200 Things to Buy at Garage Sales and Thrift Stores to Sell on EBay Box Set (6 in 1)_ Learn Exactly What to Buy to Make a Living Selling on EBay (Make ... Sale Secrets, Thrifting and Flipping) ( PDFDrive )
200 Things to Buy at Garage Sales and Thrift Stores to Sell on EBay Box Set (6 in 1)_ Learn Exactly What to Buy to Make a Living Selling on EBay (Make ... Sale Secrets, Thrifting and Flipping) ( PDFDrive )
Included Books
Introduction
Introduction
Conclusion
Book 3: Turning Thrift Store Electronics
And Gadgets Into Cash Magic
Introduction
Chapter 1: Why Should I Use Amazon and eBay?
Chapter 2: Best Selling Electronic Items on eBay
and Amazon
Chapter 3: How to Find These Items Wherever You
Are
Chapter 4: Gadgets that Sell Well on eBay and
Amazon
Chapter 5: Knowing How to Price Your Items
Chapter 6: How to Buy These Items in Thrift Stores
Chapter 7: The Secrets to Turning Your Finds into
Profits
Conclusion
Book 4: Turning Thrift Store Vintage Toys
Into Stacks Of Cash
Introduction
Conclusion
Book 5: Reseller Secrets To Dominating A
Thrift Store Revealed
Introduction
Conclusion
Book 6: Selling Creative DIY Projects Online
Introduction
Conclusion
Copyright 2016 by ____Rick Riley, Kathy Stanton______ - All rights
reserved.
The trademarks that are used are without any consent, and the publication of
the trademark is without permission or backing by the trademark owner. All
trademarks and brands within this book are for clarifying purposes only and
are the owned by the owners themselves, not affiliated with this document.
Introduction
I want to thank you and for downloading the book, Thrift Store
Superstar vs. Garage Sale King: 50 Unique and Collectible Items
to Buy at Thrift Stores and Garage Sales to Resell On eBay And
Amazon For Huge Profit .
Garage sales and thrift stores have a plethora of different items that
are simply waiting for the right buyer. However, most people
don ’ t know what items can be resold online for a nice profit. By
taking a look at the items that are most unique and collectable, you
will be able to pick them out amongst the clutter of a garage sale
table or thrift store shelf. So, let ’ s take a look at what to look for
when you step into that garage sale or thrift store! It might amaze
you what you have been missing in the past!
Thanks again for downloading this book, I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 1- Which Items are Unique at
Garage Sales?
By knowing what to look for when you step into this hodge podge
of junk will make the experience a little less overwhelming and a
little more calming. Despite that fact that the operator of the
garage sale only aims to declutter his or her home, the offerings
might have a little more value than one realizes. In the end, a
garage sale has one goal: to get rid of unnecessary goods. If you
offer the operator a decent price, chances are that you can walk
away with a unique item that can be resold online at a nice profit.
If you ’ re new to the garage sale scene, try looking for these
unique items when strolling along!
Musical instruments
Tools
Look for high quality brands and tools that you might not find in
too many places. If they look older, don ’ t be afraid to pick them
up. If they ’ re the right price, you might find that they ’ re worth
even more later on.
Electronics
Look for rare movies, VHS tapes, cassettes and other items that
you don ’ t see very much of anymore. Chances are, there is
someone out there who is looking for them. I like to look for CDs
and other music that I can try to resell. It ’ s especially nice to be
able to pick up items that are near new condition. If they ’ re rare
and in great condition, chances are that I can get a good price
when I resell them.
Textbooks
You might not know if these are good for resale until after you
purchase them. I usually pick them up anyway because I find that
I would rather waste a few dollars if they are potentially worth
more. When looking at text books, I look at their ages, topics, and
condition to see if they might be a good item for resale. If
they ’ re too outdated, then they might be collectable. You don ’ t
know unless you try!
Automobile parts
Clothing
Art
Furniture
Many people are reluctant to buy furniture at garage sales. This is
especially true if it is upholstered. However, there might be a
profitable find amongst garage sale furniture. Take a closer look
to see if the furniture is unique, in good shape, and whether or not
you can resell the item. The more unique the piece, the better the
chances of fetching a good price for its resale. Don ’ t turn away
because you consider it ugly. Beauty might be in the eye of
another beholder!
Jewelry
Another offering that I tend to see at garage sales are bikes and
scooters. A lot of the time, the owners don ’ t ride them and they
just take up unnecessary room in the garage. It could be to your
gain though to pick them up. Take a look at the build and the
make of the bike or scooter. If it ’ s of good quality, chances are
that you can sell it for much more online.
