Established online auction sites make selling low value goods an expensive method of disposal, We explore the options to avoid tossing those goods in the garbage or giving them away to charity and thrift shops.

What is the problem with low cost items?

Basically the OVERHEADS of placing a listing are more or less the same regardless of whether you list an item for 5 dollars or 5,000 - so it follows the more expensive item can more easily carry the cost of listing.

Some auction sites charge commission on top for a successful sale so this again can eat into the sale price you appear to be getting for the goods. In reality you could loose 10-20% of the sale price in costs.

And, more likely you end up NOT SELLING at all, perhaps your reserve was too high, or there were just too many items to choose from of the same type - best deal wins every time.

Not selling means you PAY not to sell an item, so to relist seems a daunting task and fraught with the idea that you may no sell AGAIN after even more expenses.

So, what are the alteratives?

1. Drop the stuff in the garbage and right of the experience - and try and forget how much it cost you.

2. Give it all to a charity or thrift shop, asking yourself why you did not do this in the first place.

3. Use an online SWAP site where you TRADE low value items direct or for points, this way you end up with something useful in return - you pay just for postage on goods you receive and are paid postage for goods you send.

Finding swap partners who have what you want may not be easy for direct swap a for b sites, so those that work on a points system seem a better deal. You earn points for your "bank" by dispposed of goods and referring members to the site, and "spend" those points on goods you WANT.

Swap sites usually are free to list so there is nothing to be lost by giving them a try, you can always resort to the other options if you fail to secure a trade after a few weeks, or even months.

Maurice S Clarke is founder of the wearable goods trading web site http://www.whatweusedtowear.com and lives in Rugby, UK. This article may be freely republished provided it remains intact.