Today, we’re going to review the rather new (ish) Letgo app.
It’s an app that lets you buy and sell virtually anything quickly, easily and locally.
When it comes to selling stuff, there is no shortage of apps and websites one can use. Unfortunately, most of them don’t do you any good.
I really enjoyed Letgo’s TV ads (especially the “jump” one where the lady sells her old sewing machine while sky diving), so I wanted to see what it was all about, and whether it is any better than the rest.
With Letgo, you can make money from the stuff you no longer use – whether that’s an unused coffee table or unwanted books.
You can also get your hands on some great products for bargain prices in your local area.
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Letgo is similar to Craigslist except it’s solely an app, so you can’t use it on a desktop as you can Craigslist.
If you’ve got some unwanted stuff lying around the house, sell ’em through Letgo may be a good option to make some money.
Table of Contents
Update: In the United States, LetGo is now part of OfferUp. You can read our review of OfferUp here.
How Does Letgo Work?
Letgo works like a mobile classified, where people can buy and sell stuff, quickly and easily. It’s aimed at people looking to buy and sell locally.
They currently operate in a dozen or so countries but the strongest market for now are the United States and Canada.
Selling an item through Letgo is super simple.
Through the app, you can snap photos, list items to sell and chat with potential buyers. It takes seconds to post an item for sale, and the app gives you the ability to chat with potential buyers instantly.
Here’s a little more information on exactly how Letgo works…
Getting started
As we said above, using Letgo is really easy.
All you need to do is:
- Download the app on your phone. You can get it for Android and iOS devices, handily enough.
- Register for an account with Letgo. All you need to do to sign up is enter a valid email address, create a password and ad a photo.
- Now, you’ve got your account and you’re ready to buy and sell!
Navigating the platform
It’s is a fairly simple app to navigate. On the main page of the app, you’ll see items that other users have listed for sale. You’ll also see a search bar that you can use to hunt for items.
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From the homepage, you can view categories, like “movies, books & music” and “electronics” as well. It’s a good idea to take a look through them so that you can see where the items you want to sell should be listed and to see what things other people are selling.
The Letgo app has a “Top Cities” and “Top States” section you can look through too.
If you want to sell something, then all you need to do is click on the “sell your stuff” option, and from there, you can snap photos and chat with other users once your listing is live.
How to Sell on Letgo
After you’ve created your profile and have an item to sell, here’s what you need to do next:
- Tap on the camera icon and select a photo from your gallery or you can take a featured photo using the app. Remember that Letgo doesn’t allow you to list items for sale from your computer – you have to use the app for iOS or Android.
- Then, you’ll need to put a price on the item you’re selling. You can put a specific number on it, or you can leave the price as negotiable.
- To add a title, description, and category, just tap “add more details”. You can also upload additional photos this way. Adding these extra details makes it easier for potential buyers to find your items.
- After that, you need to tap the “done” button.
Letgo doesn’t allow you to put details, like your phone number, email or physical address or any URLs into the item description.
How to view your listed products
Once you’ve listed your product, check your profile to see if it’s been posted. Allow up to 40 minutes for your listing to appear.
Once your item has been listed, you can see how many times customers have viewed it by doing the following:
- Go into your profile and tap on the “selling” tab
- Tap the item you want to view
- Select the “more info” button that’s at the top of the screen.
- Alongside an eye symbol, the number of views your item has will appear.
It’s important to note that Letgo has a list of prohibited items. If a user tries to sell a prohibited item, then the listing will be discarded.
Avoid discarded products
Letgo is a really great app that allows you to sell almost anything, but there are, of course, exceptions.
Not all items can be sold through the platform. Fortunately, Letgo has a list of prohibited items, which you can view here, so it’s easy to see what you can sell and what you can’t.
If you try to list a prohibited item on the site, your listing will be discarded. Another reason the site discards listings is if a user repeatedly posts the same product for sale.
When you list an item on Letgo, you need to wait 40 minutes for it to appear, as mentioned above.
If your item doesn’t appear, then it might have been discarded. Check the prohibited items list and your email inbox to make sure your product item hasn’t been discarded.
If you haven’t tried to list a prohibited item or repost the same item, but your listing still hasn’t appeared, then you can get in touch with the Letgo customer service team easily.
All you need to do is go to the “help” tab at the top of the screen in the app. Next, go to the FAQ page, tap the “tech support & bug reports” button, and add your message. Click “send” and the customer care team will respond shortly.
Editing a listing
You can also edit listings after you’ve uploaded them.
All you need to do is:
- Go into the “selling” tab in your profile, as you did above and select the item you want to edit.
- Look for the pencil icon in the bottom right corner of your screen and tap it.
- Then, make the changes that you want to and select “update”.
Communicating with potential buyers
Talking to potential buyers is really easy with Letgo, and it’s definitely one of the best aspects of the app.
Once your item is listed on the platform, potential buyers can find it and contact you. The buyer can ask you questions, make an offer, or even arrange to meet up with you.
Handily enough, Letgo will send you a notification or an email each time you get a new message through the app – so you don’t even have to check it yourself. You can respond to messages through the chat section.
Letgo strongly warns it’s users against going off of the platform to chat for safety reasons.
The payment process
One of the downsides of Letgo is that it doesn’t handle payments. It offers no payment processing options and expects payments to be handled by the buyer and the seller.
This means that the platform doesn’t offer refunds or help with any disputes or payment issues.
The platform recommends that all payments be made using cash in person or through PayPal. It suggests against business or personal checks as well as wire transfers.
Letgo Vs Wallapop
Wallapop was an online classifieds app and virtual flea market that worked in a similar way to Craigslist. In May 2016, it was announced that Wallapop would merge with Letgo.
Wallapop user’s details, like usernames and listings, were not transferred to Letgo, and they also couldn’t use their Wallapop login details to sign into Letgo.
If a Wallapop user wants to continue buying and selling, then they’ll need to create a new account with Letgo.
Fees
Letgo is 100% free to use, so there’s no reason not to start selling on there!
Currently, it doesn’t charge any fees for listing items, and it doesn’t take a commission on sales either.
So, why not get started and sell some of the stuff you no longer need?
How Does Letgo Make Money?
Currently, it’s not clear how the company makes money or if it does yet.
It’s an app with millions of users, so it’s possible that Letgo is interested in mobile behavior and sees its user’s mobile behavior data as valuable.
Letgo might decide to incorporate ads into its platform, or it might start facilitating payments and taking a commission in the future. At the moment, how Letgo makes money is purely speculative.
Is Letgo Safe?
Letgo is a reputable company with millions of users. It’s been mentioned by a wide range of well-known publications and media outlets, like Bloomberg, Fortune, The New York Times, Fast Company, WSJ, USA Today College, and TechCrunch.
So, it’s a pretty safe place to sell your stuff.
However…
While most of the platform’s users are trustworthy, you still need to be careful when selling your stuff. Unfortunately, there are a few bad eggs out there that are out to scam people.
Safety tips
Whether you’re selling your stuff through the platform or looking to find a few bargains yourself on there, here’s what you should do to stay safe on Letgo:
- Don’t give out your email address, phone number, address or any other personal details to another user. Keep all communications within the Letgo app for safety reasons, as many scammers ask users to leave the in-app chat.
- Always meet up with other users in person. Meeting the seller in person allows the buyer to properly inspect the item.
- Don’t ship items. Letgo is designed for local sellers. If you ship an item to a buyer, then there’s a risk that they won’t pay you. You take away this risk when you meet in person and take cash payment.
- Always meet a buyer or a seller in a public place, and take a friend along with you. Supermarkets and coffee shops are both good choices.
- Don’t take payment in the form of certified checks, money orders, cashier checks and wire transfer.
- Take payments in the form of cash.
- If a user makes odd suggestions, unusual requests or just acts suspiciously, then be very cautious. For example, buyers that offer to send a check for way more than the asking price (according to Letgo this is a common scam), or sellers that won’t allow you to see the item in person first before buying it could be scamming you.
