Sideline Swap

What: Sell your sporting equipment

Fees/commissions: 12% (includes credit card transaction fees)

$ideHusl rating: $$$SS

Where: Nationwide

Review: If you’re a serious athlete and have old equipment filling every closet and corner of your garage, you may want to consider selling your unused sporting goods on Sideline Swap. The site, which is specifically geared to getting rid of everything from skis and boots to rollerblades and lacrosse helmets is an enthusiasts site, which may help you sell your premium equipment for the premium price that it deserves.

This is, of course, a used equipment marketplace. Don’t imagine that you’re going to sell anything for close to what you paid for it. It’s free to list your items for sale, however, so you lose little by listing. When an item is sold, the site will take a 12% commission, 3 percentage points of which goes to the credit card processing fee. Maximum fees are $50, plus the 3% credit card fee. The buyer pays for shipping, too, so if you list an item for sale at $100, you can expect to net $88, which is competitive with other sales sites outside of the granddaddy of them all, CraigsList, where listing and selling is free.

Sideline Swap, and it’s direct competitor Gear Trade, are unlikely to get the traffic of bigger sites like CraigsList and eBay. The bright side: Listings are free at all four sites (eBay will charge if you list more than 50 items in a month, though), so there’s no downside to putting your items for sale on all four and taking the highest offer.

What their sellers say:

Oliver Stout, a 23-year-old former college athlete, says he spent a fortune on La Crosse equipment over the years. Now he’s clearing out his parent’s garage by selling his old sticks and gear to help finance his last semester at school. “I think I’ve sold $5,500 worth of stuff over the last three years. That helps.” He says he particularly likes the site because it caters to other sports enthusiasts, like himself, who are aware of the value of his gear.

“Brilliant idea. Easy to buy. A cinch to sell. Great interface with sorting capabilities geared to what an athlete wants. Perfect for sports families with fast growing kids. I’m hooked.”

“I stumbled onto this site about a year and a half ago… I was slightly skeptical at first, but after going through the listings and asking questions, I have to say that this has been a great way to get replacement gear (hockey) at very reasonable prices. The people that post their used gear have an actual appreciation for what it’s worth and aren’t trying to get you to pay for half or more of the new gear they’re replacing themselves. The shipping prices seem fair. I have recommended this site to a few people and I hope they use it. Very well done, Sideline Swap!!”