How to Sell Furniture Online

Co-authored by Tanglewood Sue

Last Updated: February 12, 2022 References

Selling furniture online is a great way to clear out pieces that are taking up room in your home. By selling, you can make a little cash and create space for new furniture. To sell your furniture online, choose a website to list on, post a quality ad, and communicate with potential buyers until you come to an agreement and complete the sale.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Choosing a Website

1
Choose a popular site to post your listing on. There are many different classifieds websites and apps out there that you can sell your furniture on. The more popular the site is, the more exposure your listing will get. Opt for sites that you’ve heard about to give your furniture the best chance to sell.
- Letgo and Etsy are examples of popular sites that people use to buy and sell items.
2
Go with a site that doesn’t charge you for listings. Many sites will charge you a fee for each of your listings, while others take a percentage of each of your sales. In order to pocket as much money as you can, avoid these sites and instead opt for ones that allow you to list for free. Craigslist and Facebook are a couple of the most popular sites that allow you to list for free. However, there are also many less popular options, including:^{[1]
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- FreeAdsTime
- Oodle
- OLX.com
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3
Pick a site that’s specifically used for selling furniture. Because it has become more popular to buy and sell items online, there are now not only sites where all kinds of items are for sale, but also sites where only specific items are for sale. Consider going with a site made specifically for furniture sales to get the best luck, as potential buyers visiting these sites are usually looking to buy furniture.^{[2]
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- Some of these sites include Move Loot and Viyet.
Often, buyers will trust you more if you include a picture and a provide some information about yourself. Plus, many sites have review systems, where you can leave reviews for buyers and buyers can leave reviews for you.^{[3]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Posting a Quality Ad

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Create a new post. The way to create new listings varies based on which site you’re using. However, most sites have an easily accessible button that you can click on in order to be redirected to a page where you can enter in a new product description and photos. Click on any button you see that says something like “New Post” or “Create a Listing.”
- On Letgo, this button reads, “Sell My Stuff.”
2
Write an accurate description of the furniture. include all the basic information about the furniture in the description, such as how big it is and what material it's made out of. The buyer wants to know as much information about the piece as you can provide.^{[4]
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- For example, if you’re selling a kitchen table, your description might say something like, “Used sturdy 44 in (110 cm) by 44 in (110 cm) by 36 in (91 cm) kitchen table for sale. The table is made of oak and comes with 4 chairs and blue detachable seat cushions. Both the table and chairs are in excellent condition, and have no scratches.”
You don't want angry buyers who will leave you with a bad review or refuse to pay. Even if your furniture isn't in perfect condition, there's likely still a buyer out there who may want it. Try to be as honest and straightforward as you can to keep potential buyers happy and to encourage them to follow through with the sale.^{[5]
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Try to answer as many questions as you can ahead of time. Put yourself in the buyer's shoes. What would you want to know about the piece of furniture? For instance, is it easy to clean? Is your home pet-, bug-, and smoke-free? How long have you had the piece? Buyers will be curious about the answers to these questions.^{[6]
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5
Create a story to increase your furniture’s value. The ad is your opportunity to really sell this piece of furniture. Highlight its best features, such as how comfortable it is, the color, or its great wood details, in the listing description. If it has a story (such as it was handmade), play up that detail. Think about what attracted you to the piece in the first place, and be sure to include that in your description as well.^{[7]
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- For example, if you’re selling a large L-shaped couch, you might write. “This couch’s soft fabric and supportive structure make it perfect for comfy movie nights with the whole family.”
After you’ve finished writing your description, complete with details and stories, read over it slowly and carefully. Errors can drive away potential buyers because they may make you look careless, or make your description unclear. Carefully proofread your listing to make it as professional as possible.
People want to see your furniture, not the mess that surrounds it. Clean up the area around the furniture before you take photos of it. It’s also a good idea to also take any extras, such as throw pillows, table runners, or vases, off of the furniture so that potential buyers can see every part of it.^{[8]
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No one wants to see the stains on your old table or microfiber couch. Scrub it down before you take a photo so that your furniture looks as good as it possibly can. For fabric furniture, you may want to vacuum it and spot-treat it, for instance.^{[9]
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9
Take and upload at least 1 photo of your furniture piece. Buyers are more likely to click on an ad with quality photos, so make sure that you take a few in good lighting that are clear.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Tanglewood Sue
DIY & Upcycling Specialist

