Gone are the days when you’d need to buy a classified advertisement to sell something.
Now you can get a return through selling just about anything online, from clothes and cars to any item you no longer have use for.
Those shoes that hurt too much to wear or an ugly sweater gifted by a well-meaning relative can now be sold in an instant through social media like Facebook, where more than 450 million people visit buy-and-sell groups every month.
Online marketplaces like Bunz even allow you to trade items with others, reviving the barter system for the digital age. Platforms like Poshmark are a tool for selling more luxury items quickly and efficiently.
But with so many ways to get rid of your unwanted items, it’s important to have a strategy so that your stuff actually sells, said Jacqueline Kendall, a Toronto-based marketing and public relations expert.
How to maximize your profit when selling online
“[For] the photo, you need lots of light. Try to pick a white background and clean your item,” Kendall told hosts on Global News’ The Morning Show.
“It sounds like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised.”
It’s important to be honest about any scratches or imperfections on the item you’re selling, she added. It will make the process smoother and often some marketplaces allow users to rate each other — so you don’t want to lie about what you’re selling, Kendall explained.
Stage your item in the most professional way possible. By using a window to provide light, it will make your item “pop,” she said.
The description of the item is also a way to make it seem more enticing through using flowery language and evoking how someone would use it, she explained.
For instance, if you’re selling shoes be sure to include the size of the shoe, the height of any heel, along with a link to where the shoes are originally from so prospective buyers can see the initial cost, she said.
“Go super heavy on your description. Create a story,” she said.
Keep your own hands and feet out of the picture if you can, she said.
“Try to de-personalize the item a little bit. You’re selling it to someone else; they want to feel like it’s going to be fresh,” she said.
Be sure to check a platform’s rules before posting an item as you could be barred from returning if you misbehave, according to a previous Global News report.
The positive side of this is that if you have an issue, you can contact customer service or Facebook group administrators to report someone if they are engaging with false advertising, according to the report.
For more information on how to sell your stuff online, watch Jacqueline Kendall in the video above.
— With files from Erica Alini
- Global News
