Cheat Sheet of Best Sites for Reselling

Posted on May 6, 2024 | Updated on June 11, 2024

If you’re looking for the best sites for reselling, you might be torn seeing all the possible options. You have sites that sell everything, such as eBay, but you can also find sites with a focus on selling clothing, such as Poshmark. New sites pop up occasionally and may or may not be worth your time and effort.

Although it’s impossible to cover everything one needs to know to sell on every site out there, we thought a cheat sheet of the top reselling sites would be a good place to start, particularly for new resellers. 

According to Statista, resales volume was $77 billion in 2022, with forecasts to top $100 billion by 2026. Much of the revenue comes from the same best sites for reselling. 

Tips for Choosing the Best Sites for Reselling

The best site for reselling may not be the same for every business owner. Some items move quickly and sell for more on one site over another. A lot of figuring out which platform you should use comes from trial and error, but there are a few things you should keep in mind. 

  • How much you’ll pay in fees
  • If there are protections for the seller from scammers
  • The types of items that sell best on the platform
  • If there is a steep learning curve and how much time you’ll need to invest learning the software
  • How long it takes to pay out
  • If the return system is fair to you as a small business owner

Some sites allow an extensive return window that can eat into your profits. They may take higher fees or allow customers to return for any reason, including that they changed their mind. Pay careful attention to the terms of service as you consider each of the options below and any others you might consider. 

Best 10 Sites for Reselling

We narrowed the options down to the most common choices mentioned by successful resellers in online groups. The best way to see which ones are right for you is to set up a free account with each, list a few items and get a feel for how the process and payout works. Should you want to list the same item on multiple sites, you may want to invest in cross-listing software to keep track of your inventory a bit better. 

1. eBay

When you think of buying or selling something used online, eBay is likely the first place you consider. Made up of professional resellers and amateurs, the site is pretty intuitive in how you list items. With 132 million active buyers, you’ll get your goods in front of people who are likely to buy them.

Perks of eBay: eBay.com sees around 1.21 billion monthly visits. Most of the revenue is generated in the United States. You will get your product in front of a lot of people and potentially sell niche items easier on this platform. 

Drawbacks of eBay: Fees can eat into your profits. You’ll also find that eBay forces returns even if you don’t accept them. Scammy buyers know how to get around the issue by the options they select and eBay sides with them the majority of the time, causing hobby resellers to be thrown into a financial pinch.

2. Mercari

Mercari is a Japanese-based app that appeared in 2013. Categories include clothing, toys, electronics, vintage items and home accessories. Sellers list about 350,000 new items each day. The app has a 4.9 out of 5-star rating on Apple. 

Perks of Mercari: Payouts happen fast and return windows are shorter. Although Mercari doesn’t have as many users as eBay, they still get around 20 million users per month. The fees are also lower than similar apps, taking 10% plus a small processing fee.

Drawbacks of Mercari: You have to wait for the buyer to receive the item and rate you before you get a payout, but Mercari does force the rating around three days after successful delivery. Support can also be difficult to reach. 

3. Facebook Marketplace

If you want to sell items for quick cash to local people, Facebook Marketplace can be a good solution. You can also list in local classified groups for your town. Although Facebook Marketplace does let you sell and ship items, doing so could be a bit risky as customer support is unreachable. 

Perks of Facebook Marketplace: Get quick cash in your pocket by selling to local people. Don’t worry about shipping heavy items. For example, if you have a dining room table you wish to sell, you can list it on Facebook Marketplace as being for local pickup only and usually find a buyer who will come and get it. When dealing with cash, there are no selling fees, which keeps more money in your pocket. 

Drawbacks of Facebook Marketplace: As mentioned above, there is zero customer support. Opening your listings to shipping brings out the scammers and sometimes even for local only purchases. There are several well-known scams where the person says someone else is picking up and they want to pay with Zelle or that they need a code from you to pay you. Proceed with caution. Many people have the most success listing in local classified groups rather than Marketplace and selling directly to other residents by meeting and accepting cash only. 

4. Poshmark

You can also sell goods on Poshmark. It’s best known as a platform for designer items, gently used clothing and accessories, but you can list almost anything you can ship on the platform. The site was founded in 2011 and quickly grew into a community of buyers and sellers. You’ll find people follow you who like your stuff and will buy from you frequently. 

