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AIBU?

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AIBU to think £1,000 is reasonable for nearly new DFS sofas?

195 replies

AMurderofMurderingCrows · 03/09/2026 09:39

I bought new sofas from DFS a couple of months ago and have decided I don't like them.

It's a current range (New Libby) and consists of a 3 seater, 2 seater and matching storage footstool. They're basically as new and cost me around £3,000 altogether including the fabric protection. No damage or stains etc.

I know I'm obviously going to take a hit selling them secondhand, but I'm trying to work out what would be a realistic asking price.

If you were looking for sofas and these were currently around £3k new, what would you genuinely expect/pay for them at only a couple of months old?

I'm thinking maybe advertise around £1,000. Am I being wildly optimistic? 😂

YABU - I'd give you £100 and a Freddo
YANBU - I'd pay £1000

DFS NEW LIBBY

AIBU to think £1,000 is reasonable for nearly new DFS sofas?
OP posts:
Sezza57325 · 03/09/2026 14:11

Contrary to some on here I would never buy a new sofa. There are always loads of great sofas on my local FB, some not very old and they get snapped up. But I would only pay big money if it was the exact sofa I wanted, so you might be waiting months to make the sale at a high price. I would put them on at £600 and feel lucky if anyone offered close to that, I would expect to take more like £300 - £400

TreesinthePark · 03/09/2026 14:05

AMurderofMurderingCrows · 03/09/2026 09:39

I bought new sofas from DFS a couple of months ago and have decided I don't like them.

It's a current range (New Libby) and consists of a 3 seater, 2 seater and matching storage footstool. They're basically as new and cost me around £3,000 altogether including the fabric protection. No damage or stains etc.

I know I'm obviously going to take a hit selling them secondhand, but I'm trying to work out what would be a realistic asking price.

If you were looking for sofas and these were currently around £3k new, what would you genuinely expect/pay for them at only a couple of months old?

I'm thinking maybe advertise around £1,000. Am I being wildly optimistic? 😂

YABU - I'd give you £100 and a Freddo
YANBU - I'd pay £1000

DFS NEW LIBBY

I'd only be looking at second hand sofas if I was on a very tight budget eg less than £500.

If I had £1k to spend, I'd be looking for something new in a shop. It's the exact opposite to a car where I'd always choose a premium second hand model over a basic new model.

italianlondongirl · 03/09/2026 14:04

Can you not keep the larger sofa in your living room and put the smaller one in a bedroom?
Then get a couple of chairs in a contrasting colour

ArtieChoke · 03/09/2026 14:03

The second hand market doesn't work like that and safes- as another poster states - don't hold their value

have a look on eBay to get an idea of the price sofas are selling second hand

Bridesmaidorexfriend · 03/09/2026 13:57

Stick them on for £1000, see if you get any interest, I personally would only be looking at spending half that if I were buying second hand, but you never know what others will pay

Genevieva · 03/09/2026 13:47

If I were you I’d keep them for a few years. They are neutral, comfortable and serviceable. What don’t you like about them?

FlyingPC · 03/09/2026 13:39

£1k is a good deal if someone is looking for that type of furniture. Even cheaper sofas cost more than £1k much less with footstool etc.

However, a good deal is subjective and as many others have pointed out, people are wary of bedbugs etc.

So, I'd advertise it and be willing to accept less if it doesn't shift in whatever time you feel is appropriate.

LightUpLavender · 03/09/2026 13:39

It’s the delivery that’s the issues OP

Seajaye · 03/09/2026 13:36

Secondhand sofas can be difficult to sell to second hand buyers looking on Facebook market place or Gumtree , at an asking price of £1000 since any guarantee is not normally transferable. You might be luckier on eBay as items usually have higher selling prices and people prepared to travel or use couriers fir collection/ deliverym

However you may be lucky as they are nearly new in a neutral colour . They may sell eventually if you can afford the space to store them until the right buyer comes along.

Your potential market is also constrained by number of potential customers having access to a van to collect them. A man and van hire can be easily £100-150, on top of your asking price.

I sold a high quality parker knoll sofa in excellent condition ( new price £2300 ) for only £120 recently It took 4 months to sell and very little serious interest. I was on the verge of donating it

LoyalMintOtter · 03/09/2026 13:32

I would keep them, buy new throws and cushions. If you sell the sofa for 1,000 are you then looking to spend another 2,000 to get replacements so all in all a minimum spend of 5,000.
I wouldn't spend 1,000 on a second-hand sofa when another 1,500 would buy new. Also so many sales, guarantees for new, different ways to pay for sofas.

tara66 · 03/09/2026 13:30

I once sold a nice sofa through an auction house and it went for price I paid. It was several years old but v. good condition.

Butchyrestingface · 03/09/2026 13:23

I would learn to love that full-price £3k sofa, @AMurderofMurderingCrows . Adorn it with some throws and cushions. Luxuriate in the savings.

