Finding things to sell on e-bay

[Shelby5514]

Have you tried going to estate auctions??? DH and I did this all last summer and made a killing. He would usually sit in on the "collectible" items and I would scour the boxes in the back yard. These boxes often go for $1.00 and contain odd things. I once bought a box for $1.00 that contained a pair of brass plated iron bookends (sold for $30.00) a new Prince Gardner wallet (sold for $14.99) a pair of old shoe stretchers (sold for $4.99) and an old shoe shine brush with advertising on it (sold for $14.99)!!!
Also bought a stack of Chrismas items for $2.00 and sold everything in small lots and made over $75.00! These auctons are a gold mine. If you have never been to an auction before, my advice would be to find one auctioneer and only go to their auctions until you get the hang of it. Each auctioneer runs things a little differently and it can be very confusing. (DH found that out and ended up paying more for a few things than he wanted to.)
Good Luck and Happy Auctioning!!!

Shelby5514

 

[Robinrs]

Hi, Tammi!

Here's what I do.

I go to a thrift shop that sells upscale stuff for 50% on Mondays. I put them up for 5 day auctions on Tuesdays. I shop the yard sales on Saturday morning and then in the afternoon at the end, then I put that stuff up for a 7 day auction on Sunday. I end ALL of my auctions on Sundays, my best end day. I also do most of my auctions on Buy It Now because some people don't have the time or inclination to bid.

I have found that name brands DO sell well, mostly because of the search function on eBay. I laughed when I read what Cindy wrote about the people checking labels! LOL! That's ME! I could care LESS what it looks like or the size, it's the LABEL!!

Today I found some great deals in some of the upscale neighborhoods around here. I have found that the "expensive" neighborhoods have the best stuff and sell for the lowest prices!

One thing I've found that sells 100% of the time: HOT CURLERS! I get at least 2 or 3 a week and they ALWAYS sell! I have NO IDEA why! I've sold them old or new, with or without pins, they just SELL!

I've found that VHS no longer sells as well as DVDs, unless they are OOP (out of print) or rare. They sold like mad last year but this year they're less popular. My son has an unbelievable collection and every now and then he gives me some to sell, I tell him to hold off now unless he's willing to give up his DVDs! NOT!

Vintage books are great investments. eBay collectors are VERY savvy and they will question you about the quality of your books, but will pay top dollar for the ones they want! I love selling books, they're soooo easy to ship!

Good luck! There is so much to learn about eBay, I learn something new everyday.

 

[Cindy B]

Originally posted by Robinrs
Hi, Tammi!

Here's what I do.

I
One thing I've found that sells 100% of the time: HOT CURLERS! I get at least 2 or 3 a week and they ALWAYS sell! I have NO IDEA why! I've sold them old or new, with or without pins, they just SELL!

I've found that VHS no longer sells as well as DVDs, unless they Good luck! There is so much to learn about eBay, I learn something new everyday.

Hot Curlers? Really? I wouldn't have known that. Our Goodwill is really high here, and its mostly Target seconds. (Not that there is anything wrong with target, but I can get target cheaper on clearance at Target) There is no 50% day or anything like that.

I also agree with affluent areas. I used to live in an affluent area (by pure accident!) and I would go to a clothing exchange. This clothing exchange was run by a church that my employer was affliated with. This clothing exchange was incredible. It was a take a bag, get a bag exchange. If I brought a bag in, I could take a bag out. Since this church had affluent members, I got wonderful things from J.Crew, Talbots, LL Bean, Carters, and others. Although most of the stuff I kept for personal use, if it didn't work for me.. I would sell it.

I know that everytime we have a laptop up, it sells!

 

[Cindy B]

I have to also say books are wonderful. I have sold textbooks at a wonderful price.

I have also sold old MCSE books that my DH used, and other things.

Library sales are wonderful for this.

 

[Robinrs]

There are plenty Goodwills here, too, Cindy, I haven't seen many deals there, and I've been to many of them.

The store I go to actually gets whole estates. The people who price the merchandise usually have no earthly idea of the value of the items (thank goodness!!), they will price a brand new designer label golf shirt the same as a throw off from K Mart! The important thing is that you know the difference.

I shopped there for years before I did eBay. My son wore top of the line clothing and his Mom was spending pennies for them! I once got him a bag of Izod shirts for about $2.00 apiece!

I get the curlers for about $2.50 and sell them from about 10 to 25 dollars each.

I also made a killing on the Halloween outfits last fall! They were selling M&M outfits for $1 apiece. I sold them all for ridiculous prices!! I had no idea they were so popular but you never know what people will buy!

 

[Cindy B]

Wow!

I'll have to check out independent resale stores.

There is one near my parents home called nothing over $1. I may just have to drive over there once to check it out. It may be junk, or just grossly underpriced. (For example, I've seen some people think Lands End or LL Bean is not good, because they haven't heard of them)

My DH is going to sell his old military school uniform. He was in a movie wearing the uniform. (long story), so he may be able to say.. was worn in movie...

 

[C.Ann]

Yup - I've sold hot curlers too!

For most items though I stay away from Sunday night endings as much as possible.. Ebay tends to have far too many glitches on Sunday nights that result in people not being able to do searches, last minute bids not going through, etc.. (Wow! You should read the grumblings over on the eBay Community Boards every time that happens! VERY irate sellers!! ) If I'm not too particular about what an item ends up going for I'll sometimes let them end on Sunday night but for most of the others I find Monday nights and Thursday nights are much better..

Here's hoping it goes well for you!!

