From Facebook Marketplace to Flea Markets: A Guide to the 15 Most Profitable Places to Sell Your Vintage Furniture
As an avid collector and reseller of vintage furniture, I’m always hunting for unique retro and antique pieces to revive and pass on to new owners. Over the years, I’ve bought and sold hundreds of vintage items through local shops and online platforms.
If you have quality vintage furniture sitting unused, it could be worth money to eager buyers. Vintage midcentury, industrial, Danish, and antique furniture is surging in popularity for its durable construction and timeless designs.
I’ve extensively researched the best options for selling vintage furniture to get top dollar. If you want to know where to sell your vintage furniture locally or online, you’re in the right place!
Read on for my tips on the 15 best places to sell vintage and antique furniture pieces for maximum profit.
Where Can I Sell My Vintage Furniture?
When trying to figure out where to sell vintage furniture in your local area, there are several great options for connecting with eager buyers nearby. Classic choices like antique malls, consignment stores, auction houses, and vintage home decor shops are go-to spots to sell vintage furniture in many towns.
Online platforms like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and Etsy also make it super easy to reach local buyers interested in cool retro pieces and antiquities. Selling vintage furniture online opens up your possibilities, especially if you have unique Danish midcentury items or other specialty pieces collectors don’t mind traveling for.
For truly valuable and rare antique furniture, auction houses tend to fetch the highest prices from serious collectors willing to get into bidding wars. If you’re trying to sell vintage furniture fast, consignment shops and secondhand used furniture stores may be your best bet.
Here’s a deep dive into 15 of the best places to sell vintage and antique furniture, whether locally or through online marketplaces:
1. Facebook Marketplace
In my experience, Facebook Marketplace is one of the easiest and most effective ways to sell vintage furniture locally right from your home. You simply create listings with photos and descriptions of your vintage items, then coordinate pickup or delivery.
The huge advantage Facebook Marketplace has over old-school yard sale signs or newspaper classifieds is leveraging Facebook’s massive user base. Over 1 billion people actively use Marketplace each month searching for goods, so it gives you an instant connection to eager local buyers.
Facebook Marketplace is a great option for selling mid-priced vintage furniture from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s that design lovers seek out. It provides a simple way to get your pieces in front of décor enthusiasts willing to pay fair prices for authentic retro and vintage furnishings in good condition. You can easily negotiate reasonable offers for quality vintage pieces.
Just keep in mind that you’ll likely have to field some absurdly lowball offers and need to follow basic precautions when meeting strangers from the internet. But overall, Marketplace makes selling vintage furniture locally a breeze.
Go to Facebook Marketplace
2. Craigslist
Craigslist is another widely used classifieds platform that’s ideal for connecting with vintage furniture buyers right in your area. After creating a free account, you can create posts showcasing your pieces under the “furniture – by owner” category.
The main advantage of Craigslist is fast exposure of your vintage goods to eager buyers actively searching for deals to avoid retail prices. Most buyers on Craigslist expect good deals and hope to negotiate, but it’s free to create posts and you can typically negotiate fair prices for true vintage pieces.
One thing to keep in mind when meeting Craigslist buyers is to take basic safety precautions as you would with any stranger. I recommend discussing specifics like prices initially over email or phone before revealing your address. Require masks and distancing upon meeting, and consider having another person with you just in case. With some common sense, Craigslist is a quick and easy way to sell vintage furniture locally.
Go to Craigslist
Related articles:
- How to Start Selling Antique Furniture From Home
- Is Vintage Furniture Valuable? How to Tell if Old Pieces Are Worth Money
- 20 Best Mid-Century Modern Furniture Brands
3. OfferUp
OfferUp has gained popularity in recent years as a newer alternative to Craigslist. The experience mirrors Craigslist in many ways—you take photos of vintage furniture you’re selling, create a listing with details, then chat with interested local buyers.
The main advantage of trying OfferUp over Craigslist is typically less competition, since it has fewer active listings and sellers in most geographic areas. OfferUp also provides a smoother mobile app experience with integrated messaging and payment processing through the platform.
One potential downside of OfferUp is the 15% fee on sales, so slightly higher than Craigslist or Facebook fees. However, you gain access to verified local buyers genuinely interested in vintage goods and willing to pay fair prices for quality items in good condition.
Go to OfferUp
4. eBay
In my experience selling furniture online, eBay is the undisputed king for reaching the most motivated buyers and highest sale prices. On eBay, you can sell vintage or antique pieces both locally and by shipping items anywhere across the country.
The keys to success selling vintage furniture on eBay are stellar photos, very detailed and accurate item descriptions, and pricing that’s fair based on your pieces’ actual condition. Patience is also important—rare or extremely unique vintage items can take time before that one eager buyer finds it.
eBay does take more effort than quick local sales, but it exposes your vintage midcentury, Danish, or antique finds to millions of buyers worldwide. Even for selling locally, eBay helps surface passionate collectors you’d never run across otherwise. Those buyers appreciate the history and patina of true vintage and will pay top dollar for rare, coveted pieces.
