Swappa Review 2023. Pros & Cons of Selling Your Electronics on Swappa

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Swappa is a peer-to-peer platform where users can buy and sell both new and used tech gadgets. The company was founded over 10 years ago in Kansas City. Today, the platform offers its services throughout the United States and processed over $92 million in payments in 2018. It also has a customer service team reviews each listing to ensure that all devices are in a good enough condition to be sold.

Pros

  • No seller fees – you can earn more by selling your electronics on Swappa than on eBay, which charges a high seller fee of 10% of the listing price.
  • Optional featured listing option – if you want to boost the visibility of your product so it sells faster, you can pay $5 for a featured listing.
  • Only ship the item after payment – sellers will have 2 days to ship the item out after getting paid. Shipping cost is paid for by the seller.
  • Instant payments via PayPal – once the buyer pays, you will receive the payment instantly with 0 waiting time, even before you ship the item out.

Cons

  • Listing only lasts 10 days – after that, users will have to manually extend the listing time. Each extension is for 7 days, up to 60 days at most.
  • Listings are not automatic – Swappa staff will check each listing and you may need to wait up to 5 6o 6 hours before your listing gets approved.

Jump to: Full Review

Compare to Other Sites to Sell Stuff

Decluttr

Decluttr logo

Over 3 million products sold in 12 months with a year limited warranty

Sell smartphones, tablets, laptops books, watches, video games and Lego

Get a free instant item valuation, ship your item for free and get paid

Swappa

Swappa logo

No fees for sellers – buyers pay no fees up $50 items. $5+ thereafter

Sell computers, home tech, cameras, phones, watches, laptops and tablets

Sell your item directly to buyer and get paid the next day via PayPal

eBay

eBay logo

180+ million buyers, easy listings and sell directly from the smartphone

List up to 200 items for free every month, and only pay when they sell

Global brand trust and seller protections in place from buyers scams

How Does Swappa Work?


Swappa allows you to; 

  • Sell directly to other platform users. 
  • Complete your transaction using PayPal.
  • List your items for free. 
  • List your items for free. 
  • Receive your payments before you ship. 

How Much You Can Earn With Swappa?


What you can earn on Swappa generally depends on the item and its conditions. You can earn more if you sell on-demand or relatively used items. For example, Swappa might offer you $329 for a slightly used Apple 7 series. 

Who Is Swappa Best for?


Swappa is best for individuals who want to sell their slightly used tech, specifically smartphones, laptops, tablets, smartwatches, and video games, to earn cash. 

What Can You Sell With Swappa?


  • Phones – all brands, including not-so-common ones like Sky and Xolo.
  • Laptops – including MacBooks, Windows, and Chromebooks.
  • Tablets – iPad, Android, Kindle, Windows.
  • Wearables – smart watches and google glasses.
  • Video games – such as Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo.

Sell Your Phone Directly (No Middleman)


Selling on Swappa is an easy and straightforward process:

  1. You create a listing 
  2. Swappa puts it in front of potential buyers
  3. A buyer purchases your device
  4. You get paid and ship your item

There’s no middleman involved in the selling process, which means you need to handle everything from creating a listing to packing and shipping your item. To create your Swappa listing, you need to choose the details of your electronics, such as:

  • Brand
  • Type
  • Carrier
  • Color
  • Storage
  • Edition
  • And its selling price

Swappa suggests a price based on previous sales of a device similar to yours. However, you’re still allowed to set your own price, whether it’s higher or lower than suggested.

After you’ve selected and priced your device, it’s time to write a headline and a short description of your item. While writing a description, make sure you show it as appealing as possible while staying authentic and honest about its condition.

Swappa Benefits: What Does Swappa Offer?


No junk

To keep the marketplace safe, Swappa doesn’t allow broken items. Every product has listing requirements and an approval process to ensure confident shopping.

Helpful Staff

Swappa has reliable support. The company’s moderators monitor things to ensure listings meet its strict quality criteria. And they’re quick to answer questions.

Swappa Local

Swappa Local is a relatively new part of the Swappa marketplace. This section is for people seeking to buy items locally. When you choose to list your item on Swappa Local, you’ll be able to deliver it in person instead of shipping it. 

