second hand sofa buyer's guide hero

Second Hand Sofa Buyer’s Guide

28 July 2023

Second Hand Sofa Buyer’s Guide

Are you looking to buy a second hand sofa but don’t know where to start? This guide is here to help! We cover all the ways you can find a second hand sofa online and in store, so your sofa search doesn’t have to be stressful:

  1. Why buy a second hand sofa
  2. Where to find great second hand sofas online
  3. Shop for a sofa in store
  4. Advice about how much to pay
  5. Last tips

 

1. Why buy second hand?

It’s time for a new sofa, but why choose second hand over new? First of all, a second hand sofa will be much cheaper than a new one. Whether you’re on a budget or just thrifty and frugal, going second hand could save you lots of money. It’s also one of the best things you can do for the environment. By shopping for your sofa second hand, you’re preventing an old one from going to disposal.

It’s true that it takes a bit more work to find a great used sofa as opposed to buying new. You have to put in time to scour second hand websites or shops. If you don’t know where to look, it can be overwhelming. This article is here to help! Save time by understanding your options and how best to use each one…

 

 

2. Where to find a second hand sofa

These days, there’s loads of places to find used sofas online. The choice is enormous which is great, but also a bit overwhelming. Here’s a list of the best sites to use, plus tips for getting the most out of them.

 

Freecycle, Freegle & Trashnothing: free sofas

If you are strictly shopping on a budget, start with Freecycle, Freegle or Trashnothing. They work the same way: through town groups and free giving and receiving. The difference between them is that Freecycle is a global organisation, whereas Freegle & Trashnothing are just UK based. 

It’s always a good idea to know why people are selling a sofa for free. Sometimes, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. We definitely recommend viewing the sofa before you make any commitment to take it. 

find second hand sofas for free using freecycle freegle trashnothing

Be prepared to put in a little work with these sites because there aren’t many sophisticated filters. It may be a case of setting an alert and keeping an eye out – though watch out for your inbox becoming full! Alternatively, you could post a wanted listing and see if anybody happens to have what you’re looking for.

For specific advice on using the site, see our Freecycle Guide.

 

LoveJunk

Another great option to find used and second hand sofas for free. Use the filters to set your location and search in that radius. There are lots of listings, especially around London. You can message the seller easily over the LoveJunk platform without having to share any details. Ask any questions you need and make an offer if you like the item! 

use lovejunk to find free second hand sofa

 

Gumtree

Find items for sale in the main section or for free in Gumtree Freebies. Find sofas for sale by going to For Sale > Home & Garden > Dining, Living Room Furniture > Sofas, Armchairs & Suites. Alternatively, use the search bar if you have a specific item in mind, e.g. “brown leather sofa”. Then you could apply filters like location, distance and price. 

If you’re looking for free sofas, the easiest way is to add £0 max price to your search. Otherwise, you can try the Freebies section (For Sale > Freebies) but you can’t apply many filters here – not even category. So you might have to scroll a bit to find anything!

buy second hand sofas on gumtree

 

Facebook marketplace

In the marketplace area of Facebook, make sure your location settings are accurate. The best way to look for sofas is to use the search bar and then the filters. Or (on the menu down the left hand side) go to Home Goods > Furniture. 

facebook marketplace find second hand sofa

Facebook marketplace icon highlighted in blue

There’s a Free section on Facebook Marketplace too. Watch out when browing here! Some people list items as ‘£0’ but are actually selling when you check the description. Don’t be misled and check the descriptions carefully.

An advantage of Facebook is that you’re able to see the profile of whoever is selling. We recommend a quick look to make sure it doesn’t look dodgy. Look for a few pictures, some friends and activity that dates back at least more than a few months. Some people’s profiles are very private but it’s still a good test to see if they look trustworthy. On the same note – make sure your profile looks nice! Trustworthiness goes both ways.

 

 

eBay

This is a great place to find second hand sofas for sale, especially vintage ones. Free stuff, not so much. That doesn’t mean there’s not free stuff to be found, but it’s definitely more of a seller’s marketplace.

