Pawn Shops
Advantages: a Pawn Shop is the top choice when it comes to buying or selling used items in Utah. There are a few reasons for this. Namely, there’s no wait time between leaving your unwanted items behind and collecting funds for those items. There’s no credit check required to sell your items to a pawn shop. An added bonus is the wide variety of things a pawn shop is interested in purchasing from you is almost endless. They’ll take all sorts of things, old sporting equipment, power tools, gaming consoles, ATV’s, you name it. Even once the transaction has taken place, with a pawn shop you have the option to get your stuff back in the future if you just need cash temporarily. There are plenty of reputable pawn shops in Utah that are well known and take care of their customers.
Disadvantages: There is some interest in purchasing your items back, this is due to the nature of how a pawn shop works, if you don’t pay your pawn loan back within the given time frame then the items then belong to the pawnbroker, who can then sell your items. If your goal is to sell your used items, then this isn’t a true disadvantage.
KSL.com
Advantages: KSL is a great place to sell used items in Utah, there are real time alerts as people call or text to get in contact with you, the interface for listing items online is fairly simple and easy to use. You can build your brand while speaking to your buyers if you plan to sell certain things long term. Everything can be filtered by distance, so you can assume people purchasing from you live within a reasonable distance.
Disadvantages: You have to do all the selling and marketing of your items for sale by yourself, the process could be quick and straightforward or it could take months, or dare I say, even years. Buyers can be finicky and retract offers, or even give fraudulent offers. If the items you’re looking to sell aren’t in high demand, it could be a while before you make any kind of cash return on what you have available.
Craigslist
Advantages: Craigslist is a site that makes it easy to sell large high value items, it’s quick and easy to list/sell items without any fees for doing so.
Disadvantages: While it may seem convenient to start the process, craigslist does face some of the same setbacks as KSL.com where you can face scammers offering to purchase goods from you, lowball offers, unserious inquiries etc. It takes a larger time commitment to sell items as you communicate with potential buyers, answering their questions, and setting up times to meet to view the products you’re selling. Craigslist tends to look unprofessional to buyers, and there is a lack of structure through the payment collection process.
eBay
Advantages: Ebay has a large scale of items available as well as a good reputation keeping a large consumer base at your fingertips. Your products would be listed where people are already doing their shopping anyway. Ebay has an auction option which can potentially help you secure a higher price for your item than if you had sold it to someone directly.
Disadvantages: There are a lot of fees that have to be paid in advance for listing items, and becoming a seller on Ebay. Even if you never sell anything, those costs are up front. These fees are based on the seller’s reputation. Ebay as a platform can cancel your listing at any given time, which could set back your mission to sell your unwanted items. One last thing that is important to note; if you sell enough on eBay it could change your tax structure when you file for your return.
Facebook Marketplace
Advantages: Facebook marketplace is free to use, you won’t be charged to buy or sell on the platform. Facebook automatically filters items by distance so your items will be visible to those within a 100-mile radius. This can be good for getting your product in front of plenty of people, this increases the likelihood of finding an interested buyer.
Disadvantages: Your personal Facebook username and profile will be visible to others when you buy or sell an item on Facebook marketplace. This can be worrisome if you prefer others not know your identity or have information to trace back to you. There is no buyer protection provided by the marketplace in the way that there is on eBay for example. There’s also no section for buyers to provide feedback to you, and help you build a reputation amongst the community.
Consignment Shops
Advantages: Consignment shops are a good option, similar to a pawn shop; You drop your items off for someone else to take on the hassle of finding customers and completing the sale. Consignment shops in Utah tend to be based around clothing or a particular category of products. This is a business arrangement where the business takes on your items, and agrees to pay you a decided upon percentage of the sale price.
Disadvantages: blah The unfortunate part of entering into this type of business agreement is you only get a cut of the money, consignment shops usually break somewhere around 40/60, 50/50, or 60/40. So not only will you only be receiving a portion of the proceeds, you also only get paid when and if your item sells leaving you waiting on your payment for an indefinite period of time.
Let Go, Offer Up, and Other Apps
Advantages: These apps are completely free to use, you can sell your unwanted stuff to people who are interested in it. You do have the option to buy things locally without listing fees as a seller. There is no requirement to provide your personal information such as your email address, postal address, website, phone number etc. on your listings.
Disadvantages: Personal safety can be a concern, as you have to meet buyers in person. Shipping fees can be expensive if your buyer isn’t within a comfortable travel distance. Your account can never be deleted as well, only deactivated. This can be off putting for someone who merely wants to make some cash on the side.
There are many pros and cons to selling your unwanted items through any specific medium here in Utah. We’ve compiled this list to help you evaluate what the best option is for you. The choice is different depending on what your goals are. Whether you prioritize safety and privacy, quick lucrative ways to sell, or want to build a brand and reputation for yourself, there’s an option out there for you.