How to Find Out What Something Is Worth (Before You Sell or Donate It)

Maybe you found something interesting at a thrift store. Maybe you're cleaning out a garage, a closet, or a relative's house. Either way the question is the same: what is this actually worth?

The good news is you don't need to be an appraiser. For the vast majority of everyday items — clothing, electronics, toys, home goods, collectibles — the answer is sitting in public sales data. You just need to know where to look and how to read it.

Here's the process experienced resellers use.

Step 1: Identify exactly what you have

You can't price something you can't name. "Old camera" will give you prices from $5 to $500. "Canon AE-1 Program with 50mm f/1.8 lens" gives you a tight, useful range.

Look for identifying details:

• Brand names and logos — on tags, labels, the bottom of the item, inside lids, or on battery compartments.
• Model or style numbers — electronics usually have them on a sticker or plate; clothing often has a style number on the inner care tag.
• Maker's marks — pottery, glassware, and silver often have a stamp on the bottom.
• Size, color, and material — these matter a lot for clothing and shoes.
• Edition or year — especially for books, games, and collectibles.

If there's no obvious label, a visual search helps. Taking a photo with a visual identification tool — like ReVal, Google Lens, or similar apps — can usually match the item to the exact product or a close cousin in seconds.

Step 2: Look at what it sold for, not what people are asking

This is the single most important rule in pricing, and the one most people get wrong.

Anyone can list a used blender for $200. That doesn't mean it's worth $200. Asking prices tell you what sellers hope for. Sold prices tell you what buyers actually paid.

The best source of sold data for most items is eBay's sold listings, because eBay has an enormous volume of used goods and shows completed sales publicly. We wrote a full walkthrough here: How to Search eBay Sold Listings and Read Comps Like a Pro.

The short version: search for your item on eBay, then filter to Sold items. Prices shown in green are completed sales.

These completed sales are called comps (short for "comparables"). Your goal is to find several that match your item closely.

Step 3: Match your comps carefully

Not every sold listing is a fair comparison. A good comp matches your item on:

• The exact model or style — not just the brand.
• Condition — new with tags vs. gently used vs. "for parts" can be a 5x difference.
• Completeness — original box, accessories, manuals, chargers, and remotes all add value.
• Size for clothing and shoes — common sizes often sell faster, and unusual sizes can command more or less depending on the item.
• Lot vs. single — make sure you're not comparing your single item to a bundle of ten.

Throw out the outliers. One crazy high sale might have been a bidding war; one rock-bottom sale might have had a hidden flaw. You want the cluster in the middle.

Step 4: Build a price range, not a single number

After you've found five to ten solid comps, you'll usually see a pattern. Think of it as three numbers:

• Low: what it sells for when someone needs it gone fast, or the condition is weaker.
• Average: the typical sale for an item like yours.
• High: what the best examples sell for — great condition, complete, well photographed.

Where your item lands depends on its condition and how patient you are. If you want it gone this week, price near the average or below. If you can wait, start near the high end.

This is exactly the range ReVal calculates automatically — it identifies the item from a photo, pulls recent eBay sold listings, and shows you low, average, and high so you can see where your item fits.

Step 5: Consider how fast it sells

Two items that both sold for $40 aren't equally valuable to a reseller if one sells every day and the other sells once every few months.

A quick way to gauge demand: compare how many items sold recently to how many are currently listed. If there are 50 sold and 20 active, that item moves. If there are 3 sold and 200 active, you're going to be waiting — or competing on price.

Step 6: Subtract the cost of selling

What something is "worth" to you is what you'll actually put in your pocket. Before deciding, account for:

• Marketplace fees — most platforms take a percentage of the sale. Check each platform's current fee page, since they change.
• Shipping — heavy or bulky items can eat your margin.
• Your time — photographing, listing, packing, and answering questions.

If you're deciding whether to buy something to resell, our guide on how to price items for resale walks through the math.

When to get a professional appraisal

Sold comps work for the vast majority of things. But some items deserve an expert:

• Fine jewelry, gemstones, and precious metals
• Original artwork and signed pieces
• Antique furniture with significant age
• Rare coins, stamps, and high-end sports cards (consider professional grading)
• Anything you suspect could be worth thousands

For those, a certified appraiser or a reputable auction house can authenticate the piece and protect you from underpricing something rare.

The fast way: scan it

If you're standing in a thrift store aisle or sorting a pile of boxes, doing all of this by hand for every item is slow. That's why we built ReVal: snap a photo, and it identifies the item, finds recent sold comps, and gives you a resale value range in seconds. You still get to see the comps yourself — it just saves you the searching.

Quick checklist

1. Identify the exact item (brand, model, size, edition).
2. Search sold listings — not active ones.
3. Pick five to ten comps that match your item's condition and completeness.
4. Drop the outliers and note the low, average, and high.
5. Check how quickly it sells.
6. Subtract fees and shipping to see what you'd actually keep.

Do this a few dozen times and you'll start recognizing value on sight — which is when thrifting gets really fun.