The best places for pick-up sales
Facebook Marketplace
It’s free for local pick-up, and most people looking for second-hand furniture near them start here. Buyers can message you straight away, so expect quick questions about size and condition.
Gumtree
Most Gumtree listings are free, with optional paid promotion if you want more views. It’s a long-running classifieds site that reaches buyers who aren’t on Facebook.
eBay, with local pick-up
eBay is free for most private sellers in Australia, and you can offer local pick-up. The buyer pays through eBay, so you aren’t handling cash, and they pay eBay’s Buyer Protection fee on top of your price. See the eBay fee calculator.
Write a listing that sells
- Give the measurements. Height, width and depth, and for sofas the seat height. Most furniture questions are about whether it will fit.
- Photograph it in daylight from several angles, including any marks or wear.
- Say how it can be picked up. Mention stairs, whether it comes apart, and whether you can help carry it.
- Price to go. Check what similar pieces near you are listed at. A quick sale is often worth a lower price.
Stay safe on pick-up
- Have someone else at home when a buyer comes.
- If you take a bank transfer or PayID payment, check it has arrived in your banking app before the item leaves. Don’t rely on a screenshot or an email saying it’s been sent.
- Be wary of buyers who offer to overpay or send a “courier”. That’s a common scam pattern. See selling scams.
If you have to deliver it
Bigger items can go with a removalist, a man-with-a-van service, or someone you book through a task app, but quotes add up quickly. Get a quote before you agree a price, and add it to the “Postage you pay” box in the calculator to see what you’d keep.
If it won’t sell
Some charities pick up furniture for free if it’s clean and undamaged. See where to donate, and the guide to clearing a loved one’s home if you’re emptying a whole house.