Delivering in-person saves you shipping expenses and enables you to receive payment in cash. Swappa also offers Swap Spots where you can meet your buyer in your location for a safe exchange experience. Swap Spots are currently available in CellPhoneRepaid locations nationwide.

Swappa Customer Support

Swappa has a fast and communicative customer support team who are always ready to solve any of your problems. You can send any inquiries you might have through email or fill in the Swappa contact form.

Swappa Direct Communication

Swappa Direct Communication feature allows potential buyers to leave a comment on the listing if they have any questions. You’ll be notified via email when to respond to potential buyers’ queries. Because the questions and answers are available publicly, it eliminates multiple buyers asking the same questions.

Swappa Return Policy

Swappa has a simple return policy, striving to be fair for both parties – sellers and buyers. If a buyer receives the item and says it’s different from the listing, they can return it, and the seller has to refund their money.

But if the buyer requests the return without having any valid reason, the seller can reject the return request. If for any reason, the seller decides to honor the buyer’s return request, they can decide how much money to refund.

Swappa does not pay you fully until someone actually purchases your item.

Swappa Fees: How Much Does It Cost to Use Swappa?


There are no listing or selling fees associated with Swappa. Instead, the platform fee is incorporated into the price of your item, which is covered by the buyer. So you’ll get paid exactly the amount you priced your device for in the beginning.

How to Sell Your Phone via Swappa


Step 1 – Find Your Product

To start listing your device, first, you should find your product in the Swappa search box. Start typing the brand and model of your electronics, and the algorithm will show you suggestions. Once you see your device in the list, select it to move to the next step.

Step 2 – Create Listing

Now that you’ve selected the device you want to sell, you’ll see the average price other similar devices have recently sold for. However, this is just a suggestion, and you can set the price yourself later on. 

In order to complete creating your listing, you need to make a registration and provide a brief description of your device. 

Make sure you enter the correct details, such as:

  • Device model
  • Storage capacity
  • Screen size
  • Other technical information that’s relevant for your particular device

Be aware that Swappa reviews each listing thoroughly. That’s why your listing won’t be published directly like on other sites, such as eBay and Craigslist. And it usually takes a few hours until your listing gets reviewed.

Step 3 – Get Paid

As soon as your item sells on Swappa, you’ll instantly receive your payment via PayPal. Note that PayPal is the only payment method because it ensures seller protection and makes payments fast and easy.

Step 4 – Ship Your Item

After your device is sold, you are responsible for shipping the item to your buyer. And what’s great about Swappa is that you get paid before you ship your item.

Swappa Requirements?


  • At least 18 years and above
  • A smartphone
  • Tech items to sell

Swappa Payout Terms and Options


As soon as your item sells on Swappa, you’ll instantly receive your payment via PayPal. 

Swappa Reviews: Is Swappa Legit?


Swappa is a legit and safe online selling platform. It has a rating of 4.8 on Trustpilot, 4.7 rating on Sitejabber, 4.1 rating on App Store, and a 4.7 rating on Google Play Store

Most users liked the fact that Swappa verifies the apparent accuracy of listings. Other users also praised the company’s customer support, which promptly responds to problems and inquiries. 

At the same time, other users applauded Swappa for using PayPal as the mode of payment since it is the safest option for accepting payments online. Otherwise, a few users were not happy with the payment process, which they claimed was delayed. Overall, Swappa is reliable. 

What Are the Swappa Pros & Cons?


Swappa Pros

  • No listing or selling fees.
  • Safe and reliable payments via PayPal.
  • You get paid immediately before you ship your item.
  • Excellent customer support.

Swappa Cons

  • Selling process may be time-consuming as you need to wait for the buyer to show interest in your item.
  • Swappa can only pay through PayPal.

How Good Is Swappa Support?


Swappa has a detailed online knowledge base, including frequently asked question pages, forums, blogs, etc. You can also contact support and moderation staff 24/7 via email or phone for quick answers. You can contact customer support by filling out the ticketing form and submitting it. 

Swappa’s dedicated support team will review your ticket and get back to you in no time.

Swappa Review Verdict: Is Swappa Worth It?


Swappa is a safe and recommended platform for selling items online. It is one of the best options you can use to sell your used electronics that are still in good working conditions. 

