Are you renovating or moving to a new home and looking to upgrade your old appliances? Are you downsizing or decluttering your house, leaving a heap of used items you no longer need? Do you wish to switch to energy-efficient appliances?
Or maybe you know something about appliances and want to make some money out of that knowledge. Appliances are among the best items to flip for profit: many people dispose of old ones for well under their potential resale value.
Either way, you’ll need to know where to sell used appliances.
Where to Sell Used Appliances
You can sell used appliances quickly and earn extra cash for their replacements or any other purchase. Here are the 13 best options to consider:
1. Yard Sale
A yard sale is a hassle-free way to sell used appliances. You don’t need to worry about delivery or shipping costs. Interested buyers will pick up your items in front of your home and pay in cash.
People still host yard sales to sell various items after spring cleaning or decluttering, as they are excellent profit opportunities. They let buyers inspect the condition and features of items for sale while enabling sellers to remove unwanted stuff quickly without worrying about transportation and transactions.
A yard sale is also perfect for selling appliances “as-is” to avoid repair requests if they are not in top condition or have minor dents or scratches. However, fixing them beforehand will increase their value and your earning potential.
This informal sale event limits your pool of buyers, primarily if your neighborhood doesn’t have much traffic, but there are several solutions. You can attract more buyers by handing out flyers around town, putting a “Yard Sale” sign in front of your home, advertising on Craigslist and spreading the word on social media.
2. Local Repair and Scrap Metal Shops
Local repair shops are ideal if you wish to eliminate the hassle of interacting with potential buyers when selling used appliances. You can sell directly to professionals who fix and resell household items for a living.
Whether your used appliances are broken, damaged, or in working condition, many repair shops will be willing to purchase them because they can make them as good as new to increase their value. They can also use their working parts if fixing them isn’t possible.
The same goes for scrap metal shops, which will buy nearly any used appliance that doesn’t work to scrap it for the metal. They typically pay per pound, so research more options to find one that will help you earn the most.
A quick Google search can help you find local repair and scrap metal shops willing to buy your used appliances.
3. Used Appliance Dealers
Used appliance dealers work much like local repair shops, except they exclusively sell appliances. They typically refurbish them to sell them at higher prices and probably won’t buy unusable items.
This option may not be ideal if you have broken appliances that only scrap metal shops would buy. Used appliance dealers will accept old items only if refurbishing and reselling them makes financial sense.
Use Google to find used appliance dealers near you, and check their customers’ reviews to choose the best one.
Some will schedule a pickup for a fee, which is perfect if you want to avoid the transport hassle or have too many or too heavy appliances. Many will haul away multiple items for a flat charge, a great choice if you plan on selling plenty of stuff.
Do you wish to save on appliance replacements that don’t necessarily need to be brand-new? Look for used appliance dealers offering trade-in programs. For instance, you can replace an old refrigerator with a similar or identical model in perfect condition.
4. Craigslist
Craigslist is the most popular platform for selling used items and earning money quickly. The best part? You can use the platform for free. There are no seller fees.
You don’t even need an account to sell items on Craigslist. You only need to visit the website, choose a location, click “post to classifieds,” and select the “appliances” category in the “for sale” section. Then, you can add the necessary details, including the title, description, price, and photos.
Be honest about your used appliances’ condition because it will help you earn extra points with potential buyers. Whether they look brand-new or have signs of wear and tear, let people know and ensure the photos show it.
Prices are typically negotiable on Craigslist, so be ready for buyers looking for a bargain. Some may even suggest bartering. Be extra careful to avoid scams if you go down that road.
5. Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace might be better than Craigslist because your followers know and trust you. That’s miles away from buying something from a stranger.
The platform lets you sell any physical product locally or ship it to the buyer. It also enables you to share your listing with friends, family, and other followers, who can reshare it to spread the word and increase your pool of potential buyers.
The best part is that Facebook won’t charge you anything to create your listing. You only need an active Facebook account to access the platform’s marketplace and put your used appliances for sale. The only condition is to ensure your product description and title match your items.
Be sure to upload high-quality photos, include a detailed description, specify the price, and add contact information. The best pictures and the most detailed listings attract the most buyers.
6. eBay
eBay is an excellent platform for selling appliances and other items, whether you’re decluttering or seeking additional income sources.
It’s perfect for getting top dollar for your used appliances because you can list them in auctions. You set a starting and minimum price, wait out the bidding, and sell to the highest bidder.
You can also set a fixed price to let interested buyers purchase your appliances without placing bids. “Fixed Price” listings support multiple items.
eBay requires an account and is best for selling small appliances like toasters, blenders, coffee makers, and air fryers. However, it charges a 12.9% final value fee on sold items up to $7,500, a 2.35% on sales over $7,500, and $0.3 per order.
