Reselling
How to Identify Household Items by Photo for Resale
The slowest part of reselling is not listing or shipping — it is working out what something is. This guide walks through how to identify an object by photo, confirm the exact model, and turn that into a defensible price for furniture, appliances and the rest of a household.
The workflow, step by step
1. Take a photo that an AI can actually read
Good input beats clever software. Shoot the full item against a plain background in daylight, then take close-ups of anything printed: a model plate on an appliance, a stamp under a chair, a label inside a drawer. Those small frames are what turn 'a wooden chair' into 'a mid-century teak dining chair'.
2. Identify the object by photo
Open Scanything and scan the item. Instead of typing guesses into a search bar, the camera labels what it sees — sofa, drill, blender, floor lamp — and puts a tappable square on each object in the room. Tap one and you get the item name, category and a short description of what it most likely is.
3. Narrow a generic label down to a specific model
Resale value lives in specifics. 'Stand mixer' is worth guessing about; a named model with a known capacity is worth pricing. Use Analyze further on any item and Scanything digs into visible text, badges and design details to propose a brand and model, plus links to the manufacturer or retailer page when it can find one.
4. Read the price range before you list
Every identified item comes back with an estimated price range rather than a single number, because resale prices move with condition, region and season. Treat the top of the range as 'excellent, complete, in demand' and the bottom as 'worn, missing parts, slow local market'.
5. Grade the condition honestly
Check for structural damage, missing accessories, power cords, remotes, cushions and manuals. A complete item with its original parts routinely sells for far more than the same item sold bare. Note every flaw in your listing — it reduces returns and disputes far more than it reduces price.
6. Do a whole room in one pass
For house clearances and estate lots, switch to Video Scan and walk the room. Scanything tracks up to ten items at a time and keeps a running list of everything it has seen, so you leave with an inventory instead of a camera roll you still have to sort through.
What to look for, by category
Furniture
Look underneath for maker's stamps and joinery style — solid wood and named designers carry most of the value.
Appliances
The model plate is everything. Photograph it, and note whether the item powers on.
Electronics
Generation and storage size change the price more than cosmetic condition does.
Tools
Corded and cordless versions of the same tool price very differently; batteries and chargers add real value.
Decor and homeware
Marks on the base of ceramics and glass are often the only route to a brand.
Toys and games
Completeness rules. Original box and all pieces can multiply the price.
How Scanything automates the pricing research
Done manually, pricing one item means describing it in a search box, guessing at the brand, scrolling sold listings and averaging what you find. Scanything collapses that into a single camera pass: point at the item, get the identification, the estimated price range and the reference links in one card. For a full room, the live scan builds the inventory list while you walk, so a clearance that used to take an afternoon of research becomes a few minutes of scanning and a short review pass.
Common mistakes
- Pricing from asking prices instead of what items actually sold for.
- Skipping the model plate and listing a specific product as a generic one.
- Photographing in low light, which hides both flaws and identifying marks.
- Selling a set piece by piece when the complete set is worth more together.
- Ignoring local demand — bulky furniture prices differ sharply between markets.