Pros and Cons of Selling Online

You have “stuff” you don’t want any longer, but it’s not the kind of item you can donate. What’s more, it’s too good to throw out. I’m thinking of that collection of miniature porcelain teacups you inherited, specialized books that your local library will not accept for the book sale, or a crafting kit you had good intentions of creating something with, but in which you have since lost interest. Your local consignment store won’t accept these items because there’s too limited a market for them.

You decide to sell the items online, which is a good option if you’re not looking to make big bucks. Rather, think of doing so as getting paid for not throwing your stuff in the trash.

The two most popular sites are Facebook Marketplace and eBay. (I’m ignoring Craigslist because it isn’t what it used to be, though could be an option depending on where you live.)

Here are pros and cons for using Marketplace and eBay.

Marketplace

Pros:

• Local buyers
• No shipping costs (unless you choose the option to allow shipping)
• No commissions or fees

Cons:

• You need a Facebook account
• Scammers abound here
• You get a lot of messages asking, “Is this available?” from people who have no interest in buying
• No-shows are not uncommon
• In-person transactions with strangers can be dangerous. (My next blog post will provide tips below for mitigating danger.)

eBay

Although eBay started as an auction site, you may not be aware that it is now possible to list a fixed price for selling. You can also list a minimum offer you’d accept and the offer price where eBay can sell automatically. For example, you can list an item for $30, but indicate you’ll accept $25 without eBay reaching out to you for confirmation and that the minimum offer you’d accept is $20.

Pros

• eBay acts as an intermediary for payment
• Wide geographical reach
• Collectors watch for their niche items on eBay
• None or minimal contact with buyers
• Communication with buyers goes through eBay’s messaging system, so there is a record of all conversations

Cons

• You need to pack and ship items. You’ll find yourself storing boxes of all shapes and sizes to accommodate the items you’re selling.
• eBay withholds a fee for each transaction, so you don’t get the full amount.
• Your sales are subject to taxes, with eBay issuing a 1099.
• It takes time creating a listing, filling in all the information a buyer might want and taking photos that show all details of the item.

If all that seems like too much work, there is another option of using various websites like The Buy Nothing Project (via Facebook groups or app) and Freecycle Network (or Trash Nothing) being top choices for direct neighborhoods. Nextdoor and Craigslist can offer a broader local reach.

Photo: Pixabay