Best second hand apps to sell your stuff

Selling used goods is a popular method of earning a second income on the internet.

Many households in the UK will find that they have things lying around in cupboards that they don’t use anymore – that could be of use to other people so instead of chucking them out, they sell them online.

It’s essentially like a car boot sale but from the comfort of your own home. The best selling apps UK users can download varies depending on what you need.

And, there are many apps on the market today that allow users to buy and sell second hand goods. In this article we are going to look at the very best out there.

Best second hand app – Ranked

eBay – General Selling app

Where else to start other than with the king of buying and selling used goods. Since launching in 1995 during the very early stages of the internet becoming a widely used tool.

eBay has made its name as being the go-to place if you have anything to sell or if you’re looking for cheap, second hand alternatives to expensive goods.

Since then it has continued to grow and launched an app in 2008, which is now widely used across the world.

For buyers

Buying on eBay requires you to register for a free account. Once you’ve done this you are free to search, bid and buy absolutely anything that is currently being sold on the app.

You are able to search for specific terms via their search functionality or use their designated categories and then subcategories.

eBay go really in depth via their categories and filters to ensure that buyers find exactly what they are looking for.

Once you’ve found an item that you’re interested in purchasing you can either place a bid, buy now (if the seller has a set a buy now price) or add it to your personal watchlist.

The first two options are fairly self explanatory but your watchlist is a cool little feature which allows you to keep updated on the current status of any items that you’re interested in.

This allows buyers to potentially wait until the last few hours to make a late bid for an item in the hope of getting it a discounted fee.

For sellers

Again, selling on eBay is made really easy. To list an item on the app, select the ‘selling’ tab on the bottom right hand side of the home screen and follow the on screen instructions from there.

eBay even give you some invaluable information on how to make a great listing, increasing your chances of making a successful sale.

There is a 35p per listing, but it’s a small price to pay to have your items on the most popular marketplace on the planet.

There are also many promotion periods throughout the year where eBay charge fees at a lower rate too.

Alternatives – Our favourite alternatives to eBay for UK users is probably Preloved, which has its own community of users that you can check out.

The app has a wide variety of different categories, with everything from baby items to beauty products listed.

There’s also the separate “Freeloved” section, that you can check out if you want to get rid of some of your old belongings without asking for payment.

Facebook (marketplace) – Sell items locally

Although Facebook is primarily known for being an app to keep in touch with friends and family, and for letting everyone know what you’ve had for tea, a few years ago they released a new marketplace feature on the app.

This marketplace feature allows Facebook users to sell and buy second hand items from or to other Facebook users.

Due to the popularity of Facebook, its marketplace automatically deserves a place on this list due to the sheer volume of people your adverts will be accessible to.

For buyers

To be able to purchase anything off the Facebook marketplace, you will need a standard Facebook account. There isn’t a new or separate login required to access the marketplace.

On the Facebook homepage, select the icon with the three horizontal lines which can be found on the bottom right of the screen next to the notifications button.

One on this screen you should see the option to go to the marketplace.

Once on the marketplace, you will be able to set the radius in which you want to search.

Once you’ve set your radius, the app will bring up a list of items that may pique your interest.

They’ll show you items that fall under categories such as today’s picks, newly listed items and items that have been reduced in price.

The longer you use the app, the more personalised these options will become. You can also use their search function if you are looking for a specific item.

For sellers

To sell items via Facebook marketplace you follow the same initial step as you would do if you’re a buyer by heading to the marketplace via the tab on the bottom right hand side of your Facebook homepage.

Once here, select the sell button on the top left of the page and create a new listing.

Once you’ve created your listing(s) you will then have access to a really impressive sellers hub which lets you know everything from unread messages from prospective buyers to from the amount of clicks/views your listing(s) have received.

Alternative – A new app that’s only available for UK users is Karrot, which is very similar to marketplace.

It’s made specifically for selling items locally, with free listings and no selling fees being the most attractive features.

Whilst it doesn’t have the same level of engagement as Facebook’s online marketplace, it could be worth checking out if you’re looking for similar apps.

Depop – For Fashion

Depop is different from the other two apps on the list in the sense that it focuses primarily on clothes rather than absolutely everything like eBay and Facebook Marketplace.

You can buy and sell anything from designer handbags to secondhand clothing.

The app is available for free on iOS and Android devices and boasts over 30 million users across 150 countries.

If you are specifically looking to sell or buy high quality, second hand clothes then Depop is the place to be.

For buyers

To buy clothes on Depop, you can use the search function to find what you’re looking for. They use a really advanced tagging system to ensure that you find the clothes you want in a timely manner.

You are also able to speak to buyers before purchasing via a private messaging service through the app if you want to know more info about the item you are interested in or if you are are looking to haggle on price and/or arrange delivery.

For sellers

To sell clothes on Depop, navigate to selling then manage listings and then add a listing.

You are able to add up to four photos and a video to give prospective buyers the best possible look at what you are trying to sell.

Once the sale has been made it is up to you to organise with the buyer how delivery is going to take place.

Selling designer items is relatively quick and painless, and you can also swap clothing through the platform too.

Alternatives – For those looking for designer clothes and high street brands, you can also consider downloading another app like Vinted.

This is one of the best apps to check out if you need a new alternative to charity shops that will give you the opportunity to pick up your favourite brands at bargain prices.

Conclusion

To conclude, there are plenty of good apps out there at the minute if you are looking to buy or sell second hold items.

These reviews consider the experience for both buyer and seller to accommodate both types of user.

If you are looking to buy/sell technology or electrical goods we’d recommend eBay. It’s still the number one app when it comes to selling secondhand goods online.

But if you’re looking to buy/sell locally then we’d recommend Facebook Marketplace and if you’re looking to buy/sell clothes then we’d recommend Depop.