The one job left
Listing photos that sell.
On Toka the agent writes the listing, prices it and answers the buyers. Your photos are the one part of selling that stays yours, and they're what the agent works from. Two extra minutes behind the camera is the highest-paid work in secondhand.
The good news: great listing photos aren't photography. They're six habits, and then a couple of tricks for whatever you happen to be shooting.
The six rules, whatever you're selling
- 1
Daylight wins
Shoot near a window in the daytime, with the light falling on the item, not behind it. Daylight beats every ring light and every filter.
- 2
Clear the background
A plain wall or an empty patch of floor. The buyer should see the item, not your laundry. Thirty seconds of moving stuff is worth real money.
- 3
Wipe it down first
Dust and fingerprints read as "not looked after", and that costs more than any scratch. Clean it like someone's coming to see it, because they are.
- 4
Whole thing, then details
One square-on shot of the entire item, then close-ups: texture, labels, joints, anything a buyer would lean in to check in person.
- 5
Show the flaws, on purpose
Photograph the scratch, the chip, the worn corner. Honest photos build the trust that closes deals, and nobody's surprised at handover.
- 6
Give it scale
Shoot it in place or next to something familiar so the size is obvious at a glance. "Bigger than I thought" and "smaller than I thought" both kill deals.
Now, what are you shooting?
Toka takes pretty much anything secondhand, so here are the extra tricks for the things people sell most.
Furniture
Square-on from the front, then each side, then the surface from above. Close-ups of the grain, the legs and the joins. If it's upholstered, shoot the seat cushions where wear shows first. Photograph it styled in the room if you can, because that's the photo that makes someone want it in theirs.
Fashion
Hang it or lay it flat on a plain surface, never crumpled on a bed. One full shot, one fabric close-up, and always the label with the size. If it has a silhouette worth showing, a mirror shot of it worn does more than five flat ones.
Tech
Photograph it powered on, screen visible, so the buyer can see it works at a glance. Then the ports, the back, and everything included: cables, box, charger. Wipe the screen last; nothing looks worse in a photo than a smudged one.
Gym equipment
Shoot the whole setup assembled, then the weight markings and the moving parts. Racks and benches sell on condition, so get close to the frame and the padding. Line the plates up in order; it photographs like you looked after them, because you did.
Bikes and outdoor gear
Full side profile with the whole bike in frame, then drivetrain, brakes and tyres, the parts a buyer checks first. For tents and camping gear, shoot it set up, not in the bag. Nobody buys a mystery sack.
Homewares and decor
Natural light matters most here. Shoot the piece styled where it lives, then on a plain background for the detail shots. For anything ceramic or glass, photograph the base and the rim, where chips hide.
Quick answers
How many photos should a secondhand listing have?
Enough to answer a buyer's questions before they ask: one clear shot of the whole item, the key details, the flaws, and anything included. For most things that's four to eight photos. On Toka the agent uses your photos to write the listing, so what you shoot is what it can say.
Do I need a good camera to sell secondhand?
No. Any phone from the last few years is more than enough. Light and background make the difference, not megapixels: daylight, a plain backdrop and a wiped-down item beat expensive gear every time.
Should I photograph damage and flaws?
Yes, deliberately. Honest photos are the fastest way to build trust, and on Toka nothing is charged until the buyer confirms handover, so a surprise flaw doesn't just look bad, it unwinds the deal. Shoot the flaw clearly and let the listing mention it up front.
Does Toka really write the listing from my photos?
Yes. Photograph the item and the agent writes the listing, suggests a payout and categorises it. The photos are the one part of selling that stays yours, which is why they're worth two extra minutes.
Photos done? The agent takes it from here. How the rest of the sale works is in the full FAQ, and how fast it can go is in same-day deals.