Clear Out Your Workshop: 11 Best Ways to Sell Used Tools (Online & Offline)
There are many places where you can sell used tools to fetch some money. If you look around and see any tool you no longer use – this post will help you sell it out!
In fact, there are places where you can easily get mugged when selling used tools – so if you want to make the most money off of your used tools, highlight the places I’ve discussed below.
Other ways to make easy money – check them out:
Some of the Tools that you can Sell Quickly for Money
Mostly, power tools that are used for construction, industrial jobs, plumbing, etc – are those that you can sell quickly even if they’re old. If you have some of these power tools – you can sell them out as soon as possible:
- Heat Guns
- Nail Guns
- Reciprocating Saws
- Biscuit Joiners
- Jigsaws
- Side Grinders
- Impact Wrenches
- Combo Power tool sets
- Chainsaws, and many others.
Power tools really sell, especially if they’re from reputable manufacturing companies like – Milwaukee, DeWalt, Bosch, Hitachi, Makita, Klein Tools, Craftsman, and RIDGID.
So if you have used power tools from these brands, start cleaning them up while I show you where you can trade them for money.
Where to Sell Used Tools
Here are the best places where you can sell used tools. You can either sell them online or offline(locally). Let’s first look at places online:
Sell Used Tools Online
With online places, you can get good deals on your tools – and since the payment process is convenient, you can receive payments within a few days. Sell tools online on sites like:
1. eBay
Image Source: eBay
On eBay, you can list your used tools and get buyers within a few days. According to Oberlo, eBay has over 135 million users globally – so this is a very big marketplace to make sales quickly.
When you visit eBay, select Sell from the top of the website, and proceed to create your seller account. It’s always important to give a description of the tool you want to sell by providing its name, current condition, and many others.
More importantly, you must also upload clear photos of the tool – to make potential buyers know what they’ll be getting. After that, move to the selling details to set your pricing. eBay allows you to pick from two options; Fixed rate and Auction.
If you choose the auction style, you can set your starting price and allow people to send bids for the tool. By and by, the person with the highest bid gets the tool.
eBay pays through PayPal so you must also connect your PayPal in order to receive payment.
2. Etsy
Image Source: Etsy
Etsy is another online platform where you can sell used tools. Unlike eBay where old tools manufactured by Hitachi, Milwaukee, and other brands are guaranteed to sell, on Etsy – old tools sell if they’re handmade and more vintage in appearance.
Because Etsy is more geared toward craft and vintage items, you won’t do much by listing just one power tool on the site. Creating a collection of tools in the form of an e-commerce store on the platform is the recommended path to choose.
Once you make sales, there are many payment options available to cash out your money. A few of them are;
- PayPal
- Bank transfer
- Apple and Google Pay – etc.
3. Facebook Marketplace
The Facebook Marketplace is another convenient place to sell used tools. The marketplace is available in more than 70 countries. With the click of a few buttons, you can upload photos of your old tools – and wait for potential buyers.
The coolest thing about Facebook Marketplace is that sellers are able to interact with buyers. So you can easily explain things to your buyers to make them aware of the tools they’re purchasing.
Listing your tools on Facebook Marketplace is totally free – so jump on this platform and fetch some money. Because Facebook has more than 2 billion users, you can easily get buyers for your used tools.
Sellers on Facebook Marketplace can withdraw money via PayPal or bank transfer.
4. Ruby Lane
Image Source: Ruby Lane
Ruby Lane is an online platform that deals with antiques and arts, dolls, jewelry, vintage, collectibles, and many others. Therefore, if you have tools that are related to those, you can list them on the site to sell them for money.
Ruby Lane gets more than 1 million monthly visits, so you can possibly make some sales. The signup process is quite easy – after providing a few basic information about yourself, Ruby Lane will review your application and approve it if you meet the requirements.
On Ruby Lane, you don’t get charged for commissions – you only pay a small amount for listing and maintenance.
Ruby Lane is a great platform to sell used tools but before you sign up, make sure you’ve at least 10 tools available for sale(if the tools are not up to 10 or more, you may not get accepted).
5. Craigslist
You can literally sell anything on Craigslist for free, and that’s what makes it very exciting. And I’m sure you’re aware that Craigslist gets billions of visits every month right?
Therefore, if you have used tools don’t hesitate to list them on Craigslist. Take nice photos of the tools and upload them on the site. After that, write a comprehensive description of the tools to attract buyers!