Sports equipment
Kitchen Utensils
Sometimes you will know when the item before you has more
value than what the operator is selling it for. Don ’ t be afraid to
purchase it. Their loss is your gain. They will just be grateful to
get rid of the items. Overall, a garage sale or thrift store is a prime
place to find other peoples ’ throw outs to make yourself a nice
profit!
Chapter 2- Which Items are Collectable?
Garage sale and thrift store items can hold surprises you never
would think you could find here. I have seen countless stories of
people finding items on garage sales and thrift stores that ended up
being worth thousands, even millions, of dollars. How can this
happen? It’s simple. People throw garage sales to get rid of
unwanted items and have a little extra cash in their pockets. When
they go through their home clearing out these items, their overall
value can oftentimes be overlooked. This means that there is tons
of potential wealth at your fingertips!
There are tons of items that people collect that can easily be
gathered at a garage sale or at a thrift store. Collectables can be
anything from a salt and pepper shaker set from Disney World to a
set of playing cards. People collect almost anything. Keep this in
mind as you look through the sale. In this chapter, I’m going to
point out some of the top collectable items that you might find at a
typical garage sale or on a thrift store shelf.
Jewelry
If you have good eye for fine art, then look through what they have
at a sale. Some pieces are very valuable and collectable. Be
aware, however. A lot of fine art and pictures are knock offs of the
real thing. Be sure you know if it’s the real deal before you sell it
as such. However, you might just have a great find in your hands.
At the right price, either is good!
Kitchen utensils
Pottery
When looking at pottery at a garage sale, take a look at the piece
from a collector’s perspective. See if it has a marking to tell you
whether it has been massed produced or is a part of a limited
collection. Just because you feel it might not be pretty doesn’t
mean that it’s not valuable. Make sure that there is not any
significant damage that would make it worthless. If you feel that
there is something unique about the piece, don’t be afraid to buy it
if it’s priced right.
Trading Cards
Knick Knacks
Along with jewelry, take a look for precious metals and stones.
The jewelry itself might be shot, but the elements of it can be
resold for profit. On items such as rings, take a look at the
engraving in the band. It will tell you the quantity of metal, such
as gold, that is found in it. Items made of sterling silver can also be
of great value. Depending on the density of the metal, you might
be holding money in your hands!
Vintage items
Coins
Old coins are highly collectible. However, you really need to take
a look at the condition that the coin is in and whether or not it can
be cleaned up. The older the coins, the better the chance that they
are worth something. I once found a coin that was dated around
the time of the Civil War amongst a small bag of coins for sale. It
was actually worth quite a bit and once it was cleaned up, it had
very little damage on it.
Old toys
Wooden toys and heavy plastic toys are a good sign that they are
older. The toy companies don ’ t use these materials as much
anymore, so you know when you find something that looks like
it ’ s made of these materials, it is often older. People will collect
these items for memories as well as value.
Sports memorabilia
If I had known that all of the toys that I had gotten from my Happy
Meal would be worth money today, I would have held on to them.
Yes, there are people out there who collect old fast food toys! The
better the shape, the more in demand they are. If they ’ re still in
original packaging, even better!
While the item itself might not be worth anything, you might find
that what the item is made of or how it is packaged can make a
great difference when it comes to resale. In this chapter, we are
going to take a look at other items that can be turned into a profit
from a garage sale or a thrift store.
Scrap metal
Look for metals such as aluminum, copper, and steel. Even if the
item isn ’ t worth anything as an item, the metal it is made out of
can be resold for different uses.
I have found that people will buy just about anything if it ’ s priced
right. Often times, these items are stored without even being
opened. These end up being donated or sold on garage sales.
Depending on the item, you might have a great find at a fraction of
the price you can sell it for online.
Used clothing
Video games and systems can be turned into a good profit. The
older systems that are no longer manufactured can be sold online
for a significant amount of money. The games that go with the
systems can be sold for a profit as well. Even if the game system is
still being manufactured, you can still find games that are rare.
Use your scrutinizing eyes to see if you think that these will be
great items to resell.
Linens
Linens that have unique designs and details can be a great item to
resell. However, you really need to look over them carefully
before purchase to ensure that there aren’t any stains or tears in
them.
Designer items
Items that are fashionable and have a good brand on them can
easily be resold for more than you will pay at a garage sale. Take a
close look at the labels and the craftsmanship before purchasing
these because there are many knock-off items out there.
Records
Along with media, records are a great purchase from a garage sale
or thrift store. Just be careful to check for scratches!
Picture Frames
Picture frames can often be resold for a profit. The more detailed
the frame the better. Also, look at the material that the frame is
made of. Some picture frames are older and can be considered
collectable and valuable.
