    We earn a commission on this offer.

    • Basics: Oodle is more in line with Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and similar platforms but hasn't reached as wide an audience. Traffic can be unpredictable, depending on your location.
    • Pros: Oodle lets you buy, sell, and rent almost anything, including apartments and office space. It doesn't charge any fees for setting up listings or making a sale.
    • Cons: The main downside of Oodle is its limited popularity, especially if you aren't in an urban area. There is no mobile app.

Oodle is another website designed similarly to platforms like Craigslist and OfferUp. It’s a relatively small service, so you’ll likely need to be in or near a major city to benefit. It includes categories for everything from pets and furniture to tickets and vehicles.

If you’re familiar with its competitors, you shouldn’t have any trouble figuring out how to use Oodle. That said, it doesn’t have a mobile app.

While it advertises more than 15 million unique users, its audience is smaller than competitors’. You may not be able to find an audience if you live in a rural or suburban area.

11. Incoming Tenants

  • Incoming Tenants
    Incoming tenants: Best for convenience
    Learn More About Renting vs. Buying

    We earn a commission on this offer.

    • Basics: If you're selling furniture because you're planning to move out, why not sell it to the next tenant? This allows you to make a sale without moving the furniture at all, and you can sell several pieces at once.
    • Pros: The logistics of transporting large pieces of furniture can be complicated and time-consuming. Contacting the incoming tenant is easily the most convenient option for selling used furniture.
    • Cons: This choice only works for people who are moving out, and your items will likely sell for less this way. Your landlord may or may not allow you to leave furniture in the place for the next tenant.

Selling furniture to new tenants isn’t always an option, but it can be convenient for both sides. Rather than transporting furniture somewhere else, you’ll simply make an offer to whoever’s moving in. If they’re interested in some of your furniture, you can leave it there for them.

If your landlord approves, there’s essentially no downside to selling furniture to the next tenants. You can ask for their contact information and agree on a price for certain pieces. Make sure to do this as soon as possible so that you have time to sell anything they don’t want.

Some landlords prohibit the sale of furniture from one tenant to the next, particularly in areas where bed bugs and other pests are prevalent. Never leave furniture in your apartment against your landlord’s wishes — they can deduct money from your security deposit for not cleaning the property.

The other drawback of selling to a tenant is that they may not pay as much as another customer. You’ll likely be expected to offer a discount based on the convenience of selling to someone who’s planning to move in. This is especially true given that they’ll be paying a fixed price for a set of several items.

12. Consignment Stores

  • consignment
    Consignment stores: Best for simplicity
    Learn More About Selling on Consignment

    We earn a commission on this offer.

    • Basics: Consignment stores buy used furniture before reselling it at a higher price. Some will try to work out a sale price up front, while others will give you a cut once they sell it.
    • Pros: You'll be able to compare offers from consignment stores to ensure you get the best price. They'll likely appraise and transport the item for you, taking two of the most frustrating aspects of selling used furniture out of your hands.
    • Cons: Consignment stores only buy furniture when they think someone else will pay more for it. If you negotiate for a portion of the sale price, you'll have to make other arrangements if the item doesn't sell within a specified period of time.

Consignment stores can sell a wide range of products, and many accept furniture. The piece needs to be valuable to be worth displaying. Most shops won’t accept anything they don’t expect to be able to sell at a substantial markup.

These stores typically use one of two models for buying and reselling products:

  • Some stores will offer you a set price for your furniture, which you can take or leave. If you accept their offer, they’ll pay you on the spot and sell the piece on their own.
  • Other stores take items in for free and pay sellers a percentage of the sale price. They’ll return the item if it doesn’t sell in a given period. Selling for a fixed price is usually a safer plan as you’ll have money in your pocket when you leave the store.

Be Cautious When Selling Online

Selling used furniture can be a pain, but these platforms streamline some of the most complicated tasks involved.

When selling through an online platform, take basic safety measures when meeting other users. Make sure to arrange a meeting during the day in a well-lit, public location and let a friend or family member know where you’re going. Talking to a buyer on the phone ahead of the meeting can also help you spot red flags.

Author:

Alex McOmie

Alex McOmie is a freelance writer for Money Done Right. He joined the Money Done Right editorial team in summer 2019. Learn more about Alex.

Back to top  
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments