9 Alternative Ways to Sell Your Used Items Without the Internet

There are countless reasons a person could want to sell their items, down sizing, making a little extra money, or spring cleaning to name a few. These days, people will often try to sell their items online, but that doesn’t work for everyone or everything. It can be hard to find the right market for a certain item; you may not get many bites, or too many lowball offers when trying to sell online (Colette has some great tips on selling items online.)  And sometimes, using an online platform just isn’t realistic

With that in mind, here are 9 alternative ways to sell items that you may not have considered.

Pawn shops

Not only are pawn shops a great way to buy items at a lower cost, but they’re also great places to sell things. While each pawn shop differs (one may cater more to coins, while another sells more instruments), many of them are great places to sell higher-ticket items.

Remember, if you don’t like an offer you get at one pawn shop, you may get a different offer at a different store. I’d also advise giving a quick call before bringing your items in, as they may be able to tell you ahead of time if it’s something they’d be willing to purchase.

When selling to a pawn shop, make sure you bring a piece of photo idea, as most require it.

Items pawn shops accept

• Jewelry (especially things with precious metals and gemstones, good quality watches)
• Musical instruments
• Coins
• Tech (the newer the model, the more likely it will be purchased; if it’s not something that they sell a lot of, they might not take it)
  • Cameras
  • Cell phones
  • Tablets
  • Laptops
  • Smartwatches
  • Game consoles
• Collectors Items
• Power tools
• Weapons (I recommend calling ahead to make sure it is okay to bring in the weapon you intend to sell.)

Consignment stores

Consignment stores are a great way to make some money off clothing you’d often just donate to a thrift store. There

are a few different types of consignment stores, but their main job is to act as a “middleman” between the buyer and the seller. In some consignment stores, they will purchase products from you and then sell them (similar to a pawn shop). In others, you only receive money if the items sell.

While there are often small local stores that specialize in things such as handmade goods and art, others operate more like a thrift store with items such as home decor, clothes, or sporting goods.

One thing to keep in mind with consignment stores is that they often hold a higher standard for the items they will accept and sell. I recommend giving your items a quick wipe or cleaning because it could make the difference between successfully selling them or not.

Here are a few stores to check out in both Canada and the United States:

• Plato’s Closet (for accessories, handbags, clothes, shoes, and a few other items geared towards teens up to about age 30, both women’s and men’s)
• Once Upon a Child (for kids and baby items, from furniture and strollers, clothes, toys, books, and accessories. This is also a great place to find and sell used uniforms for schools, scouts or guides, or other local clubs.)
• Style Encore (for accessories, handbags, clothes, and shoes for women in their late 20’s and older.)
• Music Go Round (for musical instruments and accessories)
• Play it Again Sports (for new and used sporting equipment, gear, shoes, clothes, and accessories)

Antique Malls and Markets

This is a fun alternative to potentially sell a wide range of items. There are a few different ways to do this, and it will vary from location to location. Most of these markets rent spaces, booths, or shelves, and then they will set up a payment schedule with you for when items sell.

If it’s only a couple of items instead of enough to fill a space, you can give the antique markets a call or even show up and ask if you can bring an item that may be a good fit. On my trip to the West Coast, we stopped at a few different antique malls and markets along the way. When I asked the owner about selling specific items, I learned that what they take will vary greatly based on what customers purchase (which makes sense.) While it may be disappointing that the first market you go to won’t buy an item or will only pay a small amount, it does mean that if you find a market with the right audience, it may do really well.

A Few More Ways to Sell

While I’ve had limited experience with some of these, here are some other alternative places you can sell your used items:

• Comic Book Stores often buy games, comics, action figures, trading cards, and more.
• Used Book Stores: This will vary. Some bookstores will give you cash. Others will give you store credit (which can be used to purchase new books for yourself or even potentially gifts for the readers in your life!)
• Yard Sales (Here are 10 steps to make your yard sale epic!)
• College bookstores are a great way to get a little cash back from used college textbooks.
• Jewelry Stores will sometimes buy used pieces of jewelry and precious metals by weight.

How Do You Sell Your Used Items

With the endless ways to sell items that you no longer need, what are your favorites? Are there any that I missed on the list? While I’ve tried some of these options, I haven’t had a chance to try others. If you’ve tried selling items using one of the methods on this list, how did it go? Any tips to make it more successful or profitable? Let’s talk about it in the comments!

About Chloe Morgan

Chloe Morgan grew up living with a tight budget. In her late teens and early 20’s, all the lessons she’d learned started to slip, like it does for many college-age students on their own for the first time with their first credit card. As she’s gotten older, she’s started to deal with the repercussions and has taken on a frugal way of living, keeping her costs low, as she pays off debt and saves for her future. Chloe lives in Northern Ontario, Canada, with her dog, Rhea. 

Check out her work on TheOrganicPrepper.com and TheFrugalite.com where she writes about food, frugality, finances, and self-reliance, or her work on Medium, where she writes about lifestyle, mental health, and writing.