How shipping works for buyers

Shop unique items from around the country and have them delivered right to your doorstep using OfferUp nationwide shipping. Read on to learn the 4 simple steps to buying items with shipping.

NOTE

OfferUp currently supports shipping to and from all US states except Alaska, Arkansas, and Hawaii.

Step 1: Find the item

A quick way to tell if an item can be shipped is to check for the Shipping.png Shipping icon. Any item in the feed that displays this icon is available for shipping. Items without the icon are only available for local, in-person pickup.

You can filter your feed to only show you items that are available to ship. To do this, simply update your delivery method preferences.

Update delivery method in the app Update delivery method on the web
  1. Open the OfferUp app and log in to your account. 
  2. On the Home page, tapLocation iconFor You.
  3. On the Location pop-up, under Delivery Method, tap Shipping.
  4. Tap See Listings to view shippable items. 

Step 2: Buy the item

Great choice! If you’re ready to buy an item, check the listing to see what your buying options are.

NOTE

You pay for shipped items through the OfferUp app, so you’ll need an electronic payment method on file. To learn more, see Setting up a payment method.

Make an Offer

If the listing has a Make Offer button, it means you can negotiate the price. If you choose this option, you’ll enter a price and your offer will be sent to the seller through in-app messaging. The seller will review your offer and either accept or reject it within 24 hours. If they accept it, the system will charge your payment method and hold the funds until the item is delivered. If the seller declines your offer or doesn’t respond within 24 hours, it will automatically cancel.

Buy Now

If the listing has a Buy Now button, it means the seller will accept full price offers instantly. If you choose this option, you’ll purchase the item immediately at the full asking price—no need to negotiate. The system will charge your payment method and hold the funds until the item is delivered.

Fees

As a buyer, you pay the shipping fees and sales tax on shipped items. For more information, see the OfferUp Shipping Policy.

Cancellations

Once a seller accepts your offer, you're committed to buying the item and won't be able to cancel the sale on your end. However, you can always ask the seller if they're willing to cancel the sale on their end. Just know that the decision is totally up to the seller; there are no guarantees that they'll let you cancel. 

Time frame

Once the seller accepts your offer, they have 5 days to drop off the item at a USPS location (though we encourage drop off within 3 days). If they don’t ship within 5 calendar days, the sale automatically cancels and your money is released back to your original form of payment. Fund release typically takes 3 - 5 business days, but timelines may vary based on your bank.

Step 3: Track the item

When the seller ships your item, we’ll send you a notification so you can track your item’s progress. Please note, we can only track items that are shipped through USPS using the OfferUp shipping label.

Tip!

If you’re not receiving tracking updates, please reach out to us by selecting the Contact Us button below.

Step 4: Inspect the item

When your item arrives, we’ll send you a delivery notification with instructions to inspect the item. You have 2 days (48 hours) from the date of delivery to inspect the item and let the seller know if there are issues. 

Item is what you expected

Great! If there are no issues, let us know that you accept the item by tapping Looks Good on the OfferUp delivery notification. Or, you can simply let the 2-day inspection window pass. When you tap Looks Good or when the 2 days end (whichever comes first), the sale becomes final and your payment is released to the seller.

NOTE

Tapping Looks Good means that you accept the item as is. If you choose this option, you can no longer file a claim with OfferUp if you later discover issues. That's why we encourage you to closely examine the item before accepting it.

Item isn’t what you expected

We’re sorry to hear that. If the item isn’t what you expected, take action right away. Start by discussing the issue with the seller and asking for a refund. To learn how, see How to request a refund.

If the seller declines or doesn’t respond to your refund request, you can file a claim with OfferUp. But note, you must file a claim within 4 days (96 hours) of the item being delivered. To learn more about the claims process, see 2-Day Purchase Protection Policy.

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