I still remember the feeling of sketchiness that accompanied my Craigslist years. Meeting a guy named "Turbo" behind a gas station to sell a used PlayStation 3 wasn't exactly my idea of a safe business transaction. I did it—because I needed the $100—but I always wished there was a way to vet these people before I stood in a parking lot holding expensive electronics.
Then I downloaded OfferUp. It felt like the lights had been turned on. There were profile pictures. There were ratings. There were "TruYou" badges. It was the first time selling my old junk felt less like a drug deal and more like a community exchange.
In 2021, I listed a mid-century modern coffee table on the app. Within 20 minutes, I had five messages. No emails to check, just instant chat pings. I sold it that afternoon for $150 cash to a nice couple who drove a Subaru. It was seamless.
If you are staring at a garage full of stuff and asking how does offerup work, you are looking at the modern evolution of the classified ad. It is a mobile-first marketplace that combines the speed of texting with the locality of a yard sale. But it has changed a lot since the early days—shipping is huge now, fees have crept in, and the "Letgo" merger made it a behemoth.
The Setup: Creating Your Digital Storefront
To understand offerup how does it work, you have to treat it like social media. Unlike eBay, where you are a faceless store, on OfferUp, you are a neighbor.
Profile Matters More Than You Think
When I first started, I didn't upload a profile picture. I got zero replies. People thought I was a bot.
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The Fix: I uploaded a clear photo of my face (smiling, non-threatening). I verified my phone number.
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The Result: My response rate went up instantly. People want to know who they are meeting.
TruYou Verification: This is OfferUp’s secret weapon. You scan your Driver’s License and take a selfie. The app matches them.
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(Parenthetical aside: I never buy expensive items like iPhones from anyone who doesn't have the TruYou badge. It’s the single best filter for weeding out scammers.)
How Does OfferUp Work for Sellers? (The Listing Flow)
Listing is terrifyingly easy. You can list an item in 30 seconds.
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Snap a Photo: Do this in the app. Use natural light.
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Title & Description: Be specific. Don't just write "Chair." Write "West Elm Mid-Century Chair - Grey."
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Condition: Be honest. If it has a scratch, mark it "Used (normal wear)."
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Price: You can set a firm price, but I always toggle "Firm on Price" to OFF. OfferUp culture is all about negotiation.
Here's where it gets interesting... OfferUp uses image recognition. Sometimes you take a photo of a shoe, and it auto-populates the category and tags. It’s smart, but not perfect. It once tagged my vintage lamp as a "blender." Always double-check the auto-tags.
The "Bump" and "Promote Plus"
If your item doesn't sell in three days, it gets buried.
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Promote Plus: This is a subscription (around $19.99/month). It keeps one item promoted at the top of the feed constantly.
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My Experience: I used Promote Plus when I was flipping furniture aggressively. For casual sellers clearing out a closet, it’s a waste of money. Just delete and relist the item manually if it gets stale.
How Does OfferUp Shipping Work? (Expanding Your Reach)
For years, OfferUp was strictly "meet at the Starbucks." Now, you can ship nationwide. This puts it in direct competition with Mercari and Poshmark.
The Logistics: When you list, you toggle "Shipping" on. You must estimate the weight.
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Extra Small: Envelopes (rarely used).
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Small: Up to 8oz.
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Medium: Up to 3lbs.
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Large: Up to 20lbs.
The Fees: This is the catch. How does shipping work on offerup regarding costs?
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The Buyer Pays: The buyer usually pays for the shipping label.
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The Service Fee: If you ship, OfferUp takes a cut. It is currently 12.9% of the sale price (minimum $1.99).
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Example: Sell a camera for $100. OfferUp takes $12.90. You keep $87.10.
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My Honest Failure: I sold a heavy cast-iron skillet and guessed the weight was "Medium" (3lbs). It was 5lbs. When I got to the Post Office, the QR code didn't cover the postage. I had to pay the difference out of pocket, and it was a hassle to get the label adjusted.
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Lesson: Buy a cheap kitchen scale. Never guess the weight.
I use Closo to organize my inventory weights and cross-list these shippable items to Mercari – saves me about 3 hours weekly – because if I'm already shipping it, I might as well get eyes on it from multiple platforms.
The Local Meetup: The Core of the Experience
Despite the shipping features, 90% of my sales are still local. How does offerup work for the actual hand-off?
The Negotiation
You will get lowball offers. It is a law of physics.
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My Rule: I price items 20% higher than what I actually want. If I want $20, I list for $25. When they offer $20, I accept, and they feel like they won.
The "Community MeetUp Spots"
OfferUp partners with local police stations and businesses to create "Community MeetUp Spots."