But be vigilant when receiving payments on Craigslist. Because the site is very open, there are a lot of scams. It’s advisable not to receive personal checks from buyers – always ask for cash.
6. SawMillCreek
You can also sell used tools on SawMillCreek. Selling on the site has many benefits:
- Listing is free
- No payment deductions
- Forum is available to interact with buyers and other sellers, just to name a few.
Unlike Craigslist where you can easily get scammed – SawMillCreek is safer. Buyers are clean, so you can trust them that they’d pay you. Therefore, go ahead – take photos of your tools and list them on SawMillCreek to make some money.
7. TIAS
TIAS – The International Antique Shop is an online marketplace or mall for everything vintage, antiques, collectibles, etc.
If you have tools that are vintage-related, you can sell them on the platform. For a site such as TIAS, the weirder the tool, the more it sells. So if you have weird tools that have existed for decades, they may still sell on TIAS!
If you decide to sell on TIAS, you can create your account within a few minutes.
Sell Used Tools Offline
Your used tools can also be sold locally. If you don’t want the hassle associated with selling online such as taking care of shipment, dealing with scams, etc, selling offline is the best option to choose. Below are places where you can sell used tools offline(locally):
8. Pawn Shops
Pawn shops can be your stopping point if you want to quickly sell your used tools for some money. You can sell power drillers, chainsaws, grinders, and everything in between to fill your pocket.
Even though pawn shops tend to pay for your tools right away, the money won’t be huge. This is because they resell the tools to others. Nevertheless, if your tools are from brands like Milwaukee, DeWalt, Bosch, and Stihl, you can get paid a reasonable amount.
Before you visit any pawn shop to sell your tools – make sure you research the brand of the tools and their cost, that way you can set a well-befitting price for the tools when negotiating with the pawnbrokers.
9. Flea Markets
Study your vicinity and find out the things people buy most often, if you find out that your tools are in demand, you can register for a flea market.
For a flea market, you must invest in a tent, table, and possibly – a cash container. Once these are made ready, you can showcase your tools at flea markets for people to purchase from you.
Apart from selling used tools, you can sell items like jewelry, toys, artwork, garden equipment, soap, etc, to amplify your earnings.
One cool thing I love about flea markets is that they are vibrant – and you can easily build connections with other sellers, as well as buyers.
10. Hardware Stores
Big hardware stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot do not buy used tools to resell to their customers, but you can get small hardware stores in your vicinity that are willing to do such business with you.
So ask around to find out hardware stores where you can sell used tools to make money in your area. If you find any, visit the store to complete the negotiation.
11. Auction Houses
An auction house can also be a great place to sell your used tools. To get a good deal, your tools should be from a popular brand like Bosch, Milwaukee, etc. If you have all tools intact(full set) you may get paid more.
Apart from power or construction tools, you can also sell vintage or antique tools to auction houses to make more money.
12. Garage and Yard Sales
So even before you start this yard or garage sale, identify the brands of the tools you shall be selling. After that, search on sites like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and eBay to know how much such tools are sold for.
And because you want to make sales quickly, price your tools slightly lower than those on these online marketplaces to entice buyers.
It’s also advisable to group similar tools in one box or on a single table based on their uses, brand, etc – and price them accordingly.
In fact, you can make some cool money from garage and yard sales if only you advertise heavily to a lot of people prior to the date.
How Much Money Can You Make Selling Used Tools?
If the used tools are in good shape and they are from good brands, you can earn about 60-90% of the original price. In general, if you have a full set of tools – that’s when you can make the most money. Selling a single tool may fetch you less money.
Final Words
Can’t you see that the old tools in your house are taking up so much space? If you’ll never need them again, declutter the tools and sell them either locally or online for money to fill your pocket.
In case you don’t know, the money you earn can be used to open an investment account with Acorns. Alternatively, you can open a high-yield savings account with CIT Bank to get 4% APY every year.
Manuelo is an entrepreneur and a personal finance nerd. He is the founder of Dollars And Freedom. An expert in side hustles, online gigs, and everything about making money. His works have been featured on major financial publications, such as Business Insider, GoBankingRates, Investopedia, Entrepreneur, and more. When he’s not busy with his blog or writing for others, you’ll catch him hanging out with loved ones or reading books on stoicism and self-development.
