Whether you’re operating a side hustle or a full-fledged online business, there are always new challenges and ways to grow your business. While online businesses can sell to people around the world, it presents a number of costs and hurdles. This has many business owners leaning back on selling to their local community and building a local following.
If you’re interested in how to sell more locally, we’ve put together this list of apps to help you on your small business journey.
10 Apps You Can Use to Sell More Locally
When it comes to the best sales app for your small business, it’s all about how you’ll be using the app and what you’ll be selling. Each of these small business apps has unique aspects, making them the best for certain types of sales.
Most importantly, you can use these apps to sell more in your local area. Making local sales saves you time and money since you don’t have to pay for shipping costs or spend time packaging your goods. Let’s dive into our list of the best sales app for your small business.
1. Facebook Marketplace
One of the easiest and best apps to use for selling locally is Facebook Marketplace, which may soon receive a name update to match Facebook/Meta's name change.
What to keep in mind when selling on Facebook Marketplace:
- You probably already have the Facebook/Meta app on your phone, which makes it easy to get started.
- Facebook Marketplace gives you the ability to sell to anyone with a Facebook profile.
- You can list items for local pickup only and restrict your sales to a specific geographic location.
Cost: Free
2. Nextdoor
If you’re looking to sell your items within a small geographic area, your best bet is Nextdoor. This app is generally used by neighborhoods for communication between neighbors. Most neighborhood channels have a “for sale” and “free” section where you can post about what items you’re looking to get rid of or sell. This is a great way to sell items right in your local area.
Cost: Free
3. Poshmark
If you’re planning to sell clothing, a top app to use is Poshmark. On this app, you can sell new or gently used designer clothes, handbags, shoes, jewelry and makeup. If you’re looking to sell locally, be sure to check your setting to sell to local “poshers” only.
Cost: For each sale, you pay Poshmark $2.95 for sales under $15 and 20 percent of any sales over $15.
4. eBay
An oldie but a goodie, eBay is one of the original apps for selling items. When selling on eBay, you have two options: list the item for a fixed price or via auction. You set the starting bid and the length of the auction, and those interested then bid on the item.
After your sale, you can receive your money via PayPal or payment on pickup. If you’re looking to sell locally, you can offer local pickup by selecting it in the shipping details. Once the buyer pays, they’ll receive a QR code and a six-digit code, which you can scan or enter with the app to confirm the sale. If you do want to sell to those outside of your local area, you'll want to consider the cost of packaging and shipping the items you sell.
Cost: Free
5. CPlus for Craigslist
Another original sales site that’s still going strong is Craigslist. You can now use the CPlus mobile app to purchase and sell items. While this is a third-party app, it is officially licensed and endorsed by Craigslist. One of the best parts of Craigslist is that you get to set your geographic parameters and only sell your item within a certain location. No shipping is required.
Cost: Free
6. Depop
Depop is a fantastic app if you’re building a creative ecommerce business and selling items such as clothing or accessories. Depop offers sellers a number of different ways to market their items, which gives you the ability to stand out in comparison to other sellers.
Depop discourages in-person meetups or exchanging of addresses, so you'll need to ship your items. But if you want to sell locally, you'll likely save on shipping costs if you're only shipping within your city or state.
Depop also charges a pretty hefty fee, so be sure to weigh that against your potential profits.
Cost: For each item sold, Depop takes 10 percent of the sale price. On top of that, you’ll pay a PayPal transaction fee of 2.9 percent plus $0.30.
7. OfferUp
OfferUp is a great option if you’re looking to sell a variety of different items. OfferUp is a great app for selling because you can start small and build up your business. It offers the flexibility to be a casual reseller or a professional.
One of the standout qualities of OfferUp is the ability to rate sellers, which allows buyers to automatically build trust with a seller. OfferUp allows you to choose whether you’ll be selling locally or shipping nationwide, lets customers make a price offer for your item and makes listing items for sale simple, taking 30 seconds or less.
Cost: Selling locally is free. For shipped items, sellers pay a 12.9 percent fee, with a minimum fee of $1.29.
8. Etsy
As anyone looking for something unique or handmade knows, one of the best places to look is Etsy. If you’re selling handmade goods and are planning to start an online store, Etsy is a wonderful place to start. Etsy has great search functions and seller features. However, it doesn’t let you set geographic parameters, meaning you can't control who purchases your products or where they live. Selling to people across the U.S. means you'll need to pay to package and ship your items, which can eat into your profit margins.
However, Etsy does allow buyers to search by location, so marketing your Etsy page to those in your area could bring in local buyers. Etsy has some helpful guidance in how to attract local buyers to your shop.
Cost: Etsy charges a number of different sellers fees. They include:
- $0.20 USD listing fee
- 5 percent transaction fee
You can also incur fees for promoting items and for joining Etsy Plus. Many successful entrepreneurs start and operate their businesses entirely on Etsy.
9. 5miles
For those only wanting to sell locally, you’re in luck with app 5miles. This selling app uses your phone’s location to target the closest interested buyers. The app also allows you to sell by category and use safety features such as identity verification and a meetup location finder. The app even offers in-app translation for non-English speakers.
Cost: Free
10. Decluttr
If you’re looking to offload your old tech items or Legos, Decluttr is the perfect app for you. On Decluttr, you tell the company what you’re looking to sell and they offer you a price. They send you a shipping label, then you pack up your stuff and send it off. Decluttr buys working and broken electronics. If you’re wondering, “what selling apps pay you instantly?” this one is for you. With Decluttr, you don’t have to wait for a buyer to bid or purchase, you post the item and the company offers you a price. It’s simple and quick.
Cost: Free
When you’re looking for a sales app for your small business, the number of choices on the market can be overwhelming. Each app has unique qualities and can offer your small business different benefits. It’s important to investigate which app is right for you, especially when you’re looking to sell locally and avoid shipping fees.
Page Grossman
Page is a freelance content marketing writer with experience writing about small business, the future of the workplace and health. She also operates a weekly email newsletter where she shares advice on living an authentic, intentional life. When not writing, you can find Page traveling, fostering older cats and working as a sexual assault advocate.
