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How To Sell Your Old Stuff Online

By Jeanne Feldkamp

From your old clothes that are now considered vintage to that rusting treadmill in the garage, every family has some junk and clutter hanging around. You can always have a garage sale or just give your stuff away. But why not sell it online? That way, you can find a good home for your collection of superhero posters and make some cash at the same time.

And as an online seller, you won't be alone. According to a study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, about 1 in 6 adults -- that's more than 25 million people -- has sold something online. Most post classified ads on sites like craigslist and Yahoo Classifieds or use auction sites like eBay and Auction Fire.

"This is the era of the anytime, anywhere yard sale," says Amanda Lenhart, senior research specialist at the Pew Internet & American Life Project. "The whole wired world is a flea market."

Ready to turn your trash into someone else's treasure? Learn how to  sell your stuff online in four simple steps:

1. Pick the right selling spot
There are plenty of sites to sell your items, but just make sure you read the user agreement for the site you pick. Certain sites (especially auction sites) have rules that prevent you from selling items like alcohol, firearms or medical equipment. To get started, check out the following kinds of sites where you can list your second-hand goodies:

• Auctions What's the best stuff to sell on auction sites like eBay? Think small. Things like MP3 players, rare books, collectibles, and jewelry are good because they're inexpensive to ship, so your postage costs won't cut into your profits.  Profits are your selling price minus a small seller's fee charged by the auction site.
• Classifieds If you want to unload larger items, like your couch, free online classified sites like craigslist or LiveDeal are probably your best bet. Classified sites are organized by city, so they're a good way to reach potential buyers who can pick up the item themselves.
• Consignment Another option is to use a consignment service like Picture It SOLD!. "All people have to do is bring us the items they want to sell, and we do the rest," says Kevin McGinnis, the company's CEO. Consignment services will sell your items online for you -- and could get you a better price -- but they generally charge you 30 to 40 percent of the selling price.

2. Register to sell
Posting an ad on a classified site is as easy as writing your ad and submitting contact information (so you can skip to the next step).

But if you decide to sell your stuff via an online auction, you need to set up shop before you can actually post your ad. For instance, to get started on eBay, you need to go to the site and click Register. Enter your name, address, phone number and email address, then choose a user ID and password. To complete your registration, you'll also need to provide a credit card number so eBay can verify your identity. No charges will be made to the card unless you sell something -- then eBay will take its cut.

3. Prep and write your ad
Next, prepare items for sale by cleaning them and repairing any minor problems (like scratches or rips) so you can make a better profit. It helps if you have the original packaging, too. To ignite a bidding war over your goods, McGinnis offers these tips:

• Provide lots of info For electronics, offer as many specs as you can, such as dimensions, weight, color and features. Try to find the manual -- or at least the model number so you can search for specs online. If you're selling an antique, share some history about the item. For clothes, definitely mention any popular brand names.
• Include photos Simple, well-lit digital photos from several angles and of important details (like the labels on vintage clothes) will go a long way toward getting you a good price. When you're creating an ad for any online selling site, you can use the photo upload option to post pictures of your goods.
• Be honest If your son's bike has a scratched frame and needs new handlebar grips, earn some karma points and say so in your ad. Plus, a lot of auction sites include a feedback function where buyers can share what they thought of you. And a bad reputation as a seller can torpedo your chances of making future sales.
• Know your bottom-line price Look up similar items on other selling sites to get a sense of your feasible price range. On classified and consignment sites, you get to name your price. On auction sites, you have the option to set a reserve price -- the lowest price you'll accept as a bid. The reserve can protect you from losing money on an item, but if your reserve is too high, you might not get any bids at all.
• Pick a delivery method Will you deliver to local buyers or does the person need a truck for pick up? If you're shipping the item, include how and when you plan to ship it and the cost to the buyer. Most auction sites recommend that you ship small items using the U.S. Postal Service and using United Parcel Service or FedEx for large or fragile items.

4. Decide on payment terms
Finally, you need to include payment and shipping details in your ad. If you sell to a local buyer, the easiest option is to ask for payment in cash (a check could bounce). If you're shipping the item, you can use a service like the popular PayPal, which gives buyers the flexibility of using a credit or debit card to transfer money to you. Paypal is easy and secure to use -- just follow the site's registration steps and read the terms of service.

And remember the golden rule of online selling: Don't ship or hand over the item until you confirm that you've received payment.