A beginner’s guide to selling second-hand online
Start with personal goods you own, accurate descriptions and clear photos. Understand the payment and acceptance rules before your first sale.
What to know
Read the Terms for permitted items and eligibility.
Keep messages and payment in the app.
Review the seller earnings preview before selling.
Choose Shipping or PIN Pickup and follow its acceptance rules.
How SilentSale® protects both sides
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.
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.
Questions people ask
Is it free to list?
Yes. The seller contribution to SilentCover® is deducted after a successful sale.
Do I need identity verification?
Sellers must complete identity and bank verification with Stripe before they can withdraw their earnings. Buyers may also be asked to verify.
Keep reading
- How to sell safely online in the UK: a step-by-step guide
- How to meet a buyer safely for a local sale
- How to spot a fake buyer or scammer
- Marketplace scams UK: eight warning signs
- How to price preloved items in the UK
- Sell locally without cash: PIN Pickup explained
- All guides
- All answers
- Compare marketplaces
- City guides
Sources
- SilentSale® Terms and Conditions: payment, protection, acceptance and evidence rules. Checked 2026-10-02. §3.1–3.3, §6.1–6.5, §4.1–4.3, §7.5, §15.2.2–15.2.4, §6.5.1–6.5.1, §7.3.7, §15.2, §3.2.2, §3.5.1, §4.4, §2.3.4