- The best way to stay safe when buying and selling is to exchange the item and pay in cash at the same time.
- Avoid users that aren’t verified, refuse to meet in person, and send spammy messages.
- Always check the potential seller’s or buyer’s profile page.
Reporting other users
There are millions of buyers and sellers on this app, so if a certain user seems suspicious, then move on and don’t deal with them.
If you feel that a user is behaving suspiciously or fraudulently, then flag that user and report them to Letgo.
Bottom Line
Whether you’re looking to get rid of some old stuff to make a little extra money on the side or want a certain item at a bargain, you should definitely check out Letgo.
It’s easy to use, and it’s a reputable platform too. So clear out your home and make a bit of money in the process!
If you have used Letgo to sell or buy stuff, please share your reviews and ratings by leaving a comment below.
When I open the email from letgo saying so eine has replied to your ad it goes straight to the letgo app for me to install the app again.
Could be a bug in the system, Hanna. I’d contact the company.
Someone said something to taint my husbands reputation could we find out who posted & why?
It is possible. But where did this happened and what does it have to do with Letgo and this post?
If someone is flagged, then Let go should investigate &/or remove them from the list, if nothing else but to enable the honest customers to feel confident in Letgo. I’ve read the disclaimer &policy & uunderstand. If Facebook can keep it honest, Letgo can at least attempt to help with keeping people honest. Satrap, I hope this will enlighten you. Fishing out the rotten apples have never been a problem, unless you have no arms. You look very young. Would hate to see you be cheated or mistreated.
I think the Letgo idea is pretty cool but the platform needs work. I have an item up for sale and received a couple of messages from potential buys that were hours old by the time I got them. There is some kind of \”lag time glitch\” with the chat feature. Its hard to tell if this is a constant issue or what. It did leave me frustrated because I think both buyers moved on thinking I was not responsive.
I want to sell a QUANTUM JAZZY 1420 i got in april.2004,i’m asking only people who are serious about buying this please contact me. I’m asking $1500 that’s what my wife found out on the internet, tires, batteries, and both motors were replaced over a year ago. It’s in excellent condition. Thank You.
Ronnie, you may want to post an ad on Craigslist or through Letgo app.
I’ve put on several trikes and a few other items to sell, but belle the pictures is a blue out lined marked as sold sign, how do I remove this, the item’s haven’t been sold!
Thank you!
Brenda, there should be a link inside your account that lets you edit or delete a posting.
The auto sellers don’t mention manufacturer, model, mileage, condition….
None of the items on Letgo give descriptions….
I like that , unlike Craigslist, sellers list an item 1 time. Not over and over again.
But there is no information about the product other than pics.
What am I doing wrong?
FB
Frank, you aren’t doing anything wrong. It’s on them (the sellers) to give more info. But you can always contact them and ask for more info.
I am frustrated that the image I choose for my main photo is not the one that shows up in a search. When I am selling a dresser I want people to see the entire dresser not the inside of the drawer, know what I mean?
Kitty, that’s mainly because how the search engines work. There isn’t much you can do about it except to only have that one picture. You can also try to name that main picture something very relevant so the search engine bot can pick that one. Remember, search engine bots don’t see images, they can, however read it if you supply them with description of the image (name of the image, alt tags, etc).
I sent money for a jeep that was on here and then they asked for more. So I became suspicious. Come to find out I was scammed now I’m out that $$$$
I’ve had nothing but horrid experiences with this app. I’ve been harassed by several people demanding I sell to them, deliver the item when they live an hour away, and try to fight the list price. Obviously I do not continue dealing with those people. I’ve had two men pressure me for dates. I reported them. Another woman had me driving all over the city as I was trying to meet up with her, she changed the meet place 7 times while I was en route!! I quit and went home, blocked and reported her account. The last interaction was an extremely rude man who demanded I deliver the lamp I had listed RIGHT NOW. It was 10:30pm. No way!! I’ve deleted my account as this app makes me feel very unsafe.
Wow, I am very sorry you had such a bad experience, Raven. I don’t know what to say, except that with these apps, even with Craigslist, there are always people who just don’t know how to respect other people and their time.
Yes. But now you’ve learned a valuable lesson. Don’t send money to someone you don’t know and don’t send money for an item you have not seen. Did you expect the scammer to ship the Jeep to you? I hope you didn’t send money to pay for shipping too!
In fact, this story is so calm that I am suspicious it is not real either. Scammed when trying to buy a car? That would’ve been at least a few hundred dollars for even a pos vehicle so I would expect you to file a complaint with the authorities not just question here if you were scammed.
I’m super frustrated with this app. Somehow I got onto a screen to boost my sales, which is a $9.99 charge of months, which I don’t need. Now the app is stuck on the screen and I can’t get back to see anything else. I’ve got listings on there, four notifications, I’ve tried deleting the app and reinstalling it and it still keeps showing up so I don’t know what to do. Super frustrated.
This application is a horrible because it doesn’t allow customer to know anything about the seller. I was sold a stolen phone $250.00 and now I can’t go after the vendor. This is wrong there should be protection for the buyer! I will be making a report to the Better Business Bureau and Consumer Protection.
Hi Rafaelina, Sorry to hear that you had a bad experience with LetGo. Buying used electronics (especially phones) can be tricky when you don’t know the seller. Have you tried contacting customer service at LetGo?
A lot has changed in over a year. they have where you can close your account yourself now, BUT you are not able to reopen with the same email later down the road, fi you wanted to
I honestly do not care for letgo. I sold one thing on their 1 1/2 years ago and that is it.
As far as I’m concerned and this is my opinion only. I have had nothing but flakes and no shows while attempting to sell items on this platform. I had 8 people interested in the items I had to sell. Had chats with all of them. The first one wanted the items, so I told them where to pick the items up, and told the other people that if the first person was a no show, I would contact them. The first person was a no show, I contacted the next two who were interested and they were no shows too. I wonder if they were all bots just out to waste my time. It also makes no sense to me for people to favorite an item.
How many items can you post on Letgo? Yesterday it was 4, today, it only allows me 3.
I’m trying to sell my old living room set, your system keeps deleting it. I don’t understand.
Letgo isn’t doing enough to weed out the scammers, ghosters & verbally abusive buyers. Nor are they tutoring buyers on how to read listing details or from messaging at 1am 2am 4am….
I asked a potential buyer if she read listing details & she became verbally abusive. Listing said no deliveries & she wanted 50% off a $10 item & also free delivery in another town! Asked another potential buyer to read listing details & follow directions. We give a 9 hour window for sending messages & 4:57am in the morning is not acceptable. Then he started harassing us when we already explained the deatils to him twice & him saying he goes to work at 5am & our “short” window of messaging was stupid, though he sent other msgs at 12:30pm. I explained not everyone works the same hours as him & he started using abusive fowl language. Neither of these buyer accounts were closed, but buyer blocked me. Letgo earlier jremoved two of my listings for violating their terms. One was a ring they said was a duplicate listing, but they were different sizes, different stones & different shapes; though similar in color. The other was brand new in pkg 3 pkgs of hair bands, I don’t see that on their prohibited list. When I contacted Letgo they said I didn’t have an account, but I have sold items on Letgo & get emails from Letgo.
I’m not really sure how Letgo could control when potential customers choose to contact you. Whenever I have items listed on any online platform, I tend to get messages (legit and scammers) at random times. I ignore the scammers, or the people making unreasonable requests, and the reply to the rest when it is convenient for me. Sometimes selling your items online can be tedious…
I’m a new-bie. I’ve got a brand new pair of size 9 1/2 6e new balance tennies. I only want to ship cuz don’t want to be alone to meet buyer, esp during covid. But do buyers need to try on, since they’re 6 e to buy??
I know my hubby won’t go with me. Which site should I list on ??? Thx
You could always list them on a few different sites, just be sure to remove the listings from the other sites once you’ve sold the shoes.
Trade on Craigslist do cash
They are trying to move us to cashless to suppress and starve us.