OfferUp Selling Guide for Resellers 2026: Master Local Sales and Shipping

OfferUp has quietly become one of the most powerful tools in a reseller’s arsenal. While everyone argues about eBay fees and Poshmark algorithms, smart flippers are making serious money on a platform where listing is free and local buyers show up with cash in hand. After six years of selling on OfferUp and over 2,000 completed transactions, I can tell you exactly what works, what doesn’t, and how to stay safe while maximizing your profits.

The platform merged with Letgo back in 2020, and since then it’s grown into a marketplace with over 20 million monthly active users. That’s a lot of potential buyers in your local area who want to buy today, not next week when shipping arrives. Let’s break down everything you need to know to dominate OfferUp in 2026.

Understanding OfferUp’s Fee Structure

Here’s what makes OfferUp attractive for resellers: listing items is completely free. You can post unlimited listings without spending a dime. But there’s a catch, and it’s important to understand where the money actually goes.

Local Pickup Sales: Zero Fees

When someone buys your item and picks it up locally, OfferUp takes nothing. You keep 100% of the sale price. This is why local selling on OfferUp can be significantly more profitable than shipping marketplaces. Sell a $100 item? You get $100 (minus the gas to meet them, if applicable).

Compare this to other platforms and the difference is striking:

For a deeper breakdown of exactly how much each platform takes, check out our eBay, Mercari & Poshmark fee calculator to compare your potential profits across platforms.

Shipping Sales: Where OfferUp Makes Money

If you enable shipping, OfferUp charges a 12.9% fee with a minimum of $1.99 per transaction. That’s actually competitive with Mercari and cheaper than Poshmark’s flat 20%. The buyer pays shipping separately, so your fee comes directly from the sale price.

Shipping opens you up to the entire country, but it changes the math. A $50 shipped sale nets you about $43.55 after the 12.9% cut. Still profitable, but you’re now competing with sellers across America instead of just your local market.

Promoted Listings: The Optional Expense

OfferUp’s Promote feature puts your listing at the top of search results. Pricing varies based on your item category and local competition, but expect to pay anywhere from $1.99 to $19.99 for a week of promotion. In my experience, promoted listings work best for:

• High-value items over $200
• Categories with heavy competition (phones, furniture)
• Items you need to move quickly

For a $50 lamp? Don’t bother promoting. For a $500 iPhone? The extra visibility usually pays for itself.

Local Selling vs. Shipping: Which Strategy Wins?

Both approaches have their place, and the best resellers use both strategically. Here’s how to decide:

When to Sell Locally

Local selling is your best option when:

• Items are large or heavy: Furniture, exercise equipment, large appliances. Shipping a treadmill costs more than most people will pay for it.
• Low-value items: That $15 kitchen gadget isn’t worth the shipping hassle.
• You want instant cash: Meet the buyer, exchange goods for cash, done. No waiting for payments to process.
• Condition is hard to describe: Let the buyer see the item in person and avoid disputes.

The local market rewards items that would be nightmare to ship. A solid wood dresser that would cost $200 to ship becomes a $100 pure profit when someone picks it up with their truck.

When to Enable Shipping

Shipping makes sense when:

• Items are small and lightweight: Vintage collectibles, clothing, electronics
• You have niche inventory: That rare vinyl record might only interest one buyer in 100,000 people—you need national reach.
• Your local market is saturated: If you’re in a small town, shipping expands your buyer pool dramatically.
• High-value items that justify fees: A $300 designer bag is worth paying 12.9% to reach more buyers.

Many resellers run a hybrid strategy: list everything locally first, then enable shipping after a week or two if it hasn’t sold. This gives you the best chance at a fee-free sale without limiting your reach forever.

Safety Tips for Local Meetups

Let’s be real: meeting strangers from the internet to exchange cash requires common sense. I’ve had hundreds of successful meetups with zero incidents, but that’s because I follow strict safety protocols.

Choosing a Meeting Location

Never invite buyers to your home. Never go to their home. Here’s my hierarchy of safe meeting spots:

1. Police station safe exchange zones: Many police departments now have designated parking spots with 24/7 camera surveillance specifically for online sales. This is the gold standard.

2. Bank lobbies or ATMs: Well-lit, cameras everywhere, witnesses around. Plus the buyer can withdraw cash right there.

3. Busy public parking lots: Think grocery stores or big box retailers during daytime hours. Lots of foot traffic and witnesses.

4. Coffee shops: Good for smaller items. Cameras, employees, and other customers create a safe environment.

What to avoid:

• Residential areas
• Isolated parking lots
• Anywhere after dark (unless it’s a police station zone)
• Any location the buyer insists on despite your objections

Handling Cash Transactions

Cash is king for local sales, but you need to handle it properly:

• Count money in front of the buyer: No awkward surprises later.
• Check bills over $20: A counterfeit pen costs $5 and can save you hundreds.
• Don’t bring change: Price items at round numbers ($50 not $47) so the buyer brings exact cash.
• Never accept checks: Not personal checks, not cashier’s checks, nothing. Cash only.

For high-value items ($500+), consider meeting at a bank where the buyer can get a bank check drawn in front of you, or use a payment app like Venmo or Zelle on the spot.

Trust Your Instincts

If something feels off about a buyer, trust that feeling. Red flags include:

• Excessive questions about your personal details
• Insisting on meeting at their location
• Last-minute location changes
• Offering to pay more than asking price (common scam setup)
• Bringing multiple unknown people to the meetup

It’s always okay to cancel or reschedule. Your safety is worth more than any flip profit.

Negotiation Tactics That Actually Work

OfferUp buyers love to negotiate. It’s part of the local selling culture, and fighting it just loses you sales. Here’s how to negotiate like a pro:

Price Your Items for Negotiation

Build a 10-15% cushion into your asking price. If you want $100 for something, list it at $115. When the inevitable “would you take $100?” message comes, you can say yes and feel like you both won.

Avoid pricing at exact round numbers—list at $115 instead of $100, or $47 instead of $50. This makes your price feel more calculated and leaves less room for aggressive lowballing.

Responding to Lowball Offers

You’ll get ridiculous offers. It’s part of the game. Here’s how to handle them:

For reasonable offers (within 20% of asking): “Thanks for the offer! I could meet you at $X if you can pick up this week.”

For lowball offers (50%+ off): Simply counter with your lowest acceptable price. Don’t explain or justify—just state your number. Half the time, they’ll meet you in the middle.

For insulting offers: Ignore completely. Don’t engage, don’t argue, don’t counter. Some people just want to waste your time.

Use Bundling to Your Advantage

When a buyer is negotiating hard on one item, check their location and suggest they look at your other listings. “I can do $80 on this, or if you’re interested in any of my other items, I can do a bundle discount.” This turns a tough negotiation into a larger sale.

The Walk-Away Close

If negotiations stall, try: “I understand that’s a bit more than you wanted to spend. I’m firm at $X, but feel free to reach out if you change your mind.” About 30% of the time, they’ll message back within 24 hours ready to pay your price.

What Sells Best on OfferUp

Not everything does well on local marketplaces. Understanding what your audience wants saves you time and maximizes profits.

Top Performing Categories

Furniture: Hands down the best category for local selling. Nobody wants to pay shipping on a couch, so OfferUp is their go-to. Mid-century modern, solid wood, anything that looks good in photos does extremely well. Flip margins of 100-300% are common.

Electronics: iPhones, gaming consoles, laptops, TVs. Buyers want to test these in person before buying, giving you an advantage over shipped listings. The key is accurate condition descriptions—nothing kills your reputation faster than a “like new” phone with scratches.

Sporting Goods: Exercise equipment (especially post-New-Year’s resolution season), bicycles, golf clubs, camping gear. These items are expensive to ship by weight, making local pickup the obvious choice.

Power Tools: Milwaukee, DeWalt, and Makita have cult followings. Tools hold their value well and move fast on OfferUp. Just verify everything works before listing.

Large Appliances: Washers, dryers, refrigerators. When someone’s appliance dies, they need a replacement today. Your $200 washing machine beats waiting a week for new delivery.

Categories to Avoid

Some stuff just doesn’t move on OfferUp:

• Clothing (unless branded/vintage): Buyer expectations are too high and returns are a hassle
• Books: Too low-value to justify meetups
• Generic home décor: Everyone’s selling the same Target stuff
• Items that need explanation: If you have to write a paragraph about why it’s special, OfferUp isn’t your platform

For clothing and smaller items, you’re better off on Poshmark, Mercari, or eBay. Use our ROI calculator for resellers to figure out which platform maximizes your profit on specific items.

Optimizing Your OfferUp Listings

Getting found in search results requires some basic optimization. The algorithm isn’t as complex as eBay’s, but the fundamentals matter.

Photos That Sell

Your first photo is everything. It appears in search results and determines whether someone clicks. Follow these rules:

1. Natural lighting: Shoot near a window during daytime. No harsh shadows, no yellow indoor lighting.
2. Clean backgrounds: A white sheet or blank wall beats your cluttered garage every time.
3. Multiple angles: First photo shows the whole item, then close-ups of details, then any flaws.
4. Show scale: Include something for reference on larger items (a pen, your hand, etc.)

I average 8 photos per listing. More photos mean more confident buyers and fewer “is this still available?” questions.

Writing Descriptions That Convert

OfferUp buyers skim. Front-load the important information:

Good format:

iPhone 13 Pro 256GB - Unlocked - Excellent Condition

• Unlocked for all carriers
• 256GB storage  
• Battery health: 89%
• Original box + charger included
• Light scratches on frame (see photos)
• Local pickup in [area] or can ship

Include your location neighborhood—it helps buyers decide if the drive is worth it.

Pricing Competitively

Before setting a price, search OfferUp for similar items in your area. Sort by “recently sold” if available, or look at active listings and assume they’re priced 10-20% high (because everyone builds in negotiation room).

Also check what items are selling for nationally on eBay using their sold listings feature. If the average eBay sold price minus fees is $85, and you can sell locally for $85 fee-free, you’re ahead of the game.

OfferUp vs. Facebook Marketplace: Which Is Better?

Both are free for local sales. Both have massive audiences. So which should you use? The answer: both, but differently.

OfferUp Advantages

• TruYou verification builds trust with verified ID badges
• In-app messaging keeps your phone number private
• Buyer/seller ratings let you screen problematic users
• Shipping option built-in for expanding beyond local
• Cleaner interface that’s purpose-built for selling

Facebook Marketplace Advantages

• Larger user base (more potential buyers)
• Social profiles let you check out buyers before meeting
• Local groups for niche categories (furniture, electronics, etc.)
• Algorithm shows items to likely buyers
• Zero fees even for shipped items in most categories

My Recommendation

List on both platforms simultaneously. It takes an extra two minutes to copy-paste your listing, and you double your exposure. Just remember to mark items as sold on both platforms when they sell.

The platforms attract slightly different demographics. Facebook skews older and more suburban. OfferUp has stronger presence in urban areas and among younger buyers. Running both covers your bases.

For a comprehensive look at all your selling options, read our guide on where to sell online in 2026—it covers every major platform so you can find your ideal mix.

Building a Strong Seller Profile

Your profile affects whether buyers trust you enough to show up with cash. Here’s how to build credibility:

Get TruYou Verified

OfferUp’s TruYou program verifies your identity through your phone number and Facebook connection. The verification badge shows buyers you’re a real person, not a scammer. It takes two minutes and significantly increases response rates.

Accumulate Positive Reviews

After every successful transaction, ask the buyer to leave a review. A simple “Thanks! If you have a minute, a review would help me out” works. Reviews compound—buyers trust a seller with 47 five-star reviews far more than someone with 3.

Respond professionally to any less-than-perfect reviews. Future buyers read these responses and judge your character accordingly.

Respond Quickly

OfferUp shows your average response time on your profile. Fast responses signal reliability. Enable notifications and try to respond within an hour during waking hours. Slow responders lose sales to faster competitors.

Include a Professional Bio

Your bio should mention what you typically sell and that you’re a professional reseller. Something like: “Local reseller specializing in furniture and electronics. Fast responses, flexible meetups. Been selling on OfferUp since 2020.”

Advanced Strategies for Serious Resellers

Once you’ve mastered the basics, these tactics separate the pros from hobbyists:

Seasonal Timing

Certain categories have predictable demand cycles:

Buy off-season, sell in-season. That treadmill someone’s selling for $50 in March is worth $200 in January.

The “Fresh Listing” Advantage

OfferUp’s algorithm favors fresh listings. Instead of letting old listings stagnate, delete and relist every 7-10 days. You’ll jump back to the top of search results without paying for promotion.

Building a Local Sourcing Network

Tell buyers you’re always looking to buy, too. After successful sales, mention “If you ever have anything else you’re looking to get rid of—electronics, furniture, tools—hit me up first.” You’d be amazed how many sourcing deals come from past buyers who remember you when they’re cleaning out.

The Quick-Flip Alert

Turn on notifications for searches in your niche categories. When someone lists a mispriced item, you get an instant alert. Being first to respond on a great deal is how experienced flippers find their best inventory right on the platform they’re selling on.

Common OfferUp Scams and How to Avoid Them

Unfortunately, scammers love local marketplaces. Here’s what to watch for:

The Overpayment Scam

A buyer offers to pay more than your asking price, then asks you to send the extra back. The original payment bounces and you’re out the money you “returned.” Never accept more than your asking price, and never send money back to a buyer.

The Fake Payment Screenshot

Buyer claims they sent payment through Zelle/Venmo and shows you a screenshot. Screenshots are easily faked. Never hand over an item until payment actually hits your account—check the app yourself, not their screenshot.

The Bait and Switch

When meeting in person, the buyer suddenly has “issues” with the item and tries to negotiate dramatically lower. They’re counting on you not wanting to waste the trip. Know your bottom line before you leave home and be willing to walk away.

The Shipping Address Change

For shipped items, a buyer asks you to ship to a different address than what’s on the label. This is almost always fraud. Only ship to the address provided by OfferUp—if the package goes elsewhere, you lose seller protection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is OfferUp safe for selling?

Yes, when you follow proper safety protocols. Use public meeting places (preferably police station safe exchange zones), deal in cash, and trust your instincts. OfferUp’s built-in messaging keeps your phone number private, and TruYou verification helps identify legitimate users. I’ve completed over 2,000 transactions without incident by following basic precautions.

What are OfferUp’s fees in 2026?

Local pickup sales have zero fees—you keep 100% of the sale price. Shipped items incur a 12.9% fee (minimum $1.99) that comes from the sale price. Promoted listings are optional and cost $1.99-$19.99 depending on category and duration. There are no monthly subscription fees or listing fees.

Is OfferUp or Facebook Marketplace better for selling?

Both platforms are free for local sales and have massive audiences. OfferUp offers better built-in protection features like TruYou verification and in-app messaging, while Facebook Marketplace has a larger user base and no shipping fees. Serious resellers should list on both platforms to maximize exposure. The demographics differ slightly—Facebook skews older, OfferUp stronger in urban areas.

How do I avoid lowball offers on OfferUp?

Price your items 10-15% above your actual target to build in negotiation room. Use odd pricing ($117 instead of $100) to signal you’ve calculated your price carefully. Write “price firm” only if you mean it. For lowball offers, counter with your minimum acceptable price without explanation—many buyers will meet you in the middle.

Why isn’t my item selling on OfferUp?

Common issues include poor photos (especially the first image that shows in search), prices above market value, or listing in a slow category. Try: retaking photos in natural light, checking sold listings to verify competitive pricing, deleting and relisting to refresh your listing in the algorithm, or enabling shipping to reach more buyers.

Does OfferUp offer seller protection?

For shipped items paid through the OfferUp platform, you’re covered by their seller protection policy—as long as you ship to the address on the label, use the provided shipping label, and have tracking that shows delivery. Local cash sales have no protection since there’s no transaction going through the app, which is why meeting safely is crucial.

How quickly do items sell on OfferUp?

It varies enormously by category and pricing. Hot items (iPhones, gaming consoles, fitness equipment) often sell within 24-48 hours if priced correctly. Furniture and large goods typically take 1-2 weeks. Niche items can take a month or more unless you enable shipping. To get the best results, cross-reference your price with our fee calculator to make sure you’re not undervaluing items.

Can I run a reselling business on OfferUp?

Absolutely. Many full-time resellers use OfferUp as a significant income stream, especially for furniture and large items that are impractical to ship. The zero-fee structure for local sales means better margins than any shipping-based platform. The key is treating it professionally: fast responses, reliable meetups, consistent quality, and building a reputation through reviews.

Final Thoughts: Why OfferUp Deserves a Spot in Your Reselling Strategy

OfferUp won’t replace your eBay or Poshmark business, but it fills a crucial gap in any serious reseller’s toolkit. The zero-fee local sales are unbeatable for large items, the shipping option lets you go national when needed, and the massive user base ensures plenty of buyer demand.

Start with your best local inventory—furniture, electronics, and anything too heavy to ship—and build from there. Follow the safety protocols, negotiate confidently, and watch your profit margins expand without platform fees eating into every sale.

The resellers who understand that different platforms serve different purposes are the ones building real businesses. If you’re not already on OfferUp, you’re leaving money on the table. And if you want to take your crosslisting game to the next level, read our complete crosslisting guide for resellers to learn how the pros manage inventory across every platform.

Now go list something and make some money.