5miles Blog - Your Mobile Marketplace

1. Watch

Some say that, not counting your wedding ring, it is the only piece of jewellery a man should wear is a watch. What's great about watches are their versatility. A sporty watch can dress an outfit down. And a sharp one can kick it up a notch. And like jewellery it is always best to buy them second hand. 

2. Fishing Gear

Remember that time your dad first taught you how to fish? He bought you that red and blue Spider-Man fishing pole. You were fascinated by his ancient box of tackle. Take a moment to go down to the water together and share those memories again. Just grab a couple of rods and reels and you're set.

3. GoPro

Maybe your dad likes his sports a little more extreme. So the next time you're out on the ATVs for the day strap on a GoPro so you can give your Mom a heart attack later when she sees your stunts.

4. Kindle

Maybe he loves fantasy like Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings. Or maybe he's more of the Jack Ryan or Bourne Identity type. Whether it's Action, Adventure, or Science Fiction, all those books really take up space. Kindles are light, take up no space, and can really take a beating.

5. BBQ

Even if he can't cook inside the house, something about raw meat and the outdoors turns any dad into Gordon Ramsey. Search on 5miles, throw one of these in the truck, and make sure to pick up the steaks on your way over to his house.

6. DSLR

Over the years you've made a lot of memories with your father. And if you’re blessed there'll be a lot more to come. Plus, if dad gets his wish pretty soon he'll have grandkids running around. Cameras really keep their value, and you can set him up with an entire kit for a steal.

7. Bluetooth Speaker 

If you're looking for something small, these little speakers are perfect for the summertime. They can follow you anywhere, charge with USB, and can play music right from your phone. Perfect for sitting on the porch with a cold drink to beat the heat.

8. Leather Recliner 

After the day's done it's time to relax. And what's better for the king in his castle than a throne. His only problem will be fighting to keep everyone out of it!

Let us know on Facebook or Twitter all of the great gifts you managed to find for Dad this year. Do something fun? Let us know!

1. Find recommended users near you

We want to help you connect with users in your neighborhood. So now when you sign up for a new account 5miles will suggest a few people near you to follow.

Click on a few that look interesting, or add everyone on the list by hitting the Follow button in the top right.

2. Rate and review other users

Now you can leave ratings and review to let everybody know who are the 5 star buyers & sellers on 5miles. Under the Ask screen where you can send messages you will now see a “Review” button.

After you’ve finished a trade, hit Leave Review, give them some stars, and write a comment on how the transaction went. You can come back to this screen any time to change your review too.

3. Block people you don’t want to connect with

5miles is growing by the thousands everyday. And while most users are great, there are a few people who are out to take the fun out of using 5miles.

Also under the Review button, you can now block messages from users completely. If someone is bothering you, just select “Block this Person” and you won’t hear from them anymore.

4. Relist items you’ve marked as sold.

Ever try to sell an item and it didn’t work out? For whatever reason, maybe the buyer didn’t show up or never messaged you back.

Now if you’ve marked your item as Sold you don’t have to go through the trouble of making a new listing. Just edit your item, hit Relist, and you’re back in business.

Version 3.0 is already on the Google Play Store, and we expect it to be on the Apple App Store in the next few days.

Everyone go right now and update the app! We’re dying to hear your thoughts.

1. Tackle one room at a time

Take a deep breath. You can do this. Just break the job into small parts and you'll be moving in no time. Set apart some time and take on one room after another.

Try to do it all in a single day and you'll wear yourself out. Have a plan, recruit some help (the kids have to be useful for something), and take it one step at a time.

2. Start with storage spaces

Makes sense. Before you start putting things away you need somewhere to put them. Closets, basements, attics and, if you dare, the garage.

And if you haven't used what’s already in storage since the last time the flowers were blooming, sell it on 5miles. That will free up space for your household clutter.

Also, put away all your winter clothes and look at the summer ones. Worn out? Don’t fit? Out of fashion? Get rid of them!

3. Use the Three Bucket method

Or three baskets. Or three piles. If you've got a lot of clutter they might be big piles!

In every room, take each item and make a decision:

Store it. If you are going to get some future use out of it.

Sell it. You might not be using it, but you can still make some money.

Trash it. If it’s worn out or just cheap save yourself the headache and throw it away.

After you've gone through the whole room it will then be easy to get rid of things all at once.

4. Ruthlessly purge

For some of us it can be hard to part with things. Still, just think of the peace of mind you’ll get when you’ve cleared your space of all that junk.

Does it improve your life? Does it hold sentimental value? How hard would it be to replace?

If it's cheap, broken, or you haven't used it in a year, sell it. You got your use out of it and when you sell it on 5miles you'll make money too.

