4 Ways To Sell your Wares That Are Better Than eBay

4 Ways To Sell your Wares That Are Better Than eBay

It’s hard to imagine that there was once a time when families lived comfortably even if only one of the parents within the household worked. Property used to cost so much less and while we may not have had the technological marvels that are commonplace today, the prospect of just getting by financially was a lot easier when our parents were our age. Things are so different now.

Today, most families are under considerable financial pressure in the harsh and unforgiving economic climate that is the late 2010s. The cost of keeping a roof over is higher than ever with many parts of the country facing an ever-inflating property bubble and as inflation rises the cost of everything from petrol to chocolate eggs is fast becoming untenable. Even when families stick rigorously to their household budgets and work every hour that they can spare while fulfilling their obligations as parents, they can still find themselves dangerously in debt or with credit card balances.

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Unexpected Costs

Besides the myriad costs that come with raising children in the 21st century, many families face emergencies from car trouble to a leaky boiler or even the various problems that can arise in the home that you’d expect to be covered by your home insurance but aren’t. These are all issues that need to be rectified quickly. Perhaps not immediately but within the space of a few weeks before payday. This common occurrence has led to a proliferation of low administration, high interest loans that may seem like a lifeline in a time of crisis but can decimate a family’s finance in the long term.

Credit cards can be useful in these families, especially those with low or even 0% introductory interest rates. These are best used to your advantages, however, when you’re able to pay off your credit card debt quickly and this just may not be realistic for some families. If you want fast credit, it inevitably comes at a price that your budget may not be able to bear later on down the line. Fortunately, there is a solution.

Making cash from trash

They say that one person’s trash is another’s treasure, and as we navigate life’s path we develop an uncanny ability to accrue lots and lots of stuff. Sometimes stuff brings value to our lives and enriches our day to day experiences. Lots of other times, however, it simply clutters up our lives. We may consider it indispensable when we’re chasing the fleeting and giddy little thrill of capitalism, but after a while the rose tinted specs fall off and we’re left with a bunch of stuff we’re not entirely sure that we want.

But just because it’s ceased to have value for us, doesn’t mean that we can’t ease our financial predicament by selling it on to someone who’ll inevitably get more out of it than we did. Sell it on and make some money from nothing.

After doing a thorough audit of your home, you may be tempted to leap to eBay to sell your unwanted wares. But policy changes and erratic fees have caused a mass migration away from the online auctioning giant. Not to worry, because here are some accessible alternatives that may be even more profitable for you.

Rapid Phone Buyer

Very often when it comes to selling phones, tablets and similar electronic devices we have to make an important decision. Do we want less money quickly, or more money later. The good thing about Rapid Phone Buyer is that they’ll allow me to sell my iPhone quickly while offering a much more competitive price than somewhere like CeX or Music Magpie who buy with specific profit margins for themselves in mind. They boast outstanding customer service and can make same day payments. If you need to sell a phone quickly (provided, of course that it’s in decent condition with the accompanying box and charger) while still getting a better price than the competition, these guys are worth considering.

Gumtree

For some of us, simpler is pretty much always better and if you want to sell a bulkier collection item like a TV or an article of furniture, then Gumtree is almost always a better bet than eBay. Gumtree is more of a listing service than an auction, you post the items you want to sell as a price you want to receive. While people may contact you to haggle, you’re under no obligation to do so unless you want to. There are no fees, and the site doesn’t take a chunk of commission and since payment is always in cash, you don’t have to pay Paypal’s fees either. The only downside is that you are likely to get a lower price and that you’ll most likely draw interest from around your local area.

Facebook marketplace

Yes, you can now sell your unwanted items on Facebook. I do this with a lot of items, particularly large items.  It also has the advantages of allowing potential buyers to contact you on Facebook so that you don’t have to give out more personal information like your phone number if you don’t want to as all conversation can take place over Facebook’s messenger app. As with Gumtree, you may be slightly limited by the fact that most of the demand will probably come from within your locality but this needn’t necessarily be a bad thing.

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Or even set up your own online store?

Many people who trade in their used goods online quickly develop a knack for it and turn it into a lucrative business. If you’ve always had an entrepreneurial urge, clearing your home of clutter to raise a quick buck may just be the beginning. It’s quick, easy and surprisingly affordable to set up your own eCommerce business and if you know how to promote your online store you could draw interest from all over the world. No fees, no commissions, just profits for you.

This is a collaborative post.