Buying Garage Sale Items To Resell

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RE: Buying Garage Sale Items To Resell

I have found the best things to resell from sales are jewelry, and craft supplies. Things like that give you two advantages. One, they are small and light, and most of the time, you can store them easily. Also, jewelry is cheap to ship and if you get nicer things, they are still "irresistable" to those who love jewelry. Craft supplies like kits are flat and easy to ship, most times in a manila envelope. Unless yarn is still
in it's sleeve, don't bother. It has most likely been used, and is no longer an item you can make a profit on.

Don't bother with things that someone can go down and buy at a dollar store. Look for unusual things that a person "might" find in a high end store, but you just bought it for 90% off. That way, you can offer it to someone else for 50% off, and you have just made 400% profit.

Books are ok, because the media rate is cheap to send...but again, they are heavy and bulky to store. The exception to that rule is older, rare books. I found a 1929 Bambi book in a Goodwill in AK, for .25 and resold it for 18.00. Unique frames are good too, but be careful that glass doesn't ship well.

Like the former poster said, Craigslist is the best, since people come to you and there is no shipping involved. Collectibles like teddies and such can be a good investment, but keep in mind the thrift shops are full of them and you are competing with things that people can find anywhere. After a while, you get an "eye" for what you and others would like, and if you have the room to store them, then buy what you think would sell for.

ADVISE ALERT! If you buy from a lot of sales you will eventually run into people who recognize you from your listings or know you are shopping from them to resell. Sometimes, people are selling things out of desperation, and if they find out you are making more from their items than they did, resentments develop. We all know they have the same opportunity to sell them for more, but for whatever reason, they didn't. If you live in a small town and you go to a big city to buy, it's nicer. You cater to folks who might not get to the big city, and can't shop like you can.

One lady I know shops all month in Salem OR, where I live. Then she has her own indoor sale in her little town, once a month for all the gals who are now "rabid" customers! She knows what each person loves, and she usually keeps her profit margin low since all she does is "pre-purchase" the items. Her customers trust her and know her finds will be like Christmas all year.

Stay away from makeup, toiletries, etc, unless they are new and sealed/unopened. I bought what I thought was body spray once from a yard sale, got it home, and luckily just sprayed some in the air outside and walked into it...to find it was pepper spray! Try and stay away from things that are breakable. After a while, you will get the knack of what resells and what stays on your stock shelves. Good luck!

PS: Go to the the library and you can actually find books on this very subject. Some people make a living, or at least a supplement to their living, by doing this very thing.

My photo that I am including is a good example. I bought these Zircon Earrings for 1.00 at a sale, and by the time I sold them in eBay, I got 17.99! I would have been just as happy to sell them on CL since the listing cost me 1.25, but that is still a nice profit!

Post by Poor But Proud

RE: Buying Garage Sale Items To Resell

I love to buy odds and ends from yard sales and re-do them and fix them up for my own home. Things such as picture frames. I get them real cheap and then antique them in gold giving them an expensive look. Or I go a step further and spray paint the mat (if a mat comes with them) and use a piece of matching scrape book paper or a clipping from a magaize on top of the scrape book paper making a beautiful peice for wall decor. I have had several people ask me to do one for them to match there home and they will buy it. You can also do this with other odds and ends such as adding greenery to certain vases etc.

Post by Teri M.

RE: Buying Garage Sale Items To Resell

around here i have heard of people offering a lump sum at a yard sale. like you are having the yard sale and someone comes to you and says i will give you $200 for the lot. they then take it sort and sell it bits and pieces

Post by sandy63

RE: Buying Garage Sale Items To Resell

The only things I have had success reselling were books, and that is "iffy". I sell them on Amazon. Current novels, Readers Digest, Rodale and National Geographic books are usually not worth reselling. All of my ebay intentions are still sitting and waiting..............
But I do see some folks out gathering things that they must be re-selling.

Post by prairiehill2

RE: Buying Garage Sale Items To Resell

When you get some things to sell, try Craigslist.com. It's free and its nation wide. The best part is it's also local, so they can find you as a neighbor and come pick up the item you have for sale. My husband sold 3 sets of golf clubs in the last couple weeks and he bought them all at garage sales.

Post by mrdeyoung

RE: Buying Garage Sale Items To Resell

At one time eBay provided us sellers with a Hot List which was really helpful. It gave a listing of items that were Hot Sellers. I recently contacted eBay and found out that they fazed out the Hot List.

The only suggestion I can give you is to do your own search on eBay and find out what is selling.

At this present time, sales are really down but they do pick up in the fall and around the holiday season.

FYI

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf71515887.tip.html

Also I suggest that you register on the eBay website and bid on a few items, and become a buyer first, before becoming a seller.

Post by MCW

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