Plus, you're helping someone else get use out of what was just wasting space in your house.

5. Sell as you go

5miles makes it really easy to list as you tidy up. Keep your phone on you and snap photos of items as you deal with them. The faster you list, the faster you'll sell, and the faster your house will be empty.

Just make sure to keep that clutter out of the photo. Check some tips on how to take great photos for listing on 5miles.

See, that wasn’t so hard. Got some more tips for us? We want to hear from you. Get in touch on Facebook or Twitter  and email us at [email protected].

Photo credits

the basement - part 2 by Eric Mueller, on Flickr

3/24/08 by dobrze, on Flickr

1. Fresh new categories.

We’ve cleaned up the categories and made them more useful. Also we’ve drawn some simplified illustrations for you. Check them out above.

2. Advanced search.

As as the number of new items every day is just exploding, a lot of people have asked for an easier way to search.

Now you can filter your search by distance, category, price, and whether sellers are verified or not. And you can sort the results by items closest to you, items posted most recently, or by price.

3. Browse without logging in

New users can take a look at all the great deals near them without becoming a 5miles user first. And when you see how easy the app is and you’re ready to buy & sell, you can still easily join 5miles by signing into Facebook or entering your email address.

2. Phones & electronics

You know what the Apple and Samsung fans are like. Every year there is a new phone. And every year millions of perfectly good phones are sold off. Most are only one or two years old. Some might even still have their initial warranty.

Every day people are using 5miles to sell their phones and electronics. Before you buy make sure everything is in working order, if you’re buying a phone that it’s unlocked, and that there aren’t too many scratches. As long as everything is in good condition it’s just as good as buying new.

3. Furniture

Here’s another category of items that loses value fast. When people move they will do anything to get stuff out of their house. And you can find a couch or kitchen table and chairs for 50 percent off or more. One scuff or scratch—which no one is going to even see—could save you hundreds of dollars.

Watch out for mattresses. Beyond the cleanliness factor (yuck!), mattresses have a lifespan of only 5-7 years.

4. Appliances & housewares

Washers, dryers, fridges, toaster ovens. Even no-name items can be well made. And the brand names will last for years. On 5miles there are hundreds of great stoves, microwaves, and coffee makers looking for homes.

Housewares too. Places, pots, pans, utensils, all of these people would rather sell than have to lug to a new house across the country. Which means you can find always a great deal on kitchen stuff in excellent condition.

5. Jewelry

If there’s one thing that depreciates faster than cars, it’s jewelry. Both luxury cars and diamond rings are sold through hype. And both have a low resale value. Notice the pattern here? Don’t believe the hype. Buy your jewelry used and you won’t waste money through lost value.

6. Designer Handbags

There comes a point in every woman’s life where she looks in her closet and admits she has a problem. Hopefully her friends can stage a handbag intervention. With the cost of designer bags skyrocketing many are available for resale. Which is great for you, because buying a designer handbag used can save you money. And no one has to know where you got it. Just make sure it is authentic and there is no damage before you buy.

7. Baby clothes and toys

Kids grow up fast. Faster than their stuff wears out. So why waste money on something that you’re just going to have to throw out in six months?

Clothes, toys, books, videos—somewhere there’s a busy mom trying to make some money getting rid of her baby’s stuff. And you can save money by checking 5miles and buying used. But watch out for cribs, car seats, and strollers. They are there to keep your baby safe, and are often subject to product recalls.

8. Designer or special occasion clothes

Some things of yours we don’t want to wear. (Bathing suits? Hell no!) But evening dresses or nice suit might only get used once or twice a year, making them perfect for buying used on 5miles.

Try this trick next time you have that big event. Instead of renting, buy it used. Dance the night away. Then sell it again. Who knows, maybe you can even make a profit!

9. Sports and exercise equipment

Spring is here. And right about now hundreds of treadmills and bikes bought for New Years’ resolutions are being sold. Add to that tennis racquets, baseball gloves, basketball nets, even golf clubs, and you can have your entire summer planned out for a steal.

Tell us what you think. What else do you always buy used? What deals should we be on the lookout for on 5miles? Send us your tips on Facebook or Twitter email us at [email protected].

Image credits

If not from 5miles, pictures are from:

Samsung Galaxy S4 - dual view by Kārlis Dambrāns, on Flickr

Hector is a regular seller, finding great deals on electronics like cell phones that he can then flip for some extra money. He used to sell on Craigslist, where he might sell two phones in a month. But already on 5miles this month he has sold five phones. 

The best thing about the app, says Hector, is how easy it is to use. You can just take a picture and upload in a few seconds. On top of that, 5miles is way more secure. He told us a story of buying something from Craigslist that broke down after he got it home. When he tried to contact the seller they were long gone.

