Buy and Sell Metamorphosis

buy And sell by: Ashlyn george MetAMorPhosis

Out with the Old, In with the New

Like many people in 2020, I used the opportunity of spending time at home to declutter. It was surprising the things I found tucked in the back corners of my condo: a university lab coat, an electric ice cream maker, unused picture frames and clothing with price tags still attached. I was a casualty of consumerism, purchasing items over the years I never needed. But instead of taking my poor choices as a complete loss, I decided to see what I could get for them online.

In less than 12 months, I rid myself of nearly 200 things and pocketed more than $4,500. It became like a game to see what I could sell. I’d carefully track each item in a spreadsheet while adding up the dollar signs. But I quickly realized it wasn’t all about the money. There was a cathartic release every time I added one more item to my “sold” list and had one less needless physical item in

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As a surprising twist when selling these items, a personal love story unexpectedly blossomed. I met my partner when I sold him my high school saxophone that had been collecting dust in my parents’ basement. What began as a meetup to view the saxophone turned into an hour and a half conversation about travel and books which led to a coffee meetup later that month. Apparently frugal minds think alike. (Yes, he did buy the saxophone but has since swapped it for a new-to-him guitar).

In Pursuit of minimalism

Over the past several years, the concept and practice of minimalism seems to be everywhere. Japanese tidying expert Marie Kondo touts the benefits of living with items that only spark joy while releasing unused items with gratitude. The Minimalists, American authors Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, advocate for the lifestyle across their media platforms to millions of followers. “Less is more” is what everyone is saying. But what do you do with all the stuff while you’re trying to get rid of without throwing it in the landfill?

With traditional garage sales on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and possibly met with some squeamishness for some time into the future, the internet has become the answer for where to sell.

While websites like eBay have always been popular to reach global buyers, apps and online marketplaces focused on selling locally

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have popped up. Kijiji and Craigslist are still around but Facebook Marketplace has quickly become one of the most popular places to list gently-used items. The platform is set up like a digital garage sale where you can scroll to see what’s for sale. But it also offers a targeted search function so you can narrow in on what you’re looking for or check comparable prices on items. You can also set up notifications for specific items as they get listed as well as view personal profiles to vet other buyers and sellers.

Local buy and sell Facebook groups are also popular and apps like Poshmark and thredUP offer niche selling options when looking to sell high quality clothing and fashion brands.

one man’s Trash

The old adage “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure” has never been more true when it comes to getting rid of junk. Someone will always find value in things that others no longer find important. It’s surprising to see what sells first and fastest—including old top soil from a raised planter bed and five gallon pails I had lying around.

The easiest to sell items are priced low at five, ten or twenty dollars. Someone picked up an unused “for sale” sign for $1.50. While it doesn’t seem like much, the dollars add up and it feels good knowing the items are finding a new home where they’ll be put to better use.

“Free” can be the best way to get rid things. There are local “freecycle”

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groups online where users give away unwanted items as opposed to selling them, all in the name of reducing, reusing and recycling. Even cardboard boxes are in demand. But you have to respond fast as items go quickly.

Best Practices

With high quality cameras on our smartphones, it’s simple to include images alongside a well-written title and description. You don’t need to be a professional photographer but sharply focused photos with a plain or tidy background and soft, natural lighting works best. Photographing the object from several angles allows a potential buyer to get a better sense of the item and its condition.

The more written details you can provide, the better. Include specific information like the brand of the item, what it’s made of and a serial number, if available. Sharing specific measurements helps buyers know if it’s the right size or fit. Including a measuring tape with a close up of a measurement in your photos can be helpful to those who are ultra-visual.

Don’t shy away from sharing if there are flaws like a hard to pull zipper, small scratches or dings. Buyers don’t want to be surprised when they come to pick up an item. Photograph those details and note that the flaw is reflected in the pricing.

Staying Safe

Most important when selling items online is doing it all in a safe manner— whether meeting in person or sending and receiving money. While it’s still a “buyer beware” mentality, there are several steps you can take to ensure a comfortable and safe transaction.

Cash is always accepted but wireless e-transfers have become a convenient, and often free, option. Many people wait to see the item before sending money to a cell phone number or e-mail address. For larger items it is not uncommon to ask the sender to send the e-transfer but tell them they can wait to share the password until they arrive and give the item a once-over. It shows that they are committed and not wasting your time, and they feel protected so no money exchanges hands without their signoff. An important tip is to double check the spelling before hitting send to ensure the payment makes it to the right person. It’s also worth noting your bank's e-transfer limits if purchasing a higher priced item—whether that limit is a dollar amount or a time limit.

Many sellers offer contactless pickup from their front step or mailbox. Some people prefer to meet in public places like coffee shops or malls. In Saskatoon, the police service has created an exchange zone set up in their visitor parking lot on the west side of their main headquarters for people to carry out legal purchases. This not only creates a safe space but helps reduce buy and sell fraud.

While I can’t promise anyone they’ll unexpectedly stumble across love on an online buy and sell marketplace as I did, I can promise you’ll find yourself with a few more dollars in your bank account and fewer unused items taking up valuable space in your home.