 

[HeatherAnn23]

We also watch for estate sales - with the main intention of collectables. We really scout out anything Department 56 - and the more complete the better! A sale we hit a couple of weeks ago with about 12 Dept 56 houses for $100 bucks has turned around $500-600 for us. Wahoo! I lose patience with the smaller items, but my husband will plod through it. Another good seller is XBox or GameCube games. We find them at our local Goodwill for $5-8 and generally double our money or better. I agree that many categories are totally saturated. I had summer lots of name brand (Osh Kosh, Tommy, Gap, Old Navy) toddler clothes that wouldn't get a $1.00 starting bid last month! I have another hot seller, but I'm not ready to share that tip just yet! Sorry - we pay for my son's preschool with Ebay profits!!

 

[jgates]

come on, spill the beans.........

I think this coming week I may attempt some craft book lots. I seriously need to raise Disney cash. Only a little over a month to go.

One problem with our rummage sales around here is that stuff is OVERPRICED. It is awful.

 

[Robinrs]

Originally posted by C.Ann
items though I stay away from Sunday night endings as much as possible.. Ebay tends to have far too many glitches on Sunday nights that result in people not being able to do searches, last minute bids not going through, etc.. (Wow! You should read the grumblings over on the eBay Community Boards every time that happens! VERY irate sellers!! ) If I'm not too particular about what an item ends up going for I'll sometimes let them end on Sunday night but for most of the others I find Monday nights and Thursday nights are much better..

I've read those complaints, too, C.Ann I haven't noticed any problems but thanks for the reminder.

I like Sunday night endings mainly because the thrift shop I frequent has the Monday half price sale! I use a part of my eBay earnings to replenish my inventory!

HeatherAnn23: I saw an ad for an estate sale that was selling Dept 56 items about a month ago. I got there the minute it started and they were already gone! I was sooo mad! Not sure what items sell for the most but I do see some going for incredible prices!

 

[starwood]

I have found that estate sales in our area are extremely high priced. They do have great stuff but I'm just not sure if I spend $10 for something that it will sell for more on ebay. I prefer the garage sales. I guess I'll also have to start checking Goodwill (although I've found most of their stuff of very poor quality in our area).

 

[C.Ann]

Originally posted by Robinrs
the thrift shop I frequent has the Monday half price sale! I use a part of my eBay earnings to replenish my inventory!

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In that case I guess you really do have to go with Sunday evenings - and of course if you replenish every week and you don't have a lot of room for storage then you probably want to get the stuff in and out the very same week if possible..

 

[Mom2Ben02]

Originally posted by HeatherAnn23
[BWe really scout out anything Department 56 - and the more complete the better![/B]

Heather,

I have some old Dept 56 I want to get rid of - ok, make $$ on! My Hallmark puts them on sale a week after xmas for 50% off or more, so I had stocked up! When is the best time to sell them? Thanksgiving?

 

[Cindy B]

Originally posted by starwood
I have found that estate sales in our area are extremely high priced. They do have great stuff but I'm just not sure if I spend $10 for something that it will sell for more on ebay. I prefer the garage sales. I guess I'll also have to start checking Goodwill (although I've found most of their stuff of very poor quality in our area).

The estate sales around here are very high priced as well. I don't like the Goodwills either.

I may need to hit up all church little shop sales

 

[ceecee]

My mom has tons of old paperback type cookbooks, she has them bundled together for my garage sale? Most of them are from the 50's are they collectibles?

 

[Robinrs]

Originally posted by ceecee
My mom has tons of old paperback type cookbooks, she has them bundled together for my garage sale? Most of them are from the 50's are they collectibles?

The best way to find out is to do a completed items search on the titles, ceecee.

 

[floridagirrl2]

Best places to buy stuff for Ebay seems to vary according to where you live. The auctions around here have NO good deals--there are tons of people who don't know what their doing (and dealers who DO know what they're doing ) bidding stuff up sky-high. Thrift stores around here are a joke--they are cherry-picked by the people who work there, and what ends up on the sales floor is pure junk. I know this is not necessarily true in other areas of the country.

I do best with estate sales, yard sales, and library book sales.

 

[Robinrs]

LOTS of good deals at my half price place today! They have a whole rack of designer clothing, some with tags, the highest price I found was $12 for an entire linen suit! I also found some good hot curlers!

Got 7 GOOD items to sell and spent less than $20!! WoooHOOOO!

 

[HookedOnDiz]

I sell and buy a lot on Ebay and the one item I am always amazed that sells so well is cell phones. I have Verizon Wireless and every year they let you get a brand new phone (even if your contract hasn't expired) for the same price as if you were a new customer. There is usually at least a $50 rebate too. After I get the new phone, I put my old one up on Ebay and get big $$$ for it... always more than I paid for it. Last year I got a new phone from Verizon and paid $50 for it after the rebate. I just sold that same phone this week for $115.99!!! That more than pays for the new phone I got this year (only paid $75) and I will of course sell this one next year and get another new phone.

I know this is a once a year item, but thought I would post it because some people might not realize the value of their old phone. The guy who runs my local cell phone store always tries to talk me into donating my old phones to his store so he can use them as loaners for peole getting their phones repaired. But I know he sells on Ebay and I'm pretty sure all the phones he gets for this "loaner" program go right to Ebay.

 

[ljane1]

Hi guys, by reading your posts, your all pros at selling stuff on Ebay. My question is how do I download my photo to the ebay site. I have my photo downloaded to my computer (Kodak easyshare camera - the photos are downloaded onto the Kodak program that came with my camera). When I went through the whole process of filling in all the info to sell my item on Ebay, when I got to the picture part,,,,,,,I couldn't figure it out.
HELP PLEASE!!!!
Thanks
Lesley