Cash in Your Castoffs

Insider tips on the best places to sell your stuff—and how to make (real) money.

Clothes

The best marketplace: Not surprisingly, it’s eBay.com, which notches 10.3 million daily listings in this category. (A dress sells on the site every 15 seconds.) Why so popular? Simple: No other place makes it as easy to search for brand names (Coach, Juicy Couture, and Ralph Lauren are best sellers) and specific sizes, says eBay Power-Seller Debbie Imlay of Chatsworth, California. Other pluses: Shipping can be covered by the buyer, and commissions and fees are minimal.

Selling Points

• List your items for seven days, not three or five, to give them optimal exposure.
• Use a short, descriptive title that contains the following information, ideally in this order: brand, color, style, and size. For example: “Michael Kors shiny black A-line raincoat XL.” If the item is brand-new and still has the tags, add “NWT” on the end.
• Include photos. Take shots from various angles, as well as close-ups of trim, detail work, and the label.
• Provide a bulleted list describing your item (some of which will duplicate wording in the title): brand, size, condition, if it comes with the tags, type of material, where it was made, original retail price, and other noteworthy details.

Get your belongings in salable condition with the help of the Before-You-Sell Checklist.