Picking FAQs
Where can I purchase items to resell?
You can buy pre-owned and even new items at thrift stores, garage sales, flea markets, online sales groups... anywhere. You can even find great stuff on the curb. Coming soon: more information about how we find places to buy stuff.
You can buy pre-owned and even new items at thrift stores, garage sales, flea markets, online sales groups... anywhere. You can even find great stuff on the curb. Coming soon: more information about how we find places to buy stuff.
What should I buy to resell?
The Thrifter's Field Guide was created to answer this question. Many more resources will continue to be added to the website.
One important thing to know about selling on eBay (the way we do it) is nearly everything is about the brand. There are a very small number of items where brand is not important. Whatever it is you want to sell, make sure it's the right brand. That said, there are certain qualities many of the items we sell have in common. These are key things to look for when shopping.
The Thrifter's Field Guide was created to answer this question. Many more resources will continue to be added to the website.
One important thing to know about selling on eBay (the way we do it) is nearly everything is about the brand. There are a very small number of items where brand is not important. Whatever it is you want to sell, make sure it's the right brand. That said, there are certain qualities many of the items we sell have in common. These are key things to look for when shopping.
- High quality
- Right brand
- Iconic / nostalgic
- State of the Art
- Unique, limited edition
- New or Preowned in original box, complete
What types of things should I avoid?
Here is a link to items that are prohibited on eBay. Avoid wasting your money on these items - they are typically prohibited for sale anywhere else too. There are a few categories of items that you are most likely to come across in your treasure hunts:
Fakes, knock-offs, fraudulently manufactured items. This is typically encountered with things like designer handbags and Air Jordans. See this tip for some information about fake purses - more coming soon.
Restricted license items. This is most often an issue with software. Software like Rosetta Stone and AutoCAD is not allowed to be sold on eBay or elsewhere. Some other software cannot be sold under certain conditions.
Items requiring a prescription. There are medical devices that require a prescription and are prohibited and can be found in thrift stores: CPAP machines, cryotherapy devices, etc.
Recalled items are prohibited on eBay. Search the consumer products section to determine if your item has been recalled. Watch for this in particular with Babies and Children items.
Other prohibited items.
IMPORTANT: Even if you see an item sold on eBay that falls into one of the above prohibited items, do not assume you can sell one yourself. They regularly scan both the active and sold listings for prohibited items, remove them, and give you a policy violation.
Here is a link to items that are prohibited on eBay. Avoid wasting your money on these items - they are typically prohibited for sale anywhere else too. There are a few categories of items that you are most likely to come across in your treasure hunts:
Fakes, knock-offs, fraudulently manufactured items. This is typically encountered with things like designer handbags and Air Jordans. See this tip for some information about fake purses - more coming soon.
Restricted license items. This is most often an issue with software. Software like Rosetta Stone and AutoCAD is not allowed to be sold on eBay or elsewhere. Some other software cannot be sold under certain conditions.
Items requiring a prescription. There are medical devices that require a prescription and are prohibited and can be found in thrift stores: CPAP machines, cryotherapy devices, etc.
Recalled items are prohibited on eBay. Search the consumer products section to determine if your item has been recalled. Watch for this in particular with Babies and Children items.
Other prohibited items.
IMPORTANT: Even if you see an item sold on eBay that falls into one of the above prohibited items, do not assume you can sell one yourself. They regularly scan both the active and sold listings for prohibited items, remove them, and give you a policy violation.
How do I know if I should buy something?
See above about the brand. Look it up in eBay completed listings. That's key to success on eBay with high profits and low losses. The Thrifter's Field Guide exists to give you ideas about what types of things make money on eBay, but you still need to look everything up. The market changes all the time, and many of the items we sell are on-time finds. Knowing what to look up helps save you time (and data charges if you don't have an unlimited plan) and increase your profits. Staying current is extremely important to ongoing success.
If it doesn't sell on eBay, don't buy it.
If you will not make a significant profit on it (add tax, eBay fees, PayPal transaction fees, and listing fees to your cost), don't buy it.
Remember you are not buying for yourself. The goal is to make money, not hoard. It doesn't matter if you like it, it only matters if it sells on eBay (or wherever you plan to sell it).
See above about the brand. Look it up in eBay completed listings. That's key to success on eBay with high profits and low losses. The Thrifter's Field Guide exists to give you ideas about what types of things make money on eBay, but you still need to look everything up. The market changes all the time, and many of the items we sell are on-time finds. Knowing what to look up helps save you time (and data charges if you don't have an unlimited plan) and increase your profits. Staying current is extremely important to ongoing success.
If it doesn't sell on eBay, don't buy it.
If you will not make a significant profit on it (add tax, eBay fees, PayPal transaction fees, and listing fees to your cost), don't buy it.
Remember you are not buying for yourself. The goal is to make money, not hoard. It doesn't matter if you like it, it only matters if it sells on eBay (or wherever you plan to sell it).