Sometimes, impulsive buying gets the best of us, and we end up purchasing all kinds of things even though we have no need for them. These random items end up taking up space and cluttering your room or house in general. On the bright side, “another man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” and this concept is made into a reality by marketplace apps such as OfferUp.
OfferUp allows you to sell items you may have around the house that you no longer use. But before signing up and creating an account, you’re probably wondering if it’s a safe app to use. If this is the case, you’re in the right place—our OfferUp review will contain all the information you need.
What Is OfferUp?
OfferUp is an app and website that allows you to sell most things under the sun and buy whatever you want from users who live near you. Andreessen Horowitz and T. Rowe Price founded OfferUp in 2011, and since then, the startup company was able to receive funding from different capital venture companies. In fact, one of these companies is Jackson Square Ventures.
How Does It Work?
As a Buyer
The process of buying stuff at OfferUp is straightforward and basically works like most online marketplaces. The app uses your location to find items being sold near you. OfferUp also has a search function that you can use to look for specific items that you may want or need.
Once you find the thing you were looking for, you can either message the seller or make an offer. Once a price has been agreed upon, you and the seller can arrange to meet each other and finalize the deal.
As a Seller
Selling on OfferUp is just as easy. All you need to do is take a clear photo of the item you’re selling and put an exact description of what it is. Following that, you can choose which category the item should be placed in, give it a price, and post it. From that, all you have to do is wait for someone to buy it.
If you’re selling technology, like a laptop, for example, you need to state what condition the item is in before selling. In other words, you have to be honest whether if the item has been used, reconditioned, if it’s new, etc. Be as detailed as possible because potential buyers will be able to view this information.
Does OfferUp Have Any Fees?
You don’t have to pay for anything if you want to sell on OfferUp. However, as a seller, OfferUp gives you the option to “bump” your display through ads on the platform. If you want to use this feature to have a wider reach and potentially more buyers, you’ll have to pay a fee.
Features
OfferUp Bump
As previously mentioned, OfferUp has a “Bump” feature you have to pay for that ensures more potential buyers see your item. Here are the pricing plans for this feature:
- $7.99 for 3 days
- $12.99 for 7 days
- $19.99 for 14 days
Follower Count
Buyers can follow you on OfferUp, which is a strong indication that they’re interested in the items you’re selling and would want to remain updated on what you’re going to display in the future.
Offers Section
OfferUp has an “offers” section where you can place items you want to get rid of fast and for an affordable price.
What Isn’t Allowed on OfferUp?
While you can sell most things on OfferUp, several things aren’t allowed on the platform. Here’s a quick list of what you can’t display:
- Drugs, alcohol, and tobacco
- Replicas and knock-offs
- Animals and animal products
- Adult content
- Medicine
- Illegal items
- Gift cards and food items
Common OfferUp Complaints
- It has a negative BBB rating.
- The customer service experience is poor, and the representatives can barely help you if you have a concern.
- The platform has numerous scammers, so you need to be wary when shopping.
- Just about anyone can be an OfferUp user, thus the common occurrence of scammers.
Conclusion
Overall, OfferUp seems to be a legitimate company you can safely sell items on. However, you have to be wary when it comes to buying items because anyone can display their things on the site, which means there’s a decent amount of scammers. If you’re not careful enough, you could end up getting ripped off instead.
If you make a complaint, you probably won’t receive help or a resolution from OfferUp’s customer service team either, which is a huge bummer. Feel free to use the site, just remember to keep your eyes peeled.
