Downsizing? Tips for successful online sales

You’re moving into a smaller space—how efficient of you!—but you’ve got tons of stuff to get rid of to make the transition complete.

Post Local for Faster Sales Select sites that let you pick a local audience, such as Craigslist or the classifieds of your local newspaper (online or in print). These customers can take the item off of your hands the same day whereas international sites such as eBay and Etsy may mean wading through international offers that require tricky and costly shipping situations.

Image Matters Staging a home is important to selling it quickly and at top dollar. Likewise, staging your furniture or other goods can contribute to its appeal and increase marketability. Instead of taking a photo of a couch outside on the curb (completely unappealing) take the photo in your home, accented with your throw pillow and positioned over a nice rug. Put items in the best light possible. Take photos from multiple angles to give potential buyers a good idea of its measurements and condition. Note: hiding flaws in pictures will waste time. Once potential buyers see the flaw in person, they’ll likely turn away wasting both of your time.

Exposure Counts If you’re in a time crunch, post to multiple sales sites. Quick research will give you an ideas of a fair price point; price your item a tad below (even $5 makes a cognitive difference to buyers)  to get the item out of your hair faster. Also, be sure to respond quickly to buyer inquiries.

Price Fairly, Without Sentiment Once you know that you want to sell an item, try your hardest to detach from it emotionally. That connection will only prolong the sales experience. See what comparable items are selling for online and price your piece competitively. Don’t haggle over a couple of bucks because of what the item meant to you; few people will be willing to pay for your sentimental values.