Perks of Poshmark: You can share your entire closet, run sales and build a social following on the platform. People are more likely to buy higher end items on the site. The site has more of a boutique feel than some others. Shipping is simple on Poshmark. The company sends you a label so you don’t have to worry about weights unless the item is particularly heavy–over five pounds. You can also offer bundles to interested buyers and sell several items at once at a discount.

Drawbacks of Poshmark: The fees are fairly high on Poshmark. Sales over a certain amount get charged a 20% fee. The high shipping costs may also turn off some buyers. You’ll need to be active on the site regularly to build a following and get your listings in front of potential buyers. 

5. Depop

Depop exclusively lists clothing and accessories but in a fun format that makes selling as easy as posting four photos of the item. 

The site has a hip, youthful vibe that’s particularly appealing to Gen-Z and Millennials. 

Perks of Depop: Signing up is as easy as downloading their app and opening an account. You can sell anything that’s legal. You can also make items and sell them, similar to Etsy but in addition to reselling items in your closet you no longer need. The fees are low, with Depop only charging 10% on sold items.

Drawbacks of Depop: To gain traction you need excellent photos or videos. It’s smart to have someone modeling the items so users can see how they look being worn. Some have complained about the way sellers describe their products or receiving inferior Shein products not disclosed as new items. 

6. Amazon

When you think of online shopping, it’s natural to think about Amazon. They’re one of the biggest online stores in the world, thanks to the help of their sellers. You can list just about anything on the platform, but some things need to be new to do well. 

You’ll have to decide if you want to use Fulfilled by Amazon or Facebook Marketplace where you fulfill the orders yourself. 

Perks of Amazon: You’ll gain a large customer base on Amazon. Keep in mind that people have little brand loyalty on the platform, so you’ll need to offer the best price or the only of something to gain traction. It’s easy to list on the platform and track inventory. You can send items to Amazon and let them focus on the logistics. You’ll also be able to list your products as Prime. 

Drawbacks of Amazon: You’ll face a lot of competition on the platform. If you find a hot selling item no one else is selling, you can be sure someone will come along and sell something similar. You also have to compete with Amazon and their Basics line. Fees can add up and you’ll have to wait 90 days to get payment in some cases. 

7. Etsy

Etsy is known for offering unique, handmade items or vintage specials. While some people have bought cheap things and offered them on the site, Etsy will shut some of them down. The site is a good choice for you if you’re a vintage item reseller or you make a product or personalize something. 

Perks of Etsy: The site is growing in popularity and more people shop on there than ever before. It’s known to have unique, custom and handmade items, so you’ll attract the right audience. Etsy offers courses and tips to help you grow your business. 

Drawbacks of Etsy: Competition on the platform is growing. The number of sellers on the site already increased 19% in 2024 to 8.8 million. The transaction fees are 6.5% plus other fees, eating into profits. You’ll also pay a listing fee whether or not the item sells. 

8. Three In-Person Options

Another often overlooked option for reselling is listing items on various sites but meeting locally and receiving cash. You can use sites such as NextDoor, Craigslist and OfferUp to list items and meet people in a safe location.

If all else fails, use social media to advertise a yard sale and move some of your inventory at a discount to bring in cash and keep items moving. Some people set up a booth at a local flea market or vendor village and others create pages on social media and sell items to a list of followers.

Try Each of the Best Sites for Reselling

Spend a bit of time on each platform to see which ones you prefer. Track your expenses and profits carefully, including any forced returns. Where do you sell the most items and make the highest return on investment? Your hard work locating unique items, listing them and shipping them to customers will pay off when you find the perfect niche and where your target audience hangs out. Reselling can be as fun as a treasure hunt but more financially rewarding. 

About The Author

Eleanor Hecks is the Editor-in-Chief of Designerly Magazine, an online publication dedicated to providing in-depth content from the design and marketing industries. When she's not designing or writing code, you can find her exploring the outdoors with her husband and dog in their RV, burning calories at a local Zumba class, or curled up with a good book with her cats Gem and Cali.

You can find more of Eleanor's work at www.eleanorhecks.com.

Leave a Comment