Key Takeaways
- OfferUp allows users to list and sell items for free, with optional paid promotion features to increase visibility and potential sales.
- The platform offers a user-friendly mobile app with built-in messaging for seamless communication between buyers and sellers.
- While OfferUp provides a convenient selling experience, users should be aware of potential scams and take precautions when meeting buyers in person or shipping items.
OfferUp Review
OfferUp is a mobile app that features a peer-to-peer marketplace. The app operates very similar to websites like Craigslist, connecting sellers of all sorts of items ranging from clothes and electronics to furniture and vehicles with potential buyers. OfferUp also enables users to rate other users. This rating can help users ensure that the person they are dealing with is a legit buyer or seller.
Pros
- List and sell your items for free – it cost $0 to list your items for sale on the platform and you can sell anything as long as it is not illegal.
- Promote your listing from just $1.99 – choose from 1 to 3 day promotions, which can help your listings get an average of 14 times more views per day.
- Low service fees – for every item that you sell and ship nationwide, you will have to pay either $1.99 or 12.9% of the item’s price as a service fee.
- You have up to 3 days to ship your item – the app takes care of all the shipping details and will even provide you with a prepaid shipping label.
Cons
- Long waiting time for payment – it can take anywhere between 10 to 14 days after you ship the item to the buyer before you receive payment for it.
- Premium plans are costly – OfferUp offers a Promote Plus plan at $19.99 per month, which is costly but can increase the chances of your items selling.
Compare to Other Sites to Sell Stuff
Decluttr
Over 3 million products sold in 12 months with a year limited warranty
Sell smartphones, tablets, laptops books, watches, video games and Lego
Get a free instant item valuation, ship your item for free and get paid
Swappa
No fees for sellers – buyers pay no fees up $50 items. $5+ thereafter
Sell computers, home tech, cameras, phones, watches, laptops and tablets
Sell your item directly to buyer and get paid the next day via PayPal
eBay
180+ million buyers, easy listings and sell directly from the smartphone
List up to 200 items for free every month, and only pay when they sell
Global brand trust and seller protections in place from buyers scams
How Does OfferUp Work?
Selling an item on OfferUp is very similar to other apps. You only have to take a few good photos of your item and upload them with a short description of your item along with a suitable title.
When you’ve published the item, potential buyers will start contacting you about it. OfferUp advises you to communicate with these potential buyers through the app’s messaging function to avoid being scammed.
After the selling process is over, buyers are allowed to leave you a rating, and you’re allowed to do the same for the buyer. So make sure you provide accurate information and excellent service when you’re selling.
How Much You Can Earn with OfferUp?
What you earn with OfferUp depends on the items you are selling, demand and supply and how fast you sell them.
Who is OfferUp Best For?
OfferUp is best for individuals who want to sell everything from clothing to cars for free and earn extra income.
What Can You Sell with OfferUp?
OfferUp allows you to sell items such as;
- Clothing.
- Power Tools
- Gardening Equipment.
- Baby Gear.
- Furniture
- Appliances
- Shoes
- Kitchen Stuff
How to Start Selling on OfferUp?
Selling your items through OfferUp is as simple as it gets.
Step 1: Download the OfferUp App
To start selling on OfferUp, you first need to download the app easily on your iPhone or Android smartphone.
Step 2: Create Your Account
Once you’ve finished downloading the app, you are required to create an account.
I recommend you to sign in with your Facebook account because you won’t have to fill out any data manually. Plus, Facebook-verified accounts look more credible to potential buyers.
Step 3: Upload Photos & Publish a Listing
After creating your OfferUp account, you should set up your listing by uploading photos and writing a detailed description.
I recommend 4 photos – one from each side of your item. Also, make sure you upload photos of the actual item you’re selling and not stock photos from Google.
Step 4: Promote Your Listing to Sell Your Item Faster
If you want to sell your items quickly and get paid quickly, you can bump up your ads through the Promote and Promote plus features. These features will push your listing to the top of the platform’s search results and probably result in faster item sales.
OfferUp will charge you a minimum of $1.99, or 12.9% of the sale price.
Note that promoting your listing is optional and you can go without a promotion.
Step 5: Complete the Sale & Get Paid
After you’ve negotiated with a potential buyer, meet them in a public space to exchange your item for cash. This completes the sale.
Here’s the list of some public places I recommend you to meet your buyer:
- Cafe
- Mall
- Hotel lobby
- Or even a police station lobby
Step 6: Rate the Buyer
OfferUp allows you to rate the buyer so the other sellers can understand whether the buyer is legitimate and safe to deal with.
Note that this step is optional and the sale is complete even without rating the buyer.
OfferUp Benefits: What Does OfferUp Offer?
No Fees
No cost of joining OfferUp or listing the items.
Easy to Use
The convenience of the in-app messaging system.
Great Deals
OfferUp allows you to quickly get great deals on gently used items for sale locally.
Courteous and Friendly Transactions
OfferUp has courteous and friendly support. The platform also allows for smooth transactions.