Go to eBay
5. Etsy
Beyond large furniture, Etsy has become a huge online marketplace for smaller vintage home furnishings, decorations, and housewares. The site leans toward curated, stylized vintage pieces rather than bulky furniture.
Midcentury dishware, glassware, wall art, lighting, and small décor are very popular on Etsy. Larger vintage furniture can be listed locally, but isn’t as feasible for sellers to ship. However, Etsy is a fantastic platform for showcasing your unique vintage finds to design-minded buyers seeking statement pieces.
Go to Etsy
Related articles:
- How To Identify Mid-Century Modern Furniture
- How To Value Mid-Century Modern Furniture
- 10 Best Selling Vintage Items on eBay in 2023
6. Chairish
Chairish markets itself as an online antique mall, carefully curating each vintage item on display for shoppers seeking quality. The site focuses on vetting and authenticating every piece, which appeals to discerning high-end shoppers.
As a prospective Chairish seller, you fill out an application for review before being approved to list items. Once accepted, Chairish handles professional photography, shipping and delivery coordination, and payment processing for a commission fee. Chairish specializes in showcasing unique, luxury antiques—expect long wait times for the right buyers willing to pay top dollar.
Go to Chairish
7. Ruby Lane
Calling itself “the world’s vintage marketplace”, Ruby Lane connects serious buyers and sellers of rare, high-quality vintage and antique pieces across the globe. Their tagline sums it up: “Authentic Antiques. Ethically Traded.”
The site heavily vets all antique dealers and private collectors before approving them as sellers on the site. So Ruby Lane is a natural fit if you have documented, certified authentic antiques you’re looking to sell to buyers worldwide. Just keep in mind that Ruby Lane involves monthly subscription fees and final value commissions.
Go to Ruby Lane
8. LiveAuctioneers
Just as the name sounds, LiveAuctioneers facilitates live and online-only auctions for hundreds of auction houses at the higher end of the market. If you own an exceptionally rare, valuable antiques and collectibles that have been properly authenticated and documented, LiveAuctioneers provides global auction house exposure.
Prominent auction houses like Christie’s and Sotheby’s frequently list antique furniture auctions on LiveAuctioneers to connect with deep-pocketed bidders here and internationally. If your piece is the right fit for museums or advanced collectors, this venue could sell it to the highest bidder across the world. Be prepared for seller fees and commissions as the tradeoff.
Go to LiveAuctioneers
9. LoveAntiques
LoveAntiques holds 18 virtual antique fairs annually, bringing together carefully vetted dealers and collectors to buy, sell, and appraise antiques online. As a seller, you can create a LoveAntiques storefront to showcase and market your vintage furniture finds to engaged buyers and enthusiasts.
For documented, authenticated high-end antique pieces, LoveAntiques connects with passionate global collectors who appreciate provenance and historical significance. You’ll pay seller fees scaled based on item value and sales commissions, but gain serious exposure.
Go to LoveAntiques
Related articles:
10. Local Auction House
For truly museum-quality, investment-grade antique furniture that has been professionally appraised and documented, local auction houses can yield the highest possible prices through competitive bidding wars. Any antique furniture an auction house accepts has been thoroughly examined by experts in the field.
I’d recommend going through a local auction house if you own exceptional, irreplaceable antiques with established provenance verified by a professional appraiser. The exposure, credibility, and bidding momentum an auction environment creates typically results in jaw-dropping final prices, although the steep commissions do cut into your profit margin.
11. Local Classifieds
Local classified ads in community newspapers and neighborhood magazines can still be an effective way to expose your vintage furniture finds to potential buyers nearby, especially in small towns. Although declining in usefulness with the rise of online sales platforms, local classifieds are still worth a try. Check the classified sections of your local paper and community magazines. For very little money, you can place a classified ad with a description and photos of your vintage piece. This targets shoppers who still use traditional print publications to find goods for sale in your immediate area.
12. Estate Sales
Estate sales require time investment to uncover hidden gems, but you can often negotiate excellent deals on vintage furniture compared to prices at antique shops and auctions. It takes effort to regularly visit estates and scope out the merchandise, but the payoff can be snagging quality vintage pieces at reasonable prices. Arrive early on the first day of a sale, as the best vintage finds often sell very quickly to dealers and collectors who wait in line eager to score coveted items. Ask questions, inspect carefully, and be prepared to haul purchases immediately.
13. Antique Shops
Displaying your vintage furniture pieces in a carefully selected local antique shop can provide exposure to the store’s established customer traffic. However, the tradeoff is you will typically have to split any profits around 50/50 with the antique shop owner after the item sells. Take time to vet shops based on the type and price point of vintage furniture you have to sell. Aim for upscale shops frequented by vintage design enthusiasts if you have higher end restored midcentury and antique pieces. For vintage furniture with cosmetic flaws at lower price points, a decor consignment store may yield faster turnover.
