Ultimate Guide and Top Tips for Selling on Gumtree

Want to declutter your home and make money at the same time?

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, UK consumers will spend £141.33 billion shopping online in 2020. This is a massive 34.7% increase compared to 2019.

Today, we buy more stuff than we need. According to reports, people consume twice as much material goods today than we did five decades ago. All while increasing the credit card debt.

The good news is, you can sell your old stuff and make money. The rise of online marketplaces made it easy for people to buy and sell new and unwanted stuff. In fact, you can do so from the comfort of your home or on the go via your smartphone or tablet.

One of the best sites to sell your items online is Gumtree…

What is Gumtree?

Gumtree is an online marketplace for free classified ads in the UK. As a classified ad and community site, Gumtree makes it easy for people to buy and sell items. For example, you can buy and sell properties and cars.

Based at Hotham House in Richmond, London, Gumtree allows users to post free or paid classified ads. Founded in 2000, Gumtree started as a community website to help people buy and sell unwanted stuff. Two decades later, Gumtree is the #1 classified sites in the UK. In fact, one in four UK adults uses Gumtree every month.

What Can I Sell on Gumtree?

As a classifieds platform, Gumtree allows users to buy and sell:

Cars
Real estate
Furniture
Clothing
Electronics
Jewellery

The site also allows users to buy and sell services such as van hire and massage.

If you’re looking for a community website that will help you discover your dream jobs, tutors, classes, mentors and even clubs, Gumtree is for you. You ought to know that Gumtree prohibits the sale of several items. They include:

Counterfeit products
Illegal drugs
Hazardous materials
Fireworks
Electronic surveillance equipment
Weapons
Pornographic material
Lottery tickets
Tobacco products

Gumtree is not just for selling unwanted stuff. You can sell new items too.

Is Gumtree Free?

Using Gumtree is free. You can post ads for free, but Gumtree does charge for certain services. For example, you can select one of the three paid ad options. By doing so, you increase the visibility of your ad to potential buyers.

These paid options include:

Plus
Features
Premium

All fees are usually quoted in pounds sterling. Gumtree reserves the right to change the fees from time to time. The community site may decide to change fees for new services or promotional events. If Gumtree makes changes to its pricing, users will receive an update of the fee policy.

Failure to pay fees will result in Gumtree limiting your ability to use its services.

Is Gumtree Safe?

Millions of users use Gumtree each day to post classified ads or buy products and services. The majority of people who transact on Gumtree have done so safely. Gumtree is committed to making sure that all transactions and listed products and services are safe.

They have even developed ways to educate its users on best practices for personal information and payments.

You may come across scammers on Gumtree. Some scammers will use phishing scams to obtain your bank details and passwords. Such scammers will send a fake Gumtree email or text in the hope you’ll quickly fall for their malicious intent.

Others create copycat Gumtree sites. These sites look real enough, but they often miss a few details. For example, the brand name may have additional characters such as “Gummtree or Gumtreee.”

How do I stay safe on Gumtree?

Never send an item to the buyer before receiving payment.
Always meet in person to exchange money and see the item. Make sure you’re meeting in a public place
Never wire money to buyers or sellers
If you receive an email with a Gumtree live chat link, report it
Never provide your banking or personal information such as credit card

Remember, Gumtree does not offer buyer protection and payment programs. If you discover fraud or illegal activity by community members, report the fraudulent or unlawful activity to Gumtree.

Does Gumtree Have an App?

Yes, Gumtree has an app for Android and iOS devices. The apps are available on Google Play Store and Apple iTunes.

With the Gumtree mobile app, you’ll be the first to know what other people are selling immediately when they post their ads. You can view local listings or search Gumtree from the comfort of your home or on the go.

You can post your ads and start selling in seconds.

How Do Buyers Pay for Purchases on Gumtree?

Gumtree accepts the following payment methods:

PayPal
Visa
Maestro
Mastercard

Payments are usually processed through a secure third-party payment processor. As such, Gumtree does not store your payment information. This ensures your payment details are secure and safe. To be on the safe side, Gumtree recommends meeting in person and pay in cash if buying or selling an item.

Tips for Selling on Gumtree…

1. Take Good Photos

A good photo makes your product look appealing. It also offers a clear picture of the product. Research shows that 22% of products sold online are usually returned because the item looked different than in the photo. To avoid this, take good photos.

2. Check Listing for Spelling Mistakes

Spelling errors affect your brand. Consumers hold businesses to the expectation that their ads are error-free and information. If a consumer sees a spelling or grammar mistake on your ad, they may think twice about making a purchase. Always check your listings for spelling mistakes.

3. Write an Informative Description

The best product descriptions should address your target audience, personally and directly. Failure to do so will result in no sale. To write an informative description, know your target audience, focus on the product’s benefits, and use power words.

4. Set a Reasonable Price

Determining a price for your products or services can be challenging. If you price your products too high, you may scare away buyers. If you price them too low, people will doubt their quality.

To make more sales, set a reasonable price. We recommend checking other marketplaces such as eBay and Facebook Marketplace for ideas.

5. Be Honest

Every product listing requires the utmost transparency and honesty. If your product lacks certain features, do not post misleading statements. Be honest.

6. Don’t Forget to Delete Your Listing Once the Item Is Sold

After selling an item, delete the listing. Failure to do so may result in a buyer buying an item that’s not available. This may affect your brand reputation.

7. Be Prepared to Accept Offers

Once you post your classified ad on Gumtree, you’ll receive several offers from interested buyers in your inbox. Open the messages, read them and reply to discuss the offer or accept it.

8. Include Your Phone Number in Your Listing

For increased response from interested buyers on Gumtree, include your phone number in your listing. This makes it easy for interested buyers to get in touch with you to discuss your offer or seek more details about the product or service.

9. Offer Local Delivery for Large/Heavy Items if You Have Suitable Transport

If selling large/heavy items such as furniture, offer local delivery if you have transportation. If not, add recommendations for local delivery firms in your description.

10. Be Flexible as to When Buyers Can Collect

Most sellers list their item for local pickup only. If you want to attract more customers, be flexible as to when buyers can collect the products you advertised.

11. Friday is a Good Day to List Your Items

There are over 2 million classified ads on Gumtree. Research shows that the best time to list your products or services on Gumtree is on Fridays. This is because most people buy on weekends.

12. Don’t Be Afraid to Count and Check Cash

When meeting in person, don’t get scared to count and check the money. This ensures that you don’t get scammed.

Final Thoughts…

Gumtree is one of the UK’s most popular classified websites. You can buy and sell everything from real estate to cars, furniture, clothing and even pets. It’s free to post a classified ad, but if you want to increase your ad’s visibility, you can select one of the three paid options.

These options allow you to upload more photos of your product, add a website link, include a highlighted background and much more. Remember, avoid misleading your advert description. Doing so will affect your sales and brand reputation.