SilentSale® vs Gumtree: fees, protection and pickup

Costs for buyer and seller

Compare the whole checkout total and seller proceeds, including optional services and delivery.

There are no listing costs. The standard seller contribution to SilentCover® is deducted after a successful sale; review your earnings preview.

SilentCover® is a discretionary protection service under the SilentSale® Terms. Both sides protected equally: buyer and seller each contribute £0.30 + 3% of the item price. Decisions depend on the Terms and evidence.

Gumtree’s online payments guidance lists no seller transaction costs and a buyer charge of £0.70 plus 5%–10%, depending on the item. Delivery is additional for the buyer. Source

What is protected, and for whom

Check eligibility, excluded items and evidence requirements. A buyer policy and a seller policy can have different conditions.

SilentCover® is a discretionary protection service under the SilentSale® Terms. Both sides protected equally: buyer and seller each contribute £0.30 + 3% of the item price. Decisions depend on the Terms and evidence.

Gumtree’s buyer protection policy requires payment through its checkout and requires buyers to report issues through My Orders within 48 hours of confirmed delivery. Source

Delivery and local handover

Both services describe coded collection with online payment. Check availability and acceptance rules on the actual order; delivery issue deadlines should not be assumed to cover a collection.

Tracked delivery starts from £2.96, with available services and the price shown at checkout. Use a SilentSale®-issued label and check parcel size, weight and contents before dispatch.

PIN Pickup is an in-person handover. The buyer inspects the item before sharing their six-digit PIN; the seller enters it in the app to complete the order. The PIN is acceptance. There is no shipping, tracking or post-handover dispute window.

Gumtree offers online payment for delivery-enabled eligible items up to £250. Source

Gumtree also describes collection with online payment: the seller enters the buyer’s six-digit Collection Code to complete the transaction and release funds. Check availability on the actual advert. Source

If there is a problem

For a transaction on another service, use that service’s own order tools and current issue deadlines. On SilentSale®, follow the rules for the selected fulfilment method.

For Shipping, report problems within 72 hours after confirmed delivery, or the collection scan for a locker or parcel-shop order. Confirming receipt closes the window early, so inspect first.

Use the Resolution Centre and in-app conversation to raise an issue, exchange evidence and try to agree a resolution before escalation for review.

Listing and moving your items

Create a fresh SilentSale® listing with your own photos and accurate details. This page does not promise a direct importer for this service.

There are no listing costs. The standard seller contribution to SilentCover® is deducted after a successful sale; review your earnings preview.

Which approach suits you?

Gumtree may suit an eligible delivery or collection sale under its online-payment rules. SilentSale® offers private sellers a single place to choose Shipping or an in-person PIN Pickup handover.