OfferUp Fees: How Much Does it Cost to Use OfferUp?
OfferUp charges neither the sellers nor buyers for simply buying and selling through their platform.
Instead, they will charge you if you opt-in to push your listing to the top of the page through their Promote and Promote Plus features. What’s convenient is that the OfferUp Promote Plus subscription costs $19.99 and is valid for 1 month.
OfferUp recommends you accept cash payments from buyers because most scammers use personal checks, cashier checks, or other means to scam you.
Alternatively, you can ship items to buyers who don’t live in the same area as you and receive payment through OfferUp. For this, OfferUp charges a fee of either a minimum of $1.99 or 12% of the sales price (whichever is greater).
Let’s sum up all OfferUp fees in the table below:
| Type of fees | Amount |
|---|---|
| Listing fee | $0 |
| Selling fee | $0 |
| Processing fee (only when you ship your item) | $1.99 or 12% of the sales price (whichever greater) |
| Promotion fee (optional) | Up to $19.99 (valid for 1 month) |
OfferUp Requirements?
- Users must have a smartphone
- They must be above the age of 13
- Users who are not yet the age of 18 years they must use OfferUp under parental guidance
OfferUp Payout Terms and Options
Most sellers on OfferUp accept cash directly from the buyers.
However, OfferUp allows you to accept payment through its platform. To choose this option, you need to deliver your item to the buyer. Once your item is delivered to the buyer, OfferUp will deposit money into your account within five business days.
Note that OfferUp will deduct their shipping service fees before depositing them into your account.
OfferUp Reviews: Is OfferUp Legit?
While OfferUp is a legit platform, it doesn’t prevent you from scamming buyers because you’re selling your items locally, mostly in person, and the platform can’t control that.
Many people complain about the lack of security on review platforms, resulting in an overall score of 1.2 out of 5-star rating on TrustPilot and 1.2 on Sitejabber.
However, the situation is different when it comes to OfferUp app reviews. The app has an overall score of 4.8 out of 5-star rating on App Store and 3.9 on Google Play Store. Most reviewers on these platforms described it as an awesome platform that allows you to sell and make money. Otherwise, most negative reviews revolved around the lack of customer support.
What are the OfferUp Pros & Cons?
OfferUp Pros
- It’s free to list and sell your items
- You can see buyer ratings on the platform so you can easily identify if they are safe to deal with
- The app is easy to use
- There’s an in-app messaging system to ease the communication between buyers and seller
OfferUp Cons
- There’s a risk of getting scammed because OfferUp doesn’t filter out the buyers
- Lack of good customer support
How Good Is OfferUp Support?
OfferUp has a knowledge base and support page including community,blog,press, and that answers most of your queries. You can also contact them if you have any queries.
OfferUp Review Verdict: Is OfferUp Worth it?
If you’re looking to sell unused or old stuff, OfferUp is a great place to do so because it doesn’t charge you any fees for selling through its platform. But if you’re looking into OfferUp to make more frequent sales, you may want to consider its promotion costs and bump-up costs for the ads.
OfferUp has definitely received some bad reviews in the last few months, but there’s a huge network of buyers and sellers out there. I think it’s safe to say it’s worth trying, but always be on the lookout for scammers and stick to OfferUp recommendations to keep yourself protected.
Who knows, maybe this might turn out to be your next big side hustle.
How to Sign Up with OfferUp?
To sign up with OfferUp;
- Download the OfferUp app for free from the App Store for iOS, or from Google Play for Android, or visit the website
- Tap in the app to sign up. You can sign up through Facebook,Google and Apple.
- Enter your name, email address, and a password you’ll remember. Tap Sign Up. Then check your email, and tap the link in the verification email from OfferUp.
- Choose an account name
- Verify your phone number
listing and selling fees.
OfferUp FAQ
What is OfferUp?
OfferUp is a mobile app that allows you to easily sell all sorts of items including clothes, electronics, furniture, or even vehicles locally without any charge.
The platform was founded in 2011. Today, it earns around $60 million a year and is worth over $1 billion. The OfferUp app is available on iOS and Android devices.
Can you get scammed on OfferUp?
Since OfferUp doesn’t filter out its users, there’s a risk you can get scammed. However, you can protect yourself by only accepting cash payments and not by checks, credit cards, or anything else.
How do I accept payment on OfferUp?
You should add your bank account to OfferUp to receive payments for items you ship. I recommend that you always accept cash for items you sell in person.
Who pays for shipping on OfferUp?
Usually, buyers pay for shipping, but you as a seller have to include the shipping fee in your final sale amount. Otherwise, you’ll have to pay your own money for shipping.
How do I cancel Promote Plus?
Visit the app store and follow the instructions. You’ll find the option to cancel by viewing your Apple ID in iTunes or the App Store
How do I respond to offers on OfferUp?
If you get an offer below your acceptable limit, respond politely and share your preferred price or give a counteroffer.
OfferUp has a Promote feature that shows your item more often and gets featured placement in the browser and search results. It also allows you to pick a promotion that’s the right length for you.
