How to auction your stuff yourself, without an auction site

Updated October 30, 2026

You have something people want: a bike, a couch, a camera you stopped using. You don’t know what it’s worth, and you think a few people might be interested. That’s exactly when an auction makes sense. You let the people who want it tell you the price, and the highest offer rises on its own.

You don’t need an auction site to do it.

Your usual options, and what goes wrong

An auction site. It works, but there are listing rules, fees and usually shipping. For a couch across town, that’s a lot of setup.
“Or best offer” in a post. Offers arrive one by one in your messages. It’s hard to compare them, and every one starts a conversation.
First come, first served. It’s fast, but the first person to message isn’t always the one willing to pay the most.

What you need to run your own

A fair little auction only needs four things:

One place where every offer goes, so you can see them side by side.
A simple rule: each new offer has to beat the highest one so far.
You decide when to say yes. No one can force a sale on you.
A clear plan for pickup and payment, so the winner knows what happens next.

How to do it with Soldu

Soldu was made for this. Run your own auction: share one link, buyers make offers, and you say yes to the one you like.

Make a link. In the app, tap New link. Add up to 9 photos and a line about the item if you like. You can set a starting price that buyers see, and a lowest price you’d take that only you see.
Post it where people already see your stuff. Facebook Marketplace or a group, a neighborhood chat, the link in your bio. Add a line like “Tap the link to make an offer.”
Buyers make offers. They open the link in any browser, leave their first name and email, and type one number. They don’t need the app or an account. Each offer has to beat the highest one so far. Buyers can see the highest offer, but never who made it.
You see the top three. Each offer comes with a short record of the buyer: purchases completed and missed pickups. You can say yes to any of the three, not only the highest, if one buyer looks more reliable.
Say yes when you’re ready. There’s no countdown. The link stays open until you sell it or take it down. A link nobody has opened for 90 days comes down on its own.
Finish the sale. After you say yes, offers lock and you message the buyer inside Soldu to set up pickup and payment. Soldu never handles the money and takes no fee. If the buyer doesn’t follow through, you can move to the next offer in line, so you don’t start over.

A few tips

Set a starting price. Otherwise someone may open the bidding at a dollar.
Set a private floor. Offers below the lowest price you’d take never reach you.
Say how pickup works in your post. “Pickup near Main and 4th, cash or payment app” saves everyone a message.
Be honest about flaws. A buyer who already knows about the scratch is more likely to show up.

When an auction isn’t the right choice

If you need the thing gone tonight, a low fixed price is faster. An auction works best when you have a little time and a few people who might want it.