14. Consignment Shops
While consignment shops take a large cut from your final sale price — often 50% or more — they can provide fast turnover of mid-range vintage furniture to eager buyers. The benefit of a vintage decor consignment store is tapping into their existing customer base of buyers looking for good deals. This can be a quick option for selling off vintage furniture that needs minor repairs or has cosmetic issues, which lower the prices it will fetch. Do your research to find a reputable shop, and be prepared to sacrifice a sizable portion of your profit in exchange for speed and convenience.
15. Flea Markets
Renting table or booth space a local flea markets on weekends provides an in-person venue to connect with and engage vintage furniture shoppers who enjoy digging for finds. While you have to pay for your spot, flea markets allow you to showcase your wares and interact with customers. They work best for selling low to mid-range priced vintage furniture and decor items, rather than high-end investment-grade pieces. Flea markets tend to attract buyers and resellers looking for decorative vintage furnishings at reasonable prices to mix and match within vintage-inspired interiors.
Tips for Selling Vintage Furniture
Succeeding at scoring top dollar for your vintage furniture is part research, part savvy marketing, and part sales finesse. Here are some pro tips I’ve gathered over the years for ensuring you get the very best price:
- Quality photos – Invest time in great pictures showing detail, measurements, styling, and condition. Help buyers visualize vintage pieces in their own spaces.
- Research prices – Study comparable sold prices both locally and online to benchmark what savvy buyers will actually pay.
- Highlight details – Share any unique quirks, original wood types, brands, repair history etc to tell the story and get buyers invested.
- Verify style: – Accurately label pieces using terms like midcentury, antique, retro etc plus designer if known. This attracts collectors of specific styles.
- Smart pricing – Price on the higher end to leave wiggle room, but realistically based on condition and comparable sales.
- Note condition – Honestly disclose any wear, repairs, damage or flaws so there are no surprises.
- Offer local delivery – For bulky or delicate items, offering to deliver locally can really expand your buyer pool.
- Consider a booth rental – Renting some space at a local antique mall can provide great retail visibility if you have multiple pieces to sell.
Pros-and-cons comparison table for the 15 places to sell vintage furniture:
| Place | Pros | Cons |
| Facebook Marketplace | Massive built-in audience of local buyers, easy photo uploads, coordinate local pickup/delivery, reasonable fees | Must deal with flaky buyers, safety concerns meeting strangers, lowball offers |
| Craigslist | Quick exposure to local buyers, fast sales possible, free to list items | Need to negotiate prices, potential safety risks meeting strangers, scams possible |
| OfferUp | Smoother app experience than Craigslist, integrated payments, verified buyers | 15% sales fee, smaller user base than Craigslist/Facebook in most areas |
| eBay | Exposure to millions, great for rare/unique vintage items, high sale prices | More effort required, fees, patience needed for right buyer |
| Etsy | Ideal for small vintage decor, great exposure to design fans | Not the best for bulky/large furniture, shipping not ideal |
| Chairish | Vets/authenticates luxury antiques, professional photography | Only high-end pieces, long wait times, application required to sell |
| Ruby Lane | Global reach of serious collectors, focuses on rare/high-end | Vetting required, monthly fees, final value commissions |
| LiveAuctioneers | Huge exposure through major auction houses | Only for extremely valuable museum-quality antiques, high fees/commissions |
| LoveAntiques | 18 annual virtual antique fairs, passionate collectors | For authenticated high-end pieces only, seller fees and commissions |
| Local Auction Houses | Competitive bidding yields highest prices | Only for museum-quality investment antiques, high fees and commissions |
| Local Classifieds | Solid reach in some smaller towns | Declining usefulness with online platforms, very small reach |
| Estate Sales | Uncover hidden gems, negotiate reasonable prices | Time investment required, first come first served |
| Antique Shops | Benefit from store’s existing customer base | Typically must split profit 50/50 with store owner |
| Consignment Shops | Fast sales, access customer base, split profit | Take 50% or more of final sale price |
| Flea Markets | In-person selling, low booth fees | Weather concerns, less serious buyers, small local reach |
Final Thoughts on the Best Places to Sell Vintage Furniture
The market for vintage midcentury, industrial, Danish, and antique furniture stays red hot as these styles continue trending for their iconic designs, high quality materials, and craftsmanship. By utilizing online platforms and local channels, you can directly connect with ideal buyers who will pay top dollar for coveted vintage pieces.
Selling vintage furniture certainly involves more than just tossing it on the lawn with a “free” sign. But when you have quality retro or antique pieces, taking the time to properly market them directly to buyers who appreciate their history always pays off in earning the highest prices.
Hopefully, these tips give you a helpful overview of the range of options available for selling vintage furniture successfully. The key is using fair pricing, excellent marketing, reasonable expectations, and targeting the buyers who value your specific items. Please drop any other tips or selling venues you’ve found effective for vintage furniture in the comments!
