Is there a company that helps people sell online. I am in great need of decluttering and need someone to photograph goods and offer them online. Share 50/50 proceeds. I am in Melbourne and unable to carry goods out of my home so person would need to come to me.
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Welcome to the Community @Yenta
Yes there are businesses that do that. Canât say I have used any of them.
Google âhelp selling my stuffâ to find some.
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Thank you Gregr.
Hi @Yenta, welcome to the community.
Have you a good friend, family member or neighbour (e.g. more technology savvy younger generation) which can help. It could be pocket money for some.
It may give you greater control of the sale, rather than someone else being driven by making a sale to make money. The later may mean the items are not sold based on their value. This maybe is the cost of convenience.
I often sell items online (eBay and Facebook Marketplace) for local friends. I set up the sales online using their accounts. They liaise in relation to price and collection. Often they have multiples of the same item, which are sold separately over a few months. This helps maximise the selling priceâŠif a buyer sees the seller selling multiples of the same item from the same seller, they use this to push the price down.
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Our town has an action house (other towns it is called a Tender Centre, Estates etc) who will come to you and arrange what you want to dispose of and bring it to their rooms for their monthly auction or do it at your place - but you may not want a 100 people tramping through⊠The costs depend on the contract. In some cases the buyer pays a âpremiumâ on the buy price eg 15%, in others you pay the auctioneer a set price and you get the proceeds. There will be other deals and price structures.
I have bought at the monthly auction and at clearing auctions under both deals. I have not used them to sell, however the people I know who were selling, did say that it was less stress than trying to do it themselves.
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There are also Auction Houses in each major Capital. Not necessarily what you might find appropriate for needs, just an option that may suit some. The TV program Yorkshire Auction House (GEM) gives one version of how it can be.
Closer to home for those in or near to Brisbane, one widely known example.
To look for similar closer to your location if it appeals as a way to go.
Getting your items there - the Auction Houses may be able to suggest. Weâve had good service out of the smaller one/two person trucks offering assistance with local moves pickups etc. First hand referees required to be sure of reliability.
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Thank you all for your comments. Very much appreciated. I must admit I am not too keen on the auction house route as have had bad experiences in the past, albeit many years ago. And I donât really have anyone in my circle who could do it. May need to resort to sticking a âhelp wantedâ upon the notice board outside the local Woolworths.
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Maybe you need a Garage Sale, everything on the front lawn, priced and the house locked up. Selling items on-line means lots of callers and tyre kickers.
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Thank you Zackaril but a garage sale requires a lot of effort. I am trying to minimise my work which is why I would be happy to share all proceeds with someone who would do the work online and at armâs length. My only contribution would be supplying the goods.
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Yikes. A garage sale. Couldnât think of a worse way of spending a day. That is not for you.
I would just see what the eBay âpower sellersâ can do for you. As in the various businesses one may find in my first post. They can present items for sale in a professional manner, and can take care of the delivery aspects. Their reputation depends on reliable delivery to buyers.
And if one were to advertise personally, by a listing on a notice board, or craigslist, how about strangers knocking at your door at all times of the day looking to offer something for the items. Possibly with dodgy pay anyone funds transfer. No thanks.
Stay away from Facebook market place. There lurk shonks of the worst kind.
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Several of our family found it the most effective way to sell. Their advice to forget GumTree and EBay listings and go the social media way.
Our experiences of selling through online. Itâs often that the item for sale does not sell. Itâs not for want of great photos or well worded description. Whatâs popular or in demand is a factor. The value others see is often very different. It pays to have a âplan Bâ for those items no one seems to want to purchase. It will be useful to hear how it goes when @Yenta has made a choice on which way.
P.S. - another way forward.
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Thank you mark_m and gregr. I am a great believer in op shops and for many years give them goods in good condition that I no longer want but not of great monetary value to me. This time around I was just hoping to make some extra cash. I am also an op shop shopper myself.
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I have sold (and bough) quite a bit through marketplace, but when selling I never let the buyer come to my house. If you are able to advertise and after establishing firmly that the buyer is legitimate you could arrange to meet them at your local shops/church or similar? Otherwise hope someone can help you. Good luck.
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Thank you sooz8.
Why not? Who is going to take the goods away if not the buyer?
Youâre dealing with people you donât know anything about. Why take the risk of letting them know where you live and what your house is like / filled with? Far too many âbuyersâ are actually scammers out to steal whatever they can, maybe also sussing out your place to see if itâs easy to break into and contains other stuff worth taking. Maybe also getting rough with you in the process.
If the goods youâre selling are portable, itâs wiser to meet the prospective buyer somewhere public, with plenty of other people around, and take a few large capable-looking friends with you as well. If the items are too large for that, have them on display in the front yard, with your big mates on hand, and donât let the buyer into the house.
Standard advice from police in all regions.
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The other risk is if one is a vulnerable person. If one is a vulnerable person, it is best to take someone whenever meeting someone they donât know, even if it is in public place.
If one choses to sell from their home, never let an unknown person into oneâs home or private spaces (such as backyard). While one would be unlucky for something to go wrong, one doesnât know the person of their intentions.
This is some good, general advice about selling online:
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@Yenta Just a few tips which might be helpful:
- Please be careful about payment methods.
- Itâs safer to use an online payment platform or to ask for cash only. You have the right to decide what method of payment youâll accept.
- Avoid giving your bank or card details to strangers.
- If not paid in full by whatever method donât let anyone carry any goods away.
- If someone is helping you to sell, make sure they know about privacy/security when dealing with prospective buyers.
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Where I live is public information. Most houses are visible from the road. Strangers do not get inside mine, the goods for sale are out in the yard or the shed. There is no benefit to potential thieves.
You must live in a terrible place to feel that is a real risk.
In my region I doubt anyone would come if you wanted to meet in a public place, they would think you are weird. I am not going to be carting stuff all over on the off chance of selling. They come to me and make a decision and take it or not.
I have bought, sold and given away dozens of items over the years and never once has anybody suggested anything other than the buyer goes to the sellerâs place to see and/or pick up the goods.
I am glad I donât live in fear of my neighbours and I am sorry for those who do, it would be a sad life.
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What do you mean by online payment platform?
