Things to Buy and Sell to Make Money
My husband is a part-time flipper, hustler, and eBay seller.
Most of his life he’s hustled for extra cash, buying items low and selling them high.
We joke that he would have been retired by now had he met me years earlier 😉
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After we married we unexpectedly found ourselves in debt. To get ourselves out debt we used the extra income from our many side hustles to make extra payments.
Now that we are debt free with the exception of our mortgages (we paid off one mortgage) we use the money we get from the items we buy and resell to:
1) Buy more items
2) Pay eBay listing fees and packing supplies
3) Save, invest, put towards mortgages
If you’re new to flipping items and want to make some extra money, here are the items you want to be on the look out for.
#1 VIDEO GAMES AND VIDEO GAME CONSOLES
We bought and resold many video games and consoles for a good profit, from Atari, to Nintendo, to Playstation and more.
Video games old and new can sell for good money because it reminds people of their childhood.
#2 GLASSWARE/PYREX
My husband despises glassware because it’s fragile, but if you know what to look for you can make a big profit.
Pyrex, especially vintage bowls like those found at thrift stores are a great place to start.
Look for glassware that has a name on it or any unusual markings. Precious Moments, Hummels and other name brand glass ware can bring in a good profit if you pay cheap enough.
We’ve sold plenty of glass ware at the flea market and our own garage sales, but eBay is where you’ll make the biggest profit. Just recently we sold this lavender colored candy dish for close to $100! This is a piece we probably would have parted with elsewhere for only $15.
People collect very specific pieces so they’re willing to pay more if it’s a piece that’s part of their collection.
If you are mailing your glass ware just be sure to take extra care wrapping using padding and bubble wrap. We also put fragile stickers on the box though that isn’t necessary.
#3 ELECTRONICS
Think old cell phones, stereos, and boom boxes (cassette players), record players, and cameras.
If you can find an old cassette or CD player people are currently buying them. Like most things they came back in style.
We’ve sold lots of old cassette tapes because you can’t get a lot of them any more.
#4 SHOES
Who knew used shoes could make you money?
Try to buy name brand shoes, ones that don’t need a lot of cleaning or one’s that are vintage or unique.
Uggs, Nike, Air Jordans, Gucci.
We once bought up all the shoes from a store closing at less than $1 a piece. The very big sizes sold well on eBay because they are harder to get.
#5 TOYS
Toys are everywhere.
You can get them for a fraction of retail price at garage sales, thrift stores and even at retail stores during their sales or with coupons.
Legos kits are expensive. Even if you just buy miscellaneous pieces, people buy Legos by the pound.
We recently bought LOL Doll Playsets from Walgreens. Their retail price was $16.99. We bought them at 75%-80% off, about $3-$4.50 a piece. We sold them on eBay at $20-$22 a piece!! Of course with eBay fees, packaging and shipping costs our profit was reduced, but we still made about $500 in just a few hours.
Check out sites like Brickseek and NowInStock for some hot items.
#6 SPORTS EQUIPMENT/HOBBIES
My husband and I fish, so we know how expensive fishing rods, reels, and equipment can be.
With the decline in economy and people wanting to make extra money, these are the first items people are willing to sell.
Besides fishing, we’ve also bought hockey, scuba diving, and photography (camera, lens, cases, tripods) equipment.
This can be a hard category to shop for because not all equipment is valuable. We always try to get the best deals so that worst case scenario we break even.
#7 TOOLS
Gardening tools, even in less than stellar condition are a good item to buy and sell for money.
A guy who lives by my parents spends his time fixing up lawn mowers he finds in the garbage and reselling them. Most of the time they just need new spark plugs or a good cleaning.
The internet is your friend.
If you’re not sure an items is worth buying to resell check the latest sold prices on eBay.
We once sold some used screen printing equipment from a closed shirt business for over $900. We paid $150.
Related posts:
Best garage sale tips to make more money
Buy these items after Christmas
Places to sell your junk for money
#8 FURNITURE MADE OF REAL WOOD
I never knew how expensive furniture was until we bought a house and needed to furnish it.
Furniture made of wood not only resells well because it’s better quality, but also because it can be sanded and refinished.
#9 DESIGNER ITEMS
Look for purses, wallets, perfumes and colognes that are high-end name brands: Gucci, Versace, Zac Posen, Ugg, Ralph Lauren and Armani.
Check eBay to get stats on other brands you probably have never heard of.
#10 DRESSES
Out of all clothing pieces, dresses are some of the easiest items to sell for a profit because they provide a full outfit in one. No need for separate pants and tops.
As long as the dress is in good condition and not outdated, you’ll do well.
Name brands obviously do better.
Retro dresses are a great market to get into. You can get some great pieces at the Goodwill for $5 and resell them for $25. It may take a lot of time digging through the racks, but it’s worth it.
#11 WATCHES
One time we bought a huge lot of miscellaneous watches. I spent days replacing batteries.
When people can see that the watch works it tends to fetch more money.
Wind up watches also go for more money because they tend to be older.
Watches come in so many styles, colors and brands so they appeal to a huge range of people. We sold the majority on eBay, but also sold a lot at our local flea markets.
#12 CONCERT SHIRTS
Old vintage concert shirts go for a lot of money.
We helped sell some for a coworker on eBay and I couldn’t believe how much some of them went for even in used condition.
The reason is because can’t get them any more. T-shirts are a great way to remember a great experience.
#13 BIKES/SCOOTERS/SKATEBOARDS
You can find these items for cheap at garage sales and sometimes even in the garbage.
Try to get items that require little to no repairs.
Sometimes you might just need to put air in the tires.
In the warmer months people are even more likely to buy and ride bikes.
Keep an eye out for name brands: Trek, Cannondale, Schwinn, Merida, Fuji, Kona.
TIPS FOR RESELLING
- Check prices online before making a purchase. Negotiate and try to get the best deal, but avoid lowballing and offending your seller. That can also cost you a sale.
- Quickly clean up the item. Don’t spend too much time as time is money, but a dusting or shining can make a mundane object instantly look luxurious.
- Take bright, quality photos because that is going to help you make the sale.
- Cross post an item on multiple platforms if you aren’t getting hits, just make sure to take it down when the item has a bid or sells.
WHERE TO BUY ITEMS TO RESELL
- Thrift stores – Salvation Army, Goodwill
- Consignment shops
- Garage sakes
- Flea markets
- Stores going out of business
- End of season sales
- Clearance days at retail stores
FINAL THOUGHTS
Flipping items to resell is a great side hustle to make extra money, pay off debt and save more money. The best part is you can do it whenever you feel like it.
We stock up on inventory when the deals are good.
Holiday items and toys sell for the most money around Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you have the storage and can wait definitely hold off to maximize your dollar.
Start off with items in your home that are just collecting dust.
See what sells and go from there.
Happy flipping!
