I would not use this company again
I would not use this company again, nor would I recommend them to anyone looking for a fair and professional way to sell their household items before moving.
The process starts with a visit to photograph everything you intend to sell. They charge a R500 call-out fee, plus a 20% commission on the selling price.
On the day of the visit, we clearly explained that some items were not for sale because they either belonged to friends or had already been sold privately. Despite this, some of those items were still photographed and included in the inventory.
Afterwards, they assign values to your belongings. In our experience, many items were priced far below what we considered reasonable. When we questioned some of the prices, they reluctantly increased a few of them. We were told that lower prices encourage buyers to purchase more items.
The contract also prevents you from removing listed items, with penalties equivalent to the commission they would have earned had you removed them.
The evening before the sale went live, between 10:00 and 10:30 pm on a Thursday, they insisted that we urgently verify the inventory because the sale would start the following morning. The inventory was difficult to check, as many items had similar descriptions and no photographs were attached to help identify them.
When the sale went live, I was surprised to see that many items already appeared as "sold" almost immediately. I cannot say why this happened, but it certainly raised questions.
Collection day was equally unusual. Rather than seeing individual buyers collecting their purchases, the company arrived with a trailer and loaded what appeared to be the majority of the sold items, explaining that they were delivering them to various buyers.
There were also issues with the final settlement. We had two vacuum cleaners: a larger AEG vacuum listed for R350 and a smaller one of another brand listed for R250. The smaller vacuum had already been sold privately and should not have formed part of the sale. We pointed this out before the sale, and they removed it from the inventory. However, when the company calculated their commission, they deducted the commission for the more expensive AEG vacuum twice. Although the financial difference was small, they refused to correct what was clearly an administrative mistake.
We also sold our TV, but because we were moving later in the month, we asked them to arrange collection at a later date. They agreed to do so, yet they still deducted their commission immediately, even though the TV had not yet been collected or paid for. I objected, suggesting that the commission should only be deducted once the sale had actually been completed, but they refused to accommodate my request.
Overall, I found the entire experience disorganised, inflexible, and unprofessional. If your priority is obtaining fair value for your belongings while being treated with respect as a client, I would look elsewhere.
Svar från Sell Your Goods
Hello Pablo,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations. We value all feedback and appreciate the opportunity to clarify a few points.
As discussed with your wife during our initial visit, we do charge a call-out fee. She was our primary point of contact while you were otherwise occupied, and during that time our process, fees, and terms were explained. The call-out fee covers our time, travel, and professional advice, and was introduced after repeated instances where people made use of our expertise without proceeding with a sale.
Our pricing is based on current market conditions and our experience of what similar items are achieving in today's second-hand market. These are recommendations only, and sellers are always welcome to adjust their prices. Your wife requested changes to several items, which we were happy to accommodate.
Our agreement also states that once items have been uploaded to our website, they cannot be removed from the sale. This policy was introduced to ensure fairness to all buyers and to protect the integrity of the sale.
The original inventory was sent to you before you left on holiday. After your return, a number of amendments were requested shortly before the sale went live. As there were several similar items, we appreciate that reviewing the final inventory may have been more difficult.
Regarding the speed at which items sold, all purchases are processed through our website in accordance with our Terms and Conditions. We have a large, active customer base, and popular items often sell within minutes. While this may have seemed unusual, it is common on our platform.
Regarding collections, individual buyers attended your property to collect their purchases. We also respected the request that only one person be allowed inside the home at a time. We do not own or operate a trailer, nor do we purchase clients' items ourselves. We simply provide buyers with the details of an independent collection service that many choose to use. If you wish, we are happy to provide the buyers' contact details to confirm this.
Regarding the vacuum cleaners, both were initially included because we had not been advised that one had already been sold privately. Once we were informed, the item was removed before the sale. In accordance with our agreement, commission remains payable on items that have already been uploaded and advertised before we are notified they have been sold elsewhere.
The arrangement regarding the television was explained to your wife during our initial visit and again after the sale. As it was a delayed collection, payment was held until the buyer confirmed the television was in good working order. As requested, payment was released to you immediately once this confirmation was received.
While we appreciate that our policies may not suit everyone's expectations, they have been developed over many years to ensure a fair, transparent, and secure process for both buyers and sellers. We are satisfied that your sale was conducted in accordance with our agreed process and Terms and Conditions, and we thank you for the opportunity to assist with your sale.
We wish you all the very best.