Whether you’re new to the Afternoon Grind or you’ve been here for a while you know that I’ve been selling sports cards on sites like eBay for the past few years. I do have over 180 sales as of right now. This isn’t a huge number but in the past few months, I’ve decided to go down the deeper rabbit hole of reselling on sites like eBay. Now is my chance to see if I should be selling other things on eBay.
eBay Reseller Experience
My current eBay experience involves 98% of my time spent on sports cards. A lot has changed over the years regarding how buyers and sellers react to sports cards and it was fairly simple to package a sports card or bundle for cheap. We are now faced with a lot of different nuances that make it a little bit more difficult to sell sports cards but I will continue to do so as there’s still a market.
In terms of other reselling experience, I haven’t tried anything other than eBay. I haven’t worked on Facebook marketplace, Poshmark, or any other site. The major reselling that I do is as an affiliate for ticket sites like SeatGeek and StubHub. Being an affiliate there are no transactional situations since all I am doing is generating traffic. True passive income.
Digging Down the Hole
Since the marketing world has changed, particularly in SEO, I’ve been exploring new ways to generate income. When I was searching through sports cards for big hits, we called it “looking for gold.” We did come across one major sports card, and that find allowed me to elevate my sports card sales on eBay to the next level. It was thrilling to see a sale of that magnitude, especially when I had no idea what to expect.
Now it’s time to figure out what to sell on a site like eBay, regardless of the item. I’ve been going down the YouTube rabbit hole of eBay resellers and discovering all kinds of different things to sell. Some channels focus on clothes and small items priced under $20, while others highlight items worth $50 or more. What got me excited was finding items for very little or at minimal cost and then listing them for 10, 20, or even 100 times the amount paid. While this won’t always be the case, there are plenty of cheap items out there that can be resold at a much higher price.
These YouTube channels have their reasons for what they do, and they’re aiming to get more views and subscribers, so I take everything with a grain of salt. I also rely on my observations since many of them are doing very similar things. One thing that stood out to me is that it doesn’t matter where you source your items. Whether from thrift stores, garage sales, or elsewhere. At the end of the day, it’s about buying or acquiring items for little to no cost and reselling them at a much higher price.
The idea is simple, but there’s more to it than just listing a product, selling it, and shipping it. I need to pay attention to all the details because time is of the essence. The only way to dive deeper into the reselling game is to start.
Garage Sales – Past and Present
I never liked garage sales. I used to see people coming to my house as vultures. Thirty years later, I understand why some came. Not all for the same reasons, but because the cost of goods today is so high. Finding items for a dollar, $5, or even $10 can make a big difference when new products are so expensive, especially in the inflationary world we live in. What keeps drawing me back to reselling is the thrill of finding something small or inexpensive and selling it for much more. There’s a lot of potential, but you have to be lucky and willing to grind it out.
This past weekend was my first real attempt at garage sale purchases. There were several in my area, and I visited about 12 of them. I arrived on time and found myself competing with different people searching for treasures. I’ll admit I was a bit nervous because it was outside my comfort zone, and my ego has always held me back in situations like this.
It’s hard to put into words, but as a successful person, I always felt that going to garage sales was looked down upon. Maybe I did/do feel ashamed about it. I don’t know how to explain this part of the reselling. If I can’t get over this aspect then forget it.
In the end, I did find some items, and everything was relatively cheap. Some people put out such junk that I couldn’t understand what was happening. I’m looking for things I can sell for at least $40 or more, which aren’t always easy to find, but I’m not here for $10 salt and pepper shakers.
First Quick Lesson
I came across a young couple’s garage sale, and they seemed a bit uncomfortable with what they were doing/selling. It was kind of fun talking to them, and I ended up buying a basketball jersey. I probably should have purchased all of them since they were only $1 each. He also had clothes from a brand that would sell well, but I didn’t realize that until later. This spot was probably the best of the day and when a young couple is selling nice stuff for a buck it’s worth grabbing.
Inventory Building
To be successful in reselling, you need to step out of your comfort zone and dive in. I started by going to garage sales, something I never thought I’d do, and now I’m thinking about heading to thrift stores, Goodwill, and similar places. I’m learning that consistent sourcing is key and you must keep searching for products wherever you can find them at low prices.
As summer winds down, garage sales ramp up, especially as people clear out their homes before school starts. I plan to attend as many sales as possible over the next few months to build up my inventory.
I’d rather have a stockpile of products to sell on eBay, even if I’m still learning the best methods than run out of inventory later. I’m comfortable investing $1,000 in products now, knowing that as winter approaches, sourcing will become more challenging. It’s better to have the inventory on hand while refining my selling strategies.
Trying to Find Gold and Silver
I’ve also been following a pawnbroker channel on YouTube that covers a lot about gold and silver. This is an area I’m interested in exploring more, especially when I’m out at garage sales or other places. With gold and silver prices at all-time highs, there are great opportunities to find items that people may not realize are made of these valuable metals, which can be sold for a good profit.
Reselling Goals
My goal for the year is to fully dive into reselling, understanding that it’s not an easy path but one that I’m committed to. While I tend to set high expectations for myself in everything I do, I recognize that reselling comes with its challenges, as many YouTube channels highlight. However, with over 20 years of experience working independently, I’m no stranger to the grind.
In the past few days, I’ve listed 20 items, and now the focus is on converting those listings into sales. With the uncertainty surrounding my current work, reselling is an additional responsibility, but I’m prepared to balance it with other commitments as needed. I plan to attend as many garage sales as possible, steadily increasing my inventory and listing items consistently. By the end of the year, I aim to see tangible progress and success in this venture.
The reselling world is vast and multifaceted, often leading you down a deep rabbit hole. If you’ve ever browsed eBay, you’re aware of the countless types of products available, ranging from clothes to antiques to collectibles and more. My goal by the end of the year is to make several successful sales and source enough inventory to keep me busy well into 2025.
The Thrill of the Hunt
I’ll keep you updated on my progress in reselling on eBay and other platforms. I expect plenty of ups and downs, but the main challenge is getting out of my head. Walking around garage sales this past weekend and chatting with different people was surprisingly energizing. It reminded me how much I enjoy interacting with others, and I have no problem striking up conversations. My focus is on making money, and that’s what I plan to do. I’ll continue to share my progress on YouTube and afternoongrind.com.