But with 5miles he can see the other user’s picture and know their phone number has been verified. The 5miles Team also let him know that we keep a record of all chats using our in-app messenger—keeping this record is one of the reasons why we don’t allow sellers to post their contact information in the listings.

After such success with 5miles, Hector has become a huge fan, sharing the app with his friends and checking in for new stuff two or three times a day. And he had some great feedback for us on how we could help him as a seller. We’re thinking about a few new features, and Hector’s enthusiasm pointed us in the right direction.

Thanks for your help Hector!

Are you using 5miles to make some extra money selling furniture, jewelry, or fashion? We want to hear from you! 

1. Add photos from your phone’s gallery

You asked us, “Bring back adding photo’s from my gallery!” And we've heard you.

Feel free to use your fancy camera app and make those item photos look beautiful. As long as you are using real photos of your item—no stock images folks—you can select them from your camera roll.

2. “New” tag on items

Items recently added will have a “New” icon, both when browsing and on each item's page. You can check it out in the image above.

3. Separate Buy and Ask functions

Use the “Ask” button to chat with sellers and ask any questions you might have. When you’ve decided this is the item for you, hit “Buy” and make an offer. Easy.

4.  Renew Items

If your item has been on 5miles for some time without any interest, hitting “Renew” will push it back to the top so buyers can see it. You will be able to renew again after a set period of time—the button will change to a timer so you can count down the minutes until your next renew.

Listings will also show for buyers the last time an item was renewed.

5. Mark as Sold

When you’ve made a deal with a buyer and exchanged the item, you can go back to 5miles through the Edit menu and mark the item as sold. This will keep it in your selling history and the item will show up with a “Sold” notification as buyers are browsing.

Bonus: Search the website by location

And we didn't forget the website either. Now we've made it is easier to see items in other cities near you.

Versions for iPhone and Android will be hitting their respective stores any day now. But we were too excited to hold back the great news.

We caught up with Terrance after he had made a purchase on 5miles. Here is his story.

The phone I wanted was over $400 in store and the one I bought from 5miles was only $200. It’s the same phone and brand new — I mean, you can't beat that! The seller bought the phone for her daughter who ended up getting a new phone from her father so she couldn't use it. As it was past the 30 day refund period, she wasn't able to get a refund so she put it up on 5miles. 

I'm a person that’s shopped on Craigslist and to me, 5miles is better. Not only is 5miles in an app form, but it’s more user friendly. I think that once people actually start seeing it — being able to have it jump right out of their hands right there and then, they'll use it. Right now the average person wants to be able to go on Craigslist and see something, but look at the process they have do to go see it. Now go pull up the 5miles app and go see. See how much easier that’s going to be?

We couldn't agree more Terrance, and happy we could help.

Got your own story of how you made money on 5miles? Did you manage to discover that perfect item you were looking for? We want to hear from you! 

Find us on Facebook or Twitter. You can also reach us by email at [email protected]. Tell us your story and you could be featured in the next edition of 5miles User Stories.

1. Get your item ready

The first step in taking a great photo is to make your item look its best.

So you've been walking around your basement or garage with the 5miles app, looking for things to sell. Take a moment, wipe the dust off, and give it a good scrub. 

This is also a perfect time to check the item’s condition. Make sure it still works and take note of any minor damage so you can describe it properly.

2. Put the item in its natural habitat—try wearing it

I know, you just had to have that new blue dress. And now comes the time to sell the old one.

Don't just let it hang lifeless from its hanger. Consider wearing it for your main image. Modeling it will help buyers judge its style, its length, and its fit. It just looks so much better on a real person.

If you're shy, there is no need to show your face. Have a friend help you if you haven't mastered the art of the mirror selfie.

3. Clean up that background

Nobody wants to see your messy dorm room. Or a garage that hasn’t fit your car since forever.

Small items look best on a solid background. White is perfect. A piece of paper or white cloth with a shallow curve gives the effect of an infinite white background for your item to sit on.

By the way, your mom told us to tell you to clean your room. How about selling some of that clutter on 5miles?

4. Find the perfect light

The biggest problem with most photos is the lighting. Too little of it and the item is too dark. Too much and it reflects like a mirror. And the wrong kind of light just makes your colors look, well, wrong.

The best light is natural sunlight. So if you can, try to take your photo in the middle of the day near a window. Importantly, you're going to want that light to come from behind the camera or from the side.

If you can't get natural light, use a lamp to shine light directly on your item. Better still, use more than one, it helps light that great pair of shoes from all sides and prevents ugly shadows.

