How to Sell a Used Armchair

Before you photograph it

Ten minutes here is worth more than anything else you will do. Buyers are deciding between your listing and someone else’s, and preparation is what visibly separates the two.

• Vacuum the seat and get down the sides of the cushion — buyers notice crumbs and coins before they notice the upholstery.
• Sit in it and lean back hard. A frame that creaks or shifts must be described as such, because the buyer will do exactly this test in your living room.
• Look underneath for a fire safety label. In the UK, upholstered furniture made since 1988 should carry one, and buyers increasingly ask.

The photographs that sell an armchair

Four photographs do almost all the work. Shoot in daylight, near a window, with the item against something plain — and do not use the flash, which flattens texture and hides exactly what buyers are trying to see.

1. The whole chair at a slight angle in a normally lit room, not pushed against a wall
2. The seat cushion lifted out, showing the deck and the underside of the cushion
3. The arms and the front edge of the seat, which is where wear shows first
4. The fire label and the legs, plus any stain, tear or thinning fabric

Photograph the flaws too. It feels counterproductive, but a listing that shows the worst of an item gets fewer questions, fewer withdrawn offers and fewer arguments at handover. Buyers who can see the damage stop imagining something worse.

Writing the title and description

Buyers search by style and material, rarely by the word chair alone: “Mid Century Teak Armchair, Green Wool” or “Leather Wingback Armchair, Brown”. If it is a recognised make — Ercol, Parker Knoll, an IKEA model name — that word does more work than any adjective, so put it first.

Then state these in the description, because a buyer who has to ask is a buyer who might not bother:

• Width, depth and seat height in centimetres, measured at the widest point
• The upholstery material, and whether the cover is removable or washable
• Whether the fire safety label is present
• Any stain, tear, sagging or pet damage, stated before it is asked about

What buyers will actually ask

You will receive the same three messages about an armchair. Answering them in the listing itself removes the back-and-forth, and answering them well when they do arrive is what turns an enquiry into a sale.

Pricing it so it actually sells

Start from the honest condition grade rather than the price you hope for. WishThrift listings use five grades — New with Tags, Like New, Good, Fair and For Parts — and what each grade means is worth reading before you choose, because grading up is the most expensive mistake sellers make. It does not raise the price; it produces a buyer who arrives expecting something else.

The armchair value guide prices all five grades for this item. Pick your grade, take the figure, and if you sit between two grades price toward the lower one. Items priced honestly sell faster than items priced hopefully, and on a free platform there is no fee eating the difference anyway.

What you keep, compared

On a £115 sale — roughly the middle of the range for an armchair — here is what the commission-charging platforms would take, and what you would keep on each:

Seller-side rates verified 26 Jul 2026 — Poshmark: 20% commission on sales of $15 and above; eBay: 13.6% final value fee, plus a per-order fee; Mercari: flat 10% selling fee; Etsy: 6.5% transaction fee, plus a listing fee and payment processing. Percentages are applied to the sterling figure above; the fixed per-order and processing charges those platforms add are quoted in their own currency and are not included here, so the real deductions are slightly larger. Full breakdown: marketplace selling fees compared.

Timing and getting it to the buyer

Steady all year, with a lift in late summer and January when people rearrange rooms. A well-photographed armchair in a neutral fabric usually sells within two to three weeks; bold patterns take longer.

Collection almost always. Measure your doorways and stairwell before you list, tell the buyer which floor it is on, and agree who is lifting before they arrive with a car that is too small.

WishThrift does not process payments or arrange delivery — you and the buyer agree both directly — so confirm payment has cleared before the item leaves your hands, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a used armchair worth?

Most sell for £30 to £200, with mid-century and known makes reaching well past that and flat-pack chairs sitting at the bottom. The armchair value guide prices each condition grade.

Do I need the fire label to sell an armchair?

For a private sale the rules are lighter than for a trader, but buyers ask for it and its absence knocks money off. Photograph the label if it is there; if it has been cut off, say so plainly rather than leave it ambiguous.

Should I have it professionally cleaned first?

Rarely worth it at this price. A thorough vacuum and a spot-clean on the arms recovers most of the visual difference, and buyers of used upholstery generally plan to clean it themselves anyway.

See also: what a used armchair is worth · browse live furniture listings · condition grades explained.