Shinyandnew1 · 03/09/2026 13:14

The advantage of buying new is that they deliver.

be prepared for people to offer £500 and ask you to deliver 😂

AbacusCat · 03/09/2026 13:09

Charlotte120221 · 03/09/2026 13:07

There's not really a second hand market for furniture? If it randomly is exactly what someone wants then maybe £500 but probably much less.

Think if you paid £2800 then probably best to live with them for a while

There absolutely is a second hand market for furniture!

IffWhite · 03/09/2026 13:07

If its a current style, it will be more popular probably.

I made 3 or 4 sofa mistakes when we moved house and probably lost loads.

Not as much as curtains tho. Have them made and then dont like them, they are terrible to resell foe anything less than heartbreaking

Charlotte120221 · 03/09/2026 13:07

There's not really a second hand market for furniture? If it randomly is exactly what someone wants then maybe £500 but probably much less.

Think if you paid £2800 then probably best to live with them for a while

canklesmctacotits · 03/09/2026 13:04

Put one of the sofa pieces/armchair/footstool
somewhere else in your house, and buy a single new piece that works for your DH’s lanky legs.

AbacusCat · 03/09/2026 12:59

A note to @AMurderofMurderingCrows to be wary of scammers.

This kind of ad is ripe for scams along the lines of, they will buy the sofa and pay you £2k to include the delivery, you are to forward £1k to a courier - or any excuse where they 'overpay' and you are to forward or refund money to some other party.

They are using you as a money mule - all the money will be turn out to be stolen and the full amount will be recovered from your bank account leaving you out of pocket and with fraud indicators all over your bank account - and incidentally the sofa still sitting in your living room as the scam isn't about getting a free sofa, it's about stealing money,

Only accept cash on collection for the correct amount to avoid overpayment scams.

I advertised an item on Gumtree once - only worth about £50 and not at all rare - advertised as strictly cash on collection, nonetheless was inundated with people claiming to want me to ship it to random places as far away as Australia, costing far more than the item was worth, in this type of scam. Fortunately I found a genuine, local buyer for it.

Knittedfairies2 · 03/09/2026 12:51

I think you're going to take too big a hit if you try to sell them. Try to live with your re-configured room; it might grow on you.

Somethinggg · 03/09/2026 12:51

AmusedMouth · 03/09/2026 12:09

I'm going against the grain here, to say I would absolutely pay a grand for your sofas of they are as you describe. I've paid 600 for a second hand dfs set before and they were old with some slight marks/ tears. For those who say people are put off by having to hire a man with a van - it's super easy and cheap! Cost me fifty quid last time.

I think OP difficulty is that although there's no doubt people who feel as you do about those specific sofas being worth 1k, realistically she needs one within quite a limited distance. It's not a good enough price for people to be willing to weather much travel or inconvenience, not when you're only saving about 1.3k before any costs and without the warranty. So the pool is quite small. She'd be pretty lucky if you live close enough to be willing to do the drive and also are currently in the market for a new sofa.

Onetimeusername1 · 03/09/2026 12:48

SethAndReubenTooSendGaloshes · 03/09/2026 12:44

I have had plenty of second hand soft furnishings in the past when I was not financially in a position to buy new but if I had £1000 for a sofa best believe it will be brand new!

See, I think you are in the majority there but if I had £1k to spend on a sofa I'd just get a nicer second hand sofa for £1k, although I don't believed there'd be many without being very specific statement pieces. So I would probably spend £400 on a really nice second hand sofa (worth North of £3k new) and £600 on something else I wanted.

Walker1178 · 03/09/2026 12:48

For me there is an element of what would I be prepared to pay in cash? Normally larger purchases would be bought using a card with some payment protection, when you’re buying from someone’s door you lose that security. So yeah, sorry I wouldn’t pay more than £500 despite them clearly being worth more

SethAndReubenTooSendGaloshes · 03/09/2026 12:44

Onetimeusername1 · 03/09/2026 12:40

I'm surprised by the number of people that would rule out second hand. Whilst I know you can't be sure, surely the risk of bed bugs is low from a home that looks otherwise clean and tidy?

Saying that, I'm guessing you will struggle to sell it for £1k. I would usually say a third is the right amount for a second hand item, I think with the faff of delivery and loss of warranty you're going to get offered less. Maybe £500 is more realistic. Have you put the style into eBay and filtered for sold listings?

I have had plenty of second hand soft furnishings in the past when I was not financially in a position to buy new but if I had £1000 for a sofa best believe it will be brand new!

Onetimeusername1 · 03/09/2026 12:44

I should also add, it doesn't matter what you paid for it but what it is available for now. If that's £2,300 not £3,000 work off that price.

DazzlingPony · 03/09/2026 12:41

Sofas don’t hold their value at all. We recently bought a beautiful hand crafted 3 seater sofa from Facebook market place for £250. It’s barely been sat on and the woman paid £4500 for it.

She had it listed at £400 for ages but it was more than I wanted to spend (we already have a sofa and this was for the back room). I saved it and it was clearly more than anyone else wanted to spend as she reduced it to £250 so I snatched it up. It was brand new condition as she also used it as a spare sofa.

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