LEGIT Decluttr Review: Sell Your Old Stuff for Sure Money - Scam or Legit?

[Naomi]

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If you’ve been following my posts (come on, I know there are at least two of you who do!) you would have read about my efforts and tips on how to declutter. Most of those decluttering efforts involved getting rid of old or unused items of clothing. It went pretty well - so well, that I started reevaluating my home and decided to sell off the other stuff I don’t need. And we may think we need everything in our homes, but that really isn’t the case.

How many DVDs do we have that haven’t been watched since streaming video became a thing? How many books do we have, but never read? (I’m looking at you, Holden) Some of us have enough kitchen appliances to equip a small restaurant but haven’t gotten around to actually using them. (I am totally guilty of that - I once thought I could start a cupcake business, but that idea went bust)

So I decided to declutter and sell stuff online. Most of the stuff I wanted to get rid of were DVDs, Blu-Rays, some CDs, and my boyfriend’s first-generation Xbox. (Don’t worry, he asked me to get rid of it)

The usual selling platform for these things is eBay , but the auction site has too many fees - I almost expected to get charged just for clicking my login button! So I started looking around online and stumbled across Decluttr. It looked like a good place to sell my stuff (even if they seemed to be averse to vowels). To date, they’ve paid over $200 million to over 4 million customers

So I tried to sell a couple of batches of stuff on the site, and I think I’ve gotten pretty familiar with it. Here’s my Decluttr review.

Decluttr vs. eBay

First, let’s address the most obvious question: why Decluttr, and not eBay? For starters, you don’t actually sell on Decluttr. You sell to Decluttr. The site is a buyer for used stuff, specifically:

• Used DVDs, CDs, Blu-Rays, and video games
• Books
• Cell Phones
• Gadgets (Including Apple products, Kindles, tablets, and wearables)
• Lego

You can also unload consoles, but those are on a trade-in basis.

So selling on Decluttr is more convenient. You won’t have to cross your fingers hoping someone will actually bid on your stuff. On Decluttr, you enter the barcode of the item you want to sell, and you’ll know instantly whether Decluttr will buy it or not.

Of course, since you’re selling for a set price, this means that your sales won’t have the opportunity to blow up like it would if it were on auction. But that’s the game you’ll have to play. If you think your item is collectible and likely to attract a bidding war, throw it on eBay. If not, sell it on Decluttr and be done with it.

Fewer fees… or any fees, at all. The money they send you for your items is the only money that changes hands here. Pretty sweet, huh?

How to Sell on Decluttr

Time to discuss selling to Decluttr. It’s pretty simple. First, you need to register on their site or mobile app. Follow the links below:

Website: https://www.decluttr.com
iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/decluttr/id588381823?mt=8
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.decluttr&hl=en

Here’s the actual selling process using the app:

1. Tap the “Enter Item” button and scan your items using the app’s built-in barcode scanner. You can also enter the barcodes manually, but the scanner is a super-convenient option.

In addition to the barcode scanner, the app also comes with a valuation engine. It is basically a system that checks their expansive database for the price they pay for each item.

Each time you scan, you will know immediately whether or not Decluttr is buying the item. If they are buying, you will also know their buying price instantly.

2. Once you’re done scanning all your items, you can proceed to check-out. Do note that Decluttr has a $5 minimum total purchase. So you’ve got to ensure that all the items your selling are worth a total of at least $5. (You can sell single items worth $5 or more)

3. You will receive a free shipping label (super awesome!). Send out your stuff.

4. Once Decluttr has received the shipment, they will confirm whether the items are in the condition you’ve declared. If they are, they’ll send payment either as cheque, PayPal deposit, or direct deposit to your bank account.

And that’s it! It’s super-easy. I don’t have to deal with multiple bidders or pack up multiple shipments. The time saved packing shipments is more than worth it.

Earning Potential on Decluttr

I made a pretty good amount of money selling our old tech items on Decluttr. Of course, I got paid way less than what I bought them for, but I sold a lot of stuff, and the earnings quickly piled up. (I had some rare and collectible CDs, which I opted to sell on eBay)

Your own earnings will depend on the type and amount of items you sell - I recommend installing the app and testing the barcode scanner on some of your items to get a feel for Decluttr’s pricing schemes.

The Pros and Cons of Selling on Decluttr

I think Decluttr is pretty awesome - but it’s not perfect, of course. Let me list down the pros and cons of dealing with the site.

The Pros

It’s very convenient

The app has that built-in barcode scanner and valuation engine. I didn’t have to scratch my head trying to figure out how I should sell a particular item for. Also, scanning automatically added it to Decluttr’s shopping basket. I didn’t have to write a lengthy description or take photos. I just scanned the stuff I wanted to sell.

Free shipping

If I sold my stuff anywhere else, I would have to pay for shipping. Not on Decluttr. That free shipping label was awesome.

They’re a reliable and trusted site

I didn’t have to worry about joy bidders or deadbeat buyers. All my transactions with Decluttr went smoothly. Decluttr is a pretty big company with a reputation to maintain; they won’t screw you over.

The Cons

Low buying price for some items

Decluttr doesn’t pay much for the items you’re selling - mainly because they, in turn, need to sell those items. Sometimes, selling to Decluttr reminded me of Pawn Stars where one of the pawnshop dudes low-balls a seller and says “Look, I gotta make a profit here.”

But I look at it as a trade-off. I was getting paid less for the convenience (and the guaranteed sale).

They’re super-strict about the condition of your items

Don’t try to pass off a beat-up paperback as a mint copy. Decluttr takes time to inspect items before sending out payment. Understandably, they’re really strict about the condition of the items they buy. But be aware of that when selling to them.

The Verdict: Legit or Scam?

Decluttr is legit! They’re really professional and reliable. Selling to them is a breeze, especially if you’ve got lots of stuff to sell. I highly recommended Decluttr over other online selling sites.

Decluttr Screenshots

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Your Turn

This review is based on my own experiences selling stuff to Decluttr. Now it’s your turn to share! Have you sold anything through the site? What did you sell, and how were your earnings?

Lts hr yr stries! (Sorry, I just had to do that)

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[ninjamonkeykiller]

I have (well... my Boyfriend has) a lot of Lego Mini-Figures piling up that we could sell. He buys Legos and is building this giant city - in our spare room I might add, which is no longer a spare room at all - but he doesn't really do anything with all of the mini-figures that he gets with his sets. However, they don't have individual bar codes attached to them. Would we still be able to sell the to decluttr do you think?

 

[Naomi]

I've never tried selling toys on Decluttr. But I do know that Lego has a pretty big secondary market. Do some Google searches to determine if you (or your boyfriend) have any rare minifigs. For the rare ones, I suggest pricing them accordingly, and selling them on Facebook Marketplace.

 

[Kanvi]

@Naomi in your research for this review of Decluttr did you stumble across any international alternatives? We have a lot of international users on EarnThatBuck and I'm sure they'd be interested in something like this. Personally, I am a big fan of Facebook Marketplaces and if I were Decluttr, Craigslist or any of those sites I'd be shaking a bit, because first of all with Facebook, it's super easy to verify if you're dealing with someone real, I think the scale is bigger too, and handling the actual transaction ie. meetup etc is fairly seamless as well.

 

[Naomi]

@Kanvi: Yup, I think Facebook Marketplace and eBay are the best places for international people to sell. They’re not the most exciting options, but you don’t want exciting when it comes to selling platforms. You want safe and reliable.

Facebook Marketplace is a pretty good alternative. But if you’re selling something collectible, or something with niche interest, make sure you also check the relevant Facebook groups, not just the Marketplace. I often prefer to limit my selling to specific groups. Sometimes Facebook Marketplace can be like the wild west of selling. There are a lot of deadbeat buyers and low-ballers out there in the wild. But the chances of encountering those types of buyers are lessened a bit in a group.

As for eBay… oddly enough, I get less deadbeats on eBay, even if people are hidden behind their usernames there. And that’s because eBay’s feedback system has pretty strong social clout. I’ve even found sellers on Facebook using their eBay score to assure buyers that they’re legit.

The eBay fees suck, but you’re paying for their function functionality. If you want potential buyers to fight over what you’re selling, definitely go for eBay. It’s funny, people sometimes hold auctions on Facebook. Bidders leave their bids on the comments section. It’s clunky and not 100% fool-proof.

 

[NickBlaine]

Thanks for this Decluttr review - it’s very timely! It’s that time of the year again when I’m making room for new by letting go of the old. Goodness knows I’ve tried my best to reduce consumption this past year, but I guess people like giving me loads of stuff - especially during the holidays.

But I like that we now have apps to help me face the not-so-attractive task of culling stuff I no longer use or need. And if I can make money off them in the process, all the better!

I have yet to try Decluttr but someone sent me this reminder about the process of decluttering. So in the spirit of the new year (and for the love of wide open spaces and clean closets), I’m sharing them with all of you in the forum. Kind of food for thought, if you must.

“Nine Hard Truths About Clutter”

1. Nothing you own is ever really gone; it will continue to exist...somewhere.
2. The best way to clear clutter is to reduce what you bring in.
3. Many of us shop to escape our feelings.
4. There’s a dark side to donating.
5. Every single thing you own is something you have to take care of.
6. Clutter has been linked to depression.
7. The longer you keep something, the more attached you become.
8. Eventually, someone will have to decide what to do with every item you own.
9. Your stuff is getting in the way of the best stuff.

Have a clutter-free and happy new year, everyone!

 

[Naomi]

I read somewhere that since Marie Kondo’s Netflix show dropped, thrift stores have been overwhelmed with people trying to declutter by unloading stuff that don’t “spark joy” in their lives anymore. If you need an extra nudge when it comes to decluttering, I totally recommend Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. It’s instructive, and also entertaining.

One thing I find interesting is how some people react negatively to Marie Kondo’s advice to only keep stuff that sparks joy. I think people interpret “joy” to literally (although, to be fair, Kondo does seem to use that word literally). We have lots of stuff that don’t necessarily spark joy, but have legitimate reason to hold on to. Take me, for example. I’m a low-key prepper. I have shelves full of supplies like canned food, spare batteries, and well-stocked bug-out bags. None of these items bring me joy in the usual sense of the word. I don’t go jumping with glee while looking at my collection of flashlights. But I do feel a sense of safety and confidence, and that’s sort of like joy. So I recommend replacing the word “joy” with whatever it is you look for in an object. Does this item make you feel relaxed? Or does it make you feel empowered? “Joy” doesn’t have to be taken literally!

 

[Amos]

I dunno about what Naomi said but I have a tough time deciding that whole sparks joy thing. I have a garage full of tools, and I’ve nuked my belongings a few times. Because yeah you can have too many tools lol. They give me “confidence” as Naomi puts it but I still think that’s not an excuse to keep stuff. If anything it just forces me to maximize my existing stuff because I know nothing will last forever.

So when I do sell most of my clutter, I’m putting more value in the stuff I don’t sell, ya get what I’m saying? For example, I’ve got five sets of screwdrivers, and about three different tool boxes. All of those things are pretty important to what I do, but “important” doesn’t mean “essential.” I could make do with less than half of all that stuff, actually. So I decided to Marie Kondo all the junk in my garage! (Yes, that’s what it is – junk. It’s great junk. It’s extremely useful junk… but it’s till just that – junk)

I actually think selling all my old crap has made me more mindful (that’s the correct term, right) of my belongings. Like, now that I have only half of my tools left, I’ve become more familiar with them.