If you are a 5miles selling ninja you might want to set up a light tent with lamps and a white background all ready, like the one pictured above. Then you are always ready to take the perfect shot.

5. Try using a better camera app

The stock apps gain more features with each release, but nothing beats the quality and control of these two paid apps. Both will let you adjust the focus, exposure, white balance, color, and let you do touch ups after taking your shot.

One great feature is a sound notification letting you know when your hands aren't steady enough for a clear picture.

iPhone: Camera+ ($3) 

Android: Camera ZOOM FX Premium ($3) 

6. Get your phone ready

Just like you took the time to show your item some love, time to spread that love to your camera.

When is the last time you cleaned the lens? Most likely the answer is “Never.” So take a moment to give it a wipe too.

And whether you're using the stock camera app or a paid one, there are some settings you can play with to make sure you are taking the best photo possible.

Turn off the flash. Even on high-end cameras the built-in flash is bad. And on your phone it is even worse. 

Use the white balance function to adjust the color. Click first tap on white balance, then on your white background. 

If you still find that the preview looks a little too light or dark, use the exposure feature. With the new iOS 8 Camera app you can do this by focusing on your item then sliding your finger up or down to brighten or darken it.

7. Make sure your images are clear

Once you've got your lighting perfected, getting that clear shot should be a piece of cake.

While autofocus on our phones gets better all the time, sometimes it gets a little confused. Its great for when there is a nice face in the middle of the shot. But that flat screen TV filling the frame might give it trouble

Try giving your item a tap on the phone’s screen. Everything should become clear.

8. Steady your phone

You've fixed the light. You've focused. But things are still a blur. How many coffees have you had today? Are your hands steady like a rock?

Prop up your camera on a stable surface before taking the picture. A cell phone compatible tripod works best. We're fans of the go-anywhere, do-anything supercool GorillaPod seen above.

If you don't have a tripod, you can try putting your phone on a table or against pile of books. Using the timer helps too.

9. Get up close and personal

Not only is it a 5miles rule, but it is just good practice: the first image has to show your item completely.

So get your item as close to the edge of the photo as you can, so we can see the overall condition of the item.

But stay away from that digital zoom. Move your feet and get closer.

10. After that, show us what you got from multiple angles

When you're main image is perfect it is time for your inner photographer to shine. For the rest of your photos, show off your item’s good side with different angles. 

Use classic photography tips like the rule of thirds to foucs on aspects you want buyers to see. You can turn on the grid setting to help you with this.

Also show any damage or cosmetic issues so buyers can make an informed purchase. If there is more than just regular wear and tear, make sure you highlight it

That's it! You should be now ready to take photos that stand out from the pack.

How can I get everything I want? To get what you want is easy if you're willing to re-allocate some of your resources. When we say resources, we mean anything that you have control over - physical items such as clothes, home wares, cars or intangible items such as your time, skills and effort. We're going to focus on using your physical items to get what you want. By re-allocating some of your physical resources, you'll move one step towards getting what you want. 

TLDR; sell your old stuff to get what you want. 

Source: Pixabay

What Stuff Should I Sell? The most beneficial way to re-allocate your physical resources is to turn those resources into cash. It doesn't matter what you sell, if you can find someone who values it more than you do, you'll be able make a sale at the right price. Remember that guy who turned a paperclip into a house? To determine what to sell ask yourself these questions:

What items do I no longer use or require?

Will I survive without these items?

Could these items have a higher value to other people?

It will be hard to choose what items to sell, you may find yourself in a battle between sentimentality and rationality - but be strict with yourself and you will reap the benefits!  

How should I determine a price? How much do you sell your beloved vintage leather jacket for? Can you really put a price on all of those long winter memories? By comparing prices of both new and used items, you'll be able to grasp the kind of value that your item could be worth plus understand better how hard it will be to make the sale.

We've come up with a free downloadable matrix that you can use to gage this.

Where should I sell my stuff? Depending on how much time you have, you could set up a garage sale or go to your local pawn shop. Both these options limit the reach of your sale and can often be more hassle. We'd suggest getting online and trying to sell your stuff there. You'll be able to connect with more buyers which increases the likelihood of you getting a good price for your items! Be careful when choosing a platform to sell, websites like Amazon and Ebay will charge you to sell your goods. Even local classifieds like Gumtree can chip away the money you receive as to get more exposure, you'll need to pay. To go one step further and make a quick and easy sale, download a local buyer & seller app (there are many of them out there!) such as 5miles simply snap a photo and list it in less than a minute. 

Source: Pixabay

Now that you have an idea of how you clean out your old stuff and make some easy cash, get to it! Turn that cash into something you've always wanted.