Getting Started with Selling (Beginner's Luck or Lackthereof)

If you're anything like me, getting started with selling your new furniture flips may not be easy. This post is my attempt at sharing insights as I learn. Welcome to the journey!

I know pricing and selling can sometimes be a taboo topic, but I will try my best to tackle it in a way that is both helpful to others who are new at this while also respecting aspects of the topic that may be a bit touchier.

One of the main things I’ve learned while embarking upon selling furniture is to be patient. Though that is certainly easier said than done when I am completely new to this and don’t know yet what I am doing. Or perhaps it's because patience isn't my strongest virtue :) Nonetheless, I'm giving it my best go and leaning on others for helpful insights where possible.

Thankfully, after a month of waiting and starting to question whether or not I had the right tactics, my little Dixie nightstand that I love so much sold! What’s even more exciting is that the woman I sold it to might be interested in commissioning another piece from me in the not too distant future (fingers crossed!).

That said, @piecebypiece finds has been invaluable to me, giving me loads of advice as I have gotten started. She pointed me towards some pricing “how-tos” by @prettydistressed. And noted that Canary street crafts has a helpful page on how to price commissioned pieces (I will definitely be using their editable Commissioned Furniture Project Form).

Some other tips that I've gathered thus far:

• Be clear on whether you offer shipping or not, and whether you would be willing to provide drop-off. I had originally planned for my nightstand to be pick-up only, but when a customer expressed interest but noted that she lived too far away to make the drive, I agreed to meet her half way. Since this was my first sale, I decided to provide that service for free. In the future, I will likely charge a little depending on the distance.

• Diversify your listing platforms. If you’re like me, you may not yet have a website up and running (in the works!), and likely don’t yet have a following of interested customers. Some good starter locations: Facebook Marketplace, Facebook Buy & Sell Groups, Craigslist, OfferUp, Ebay, Social media, etc.

• The thing I haven’t figured out yet is how to get more interest from local customers (aside from looking to friends/friends of friends) for commissioned pieces. Any tips from out in the ether?

• Don't undervalue your work. It can be hard to gauge pricing in the beginning, but remember that while you can always lower it later, you can't raise it.

• A simple formula for deciding on an initial list price: initial purchase price + cost of materials and supplies + labor + any transportation costs + potential boost if it's a collector's item or there are other special features. Additionally, do research on what other similar pieces have sold for.

• Pieces that start out as high-quality but require a little TLC to fix wear-and-tear tend to have the most potential for selling.

• Keep track of your expenses! This will be extra important when it comes to tax season.

This is another post that I will be adding to over time as I learn more, and I would love for any thoughts and suggestions from others!