The Curious Business of Selling Items at A Loss
The market for preloved, second-hand, and otherwise used/underused items is an interesting one. It seems to offer something for everyone involved.
There are few occasions where people are happy to sell at a loss.
The second-hand market offers an interesting value proposition. So much so that every year there seems to be a new platform looking to help people sell the crap…I mean the things they accumulated and don’t want anymore.
Platforms facilitate the exchange by bringing buyers and sellers together. They offer an extra layer of protection for both parties and take a cut of the overall sale. Then the payment processors take their fees. The post offices and couriers get paid to deliver the items. The buyers hopefully secure a nice bargain.
And the seller?
Well, they usually make a loss.
But this is one of those rare situations where people are both aware of the loss and happy to take it — even if the items are in near-mint condition and they end up doing the bulk of the work. Sellers are responsible for taking the pictures, writing product descriptions, communicating with buyers, packing the items, processing the shipping, and handling…
