How to be a successful seller on Gumtree by Abi Marvel

Want to know how to be a successful seller on Gumtree? We asked Abi Marvel for her top tips and tricks.

As we look to improve our living & work spaces, there are pieces that you might be falling out of love with. And new pieces that you’ve identified would be ideal for your updated set up. Let’s focus on the pieces you’ve fallen out of love with for a second. They’re not necessarily broken or super old, sometimes we just evolve and the fondness disappears. When I identify these pieces, the understanding that someone else will likely appreciate and want them inspires me to start looking for a new home for said items

With Gumtree being one of the easiest platforms for selling pieces you no longer love, here are some of my top tips on becoming a successful seller on the platform.

Just as you would expect your favourite e-commerce site to portray their products clearly, it’s important to ensure that you use a variety of clear & honest imagery. When the item is a piece of furniture that might still be available, I find it helpful to use a variety of images. Some of your actual piece wherever it might be in your house, as well as official imagery from the original place you purchased it from. Why do this? Well, just  because it looks a certain way in your house, doesn’t mean it will in someone else’s. So be sure to include original imagery so that potential buyers can understand an item’s potential. 

One of the benefits of Gumtree is the speed at which an item could become yours or could sell. To ensure the process is as smooth & efficient as possible, it’s crucial that your description of the item includes all of the important information, a few helpful facts & nothing else. Don’t start writing long descriptions, unless it’s a technical item that requires detail. Instead, create a description that leaves potential buyers with no to minimal follow up questions. A few details to include: 

In addition, you might also want to include the price it was bought for, versus the price you are selling it for. This is a psychological tip, in that buyers love to feel like they’re getting a great deal, so price comparisons can really sway final decisions. 

Lastly, a sentence on why you are selling an item can be useful too. This isn’t always necessary but if you are selling something really great and a low/very reasonable price, it helps to curb potential buyer concern by explaining why said item is priced so low. For example, I’m moving this Saturday and need my flat emptied in time. 

I’ve found that photos that feature the item in situ, perform better. Buyers need to visualise and though your set-up might not be what they had in mind. Seeing how you’ve gotten creative with it could potentially inspire someone. The photos should be captured in good light, with limited noise (which just means no grainy photos) and with the item looking as clean and clear as possible. 

I know we all have busy lives and being available 24/7 isn’t possible. But while you have active items for sale, it’s important to schedule in some time each day to check on responses. Even if it’s just 15 minutes, the better and more regular your responses are, the quicker you are likely to sell your items. 

So those are my go-to tips; good luck in finding new homes for your preloved pieces. Post an ad today. For more useful advice, take a look at our guide on tips and tricks to help you sell your items fast.

Article written by Abi Marvel.