If you’ve been doing some decluttering during the lockdown, you could be sitting on a small goldmine – the things you no longer want could be exactly what someone else is looking for. As one of SA’s favourite places to buy and sell preloved items, bidorbuy can help you turn your clutter into cash. There’s always a ready market for antiques and collectables, as this list of the highest prices for secondhand goods sold on bidorbuy during the last month shows:
| Item | Selling price |
| R25 Mandela gold coins and Long Walk to Mandela gold coin | R200,000.00 |
| Stellenbosch 300 Years (1679-1979) : Bronze, Silver & 18ct GOLD Medals | R119,000.00 |
| 2008 South Africa Mahatma Gandhi SET 1oz Gold 1oz Silver 1 1/10th Gold | R76,000.00 |
| INVESTMENT – 100% Natural Brilliant Cut Diamond 1.16ct Q IF, Valued R180000! | R70,000.00 |
| 1902 Veld Pond – Pilgrim’s Rest Coin | R70,000.00 |
| Mandela & De Klerk Nobel Peace Laureate 1 oz gold medallion, Mint of Norway | R35,000.00 |
| Vintage Dining Room Suite American Walnut Complete Set circa 1945 -1948 ex CPT | R35,000.00 |
| Mandela 10 Years of Democracy 2004 1oz gold coin | R 35,000.00 |
| RARE GROUND ZERO 1998 CANADIAN 50 DOLLARS FINE GOLD COIN-ONE OUNCE BEAUTY !! | R 34,500.00 |
| THE FRANKLIN MINT 50 x INGOT/BARS .925 SILVER 3.227 Kilograms | R 34,500.00 |
Perhaps you haven’t unearthed any rare gold coins, but our top tips will help you sell your everyday treasures, so take a look:
Make your items easy to find
Think carefully about how you describe the secondhand items you’d like to sell. See how other sellers have described similar items and use the kind of keywords that buyers enter when they’re looking for items.
Category, category, category
Be as specific as you can when you choose a category for your preloved items – this will ensure that only buyers that really want a piano or an Xbox game look at your listing.
Be honest!
We know you are, but still… Describe the item as accurately as you can, especially when it comes to the year it was made (if you know this), the brand (if there is one) and the condition that it’s in. “Nearly-new” can mean something quite different from “used” or “well-loved”.
A picture is worth a thousand Rand
Buyers like to see what they’re bidding on or buying. Uploading good quality pictures can make a big difference. Take the pictures of your secondhand item in natural light against a neutral background and try to include pictures that clearly show any labels or maker’s marks. Try to also show any scratches or damage, so that buyers can see you’re being completely honest.
The price is right
If you’re not sure how much your secondhand goods are worth, check out listings for similar products to see the sort of prices other sellers are asking. That should give you a good guide. For rare or antique items, consider auctioning them on bidorbuy rather than setting a fixed price. You can choose a reserve price, so you’ll always know the minimum amount you’ll get.
There’s a season for everything
Unless you’re in a hurry to sell, it might be worth waiting until the items you’re selling are in higher demand – they might be worth more. For example, fewer people will be looking for bikes or garden furniture in winter, whereas cold weather could mean more people are looking for skiing gear or winter coats.
Whatever you’re selling, we hope you’ll enjoy your bidorbuy experience. For any questions about selling secondhand items, please contact our category team: category@bidorbuy.co.za