There’s also an insertion fee of $0.35 per listing, but you don’t need to worry about it if you create fewer than 250 monthly listings.
7. OfferUp
OfferUp is a mobile app for buying and selling nearly any second-hand item locally or nationwide, including clothing, books, furniture, appliances, and cars. It’s a mix of Craigslist and eBay, letting you set fixed or asking prices.
You can list your used appliances for free, but you can also pay $1.99 to get your listing onto the radar of more potential buyers.
This C2C marketplace focuses on in-person cash transactions, so you don’t have to worry about shipping. However, it lets you ship items to buyers for a fee of 12.9% of the sale price or a minimum of $1.99. The platform will show you all the costs when listing your appliances.
OfferUp has an excellent verification system, TruYou, to build trust among buyers and sellers. It requires every user to upload a photo of their driver’s license ph, take a selfie within the app, verify their Facebook account, and add a phone number. That gives their profiles a badge showcasing a validated identity.
8. 5Miles
5Miles is another excellent mobile app for local product and service sales. It primarily focuses on used products and has a feature – 5Miles Dash – for brand-new items.
It works like eBay, letting buyers bid on second-hand items like appliances, electronics, jewelry, furniture, and cars. It requires uploading or taking product photos within the app, writing a description, specifying the price, and adding contact information.
There’s a chat feature where you can schedule in-person meetings with buyers or arrange deliveries. The app lets you determine the shipping costs.
5Miles is free to download and use, and you can sign up with your email, Google, or Facebook account. You’ll face no costs for listing items, but there’s a service fee of 10% of the sale price.
The best part is you can promote your listings for free. The “Boost” feature lets you bump them four times to the top of the feed to get maximum visibility for four hours. You can also share them via email, SMS, Facebook, and Twitter.
9. VarageSale
VarageSale is a desktop and mobile app for setting up virtual garage sales. It works like Craigslist, letting you post a classified listing to sell items locally, and has a similar interface to 5Miles, including a chat feature.
This app is perfect if you want to host a yard sale but don’t get much traffic in your neighborhood. It extends your reach and helps you quickly clear out used appliances you no longer need.
You can download and use the app for free, and you won’t have to pay service or seller fees. You can even promote your listings without paying a cent. You only need to click the blue “Bump” arrow when viewing an individual item or go to “My Stuff” to boost multiple products simultaneously.
VarageSale verifies users through Facebook and lets you choose a payment method. You can ask for cash, checks, or direct bank deposits.
10. Mercari
Mercari is an online marketplace for selling new and used products. Its user-friendly mobile app and desktop version will make selling your appliances a breeze.
Like other apps, it requires high-quality product images (you can upload or take them within the app), an accurate description and title, pricing, and contact details. However, using it can be expensive if you plan on selling items regularly.
Listing products is free, but there’s a 10% fee for completed sales. You also must pay a payment processing fee of 2.9% and $0.5 per sale. Direct transfers (deposits and withdrawals) of at least $10 don’t incur a charge, while you must pay $2 for lower amounts and Instant Pay transactions. The same fee applies to rejected transfers.
There are also various shipping fees (depending on item weight), but you can avoid them by choosing Mercari Local. The buyer will pay $10.99 for the delivery.
If you use Mercari, add hashtags to your listings to increase visibility and help buyers find your items quickly.
11. Best Buy
You don’t have to sell your old items to have enough cash for their upgrades. You can replace used appliances with new models at Best Buy.
This company is ideal for recycling electronics because it lets you trade old for new models. However, it doesn’t focus only on tech – it also accepts used appliances.
Best Buy will pick up your used appliances for $39.99 if you purchase their replacements or similar items at the store. It may not be free, but you get your desired upgrades hassle-free. You can avoid the fee if you visit the store to recycle fans and vacuums (stick, robot, and canister) and buy their upgrades.
The retailer doesn’t accept all appliances for recycling. Check the list on the website to see if replacing your old items at Best Buy works for you.
12. Home Depot
Home Depot is another retail corporation with over 2,200 stores throughout the US where you can replace old appliances with new models. It won’t buy your used items but will recycle them if you purchase their replacements or similar items at one of its locations.
Like Best Buy, Home Depot will haul away your used appliances after delivering their upgrades. The fee varies depending on the location and item, but it’s typically around $25. That excludes the delivery charge of $59–$99 for orders not exceeding $396.
Appliances eligible for the haul-away service include microwaves, refrigerators, dryers, washing machines, stoves, and dishwashers. Home Depot technicians will also install your purchased items. The delivery fee will cover installation.
Call or visit your nearest Home Depot store to check their fees and policies because they differ among locations. Some may also have a longer list of appliances that are eligible for recycling and hauling away.