From the homepage, find the navigation bar at the top and click on ‘shop by category’. From there, go to Furniture and Homeware > Sofas, armchairs and couches. Then you can choose what kind of sofa you’re looking for. Alternatively, use the search bar to look for something specific. Knowing how to effectively search for things on eBay will save you loads of time. Use the advanced filters to your advantage:

  • Exclude words from search results – if you know you don’t want a leather sofa, add a minus in front of the word. For example “-leather”
  • Try ‘nearest first’ in the ‘sort’ tab – coming across a gem just down the road is way more convenient than at the other end of the country
  • For genuinely good quality second hand items, set ‘condition’ to ‘used/ seller refurbished’
  • Auction or buy it now? Try both, but you may have a preference for the buying method. If an item is just up for auction, you can always try messaging the seller to see if they have a ‘buy it now’ price

Searching for second hand sofas can be a case of playing the long game. Save your search and set notifications if you want alerts for any new listings. Make sure your postcode is accurate for nearby listings. You can use the web or the app to search eBay. 

 

Shpock

Another good site to find used sofas for sale. To find sofas from the homepage, go Category > Home & Garden > Living Room Furniture > Sofas & Armchairs. Or use the search bar for a specific sofa. From there, use the filters on Shpock to narrow down search results based on location, price, condition and delivery options. 

shpock logo

People can often be very generous about the condition of their items so double check pictures and descriptions even if it’s listed under ‘Very Good’. 

 

Preloved

Definitely better for finding sofas for sale. The free section doesn’t have very much on offer, so we recommend the free sites listed first if this is a priority.

preloved buy used sofa

Filter results by postcode search, price range and advertiser type. Sellers on Preloved are encouraged to provide dimensions for furniture listings which is very useful to have without having to ask. Respond to adverts agreeing to the offered price or propose a counter offer.

 

 

3. Second hand sofa stores

Online is great, but sometimes you just want to go and try them out or have a browse in person. The main places to look are charity shops that sell furniture. Below is a list of charities that sell furniture. Follow the links to find your nearest store.

There will also be plenty of independent charities selling used furniture near you. A good place to find them is in your council’s bulky waste collection pages. Some councils have community reuse shops and others recommend local furniture reuse organisations. 

 

 

4. How much should you pay for a second hand sofa?

To help give you an idea of how much used sofas cost, here are some examples from LoveJunk. Please be aware that people set their own prices and they can be subject to negotiation. Use these examples as guidelines only!

 

Used L shaped sofa for sale

L-shaped second hand sofa, £30

Second hand grey couch for sale

Large grey couch, £75

2 seater second hand sofa for sale

DFS sofa, £55

second hand sofabed for sale

Sofabed, £25

Used sofabed good condition for sale

L-shaped sofabed, £35

velvet sofa second hand for sale

Velvet sofa, nearly new, £60

 

5. Last tips

So you’ve found a sofa you love, what next?

 

Quality checks

Before you hand over any money, double check a few things. If they aren’t already provided, ask for more pictures (or better, a video) to identify any:

  • Visible wear and tear
  • Stains
  • Rips
  • Mould or insects
  • Wobbles/ loose nails
second hand sofa with visible wear and tear

Sofa showing visible wear and tear

Problems with the upholstery can be repaired and you can fix a wobble. We would advise against a sofa that shows any signs of mould or insect infestation. Even if you clean it thoroughly, it can be hard to know where the problem is coming from. 

Of course, the best option is being able to see in person whether the sofa is in genuinely good condition. You could also do the sniff test this way. If not possible, make sure you’re happy with the description.

 

Pick up or drop off?

Depending on the distance and the item itself, it might be realistic and the cheaper option to go and pick it up yourself. If you only have a car, you can probably put your back seats down and fit a set of drawers in there, or a dismantled desk. Otherwise, you might want to consider hiring a van for anything bigger. 

Alternatively, the seller might be very kind and offer to drop the item off. This is a great option, but be aware that this makes it harder to say no if this is the first time you see the item in person and don’t like it. Maybe it doesn’t match the pictures or the dimensions were wrong – though you are well within your rights, it can get a bit awkward if they’ve come all this way and you say no. 

Another drop off option is to hire a courier service. Not just for small packages! You can also hire a courier service to pick up and deliver big items, like sofas for example. Certain second hand sites can help you arrange delivery. Have a look at companies like AnyVan or Shiply to see their prices.

 

Staying safe

Here’s some final pieces of advice for staying safe and not ending up with an item you don’t want.

  • Pick up where possible – avoid giving out your home address by going to pick up your item. If necessary, it’s also easier to turn an item down this way as you are the one travelling. 
  • Go with a friend to pick up, or have somebody at home when you expect the delivery. This isn’t just for safety but to help you maneouver anything particularly big in and out of the house.
  • If it’s not right, don’t feel pressured into a decision! Finding a good second hand sofa might take some time and patience. 

 

Further reading

 



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