Many people in this modern age are drowning in appliances. In fact, reports have it that almost one in four Americans own two or more refrigerators. For this reason, it is quite necessary to have a place where you can comfortably sell your old kitchen appliances and get some cash for it.
Indeed, making way for a new appliance by selling off old ones can be a daunting task. Before you sell anything, you have to do a few things. Shoppers usually prefer items that are in good, clean condition, so it’s quite necessary that your appliance is looking its best.
You have to start by cleaning your item thoroughly. If you’re selling a large appliance like a refrigerator, this may be time-consuming chore but it will pay off in the long run. As you clean, ensure you inspect the item for problems that need to be repaired to help increase resale value.
One of the obvious options for selling your appliance is to sell it locally. Most appliances are a bit too big to sell online on sites like eBay, so finding a local buyer is more or less your only option for selling the item.
If you intend to get the most out of your item, it’s imperative to create an appealing listing. Start by providing an accurate title for your listing that includes the full model name of your appliance. Then you’ll want to explicitly describe your appliance in the description area of the listing. Also provide a detailed picture of the item’s condition and detail all of the features.
One of the most daunting aspects of selling an item on your own is dealing with buyers. Before you complete the sale, you may have to interact with a few shoppers. Always be prepared to answer a few questions and show the item if necessary.
Best Places to Sell Kitchen Appliances Offline
Most people looking to sell used appliances tend to overlook traditionally lucrative offline markets and solely focus on the internet.
This is a mistake – there are still many beneficial ‘brick and mortar’ solutions that can help you sell off your used appliances quickly and also for a reasonable amount. Here is a list of fantastic places where you can sell your used kitchen appliances offline.
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Local Appliance Stores
If you don’t intend to list online, you can sell your appliances at a local appliance store. Often times they have a used section as well as brand new appliances. However, just ensure you call ahead and do some research to see what kind of pricing they offer.
In addition, specify if they will pick up and what type of charge it will cost. Sometimes, they will have it be a flat fee which is a great option if you have more than one item to sell.
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Resellers
Just like with local appliance stores, you can also sell items to local resellers. Check on Craigslist to see if you can find any. Typically, this will yield the lowest return as they are also trying to make a profit. But, if you need cash quickly this is another viable option.
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Garage Sale
Garage sales are more old school than listing online but still a wonderful way to sell your appliances for cash! There are still people who love Garage Sales and even apps like Varagesale and Yard Sale Treasure Map that can help you find garage sales near you.
So many buyers that visit garage sales are an older demographic who tend to enjoy the human interaction and seeing the items in person. Therefore, you have to ensure you have the items in great condition and available to be picked up immediately.
To attract buyers to your garage sale make sure to list the garage sale on Craigslist. In the listing, you can include several photos of the main items and list the others. Entice buyers to come to your yard sale by including your best photos and a short description.
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Scrap Metal Recyclers
Even though it tends to depend on where you live, but selling your appliances to a scrap metal recycler is another great option.
But this option won’t be as easy as some of the others listed. Aside from the fact that you need to transport the item, you need to take it apart as they only will accept certain parts for each appliance, these metal experts tend to pay per pound but don’t accept just anything.
However, make sure to contact several scrap metal recyclers if possible as they can pay different amounts. In addition, some of these facilities won’t accept scrap metal so make sure to do your homework before loading up your appliances and heading over.
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Use 1-800-GOT-JUNK
Indeed, 1-800-GOT-JUNK is another great option to get rid of unwanted appliances. You can schedule a no-obligation appointment online or contact them via phone. Note that they will come to your home and give you an estimate based on everything they will remove.
Their prices are based on the total volume of “junk” they are taking away from you. They will help you move the item, regardless of where it is in your home, and load it into their truck. Have it in mind that they donate or recycle as much as possible and will charge you a one-time fee.
If there isn’t a franchise close to you, there might be a local establishment similar to 1-800-GOT-JUNK to help you as well.
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Have Local Stores Pickup Your Appliances
If you don’t have a vehicle or don’t want to rent one, you can choose to have a local store pickup your appliance. Some time ago, they used to actually pay you but this isn’t the case anymore. Here are some of the common stores found nationwide that can help you get rid of your appliances.
BEST BUY
Best Buy is one of the last big box stores still surviving and will help you with your appliances. If you are buying new ones through them, the fee is $14.99 to haul out your old. But, if you want them to remove additional items that you aren’t replacing, there is another $99 fee as well.
LOWE’S
If you are replacing your appliances with Lowe’s, your options are more limited than others on this list. While it’s said to vary by location is appears online that they only remove if you use a Lowe’s Business Credit account. Make sure to contact them directly as you might be able to work out some sort of arrangement if you have one of their store cards or are a frequent customer.
SEARS
Sears is a dying brand that only has 500 locations nationwide but can help you with your appliances. They will only help if you are getting new ones replaced and you have them uninstalled and ready to go for a one-time fee of $25. They will not come into your home, uninstall or help you move them.
HOME DEPOT
Home Depot does offer to help you get rid of old appliances if you are replacing old ones. Make sure to contact your local store as some review sites have said that each location has a different policy. If you are in the store, make sure to double check and negotiate to ensure you aren’t responsible for removing old appliances.
COSTCO
If you use their complete installation package Costco will remove and haul away your old appliances when replacing a similar one. This is a 100 percent free service.
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Donate Large Appliances
If you decide to simply get rid of your appliances and aren’t bothered about the cash, you can decide to donate them. Aside from the fact that this good deed will help others in need, it can be used as a tax write off in the future. Local stores and charities can sometimes pick up.
If you have other things you’d like to donate you can also add as well. Check out these sites to see if there are around your place:
- Salvation Army: Salvation Army will come to you directly and not charge anything for your donation. Make sure you receive a donation valuation guide for tax purposes as well.
- Habitat for Humanity: Like Salvation Army, they do not charge anything and can help you get rid of your biggest appliances.
- Goodwill: Very similar to the ones above, Goodwill offers free pick up for your large appliances that you wish to donate.
- Vincent De Paul: Contact the nearest Catholic Church in your community and ask if they have a Society of St. Vincent de Paul Conference in their parish or know of one in your area for a free pickup and donation.
Best Places to Sell Kitchen Appliances Online
There are numerous online platforms to sell stuff locally. Anywhere you live in North America or Europe, these apps make it easy to get rid of your old appliances locally and get cash quickly.
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Craigslist
There are reasons why some things sell faster than others on Craigslist. When you search to buy items on Craigslist, you’ll find some things going quickly and others sitting for weeks. Note that potential buyers on Craigslist are more likely to purchase from a seller who gets back to them quickly.
As a seller, it’s necessary that you list the contact information that will allow you to get buyer notifications quickly. As an example, don’t use your email address if you can’t access it from your phone and rarely check it. Use an access avenue that is common for you to use, such as your cell phone number.
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eBay
Like Craigslist, eBay allows you to easily sell unwanted items. And, most of the tips for selling appliances on Craigslist also apply to selling on eBay. You can set a specific sale price for your item, or put it up for auction and allow people to bid on it.
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Facebook Marketplace
In Facebook’s attempt to take over the world you can also find buyers using their version of Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, to sell items.
This is a great way to let your friends and connections know that you are selling your appliances. One of the major advantages of using Facebook Marketplace over Craigslist is the trust factor. If you’re friends with someone on Facebook, you automatically trust the individual more than a stranger on Craigslist.
In addition, Facebook Marketplace makes it easy to share your free listing with others. If you have a good appliance, people can choose to share with their networks as well as increase your audience dramatically. Make sure to ask friends and family to share with others if you choose to list on Facebook Marketplace.
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Shpock
Shpock is a blend of the words, “shop in your pocket.” It is an app that allows you to sell a wide range of items, including used appliances, to people nearby. You can even use it to sell your used furniture. It’s easy to sell with the app – you can create a listing in less than 30 seconds.
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VarageSale
VarageSale, as its name implies is a virtual garage sale. So, it’s like your regular garage sale, except for the fact that it’s just online.
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Mercari
Mercari is another app where you can sell stuff, including, of course, your old appliances. The app is free to use, but it does take a commission on your sales. With Mercari, you can share your listings on social media as well. Plus, you can track your sales through the app.
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Wallapop
Wallapop is a virtual flea market/classifieds app. With the app, you can sell your used appliances to people locally.
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5Miles
This app allows you to buy and sell stuff locally. With the app, you can sell your used appliances to people who are located within five miles of your location, as the name of the app suggests.
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LetGo
Sell your unwanted appliances on LetGo. Just login with your Facebook account and the app will import your name and profile photo.
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OfferUp
With OfferUp, you can sell your used appliances. And, handily enough, the app features a rating system for its users – this means that you can see which users are good buyers.
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Depop
Depop is a little different from the other apps and websites on this list because it is an image-based marketplace. So, it puts together aspects of eCommerce sites, like eBay, with elements of social media platforms, like Instagram. With the app, you can sell your unwanted dryer, washing machine, or any other appliance.
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Tradyo
You can make money selling your stuff locally with Tradyo. It is a classifieds site like Craigslist that you can list your used appliances for sale. Listing an item on the app is free to do. And, there are other features available on the app that makes selling easier, such as instant chat.
Conclusion
There are no shortages of ways to sell off your old, used, or unwanted appliances. At the end of the day, it really comes down to how much time and effort you are willing to spend offloading these items.
You can pay someone to haul away your old appliances, and you can also pay to bring them to the local scrap yard or junkyard. However, there are ways to make extra money by selling your old appliances, and it’s always nice to make a little money rather than spend a lot for someone to take away your appliances.