Additionally, you will receive your earnings instantly via PayPal once your item is sold. Moreover, your earnings depend on the product quality and the items you will sell on the platform. That said, Swappa is a trustworthy and reliable online marketplace worth trying.  

Devices listed for sale must be ready for activation on the advertised carrier by a new buyer. Devices cannot be blocked, nor reported lost and or stolen.

How to Sign Up With Swappa?


To register with Swappa;

  • Go to the registration page and click register
  • Provide your name, email and password, then click register
  • Verify your email
  • Provide additional information
  • Start using the site

Sites Like Swappa


Swappa vs. Decluttr


Decluttr Summary

  • Next-day payment upon delivery of goods
  • Get the best prices for your used tech
  • 2 different payment options available
  • Get extra cash if you are a student

Like Swappa, Decluttr is one of the best places to sell items. Both marketplaces also buy and sell used electronics, such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Moreover, both platforms do not charge any fees to list the items. 

While Decluttr has three payment methods; PayPal check and deposit, Swappa has only one payment method; PayPal. Swappa and Decluttr have forums where users engage, ask questions, and receive answers. 

Swappa vs. eBay


eBay Summary

  • High user traffic – over 187 million users
  • No listing fees for small scale sellers
  • Promote your listing from as little as 1%
  • Quick processing time for payouts

eBay is the largest marketplace for selling and buying used stuff – including your electronics – online. Both platforms have a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate. As for pricing, eBay pricing varies depending on the listing, while Swappa pricing is free. 

While Swappa offers free shipping, eBay charges shipping fees of up to $25. Like Swappa, eBay also pays you instantly once your item is sold. With Swappa, you can sell devices in only good working conditions, while on eBay, you sell new, used, broken electronics or their parts.

Swappa vs Gazelle


Gazelle Summary

  • Sell your electronics with no fees
  • Get an offer in less than 1 minute
  • Up to 5 days to reject revised offers
  • 3 different payment options available

Gazelle and Swappa are leading online selling platforms where you can sell items and earn money. Like Swappa, Gazelle also offers free shipping. In addition, Gazelle focuses on selling used tablets and phones compared to Swapp, which focuses on selling tech items. 

While Swappa has only one payment method, Gazelle has three payment methods, PayPal, direct bank transfer, and check. Otherwise, both platforms do not charge any listing fees.  

Swappa vs Craigslist


Craigslist Summary

  • Posts are anonymous
  • Quick and easy listing in a matter of minutes
  • Little to no seller fees, most auctions are free
  • Sell within your local area

Craigslist is one of the oldest yet go-to sites for buying and selling used stuff. Unlike Craigslist, Swappa protects you from scams and ensures safe payments via PayPal before you even ship your item. Craigslist and Swappa do not charge you any listing fee. 

Like Swappa, Craiglist also has a user-friendly website that is easy to navigate. Besides, both sites offer free shipping. 

Other Sites Like Swappa


Swappa FAQ


What Is Swappa?

Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Kansas City, Swappa is a peer-to-peer marketplace for selling and buying used electronics. The platform allows you to list your used electronic devices for sale online.

Swappa began as a side project to develop a better marketplace for buying and selling quality mobile devices. Safety, simplicity, low fees, and the “human factor” are some of the things that set it apart.

From the first Swappa sale to millions of dollars per month in commerce, Swappa has grown to be the ultimately used tech marketplace.

But note that you can only list electronics in good working condition. The website won’t accept your listing if your device is broken or doesn’t work properly.

How does Swappa fees work?

Swappa doesn’t charge you any fees to sell items on its platform. Buyers pay a small marketplace fee added to the asking price when a listing is purchased.

How can I communicate with other Swappa users?

To communicate with other users, go to public comments on listing pages. Swappa doesn’t permit any personal contact information to be shared.

Is Swappa safe to sell on?

Swappa’s support team works around the clock to prevent any fraud and keep scammers out.

What criteria should a product meet?

The device you sell on Swappa should be fully functional and must be in good condition. 

Can I sell on Swappa when I am outside the USA?

Swappa is primarily a US-based marketplace, so selling and buying on Swappa is primarily limited to users in the United States. 

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