13. The Salvation Army
Do you want to clear out used appliances quickly but don’t care about significant earnings? You can donate them to charity and get a tax deduction when itemizing tax returns. It’s a perfect way to get a tax break and help others in need.
The Salvation Army is among the most popular charity organizations accepting donations, including used appliances, which must be in excellent condition.
It has thrift stores throughout the US and Canada where you can drop off your items, but you can also schedule a free pickup. Don’t forget to ask for a donation receipt for tax purposes.
The Salvation Army doesn’t appraise donations – you can set the value for every appliance within a specified price range. For instance, you can get a tax write-off of $10–$50 for a microwave, $78–$259 for a refrigerator, and $41–$156 for a washing machine.
Goodwill, St. Vincent de Paul, and Habitat ReStores are other excellent options for donating second-hand, working appliances. These organizations will also pick them up for free.
How to Sell Used Appliances Quickly
Whether you wish to sell used appliances as a one-off or plan on turning it into a side hustle, follow these tips to get your money quickly:
- Clean your appliances. No one wants to buy a stained coffee maker or a stove with a greasy oven. Returning your items to their former glory before putting them for sale is a surefire way to sell them quickly.
- Fix minor issues. You may not want to spend money on an appliance you’ll no longer use, but a cheap repair will make it more appealing to buyers. For instance, a new bread carriage handle or browning control for a toaster won’t cost much but will help you sell it quickly.
- Take high-quality photos. Images are crucial for selling any product, especially second-hand items. Your buyers need to know how your used appliances look from every angle to make an informed decision. Ensure the pictures show any imperfections to avoid misleading potential buyers.
- Make short videos. Eye-catching photos will capture people’s attention, but videos will build trust by showing your appliances are in working condition. They will get more views and nudge more buyers in the right direction. For instance, you can record your coffee maker making a cup of java, your washing machine spinning, or your microwave heating a delicious pizza.
- Create catchy titles for your listings. Titles and featured photos are the first elements people see when browsing product listings. Make them compelling to entice potential buyers to click through and see your offer.
- Craft detailed descriptions. Many people skip product descriptions when buying new items, but everyone reads them when purchasing used goods. The more details you include, the more buyers you’ll attract. Specify the dimensions, weight, color, age, brand, model, and other relevant information, including imperfections. Transparency is the key. You can also add resourceful links (e.g., user manuals) to show how your appliances work.
- Offer local delivery. Specify delivery terms and conditions to avoid unnecessary back and forth with interested buyers. If you have the means, consider offering the option to drop off sold appliances in the area at a reasonable fee to cover gas expenses and your time and effort. That’s perfect when selling bulky items because buyers won’t need to worry about transport.
- Be highly responsive. Quickly replying to offers and messages is the key to closing deals fast. Many other sellers offer the same items; you don’t want to miss out on a sale because someone else has a shorter response time. Be available for buyers’ questions and requests to meet in person to see your appliances to increase your chances for a sale.
- Create a sense of urgency. When a potential buyer asks to see your appliance in person, give them a time frame, saying others are also coming over that day. They’ll want to get there first to snatch an excellent offer before anyone else.
- Spread the word on social media. Sharing your listings on your social profiles and creating posts saying you sell used appliances is an excellent way to expand your customer pool. You can also join local buy/sell Facebook groups; the number of locals seeking second-hand items might surprise you.
Your used appliances will sell like hotcakes if you follow these tips. They are proven tactics every successful seller uses to attract more buyers and close excellent deals.
How to Price Used Appliances
Pricing used appliances can be tricky because you don’t want to feel like you’re giving them away after initially investing a significant amount. However, their value starts dropping once you purchase them, so determining a fair price is crucial to attracting more buyers.
💵 A fair price is 20%–40% of what you paid for a used appliance. Here is a simple depreciation formula you can use:
- Initial Purchase Price / Average Appliance Lifespan = Annual Depreciation Cost
- Average Appliance Lifespan – Appliance Age = Remaining Years
- Remaining Years x Annual Depreciation Cost = Fair Price
Your seven-year-old refrigerator has an initial purchase price of $600 and an average lifespan of 15 years. Dividing $600 by 15 gives a $40 annual depreciation cost.
Your appliance has eight years until reaching its average lifespan. Multiplying that by $40 gives you a fair price of $320.
This formula helps price used appliances realistically but applies only to items in excellent condition. Look at comparables to see how other sellers have priced their products to ensure yours aren’t too cheap or too expensive.
Conclusion
Selling items you no longer need is a fantastic way to earn extra money. Now that you know where to sell used appliances and how to price and sell them quickly, it’s time to put your knowledge to use and create eye-catching listings buyers won’t resist.
Who knows? Maybe you’ll like the experience so much that you’ll start flipping appliances as a side hustle!
