How to get Free Items on OfferUp

Search for "Free" Listings: Some users may offer items for free in their listings. You can search for keywords like "free," "giveaway," or "donation" to find such listings. Keep in mind that free items may be in high demand, so act quickly when you find one. If They are not in high demand, its usually a very specific item that not most people are looking for or it is in really bad shape.

Filter by Price: Use the price filter in the search options to set the maximum price to $0. This will help you see listings that are being offered for free or for trade. Even though this is an option that should work out all the time to find free items, its usually not the case due to peoples love to free things. you will most likely find items that cost $0 but the description will name a specific price, sellers do this to grab people's attention in a sea of other competitors. A simple why to bypass this is to assume certain that are highly valuable to unlikely be free.

An example would be a posting of a Lamborghini that cost $0, this is obviously a red flag. My advice is to search items that could possibly be free and hope for the best, an example would be tables and chairs, these types have a good possibly of being free because owner could either be downsizing or are looking to restyle their living courters.

Filter by Condition: Use a condition filter and check mark either "used", "For parts", and "other". You can even check mark all of them to make your search even easier. Most items in these categories are probably free or very cheap so keep that in mind when getting your first free item. What also helps is to also change the location filter to "local" only as sellers are likely never going to put the time to ship free items to you.

Contact Sellers: If you come across listings that are not marked as free but are priced low, you can still try to negotiate with the seller and ask if they would be willing to give the item away for free. Be polite and respectful in your communication. By having a lighthearted conversation about why you would need the item, the seller will most likely give in. If you tell the seller that the item will be used for a good cause, this doubles you chances of getting the item for free or at least get a better discount.

However, never ask for the item for free during the time of transaction. If the seller is expecting cash in the last hour before your visit, don't flip the script suddenly and ask for the item for free as this is disrespectful for the seller. Even as disrespectful as it sounds, there are cases this could work in favor if your savy enough. If somehow you are expecting the item to be in a certain condition, and it is not as advertised when seeing the item in person, this in turn can make the seller feel that they disrespected you in the transaction. At this moment, you maybe able to ask for the item for free, just to hear what the seller has to say.

Offer to Pick Up: In most cases, you will probably pick up the item for free as a courtesy to the seller for giving the item for free. However, for items that are not free, you maybe able to persuade sellers to give the item for free by offering other services besides a free pickup. This includes being available anytime for pickup.

Check Frequently: New free listings may appear regularly, so it's a good idea to check OfferUp frequently if you're looking for free items. Make sure when you are searching for specific items, have the sort filter activated and check mark "recent first" to get the newest items on that day. Its also beneficial to searching during the time sellers usually post up their items. Believe it or not, sellers are also finding the right time to post items as well, they are either posting items not to early or not too late. With most individuals being active around 10am to 8pm, you can expect that these are the times you will most likely find the newest deals.

Use Alerts: If OfferUp offers an alert or notification feature, you can set up alerts for specific keywords or categories to be notified when new free listings are posted. What also helps is having an emailing address that is completely dedicated to Offerup as your mailbox will be filled to the brim with tons of listing updates everyday. This is the help separate your normal email and your Offerup notifications. If this is not an option, your email address possibly has a function that organizes these notifications for you, its best to learn email notification tools if you feel that picking up free items may become more serious hobby in the future.

Be Cautious: When getting free items, exercise caution and common sense. Meet in a public place if possible, and ensure your safety when arranging meetings with sellers. Make sure the trade is also during the day if you feel the item is more valuable than what is advertised. And as a tip, always verify the condition of the item before taking it, you may get more of a headache than what you bargained for, even free items. Examples include chairs that you find out are actually broken, or wood that has already been infested by termites. These items will cause more of a headache for you if you need to dispose of them.

Be willing to put some work: Since free things are usually undesirable by the owner who last had it, it is most likely either damaged or in terrible condition. If this is the case, be willing to put work into it to transform it into something useable. Although putting in time may still not be enough as you will need the necessary tools to fix your free item. This can also be a barrier to the free market as at the end you will have to pay out in time and money. Things should as chairs and wood stumps has always been a hot item in the free section, but those items alone always require some type of cleaning to make usuallable again.

In conclusion, navigating OfferUp in search of free items can be a rewarding and budget-friendly adventure. By utilizing the strategies and tips outlined in this guide, you can increase your chances of finding hidden gems and valuable giveaways from generous sellers. Remember to stay patient, persistent, and polite when communicating with sellers, as a courteous approach can often open doors to unexpected treasures. As a last note, always be cautious using community-based trading markets like OfferUp, even though most people are not out there to hurt you, always be mindful for the possibly that it can happen.