Reselling up cycled furniture

[Annie Beau]

Looking for some advice on couriers and courier pricing. A friend is really good at making old tatty furniture look absolutely amazing but she doesn't know how to sell it out of the local area. She's had a few sales with local collection but isn't really in the right area to price items high enough to make a profit. Thinking of listing on etsy but this would involve a courier.. But here's the thing. Firstly to get a price from DPD or Hermes they want the weight of the item but how do you weight a chest of drawers /sideboard?
How do we go about sending this stuff? I've seen furniture on etsy with free delivery but interested to know how they can offer that without knowing the customers location

 

[The Reverend]

I'd say a lot of people either have

access to free (their companies) courier network
or
don't mean to put free delivery on large furniture items.

The other thing they might do is offer pallet delivery through a marketplace (shiply? I think it is called).

But furniture IS expensive to ship because it is generally large and heavy.

I'd say promote it to the wider, local area rather than look at shipping. DSR must be a nightmare too as customers may refuse delivery because the item is 'bigger than they thought/a different shade of blue/etc'.

 

[The Reverend]

p.s. If you have a local auction house ask them who they use to ship furniture - they could well ship loads of it!

 

[MikesBush]

I’ve had people message me before I even listed something properly, so good photos and quick responses can really help. I also keep some packaging stuff for easier shipping.

 

[LaurenKnox]

I get bits from skips and FB Marketplace too, especially stuff people throw because it looks worn. I use tips from this site to help with sanding and staining techniques—they’ve got simple guides that work even for indoor pieces. Reselling works best for me when I mention it’s upcycled, people seem to love the idea of giving old furniture new life.

 

[LeeS]

Looking for some advice on couriers and courier pricing. A friend is really good at making old tatty furniture look absolutely amazing but she doesn't know how to sell it out of the local area. She's had a few sales with local collection but isn't really in the right area to price items high enough to make a profit. Thinking of listing on etsy but this would involve a courier.. But here's the thing. Firstly to get a price from DPD or Hermes they want the weight of the item but how do you weight a chest of drawers /sideboard?
How do we go about sending this stuff? I've seen furniture on etsy with free delivery but interested to know how they can offer that without knowing the customers location

Selling restored furniture online can be tricky because couriers want exact weights and dimensions. For larger items like sideboards, the easiest way is usually to measure, estimate, and round up. Services like Shiply or AnyVan are great since they specialize in bulky furniture and give quotes based on size.
Etsy can work, but delivery costs often eat into profits. I’ve had good experience promoting through https://wickerpark.ca/, it’s focused on quality furniture and attracts buyers willing to pay fair prices. Pairing that with a clear flat-rate courier option makes selling outside your local area much easier.