Aussie comedian and design enthusiast, Tim Ross has joined forces with Gumtree to launch the Gummie Support Network, an initiative designed to bring together those in need of essential items and services, with those able to provide them.
Tim’s picked up a few eclectic and unique pieces of furniture on Gumtree in his time and has shared his top tips for buying and selling on Gumtree.
Research, research, research!
"It’s always worth putting the time and effort looking around at what’s available if you are looking for something interesting on Gumtree. Whether you’re selling or buying, make sure you dedicate time to research what’s out there to help understand the average price of similar items. It never hurts to ask a few questions. That said, even though doing your homework is important, buying something that excites you is always a thrill."
Don’t judge a book by its cover
"I’ve found some incredible second-hand pieces over the years and not all of them have always been in perfect condition but you often don’t have to do much to get things look amazing. Often a wooden table or chairs just needs a good wash and a polish with any wood oil or polish you have around the house. One good trick for plastic items is to clean them with Brasso. Sound weird but it works a treat."
Keep an open mind
"Sometimes older items may not seem like your cup of tea but they are often incredibly well made and it will last longer that anything you can buy today at the fraction of the price. Out of context an item might not look like it will work in your house but I think you will be often surprised.
"It might need a clean or a lick of paint or simply a different way of looking at something may mean that an “ugly duckling” could suddenly be your new favourite thing."
Practice safe trading
"Whether you’re buying or selling, now has never been a more important times to practice safe trading. To ensure you are keeping yourself and those you come in contact with safe, try to clean your item before dropping them off. It’s great if you can leave an item somewhere safe for someone to pick up. For small items I use a courier service like Sendle. You just need to ask the seller to pack the item into a box for you and then email them the cover sheet to stick on the box. Then they leave it out for the courier to grab it. It’s also a great way to buy things interstate and it means the seller doesn’t have to worry about a trip to the post office."
Provide detail when listing an item
"If you are selling make sure you take good pictures. We’ve all got great cameras on our phones these days…there’s no excuses. The last thing you want is people constantly messaging you and asking for more pictures.
"The more descriptive the better is my rule of thumb with selling things and it will help you reach more people For example, if you're selling a sofa, include the designer, the style and the colour so if someone is looking for a 'green' sofa or a '3-seater' sofa, it will come up."
You might also like:
3 amazing op shop furniture makeovers