Expert Interview. 24 March 2021} Also, taking photos at multiple angles can help potential buys get a better idea of what the product truly looks like. Then, upload them to your listing.^{[11]
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- Keep in mind that some sites may limit how many photos you can upload, so you may have to pick your best shots.
- The best lighting is natural light, so try to take pictures during the day in a room with a lot of sunlight.
- Skip the stock photos. You may be able to find stock photos of your furniture online. However, people want to see the actual furniture you have in your home, not a brand-new model.
People are typically more drawn to reasonable prices; too high might make potential buyers feel like they’re being ripped off and too low can make them doubt the validity of the description and photos.^{[12]
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Expert Source

Tanglewood Sue
DIY & Upcycling Specialist

Expert Interview. 24 March 2021} Go online and look up pieces that are similar to your piece before deciding on a price for yours.^{[13]
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Decide on a price based on condition and age, and post your listing. After seeing what others are selling similar pieces for online, take a good look at your furniture piece and determine what condition it's in, whether it’s like new, has a few small scratches here and there, or is very worn. While condition tends to be most important, age is also a big factor. Generally, the older your furniture is, the less it will go for. Choose a price that you think is the most fair, clearly state the price in your listing, and then post the listing.^{[14]
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- It’s best to price the piece at 20-50% of the original price.
- Pick a price that’s a little lower than market price if it’s in excellent condition and you bought it less than a year ago.
- Pick a price that’s significantly lower than market price if its worn and a few years old.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Making a Sale

1
Answer buyers' questions. After you've uploaded your ad and submitted to the site, questions are likely to come in from potential buyers. Answer each one as promptly and as honestly as you can.^{[15]
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- If, for example, a potential buyer messages you and asks “Has the fabric of the couch faded at all?” you might respond by saying, “Hello! There’s very minimal fading towards the center of each seat cushion, but nowhere else on the rest of the couch. Let me know if you have any other questions, and I’ll be happy to answer them for you.”
Many buyers will expect to haggle with you. You can lower the price or stand firm on it as you see fit. Keep in mind, you may sell faster if you are willing to come down a bit on the price.^{[16]
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Once you've completed all of your steps, you've hopefully found a buyer. You can complete the transaction if you both agree on the price. For safety's sake, make sure to always have a friend around when a buyer arrives.
4
Be clear about pickup and/or delivery options. Potential buyers are more likely to be interested in your furniture piece and follow through with the sale if you offer a delivery option. Even if you aren’t able to offer delivery, it’s a good idea to let interested buyers know right away that the piece is pickup only, so that they don’t realize this later on and back out of the sale.^{[17]
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- Don’t forget to charge a little extra for a delivery service. This is understandable and typically expected, as you’ll be taking your time and using your gas in order to deliver the piece.
- Additionally, double check the agreed upon time and place if you’re meeting the buyer somewhere to give them the piece.
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Expert Q&A

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Question

How do I price furniture to sell?

Tanglewood Sue
DIY & Upcycling Specialist
Tanglewood Sue is a DIY and Upcycling Specialist and the Owner of Tanglewood Works out of Hyattsville, Maryland. With over nine years of experience, Sue specializes in upcycled painted furniture and other handmade, personalized, and sustainable goods. With her passion for art and reinvention, marketing experience, and Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Media, Sue has been able to create a business that not only provides quality pieces but empowers customers to create their works through her library of DIY tutorials and live demos as well as DIY supplies.

Tanglewood Sue

DIY & Upcycling Specialist

Expert Answer

Do some research about how much the piece sells for in the current condition so you don't undervalue it. Selling it for too low may make people hesitant about the quality.

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Question

How can I sell my furniture fast?

Tanglewood Sue
DIY & Upcycling Specialist
Tanglewood Sue is a DIY and Upcycling Specialist and the Owner of Tanglewood Works out of Hyattsville, Maryland. With over nine years of experience, Sue specializes in upcycled painted furniture and other handmade, personalized, and sustainable goods. With her passion for art and reinvention, marketing experience, and Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Media, Sue has been able to create a business that not only provides quality pieces but empowers customers to create their works through her library of DIY tutorials and live demos as well as DIY supplies.

Tanglewood Sue

DIY & Upcycling Specialist

Expert Answer

Make sure to take high-quality pictures that are well-lit so other people can see what it looks like.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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