r/DumpsterDiving • u/Bassdoll845 • 8h ago

Best place to sell your finds?

What's your preferred platform to sell your finds?

I haven't had much luck with marketplace or FB groups.

I know there's Poshmark, Ebay, Craigslist & Mercari. Can anyone share their experience or recommend others?

I've heard Ebay is too risky because people can say they never got the package or whatever and keep your item for free.?

I already use DD to save on food, toiletries, etc. I work full time, have a second job, and am struggling to pay my medical bills that keep piling up 😞

7 Upvotes

65% Upvoted

28

u/RitaAlbertson Enthusiastic enabler 7h ago

I think what we all need to remember is this: a lot of this stuff was in the dumpster simply because it DIDN'T sell. There might not BE a market for everything you rescue. 

Since Marketplace wasn’t working, if you have the time and space to hold onto the stuff, I’d save everything until spring/summer and have a yard sale or go to a flea market. There’s a church by me that routinely hosts flea markets on their front lawn, and they aren’t gonna be picky about making sure to turn in sales tax unlike the professional flea markets around. 

But if the stuff is overwhelming, just donate it. 

14

u/HandyLighter 7h ago

I had to stop dumpster diving bc I was becoming a hoarder but when I did dive, I could sell some items on marketplace (air fryers/coffee machines). I would have yard sales to get rid of everything else but that is a lot of work/time.

8

u/Tommytubs 2h ago

Really? The resellers are coming for the trash now?

2

u/heckhammer 1h ago

People have been selling items out of the trash for years.

I don't understand the panic of the reseller. Every store is a reseller. They buy things cheaper than they sell them for, that's how commerce works.

If somebody can make money out of something that goes in the trash, good for them! Saving something from the landfill is better than sending something there that's for sure.

8

u/Longjumping_Walrus_4 7h ago

Any of those platforms but you really have to look at sold items. Are the items you're trying to sell, actually sell on the platform and price point. I've never dumpster dived since I'm unaware where to do it, but I've been a reseller since 2006 on Ebay. Since 2015 on FB. Since 2019 on Mercari. Never really used craigslist since you have to meet in person, which is just not my comfort level. E.g. I know perfume sells well on both Ebay and Mercari but not poshmark since it's banned so many buyers don't use platform to buy perfume. Ebay is the best tbh. Just photograph really well include any serial #'s, batch codes, etc. Inspect all items carefully. Describe any defects, even if it's hairline scratches aka light surface wear. Package everything as if it were going to be thrown 40 ft off a roof. I haven't had any not as described returns in probably 4 years. The buyers who claim not in package...only usually do it because lack of photos or do a swap out bait and switch because the seller is new and little reputation. Just sell smaller items for cheap to get some sales and build your reputation and none of the scammers will target you.

9

u/LondonHomelessInfo 6h ago

Facebook Marketplace - They come collect the item from you so can never claim they never got it. They pay you in cash, so no fees.

3

u/BelovedxCisque 5h ago

Yep! Plus you don’t have to deal with going to the post office and paying a crazy amount for shipping. Personally, I don’t have people come to my house as I feel that’s a safety thing. I’m lucky to live near a supermarket so I set the pickup location as the supermarket and meet customers there.

0

u/LondonHomelessInfo 5h ago edited 5h ago

I’ve also sold stuff I‘ve found on a free ads website called Gumtree and app called Shpock, where people also come collect items from you and pay you in cash, but I think they only exist in UK. Gumtree is the UK equivalent of Craigslist in US.

I guess for clothes, a good website would be Vinted. Don’t know how that works though as I‘ve never used it. I find a lot of clothes but leave them if they‘re not my size as I’m homeless and don’t have anywhere to store them.

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u/TennesseeMojo 6h ago

Someone created a sub for selling dumpster finds. They were in this sub also and posted it here but I can't remember it for the life of me.

0

u/Bassdoll845 6h ago

Ah any suggestions on how to find it?

3

u/Adorable-Flight5256 5h ago

1) You can defer medical bills.

2) A lot of people do yard or garage sales of "found" items.

3) Craiglist-type sites and

4) if affordable- a vendor lot at a open air market

2

u/MaxMFFacts 5h ago

Marketplace, Poshmark, Amazon and even Plato's closet.. I have used eBay a little without much trouble. Now, I realize it's different for a man ( I'm not as concerned with creepo's as a woman would naturally have to be) but I have had garage sales where I've netted over $500 numerous times . By far marketplace has been tops.

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u/Vikt724 5h ago

Donate!!!

1

u/kbc508 5h ago

How are you offering your items on marketplace? Maybe your prices are too high? Can you try to bundle things together? Are you only offering items singly or only offering large amounts? Maybe someone here who is more experienced in selling on marketplace can say what works for them.

1

u/koochiekoo 4h ago

I sell everything on Facebook marketplace for quick cash, I'm not trying to get rich but enough to have gas money to dumpster dive.