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Look for the Green Icon: In the chat map, you will see green indicators. These are safe zones, usually well-lit and monitored by cameras.
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My Strategy: I only meet at a specific grocery store during daylight hours. I never give out my home address unless I am selling a couch that literally cannot be moved otherwise.
Navigating the "Letgo Market" Merger
If you were a user of the app Letgo, you might be confused. A few years ago, OfferUp acquired Letgo.
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The Result: The letgo market is now just OfferUp. All those accounts were migrated.
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The Benefit: This consolidated the buyer pool. Instead of checking two apps, everyone is on one. It increased the liquidity of the marketplace significantly.
Premium Early Access Only OfferUp? (Decoding the Alerts)
You might see notifications about "Premium" access. What is it? OfferUp has a feature where paid subscribers ("Search Plus" or similar tiers) get to see new listings before free users.
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For Buyers: If you are hunting for highly competitive items like PS5s or rare sneakers, this gives you a 20-minute head start.
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For Sellers: It doesn't affect you much, other than ensuring your item might get snatched up faster by a power user.
Opinion Statement: Unless you are a professional flipper sourcing inventory to resell, buying "Early Access" is unnecessary. Most deals sit for at least a few hours. You aren't missing much.
Safety First: Scams to Avoid
Now the tricky part... offerup reviews often mention scammers. They are easy to spot if you know what to look for.
1. The Phone Number Scam
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The Message: "Hi, I really want this. Can you text me at 555-0199? My app is glitching."
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The Scam: They want your phone number to send a fake verification code (Google Voice scam) or to send you a fake payment link.
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The Fix: NEVER leave the app. "Sorry, I prefer to chat here." They will ghost you immediately.
2. The Overpayment Scam
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The Message: "I will send you a certified check for $500 (for a $100 item). Just pay my movers the difference."
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The Fix: Block immediately.
People always ask me...
"Is OfferUp better than Facebook Marketplace?"
People always ask me this. It depends on your privacy tolerance.
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Facebook: You are linked to your real profile. This creates accountability but also exposes your name/family.
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OfferUp: You are "John S." It is more private.
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Traffic: Facebook currently has more traffic for furniture. OfferUp is often better for electronics and smaller goods. I list on both.
"How do I search all OfferUp?"
Common question I see. OfferUp is geo-fenced. You search by zip code + radius (e.g., 30 miles).
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The Limit: There is no easy "Search Nationwide" button for local pickup items because the app assumes you aren't driving to Texas for a toaster.
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The Hack: If you are looking for shippable items, toggle "Shipping" in the filters. This effectively searches all OfferUp listings nationwide that are eligible for shipping.
"Who pays for shipping on OfferUp?"
The buyer almost always pays. The cost is added to their checkout total. However, as a seller, you can choose to pay for shipping to attract buyers, but I rarely recommend this given the high fees.
Conclusion
So, how does offerup work? It works by reducing the friction between "I have this thing" and "I want cash." It is the most user-friendly of the local selling apps, with a cleaner interface than Craigslist and more privacy than Facebook.
However, it requires street smarts. You have to navigate the lowballers, the "is this still available?" ghosts, and the occasional bot. But for clearing out a garage or flipping thrift store finds, it is an essential tool in the reseller's toolkit.
My advice? Start with something small. Sell a book or a lamp. Meet at a grocery store. Experience the thrill of turning clutter into cash. Once you get that first 5-star rating, you'll be hooked.
If you are ready to take your selling seriously, check out our guide on The Best Places to Sell Furniture Locally. And if you are trying to figure out how to price your items so they actually move, read our deep dive on Resell Pricing Strategies for 2025.
FAQ Page Schema
Here's something everyone wants to know: Does OfferUp charge a fee?
For local cash transactions (meetups), OfferUp charges $0. It is completely free. However, if you choose to ship an item or accept payment through the app (using their Stripe integration), they charge a service fee of 12.9% of the sale price, with a minimum fee of $1.99.
Common question I see: Is OfferUp safe for sellers?
OfferUp is generally safe if you follow the guidelines. Using the TruYou verification feature adds a layer of trust. Sellers should always meet in public places (Community MeetUp Spots), accept cash or official in-app payments only, and never communicate or accept payment outside of the app platform.
People always ask me: How does shipping work on OfferUp?
When listing an item, you toggle the "Shipping" option and select the package weight (up to 20lbs). When the item sells, OfferUp emails you a prepaid USPS shipping label. You print it, tape it to the box, and drop it off at the post office. The buyer pays for the shipping cost, and the funds are released to you about 5 days after the item is delivered.
