Consignment or craigs list? (Minneapolis: for sale, mattress, appliances)

[Opt_10]

I have some items to sell including a couch and mattress both in great condition. What would be y best option? I looked at consignment stores but then I will have to pay for shipping it to the store? Craigs list is another option but I have no idea how to trust response to craigs list ad? Would it be safe to give my home location to craigs list responses if they are interested in buying? Consignment seems trust worthy but then I will have to wait and see if it actually sells and since I am moving cross country I would like to sell these ASAP.

I am also asking a friend to post pictures on her face book page.

Any good consignment stores in Minneapolis that would buy a used mattress and a head board? Any suggestions?

[mnlife]

That's a tricky one! Hard to move furniture to a public location to make the exchange. Maybe keep the items in your garage so the buyer doesn't go in your home?

[Hockeygirl063]

CL is good. I have used it many times with no adverse effects. If you are worried and someone wants to come see the item make sure there is another person with you. Obviously you can't meet in a public place with a matress. But if you have smaller items meet ina public place like a coffee shop or at the local mall etc.


I think eBay has the ability to do local ads for pickup only so no shipping. You pay a small fee to them after the item sells but it isn't too bad Make sure on CL you tell them cash only. I would never take a check from someone I don't know

[Mason3001]

Originally Posted by Opt_10

I have some items to sell including a couch and mattress both in great condition. What would be y best option? I looked at consignment stores but then I will have to pay for shipping it to the store? Craigs list is another option but I have no idea how to trust response to craigs list ad? Would it be safe to give my home location to craigs list responses if they are interested in buying? Consignment seems trust worthy but then I will have to wait and see if it actually sells and since I am moving cross country I would like to sell these ASAP.

I am also asking a friend to post pictures on her face book page.

Any good consignment stores in Minneapolis that would buy a used mattress and a head board? Any suggestions?

CL is the way to go. First off, consignment shops are almost never interested in mattresses, regardless of how new. Secondly, you'll earn far less with a consignment shop and have to drag your stuff over there for them to sell.....ON CRAIGSLIST!, lol.

Just take your pics, post them/ad on CL and wait for responses. You can choose to have responses come via email (it's masked so the sender never knows your email addy) or post your phone number and request either text or phone calls. I prefer emails. If the person seems sincere I send them my phone # so we can text. If that seems fine, then I tell them my address. I have never heard of a case of problems happening in Minnesota with CL other than with cell phones.

My Wife and I buy and sell multiple things every week and have for years and have never had a problem.

Also, anyone not in the area is a scam, period. i.e. "Hi, I saw your ad and will pay full price but I'm in Brazil right now and will be back next month. I'll send a check that you can deposit, but in return I need you to deposit the cost of the check into my paypal account". Don't even waste your time, it's a scam every single time.

[Opt_10]

Originally Posted by Mason3001

CL is the way to go. First off, consignment shops are almost never interested in mattresses, regardless of how new. Secondly, you'll earn far less with a consignment shop and have to drag your stuff over there for them to sell.....ON CRAIGSLIST!, lol.

Just take your pics, post them/ad on CL and wait for responses. You can choose to have responses come via email (it's masked so the sender never knows your email addy) or post your phone number and request either text or phone calls. I prefer emails. If the person seems sincere I send them my phone # so we can text. If that seems fine, then I tell them my address. I have never heard of a case of problems happening in Minnesota with CL other than with cell phones.

My Wife and I buy and sell multiple things every week and have for years and have never had a problem.

Also, anyone not in the area is a scam, period. i.e. "Hi, I saw your ad and will pay full price but I'm in Brazil right now and will be back next month. I'll send a check that you can deposit, but in return I need you to deposit the cost of the check into my paypal account". Don't even waste your time, it's a scam every single time.

Thank you. I found somewhere on line that it is illegal to sell used mattress? Is this true? Also, when you sell big items like couch and mattress, the buyer is responsible for having it shipped to their home right?

Another thing I am wondering about is timing. I am moving end of July. so ideally I would like to keep the couch and mattress at least until mid july. when should I put an ad on Craigslist? will June be too early?

Thirdly, my queen mattress is just 1.5 years old, in great condition, comfy, and I love it. Is there any option to ship my mattress alone cross country? I would hate to but another mattress all over again . I have eliminated moving companies and pods since their quotes were way too high. Any thoughts?

[wamer27]

Originally Posted by Opt_10

Thank you. I found somewhere on line that it is illegal to sell used mattress? Is this true? Also, when you sell big items like couch and mattress, the buyer is responsible for having it shipped to their home right?

Another thing I am wondering about is timing. I am moving end of July. so ideally I would like to keep the couch and mattress at least until mid july. when should I put an ad on Craigslist? will June be too early?

