6 Tips to Make Money Selling Your Stuff Online
One woman’s trash is another woman’s treasure; a wise adage, and truth when it comes to reselling things online. Sure, you may be tired of that chippy white farmhouse sign, but a lady across town will pay you for it. How do you find that special person to buy those treasures? Central Iowa’s Facebook Marketplace is a successful place for our family to sell what we don’t need to people who live near us.
Throughout our journey to minimalism, we have had lots of opportunities to sell quality items to lighten our load. And while the extra space was nice, it was also great to make some money. We recouped some of the original cost of the items we sold or made a profit on them. Making money on Facebook Marketplace takes effort though, it’s not a get-rich-quick scheme that’s for sure.
With thousands of things from mirrors to motorcycles for sale in central Iowa’s Marketplace, it’s important to try and stand out. Here are six tips to make selling online a little easier.
- Posting good photos is super important! Dark, blurry photos look creepy online. Take photos of your item in the brightest light possible, preferably daylight, with a neutral background. I’ll wait out a cloudy day and post when I can get a sunny photo, it’s that important.
- Spell the item correctly. People will search for what they’re looking for. If you’re selling a “drssr” I’m going to have a hard time finding you when I look for a “dresser.” There’s no shame in using spell check or asking for help.
- Include a link to the original item if you bought it online. For example, I included the Amazon link to curtains I was selling so people could see their specific details and the original price. That way they knew they were getting a deal!
- Describe what you’re selling, including measurements. Use the space provided in the listing for any information that isn’t visible in the photos. We’ve included info. about missing pieces or wear and tear, anything that someone would want to know about before meeting to check the item out. Also, include measurements; (length, width and height) you can lose potential buyers by leaving that out.
- Is your Facebook profile picture one you want everyone seeing? The wonderful thing about Facebook Marketplace is that you can check out the person who is selling the item, no intimate information of course, but you can see their photo and comments they have made on buy/sell pages. So make sure you represent yourself well so people want to meet and buy your stuff.
- Clean up what you’re selling, like really clean it. Dust, wipe, vacuum, wash, whatever you need to do to make the item look as new as possible. No dirt, animal hairs, or food grossness allowed!
One final note: remember to stay safe during meet-ups. Porch pick-ups are great and limit contact, otherwise, pick a well-lit open area like a parking lot or gas station.
About the Author
Deciding what you want to be when you grow up is a tough question, just ask Stephanie Lovelace, because she still hasn’t decided. First, she got a degree in journalism and was a newspaper reporter and public relations specialist, then went to college again and became an elementary teacher, now she stays home, homeschools three kids, and is a freelance writer. What’s stayed steady: her supportive husband, love of pets (current counts at three dogs and four cats), and being an Iowa girl.
Follow along with her current gig, on Instagram at @stephs_at_home.
