How to Sell Your Shit on Gumtree
You’ve booked your flights and your dream trip is slowly working up into a reality. “Slowly” is good because you still need time to save up in order to hit (and hopefully exceed) your daily travel budget. You stay in; eating cheap home cooked meals, tuning into inspirational travel shows and saving every penny.
But look around. What about all that stuff? Where’s that going to go when you step onto that plane? Storage rooms are expensive and kind relatives can only fit so much in their garage or back shed; it’s time to downsize, baby!
We used Suitcase Rummages, community swap shops and op shops to get rid of our stuff — sometimes making a few dollars, sometimes just racking up the good karma points. I’m going to focus on the channel that could get you the most moolah in the most convenient way: Gumtree!
Similar to Craigslist in the US, Gumtree is the evolution of newspaper-backpage classifieds where you can find anything and everything people in your general area are selling (or giving away).
It’s perfect for the tripper trying to get rid of their stuff, especially furniture, and make a little money on the side. The best part is, for the right price, people will actually come to your house to pick it up! Eliminating any heavy lifting or running around on your part. Perfect!
Here are some tips on how to get the best out of Gumtree:
🌳 Research : Look up what you’re wanting to sell and see who’s selling similar items in your area and at what price. If something has been up for ages it’s most likely because it’s too expensive.
🌳 Generous prices : Of course you’ll want to get the most cash for your items but if you’re looking for a definite sale in a short amount of time, price your item a little lower than “normal” and it’ll be picked up within a day or two.
🌳 Product display : Take good photos, provide accurate descriptions and include an honest, distinct title. This’ll help your listing stand out among the others and avoid people wasting your time because the item wasn’t exactly what they expected.
🌳 Human interaction : Because it’s an open forum, the type of people you’ll have to deal will range from friendly and considerate to rude and aggressive. Often the interaction will start with messages through the site or via text, then move to a phone call, and then a face-to-face to (hopefully) seal the deal. Be kind, patient and take the high road if things turn south. You’re the seller so you have the power.
🌳 Negotiate : Almost every transaction, unless you’ve priced it ridiculously low, will include some bartering. It’s a good time to practice the skill before heading overseas where negotiating a price is common.
So get on Gumtree, meet some people, add to the travel fund and live that minimalistic life for a little while.
When (/if) you get back you can repeat the process in reverse. You’ll know all the tricks of the trade to getting stuff for your new home, wherever that may be…