Thirdly, my queen mattress is just 1.5 years old, in great condition, comfy, and I love it. Is there any option to ship my mattress alone cross country? I would hate to but another mattress all over again . I have eliminated moving companies and pods since their quotes were way too high. Any thoughts?

You can ship anything anywhere, you just have to pay for it. I paid $500 two weeks ago to have a vehicle I just bought in Chicago shipped to my house. I'd stop in at post office and ask about shipping a mattress. They'll know all the info you'd need to know, and what places would work best to do it if it's not them.

Put the things you want to sell on Craigslist mid July. If your not getting any inquires (I only use emails when selling) , drop the price. If no one wants them, put on free section right before you leave. Make sure it's stated that buyer comes to pick things up.

[Opt_10]

Originally Posted by wamer27

You can ship anything anywhere, you just have to pay for it. I paid $500 two weeks ago to have a vehicle I just bought in Chicago shipped to my house. I'd stop in at post office and ask about shipping a mattress. They'll know all the info you'd need to know, and what places would work best to do it if it's not them.

Put the things you want to sell on Craigslist mid July. If your not getting any inquires (I only use emails when selling) , drop the price. If no one wants them, put on free section right before you leave. Make sure it's stated that buyer comes to pick things up.

Thanks. Did you mean a car? I am in the same situation. I am trying to see if shipping my car to California will be worth it and if it will save me money as opposed to selling my car and buying a new one. Did you use a moving company to ship your vehicle? $500 seems cheap but may be because chicago is not that far from minneapolis?

[wamer27]

Originally Posted by Opt_10

Thanks. Did you mean a car? I am in the same situation. I am trying to see if shipping my car to California will be worth it and if it will save me money as opposed to selling my car and buying a new one. Did you use a moving company to ship your vehicle? $500 seems cheap but may be because chicago is not that far from minneapolis?

Yep, was a car. Dealer worked the shipping out and Chicago is not too far away. I found a 3rd party shipping site where you put where vehicle starts and end for shipping and then your info is sent to tons of shipping companies and they send you bids (I was looking at shipping from Nashville to Mpls and best bids were in $550 range) made the mistake of putting my phone number down (got many calls) So it's best to check first shipping before buying and selling because in CA and you'll have to pay taxes on new car purchase, so if it's more then shipping, then it won't be worth it for same car as you have now.

[Hockeygirl063]

Originally Posted by Mason3001

CL is the way to go. First off, consignment shops are almost never interested in mattresses, regardless of how new. Secondly, you'll earn far less with a consignment shop and have to drag your stuff over there for them to sell.....ON CRAIGSLIST!, lol.

Just take your pics, post them/ad on CL and wait for responses. You can choose to have responses come via email (it's masked so the sender never knows your email addy) or post your phone number and request either text or phone calls. I prefer emails. If the person seems sincere I send them my phone # so we can text. If that seems fine, then I tell them my address. I have never heard of a case of problems happening in Minnesota with CL other than with cell phones.

My Wife and I buy and sell multiple things every week and have for years and have never had a problem.

Also, anyone not in the area is a scam, period. i.e. "Hi, I saw your ad and will pay full price but I'm in Brazil right now and will be back next month. I'll send a check that you can deposit, but in return I need you to deposit the cost of the check into my paypal account". Don't even waste your time, it's a scam every single time.

Great advice. I have bought and sold many things too here in Oregon and I have never had a problem other than someone being late meeting me which is not a big deal.

If I end up moving I am sure we will be using CL to buy some stuff and sell off some things too.Although I don't really want to sell anything I own we may have to to cut down on the cost and I can live with it.

[WoodburyWoody]

Are you in a neighborhood where someone has set up a Nextdoor.com site?

I am in suburbia, but our Nextdoor.com classifieds are very busy with furniture, beds, large appliances for sale. I used it to sell my daughter's twin bed and night stand over the winter. You can also see what similar stuff has sold for through the site in your neighborhood (it is limited to a geographic boundary determined by whoever initially set up the site and people are invited to join by neighbors or ask to join and supply their address to the moderator). Our stuff sold in a day.

Before Nextdoor.com, I sold some kids' furniture and baby stuff through Craig's List as well as some of our own furniture and shop equipment. Maybe 18 - 20 or so transactions over a few years as a seller. I always stated in the ad, "Cash only at time of sale" with lots of photos. One person, after agreeing to the price in email, tried talking me down at pick up "because I am already here" but I told her nope and she quickly gave me what she had agreed to pay originally ... that was the only hiccup I experienced with CL for selling (or buying, for that matter). I have not used CL for that for four or five years, but always had them come to my house.