Everything But The House (EBTH) Review: Is It Worth It in 2026?

If you've searched for “how to sell estate items” or “online estate sales,” you've probably come across Everything But The House — better known as EBTH. They're one of the biggest names in the space, and they've built a genuinely interesting model for selling household items and estate goods through online auctions.

But “biggest” doesn't always mean “best.” We went through real customer feedback to give you an honest picture of what it's actually like to use EBTH in 2026 — the good, the bad, and whether there are better alternatives for your situation.

What EBTH Actually Does

EBTH is an online estate sale platform. Here's the basic model:

1. You contact EBTH and they schedule a visit to your home.
2. Their team photographs and catalogs everything you want to sell.
3. Items are listed in an online auction on the EBTH website. Buyers across the country can bid.
4. When an item sells, EBTH handles the transaction. The buyer either picks up the item or pays for shipping.
5. You receive a percentage of the sale price after EBTH takes their commission.

On paper, it's a smart idea. You get national exposure through online auctions instead of hoping enough people show up to an in-person estate sale on a Saturday morning. And you don't have to deal with listing things yourself.

What EBTH Does Well

Let's give credit where it's due.

• Established platform with national reach. EBTH has been around since 2008 and operates in multiple cities. Their buyer base is large, which matters for rare or collectible items that need a national audience.
• Professional cataloging. Their teams are experienced at photographing and describing items. For high-value antiques or collectibles, this expertise can make a real difference in what something sells for.
• Hands-off for the seller. Once EBTH comes to your home, you don't have to do much. They handle the listing, auction, and buyer communication.
• Online format means no strangers in your home. Unlike traditional estate sales where the public walks through your house, EBTH's model keeps the selling process online. Only their team visits.

The Problems: What Real Customers Report

EBTH has accumulated a significant number of customer complaints over the years. These aren't isolated incidents — they're recurring themes that show up consistently across review platforms. Here are the most common issues:

1. Shipping Costs Are Often More Than the Item

This is the single biggest complaint. Because EBTH sells nationally, buyers often need items shipped. The shipping costs on furniture, artwork, and larger household items frequently rival or exceed the purchase price. Many reviewers report winning an auction for a great price, only to find that shipping makes the total cost unreasonable. This drives buyers away and ultimately hurts sellers by reducing the number of competitive bids.

2. Items Sell for Far Below Market Value

The auction format is a double-edged sword. While it can drive prices up for highly sought-after items, everyday furniture and household goods often sell for a fraction of their value. Many sellers report feeling blindsided by how little their items fetched. A dining set worth $2,000 might sell for $150 at auction because there weren't enough local bidders and shipping made it impractical for distant buyers.

3. Poor Communication

A common frustration among sellers is the difficulty of getting updates. Many reviewers describe long stretches with no communication — no status updates on when items will be listed, when auctions will close, or when payment will arrive. When sellers do reach out, response times are often slow.

4. Long Timelines

The process from initial consultation to actually receiving money can stretch to two or three months. For people clearing an estate on a deadline — because of a home sale, a move, or family obligations — this timeline can be a serious problem.

5. Damage During Transit

Multiple reviewers report items being damaged during shipping. Fragile items, artwork, and even sturdy furniture can arrive in worse condition than expected. This creates disputes between buyers, EBTH, and sellers that can further delay payment and sour the experience for everyone involved.

6. Commission Rates

EBTH's commission structure means you're giving up a significant portion of the sale price. Combined with items selling below market value at auction, the net payout to sellers can be disappointingly low. Several reviewers describe the math not adding up — especially after accounting for items that didn't sell at all.

Who EBTH Actually Works For

Despite the complaints, EBTH can be a reasonable option in certain situations:

• Large estates with nationally appealing items. If you have rare antiques, fine art, or high-end collectibles that would attract bidders from across the country, the national auction format can work in your favor.
• Out-of-state sellers who can't be involved. If you're handling an estate from across the country and can't be present, having a company manage the entire process remotely has value even with the downsides.
• People with no time pressure. If you're not on a deadline and can wait two or three months for the process to play out, the slow timeline matters less.

Who Should Look at Other Options

• Anyone selling locally. If your buyers are in the same city, EBTH's national shipping model is a disadvantage, not an advantage. You're paying for infrastructure you don't need.
• Anyone who values personal service. If clear communication and a point of contact matter to you, EBTH's scale works against you. You're a number in a large system.
• Anyone who wants competitive pricing. Auction format means you don't control the price. If you have a good sense of what your items are worth, you might do better with a fixed-price approach across multiple platforms.
• Anyone on a tight timeline. If you need things sold and gone within weeks, not months, the EBTH process may be too slow.

Alternatives to EBTH

If EBTH doesn't sound right for your situation, here are some other options worth considering:

• Chairish — an online marketplace specifically for furniture, art, and home decor. Good for mid-to-high-end pieces. You list items yourself, and they handle payment processing. Shipping is still a factor.
• AptDeco — a furniture resale platform with built-in delivery in select cities. Good interface, but limited geographic coverage.
• Local consignment stores — if you have higher-end pieces and can transport them, traditional consignment shops give you a physical showroom. Commission rates are typically 40–60%.
• Traditional estate sale companies — if you need a full-house cleanout and don't mind the in-person sale format, local estate sale companies in your area are still a solid option.
• Full-service local consignment (Sale Advisor) — this is our model, built specifically to address the gaps in EBTH and similar platforms. We come to your home, catalog everything, list across multiple platforms (not just one auction site), and handle delivery through our own moving team. No shipping costs for buyers. No strangers in your home. Personal service throughout the process. Currently available in Chicago.

The Bottom Line

EBTH built something real. The idea of bringing estate sales online and giving sellers access to a national buyer base is genuinely innovative. But the execution has gaps — expensive shipping, below-market auction prices, slow timelines, and communication issues are consistent themes in customer feedback.

For people with nationally appealing items and no time pressure, EBTH can work. But for anyone in a local market — especially Chicago — where delivery beats shipping, where personal service matters, and where you want competitive pricing across multiple platforms instead of a single auction, there are better approaches available today.

The best selling experience is one where you get fair value for your items, clear communication throughout the process, and zero logistics headaches. If that's what you're looking for, it's worth exploring your local options before committing to a national platform.