How to Sell High End Used Furniture

Selling used high-end furniture requires an understanding of the marketplace. Trends in decor, colors and styles can drop or raise the price of used furniture quickly. A high-dollar price tag on newly purchased upscale furniture can have little bearing on pricing the same furniture a year or more later. Choosing a selling option should be an informed decision, one that will draw the highest price possible.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Camera
• Paper and pencil

Instructions

Establish The Value

1. Write a description of the used furniture. Start by making an inventory of the items and noting the date purchased, era or style represented, brand name and an honest assessment of its condition---fair, good, excellent. Note any repairs that might be necessary.

2. Take photos of the furniture from several different directions. Make sure to photograph any tears, worn spots or damage that might lower the value. Print the photos for easy handling.

3. Visit local furniture resale stores with the photos and description in hand. Include a visit to the store the furniture was purchased from if it was local---some upscale furniture stores are now creating a used furniture section on their sales floors. Compare the photos with the items in these stores and note the pricing of similar or same items. Speak with the owners or managers to discover if the used furniture will be of interest to their customers, what they might sell the furniture for and the percentage they would charge to place and sell the item in their store.

4. Look for similar furniture items and note prices at online auction sites, local furniture auctions and for sale in the classifieds.

Choose A Sales Option

1. Analyze the research conducted and choose the best sales option. Assess the true monetary value of the furniture by comparing the pricing across the board. Include the recent price if the furniture is still being sold and the various resale and auction prices as gathered through research.

2. Choose a sales option---sell through a local reseller, by owner through a classified ad or online auction or place the high-end furniture with a local auction house. Decide what works best for the particular situation. Selling the furniture right away through a classified ad may make more sense than putting it in a resale shop for a few months or having a reseller handle the sale may make more sense than putting it in an online auction.

3. Use the written description to sell by owner, if that is the selling choice. Capitalize on any trends that were discovered during research that showcase the style of the high-end furniture being sold. Use the photos when posting an online classified ad or auction listing.

4. Deliver the items to the auction house or resale venue, if that is the selling choice. Make sure to walk away with a dated receipt that lists each item separately. Have the receiver note on the receipt the percentage agreed upon for a sale. Know how long they intend to keep the item before they decide it will not sell or in the case of an auction seller, the date of the auction.

Tips & Warnings

• Online auction listings must state that the purchaser pays for crating and shipping the items.

References

• Selling Used Goods