Where to sell DJ equipment in the UK: an honest comparison

Selling a CDJ, mixer, controller or pair of turntables? You have five realistic options in the UK, and each one trades price against time and risk in a different way. We buy used DJ gear every day, so we are one of those options, but this guide sets out the trade-offs fairly so you can pick the one that suits you.

The short answer

• Want the highest price and have time: sell privately on eBay or Reverb.
• Want to sell locally with no postage: Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree, collection only.
• Want it done quickly with no risk: sell to a specialist DJ equipment buyer.
• Upgrading anyway: part exchange it against your next piece of kit.
• Usually the lowest offer: general high street buy-back shops.

1. eBay

eBay has the biggest audience for used DJ gear in the UK, so it is usually where you will get closest to full market value. eBay has removed selling fees for most private sellers in the UK, with buyers paying a protection fee instead, but business sellers still pay fees and the rules change, so check the current fees before you list.

Watch out for: time-wasters, offers far below your asking price, buyers who claim an item is not as described after delivery, and the cost and risk of posting heavy, fragile gear. You need good photos, an honest description, a proper box and tracked postage.

2. Reverb

Reverb is a marketplace built for music gear and is popular with producers and collectors. Its UK audience is smaller than eBay's, but buyers know what they are looking at. Reverb charges a selling fee and a payment processing fee on each sale, so factor those into your price. The same photo, packing and postage work applies.

3. Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree

Good for selling locally, with payment on collection and no postage. Prices tend to be a little lower than eBay because buyers expect to haggle.

Watch out for: payment scams (fake payment screenshots, fake courier arrangements and overpayment requests), no-shows, and strangers coming to your home. Only hand the gear over once the money is cleared in your account, and meet somewhere sensible.

4. High street buy-back shops

Fast and simple: walk in, get an offer and leave with money. The catch is price. General second-hand chains resell everything from phones to power tools, so they tend to price pro DJ gear cautiously, and offers are usually well below what a specialist or a private buyer would pay.

5. A specialist DJ equipment buyer

Specialists buy, service and resell DJ gear, so they know what a CDJ 2000NXS2 or a DJM A9 is actually worth and can pay a fair trade price straight away. You will get less than a perfect private sale, because the buyer has to service, warranty and resell the unit, but you skip the listing, the haggling, the postage risk and the come-backs.

This is what we do. Here is how selling to Turntable Trader works:

1. Get an instant price on our sell page. The calculator prices each model from what we have actually paid for it recently.
2. Send it to us with free UK shipping, or drop it at our Battersea workshop by appointment.
3. We check it on the bench and confirm the offer. If it is not as described, we give you a revised offer, and you can accept it or have it back.
4. You are paid by bank transfer, usually the same day it passes the bench.

Part exchange: the option people forget

If you are upgrading, part exchanging your old gear against something in stock saves you selling twice. Our part exchange page gives you an instant figure and takes it straight off your next purchase. Every unit we sell is deep cleaned, serviced and bench-tested before it goes on sale.

How to get the best price wherever you sell

• Clean it and include everything: power cable, Link cable, Decksaver, and the box if you still have it.
• Update and reset it: install the latest firmware and restore factory settings.
• Photograph it honestly: good light, every side, and close-ups of any marks. Describe faults plainly.
• Know what it is worth: our price guides for the CDJ 2000, CDJ 3000, DJM 900, XDJ RX2 and Technics use our own sales and purchase records.
• Sell pairs together: matched pairs of players are what most buyers want.
• Price faults first: a crackling fader can knock more off a private sale than the repair costs. Our service and repair page prices common jobs instantly.

Which should you choose?

If you have the time and are happy posting heavy gear, eBay will usually get you the most money. If you want it gone this week with no risk and no admin, a specialist buyer is the straightforward route. Get your instant price and compare it with what similar items have actually sold for: if the gap is small, the time and risk you save are worth it.