eBay to Gumtree — six easy ways to turn unwanted Christmas gifts into cash

STOCKINGS full of stuff you will never use?

Sometimes Santa misses the mark and you get perfume you can’t stand – or an Echo Dot you already own.

10

Find out how to turn all that Christmas clutter into cash.

eBay: Put items up for auction, or set an instant sale price, on the online marketplace.

It has an extremely wide network of users looking for everything from the hottest electronics to vintage toys.

10

But you will be competing against established businesses with reliable track records.

The auction option lets you boost what you get offered by letting people bid against each other.

That is handy for an in-demand item such as the PlayStation 5, which is sold out.

If you are selling a popular piece, make sure to price it competitively and stand out by allowing people to make offers.

Most corporate sellers do not do this, so it is a good way to get users to contact you.

eBay is great but you will be hit with a ten per cent fee on all of your sales.

If you are patient, eBay does promotions every now and then, with selling fees capped at £1.

Amazon: We have all bought items on Amazon — but selling on it is an option too.

Like eBay, you will have access to a huge network of buyers but you face competing with slick and seasoned corporate sellers.

10

If you have a few things to flog and you like to be a bit more hands-off, the Fulfilment By Amazon programme will handle all of the shipping, labelling and even returns for you . . . for a fee.

Simply list the items on Amazon and send them to the Amazon Fulfilment centre, where they will take care of the rest.

It is super-convenient but can feel a bit too automated if any issues arise.

Amazon imposes a 75p per item fee as well as a referral charge — typically seven to 15 per cent, but higher for some goods — on each item sold, depending on the goods.

Shift it on Shpock: Shpock started off as the “boot-sale app” and prides itself on ease of use.

You can list an item with your smartphone in just 30 seconds flat.

10

There are no fees, which is great news for sellers.

Simply download the free app, snap a few pictures of your item, set a price and you are up and running.

Then, just like at a boot sale, buyers can make offers and ask questions about what is being sold.

It is great for selling items for collection locally but you can also offer delivery and ship items further afield quite easily.

People offload just about everything on Shpock and the ease of selling locally makes it a better option for shifting low-value or quirky items quickly, as opposed to using more corporate marketplaces such as eBay or Amazon.

Flog it on Facebook: As well as the cat videos and furious political arguments, the social network has its Marketplace, which is now beginning to rival eBay.

Like Shpock, this is a great way to sell near you, so is ideal for large items you do not want to ship.

10

People sell everything from toys to cars, and even rent properties, on Marketplace.

Users can check out a buyer or seller’s Facebook profile to vet them.

A downside? If your gifter is on Facebook, you risk being found selling their present.

Get rid on Gumtree: Gumtree is a place to post online classified ads for almost anything.

Many people use it to sell items but there are also ads for jobs, properties, professional services and community events.

10

It seems a bit old-school these days but it is free to post an ad in its For Sale section.

It is good to do this in addition to other marketplaces, especially if you want to shift something locally.

Return? If your gift came with a receipt, you might be able to take it in and exchange it or get store credit.

But the odds are low you will walk away with a cash refund.

Legally, you are only entitled to a refund if an item bought in-store is faulty, though many shops have a more generous policy.

If bought online, items are legally eligible for refunds if the retailer is alerted within two weeks and the item is returned within another two.

But this refund would go to the buyer, not you, the recipient.

So if you are looking for cash in exchange for your unwanted gift, you probably face an awkward chat with the gifter.

10

Only way is up for hols, money, stocks, pensions and savings

BREXIT could mean your holiday money going further, a bigger pension and better returns on savings.

Four years of wrangling has kept the Pound low and, with it, share prices of UK firms.

10

If we know how weak sterling reduces our holiday spending power, many people do not realise our pensions are linked to share prices.

Rates for savers have also been rock-bottom.

But the trade deal promises to change all that . . . 

Banks can stay positive: Savings rates are averaging less than 0.5 per cent and there were fears they could even go negative with no Brexit deal.

The Bank of England had considered this to help businesses by making borrowing cheaper.

It is now unlikely, though.

This means people with money in the bank will continue to see earnings on their savings, if low.

Rates may then rise in the coming months.

10

Sunny days for sterling: Now vaccines are in motion, the prospect of a beach holiday in Europe seems less distant.

A stronger Pound means we can enjoy a few more seaside beers.

The Pound rose against the euro after news of the trade deal broke on Christmas Eve – and is only expected to climb further with greater clarity post-Brexit.

Take stock in British names: Our firms should benefit from the Brexit deal, pushing up their share prices – and you needn’t be The Wolf Of Wall Street to benefit yourself. Invest in particular stocks or across a fund.

Your pension is invested in shares, too.

Firms that import products, such as WHSmith, Marks & Spencer and Pets At Home, will benefit from the stronger Pound, too.

Firms that do a lot of business overseas could be hit as they bring profits home.

But the extra stability will ultimately benefit them too.

Investing in individual stocks can be stressful but a safer bet is be to join a managed fund that spreads your investment across a number of assets and takes account of risk factors.

10

Ease pension tension: Work pensions are typically invested in shares or managed funds, so should benefit.

If your pension is UK-heavy, it might have taken a bigger hit four years ago.

But it should enjoy a stronger bounce now a deal is in place.

GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL [email protected]

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk