Help me sell my brand-new modern-design lamp online
September 9, 2016 6:27 AM Subscribe
Where can an individual person sell a great, expensive, new, modern design lamp she can't use? (It's this lamp, in the Natural shade.)
I have, for reasons, a brand new, in-box pendant lamp that sells on YLighting.com and other similar sites for more than a thousand dollars new. I don't have a place for a fancy pendant lamp in my home, and I would like to sell it; it's great and someone will love it. And I could use some cash! Ebay and Craigslist are too general, I think, although it's listed in both places; it hasn't generated much interest.
Somewhere a Finnish design nerd or an interior designer would love to have this lamp, especially at a discount. Are there marketplaces anyone can recommend for this kind of selling?
I've seen this list (https://www.buzzfeed.com/jessicaprobus/9-websites-to-buy-and-sell-used-furniture-that-arent-craigsl?) but am not sure how up to date it is still. Personal experience welcome.
I'm in the Cleveland/Akron area, if it matters.
I have, for reasons, a brand new, in-box pendant lamp that sells on YLighting.com and other similar sites for more than a thousand dollars new. I don't have a place for a fancy pendant lamp in my home, and I would like to sell it; it's great and someone will love it. And I could use some cash! Ebay and Craigslist are too general, I think, although it's listed in both places; it hasn't generated much interest.
Somewhere a Finnish design nerd or an interior designer would love to have this lamp, especially at a discount. Are there marketplaces anyone can recommend for this kind of selling?
I've seen this list (https://www.buzzfeed.com/jessicaprobus/9-websites-to-buy-and-sell-used-furniture-that-arent-craigsl?) but am not sure how up to date it is still. Personal experience welcome.
I'm in the Cleveland/Akron area, if it matters.
It may sound obvious, but have you tried Etsy? There's a lot of midcentury-style pendant lamps at fairly high prices on there now. My experience of Etsy is that it may take a while for things to sell but they tend to sell eventually (eBay is more of a mixed bag). If you're not in a hurry, why not put it up there too?
Also, I think people who shop Etsy for vintage/midcentury/high-end decor are in a "higher prices for nicer stuff" headspace whereas Ebay is a bit more about bargains. At least, the same things seem to sell for more on Etsy.
posted by Frowner at 6:37 AM on September 9, 2016 [2 favorites]
Also, I think people who shop Etsy for vintage/midcentury/high-end decor are in a "higher prices for nicer stuff" headspace whereas Ebay is a bit more about bargains. At least, the same things seem to sell for more on Etsy.
posted by Frowner at 6:37 AM on September 9, 2016 [2 favorites]
The first place I would look for something like that is the Apartment Therapy Marketplace.
posted by shesbookish at 6:39 AM on September 9, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by shesbookish at 6:39 AM on September 9, 2016 [2 favorites]
I looked at your eBay listing, and also did a quick search for that lamp online.
While most domestic retailers are indeed advertising it for over $1k, it's available direct from Finland for about half the price, from a site that doesn't look obviously scammy.
For your eBay listing, I'd throw some more keywords into the title and subtitle, i.e. midcentury, Danish (even though it isn't), modern, etc. Also, you misspelled Finnish.
As rachelpapers wrote, it will probably take a good while to sell no matter what you do, and you'll probably have to drop your price significantly.
posted by jon1270 at 7:51 AM on September 9, 2016 [1 favorite]
While most domestic retailers are indeed advertising it for over $1k, it's available direct from Finland for about half the price, from a site that doesn't look obviously scammy.
For your eBay listing, I'd throw some more keywords into the title and subtitle, i.e. midcentury, Danish (even though it isn't), modern, etc. Also, you misspelled Finnish.
As rachelpapers wrote, it will probably take a good while to sell no matter what you do, and you'll probably have to drop your price significantly.
posted by jon1270 at 7:51 AM on September 9, 2016 [1 favorite]
One thing I've noticed, as both a buyer and seller - being in the US and offering fast shipping does often beat even substantial savings on international shipment, simply because non-express international shipments have a lot of potential to go astray or get held up in customs for unpredictable periods. (Right now, for instance, I am waiting on something from the UK - where is it? We don't know, because British post isn't trackable on this kind of overseas shipment, and this is a shipment from a well-known international retailer.)
Free express shipping within the US would probably be an inducement for a buyer.
posted by Frowner at 7:56 AM on September 9, 2016
Free express shipping within the US would probably be an inducement for a buyer.
posted by Frowner at 7:56 AM on September 9, 2016
How 'bout just taking it back to where you got it? If it is a gift, exchange it for a bunch of stuff you do want.
posted by Oyéah at 9:01 AM on September 9, 2016
posted by Oyéah at 9:01 AM on September 9, 2016
I don't think that you can sell it on etsy. You didn't make it and it's not vintage. If I wanted to buy something like that - not exactly used but not new from a retailer - I would want to pay half of retail.
posted by fixedgear at 1:36 PM on September 9, 2016
posted by fixedgear at 1:36 PM on September 9, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
I sold a few 1960s Danish orange vinyl couches on CL a few years ago. There are collectors out there, and they will find your item. Try putting "or best offer" on your listings to see what kind of offers you might get--I sold one couch because a guy was afraid to offer me $50 under my asking price before I said I'd take offers.
GLWTS.
posted by rachelpapers at 6:36 AM on September 9, 2016 [3 favorites]