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Letgo Reviews: Cheap Buyers or One of the Best?

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Years ago, it seemed like the only place you could sell something online to somebody local was Craigslist.  Boy, things have changed.

Today, there are so many websites and apps you can use if you want to sell just about anything.  From the Facebook Marketplace to the hundreds of apps on the Google Play/iTunes App Store, it’s hard to keep up.  In fact, there are so many that I created a post that talked about the more than 30+ Craigslist alternatives.

In that post, I talked about a very popular app called Letgo.  I have mentioned it a few times before, particularly in my apps like wish and how to make $200 fast posts.  It works like a lot of apps, wherein you can post what you have and then meet up with a buyer once you agree upon a price.

Letgo App Reviews

With more than 50 million downloads and a solid 4.4 out of 5-star rating on the Google Play store, I figured it was time to review this app in depth.

Is it worth your time?  Should you download it?  What are other people saying?

As in all of my reviews, I test it in its entirety and then offer my honest opinion.  I also show you how it works in detail, providing screenshots along the way.

So, if you’re interested in downloading Letgo or want to learn more about it, then it’s time to jump in as I will tell you everything you need to know.

Let’s begin!

What is Letgo?

Letgo was founded in 2015 by Enrique Linares, Alec Oxenford, and Jordi Castello.  At the time, their goal was to compete against that of eBay and Craigslist.

The app, as well as the website, helps facilitate both the buying and selling of just about any goods, as long as it’s legal, of course.  In short, picture the app like a Craigslist or eBay, only that you will have to meet someone in person to complete the transaction.

From its launch, and as of now, it’s 100% free to use, but they have dabbled with charging a small fee to have your listing post atop of the organic listings.  This could change in the future.

As of 2018, the company had more than 100 million downloads and 400+ million listings.  This has aggressively grown over the years and should continue to do so as they hold the top marketplace spot.

The app is available on both Android and iPhone.



How to Sign Up for Letgo

Letgo works in one of two ways.  You can either use it as a buyer, where you can simply browse through the current listings in your area or you can work as a seller, where you can post items for sale.

Of course, you can do both if you so choose, but let it be known that if you want to interact with someone to either buy or sell, you will need to create an account, which I will show you how it’s done below.  You will have one account that will be able to do both.

To sign up, it’s as easy as downloading the app, or in the case you want to use your desktop, you can do so via the official website, Letgo.com.  In this review, however, I will show you how it’s done via the app as this is the more popular option.

Once you download the app, you will be presented with the following screen:

 

As you can see, you can sign up with your Facebook account, Google account or you can choose to continue with an email.

This is entirely up to you as to how you sign up, but let it be known that an account is required to continue to use the app.  Again, it is 100% free to join.

This process takes all of 60 seconds to sign up.

Selling and Buying on Letgo

Immediately after you create an account, you will be taken directly to your dashboard, which will look something like this:

At the top, you can browse the current listings by category or you can scroll the most current listings at your leisure, similar to that of browsing Facebook or Instagram.  What you see will be based on your settings, usually which will be X miles away.

If you have something specific in mind, then you can use the search function near the top.

At this moment, Letgo allows you to browse listings in the following categories:

  • cars
  • motorcycles and other vehicles
  • electronics
  • home and garden
  • fashion and accessories
  • sports, leisure and games
  • baby and child
  • services
  • housing for rent/sale
  • movies, books and music
  • jobs
  • other

Whether you just want to aimlessly browse or search for something in particular, everything you see on your dashboard will be within the default mileage setting, which is set at 500 miles.  If you don’t want to travel far, I recommend you click on the “edit” button, as seen below and choose a distance that’s best for you.

In doing so, you can be assured that everything you’re looking at is X miles away from the location set in the app.

Searching on Letgo

Aside from simply searching for an item, you can also be more specific, breaking down your price range as well as sorting the results.  So, if it’s the newest results you want to look at, you can do so.  You can also limit your posts as to when they were posted.  So, again, if you only want to see posts that were posted in the past 24 hours, you can do so.

In the screenshot below, this is what it will look like if you want to be specific with your search.

To maximize and filter your searches, you will want to click on the “filter” icon found in the upper-right hand corner.  It’s shown below…

In doing so, you can then reach the page posted above.

I would recommend you at least filter your results if you have a specific price range.  It can also help if you want to see the newest listings as well.

Buying on Letgo

If you’re using Letgo to buy, I wanted to walk you through how the process would work in the case you found something that caught your eye.

In my example, I just took a random listing I found.  In this case, it was a bike.

To start the buying process, it’s as easy as clicking on the listing and then checking it out to ensure that you want it.

On these listings, you will be able to see the following:

  • photos
  • price
  • description
  • how long the listing has been active
  • how many views it has
  • how many people clicked on the “heart” button
  • seller’s profile
  • a map as to where the seller lives (it just shows an area)
  • a text box to start the process

In that example, if you were interested in that bike, then you can start texting with the seller.   You can choose from a pre-defined message or you can create one yourself.

In this chatbox, you can work out all of the details, from agreeing to a price to choosing a meetup location.  Yes, all of your communication can be done through the app.

Remember, as with any online transactions that require a meetup, always make sure you meet in a safe place, such as a police department parking lot or a popular area.  This official Letgo guide points out everything you should think of before meeting up.

To complete your transaction, meet with the seller, inspect the item to ensure they were honest and exchange your cash.  It’s as easy as that.

The entire dashboard is very easy to browse if you’re looking for something to buy.  You can either search, click on a category of interest and/or just browse aimlessly if you just want to see what’s out there.  To me, the app made is very easy to shop in your area, but how much is available to browse really depends on where you live, but this could be said about any buying/selling app.  A New York City will have much more than some farm town in Iowa.

Selling on Letgo

To sell on Letgo, you will just want to look for the “Sell Your Stuff” icon on the main page of the app.  It will look like this and will be located near the bottom of the screen…

Much like buying, selling is very easy, and you can have a listing up in a matter of minutes.

To start selling, you will need to know about the following:

  • which category you want to sell in (see above)
  • photos (they recommend at least three, but you can add up to 10)
  • a title
  • price
  • condition
  • description
  • your location (just the zip code)

Before you do sell, however, make sure you know what you can sell as they have a long list of what’s not allowed on the app.

Like selling on Craigslist, the Facebook Marketplace or anywhere for that matter, it’s best to be as descriptive as possible as well as use a title filled with keywords that people are searching for.  For ideas, use the free keyword tool, KeywordTool.io to see what variations you can include.  The more keywords you add, the more likely it pops up in a search.  I will talk about more selling tips in a few here.

After you enter the information above, you can then click on that “post” button and wait for responses to come in.

Once your listings are live, you can then view them via the “My Listing” tabs as seen below.  You can also use the “Chat” button to communicate with buyers.  Anytime there’s activity, you will receive a notification from the app as long as you keep that setting active.  It’s important to answer as fast as you can so that you can keep your feedback rating high as well as complete a sale.  In some cases, a buyer may go to the quickest chatter.

Just like buying, you will communicate with a buyer, agreeing to everything from a price to a meetup location.  Again, be well aware of scams and never accept any payment online, no matter how enticing it may be.  Your best bet is to meet in person to ensure they are legit as well as get cash in hand.

In the chatbox, you can filter between buying and selling to avoid confusion.  You can also block and archive users/chats if you so choose.

Selling is very easy on Letgo, and it should only take a minute to post an item.  As long as you live in a somewhat populated area and your item is priced right, you should start to get hits almost immediately.  Since Letgo is a very visual app, I can’t stress it enough that you should take a great picture, especially in your cover photo as this is what people will see.

NOTE:  If you want more visibility and/or are selling as a dealer, there could be fees to consider.  Fees range from $0.99 to $4.99.

Seller’s Feedback

As you start to sell, you can earn feedback, similar to that of eBay.

The great thing about this is that it can improve your reputation as a seller, but it can also let you know who you’re dealing with as a buyer.  If someone has great feedback, for instance, then you can be almost certain you’re dealing with someone who’s going to show and actually buy your items.

While the feedback isn’t as popular as eBay, it can affect your selling ability if you’re deemed a “bad” seller to some.

I didn’t see a lot of sellers with a ton of feedback, but I just wanted to mention it as it is an option that could come in handy.



Selling on Letgo Tips

If you’re going to sell, I wanted also wanted to include some basic tips just so that you increase your chances of selling an item faster than the average seller on the platform.  Listed below are a few tips sellers have shared online to help you succeed.

Be sure to take great photos so that the buyer knows what they are getting.  Pay the most attention to your cover photo as this is what people will see when they are scrolling on the app.  Try to take at least three to five photos at a minimum.

Use the description to your advantage.  Be sure to let them know what’s great about it, what’s wrong with it as well as what it’s all about.  The more people know, the fewer questions you will receive in the chat.

Be sure that your price is fair.  If it’s too much, you won’t see any action; however, if it’s too cheap, buyers may question your reputation.  If you don’t know what your item is worth, consider browsing the most recently sold items on eBay or even see if you can find anything on the Letgo app.  To sell it fast, try to price it 10% less than your competitors.

Always make sure that your location is accurate so that you’re only dealing with local buyers.

You will receive questions, so be sure to answer as soon as you can.  A good seller will answer questions fast.

As mentioned, always use selling safety tips when meeting a buyer in person, no matter how honest they sound in the app.

What the Internet Is Saying

I think I covered everything in how the app works as well as a few of my thoughts.  In all of my reviews I like to include both the pro and cons, most of which come from third-party websites.  It’s not always about me.

In my research, I found that a lot of websites gave the app a very poor review, all with the exception of the official Google Play store listing.  What I did find is that many people were scammed and some people didn’t like the newer pricing structure.  However, some people did say it worked as it should.

Below, you will find the many pros and cons I found while browsing a few of the many third-party review websites online.

The Pros

The app is 100% free to use.

It’s one of the biggest in its field, with more than 50 million downloads and over 1.5 million reviews on the Google Play store.

An easy-to-use chat feature, where you can communicate with a buyer/seller without having to talk over the phone.

You can check out a seller’s feedback to see who you’re dealing with.

The Cons

Letgo used to be 100% free to post something for sale, but some categories do charge a small fee, such as in the automotive category.

You will have to meet in person to complete the sale.

You can’t make any payments through the app.  Like Craigslist or any meet-up, you will have to pay in person.

There seems to be a ton of scammers on the app, so always be careful in who you deal with.

Seems to be a lot of tire kickers and low-ballers.  This can be said with any selling app, however.

Many sellers say it’s a “poor man’s Craigslist.”  A lot more buyers with a “yard sale” mentality.

Poor customer service in case a transaction goes wrong.

Some buyers want to haggle even further when they see the item in person.

Final Thoughts

In the end, the Letgo app should definitely be added to your arsenal if you have something to sell or are even looking to buy something used.  It can be a fun way to pass the time.  Picture it almost like a virtual garage sale if you’re into that sort of thing.

Seeing it’s going to be free (99% of the time) to list something for sale, it doesn’t hurt to post it on this app as well as the many alternatives I have mentioned in the past.  The more apps/websites you use, the better your chances of selling the item can be.  Just be safe in your transactions and you should be okay.

For now, check the app out as it’s one of my favorites.  I know some people complain about the scammers or the necessity to meet up in person, but if you can get past these negatives, you won’t find much wrong with it.  It’s a great way to find cheap items as well as get rid of stuff you don’t need.

Now, it’s your turn to shine.

Have you ever used the Letgo app? Are you thinking about it and have a question?

As always, that’s what the comment section is for.  You’re always welcome to post your thoughts/concerns in the comment section below.

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Tom Nathaniel

Hi! My name is Tom Nathaniel, and I created LushDollar to help share my honest thoughts on everything money. You won't find gimmicks here. It's the Internet's most honest money site after all. I graduated from Arizona State University, and I have worked in the finance industry since 2006, consulting with multiple Fortune 5000 companies.

1 comment

  • App is crap! I have nice items in great shape selling cheap with several excellent photos and get ignored! I’m talking good Amazon tablet with charger and no damage for $10 while other people want $30 or more. No offers. None. Boy’s bike, good shape, $15. New price was $200. No bites. I could go on for a while. Waste of time!!!!