GearTrade: High-Cost Site to Sell Sporting Gear

What is GearTrade?

GearTrade is an online consignment store for lightly-used sporting equipment. It is highly reviewed by people who want to buy sporting equipment, but seller reviews are not as positive.

How it works

The site only takes good-condition items that are 5 years old or less. It handles most sporting gear, ranging from tennis to hockey. But it doesn’t sell climbing, hunting, team sports gear and water sport equipment, such as surf, wake and paddle boards.

GearTrade review

The main problem with GearTrade is the site’s fees, which are extremely high — as much as 85% of the purchase price.

The site has a 2023 promotion that promises you’ll get 70% to 80% of the sales price for anything you list during 2023. (In other words, GearTrade will take commissions of just 20% to 30%.)

However, under normal circumstances, the site charges a staggered commission rate based on the item’s selling price. The lower the selling price, the higher the fee.

Items that sell for less than $50 are subject to fees ranging from 85% to 70%; Commission rates go from 70% to 50% on items selling for up to $150; and from 50% to 30% for items selling for more. (You can see the full commission schedule here.)

Why so high?

GearTrade justifies the fees by saying that it provides sellers with free shipping of your gear to GearTrade; price evaluations of your goods; marketing your goods by taking photos and listing them; and it also pays for shipping to the consumer. And shipping bulky sporting gear can be expensive.

Details

If you want to sell gear on GearTrade, you send it into the site. On receipt, the site will evaluate what it’s worth, based on its original price, it’s age and condition. GearTrade will suggest a retail price that’s aimed at selling the goods promptly. However, if you think the price is too low, you have 48 hours to object and change the price before it’s listed.

If the item doesn’t sell after being listed for 150 days, GearTrade will send you an email suggesting that you either donate your gear or take it back.

Want the gear back? You’re on the hook for the shipping costs. But make sure to respond promptly. After 180 days, GearTrade donates the items. They will, however, send you a receipt that you can use to deduct the donation on your tax return.

Recommendations

If you want to sell your sporting gear at GearTrade, sign up here. But if you want to sell on a lower-cost niche site that appeals specifically to sporting goods buyers, we’d recommend Sideline Swap. It offers similar marketing services to GearTrade but at a far lower cost.

And other marketplaces, including old favorites such as eBay and CraigsList can also be great and cost-effective options. Listing and selling on CraigsList is free. (But beware. The site has more than its share of scammers.) eBay charges staggered fees, but none of them are as high as the fees at GearTrade.

What their users say (from TrustPilot):

They make it easy to send your gear in, but take forever to get your items listed. And my fault, but I should have checked the payout…. 40%. I sent them a $120 jacket and got $20. Such a rip off. Do not recommend doing business with them. Just sell the items yourself.

Overall seems to be a great company, with lots of great clothing, gear, and parts for sale. I feel as if it is an unbelievably high commission rate for an online platform. Most in person outdoor used stores, will only take 25% commission. For this reason, I will probably sell most items else where, such as Requipper (7%) or Facebook (0%).

Might be a good place to buy items, but think twice before trying to sell anything. Buyer received my item 5 days ago, still no word about payment… It has been 19 days since I shipped it.