If you’re in doubt as to what you can sell online, visit the sites
themselves and browse through the items that other sellers have
listed. You might be surprised at what can be resold that you can
find at a local garage sale or thrift store! If in doubt and the price
is low enough, go ahead and buy it and check on it later.
You may not know the true value of an item until you get it home
and take a closer look at it. Just be conscientious of what you’re
spending and whether or not you’re making a good investment. In
the next chapter, I’m going to give you some pointers and tips on
how to look for garage sales. Once you know how to plan a day of
garage sales, then we can look at how to make sure you’re getting a
good price.
Chapter 4- Tips for Finding Garage Sales
You want to make sure that you can visit the maximum amount of
sales in a day. The more you hit up, the better chance you have of
finding items for resale. Before you even leave your home, take
some time to plan out your route. Get a copy of the newspaper or
search online on websites such as Craigslist for a listing of garage
sales for that day or weekend. Find ones that would be feasible for
you to visit.
When driving to a sale that you have seen listed, don ’ t drive by
the unlisted ones. People may not list their garage sales in the
paper, so you might not know they ’ re there until you drive past
them. Remember, every garage sale is an opportunity. Stop in and
see what it has to offer!
Start Early
This might irritate those who set up the sales, but if you ’ re one of
the first customers, you stand a higher likelihood of getting the
good items first. The sellers might not be as willing to negotiate
the price, but if you find something that you are certain that you
can resell for a good profit, it ’ s better to find it early and get it
before someone else does.
One good rule is to never pass up a garage sale. Even if you feel
that all they have to offer is junk, you might be missing a pleasant
and profitable surprise. When people throw garage sales, they
don ’ t think about the overall value of what they ’ re selling. The
just want to get rid of it. Which brings me to my next topic. You
will want to make sure you get a good and reasonable price when
shopping garage sales. You must learn to haggle.
Chapter 5- How to Haggle for the Best Price
Start Low
In your mind, you probably have a good idea of what you will be
willing to pay for the item. The seller has an idea in his or her
mind what they would like to sell if for. So, start low and see if
you can get the seller to bite at a lower price than you hope to
obtain the item for. If the seller knows the true worth of the item,
they will give you a counter offer. If it sounds reasonable, you can
take it, or you can continue to bargain with the seller. If the seller
has too high of a price expectation, leave it behind.
If the seller won’t take your first offer, try raising it at small
increments. Try moving it up by five, ten, or twenty-five cents.
Once the seller sees that you’re willing to negotiate, he or she will
play the game with you.
Pretend to Lose Interest
If the haggling gets too much, pretend that you’re giving up on the
item. If the seller wants to get rid of it bad enough, they will be
willing to give you the item at the last price you mentioned. Make
sure that this last price is near what you expect to pay or lower.
If you start out the experience by chatting with the seller, you are
more likely to get what you want at the price you want. Try going
up to the seller and making small talk. Once you’re ready to
purchase, it will be easier to work the price down on the items you
want to purchase.
Thrift stores often give you coupons for donating to them. If you
have purchased items that you cannot sell, donate them again just
for the coupon. The coupon is often for about twenty percent,
which could be a great savings if you have a lot of merchandise.
You know that the item that you hold in your hands can be resold
at a great profit. However, the seller knows it as well. He wants to
get rid of it, but he won ’ t let it go for under a certain price. This
is when you really need to think about your profit margin. If you
cannot get much more out of it than what you ’ re buying it for,
then it ’ s okay to walk away. On the other hand, if you know that
you can make a lot of money off of it, it might be good to just give
in to the seller and pay a little more than you planned for it.
You could potentially make a good profit from the item. However,
there is a damaged spot that will decrease its resale value. This is
where you need to evaluate whether or not you can repair and
resell the item, sell it as is, or leave it for someone else.
Sometimes, you can fix the damages on used items and resell them
for a good profit. Really think about this as you haggle the price.
Since it is being sold damaged, you might be able to get a better
price for it when this detail is presented to the seller.
Let ’ s face it. People have grand ideas in their heads about what
they think they should be able to sell a certain item for. The item
might be purchased for just as much new. Take this into account
when shopping at garage sales. Even if it ’ s in near new condition,
it ’ s not new and you shouldn ’ t be required to pay a new price for
it. If the seller isn ’ t willing to bargain, walk away.
Knowing when the bargaining isn ’ t working is a good way to
gauge whether or not you need to keep trying or walk away. Once
you ’ ve haggled a few times, you will know when a seller is going
to give in or if the whole thing is a waste of time. Just remember to
not pay more than you believe is reasonable for the item. You both
want to make money, but you want to be in a position where you
can maximize your profit.
Chapter 7- Sealing the Deal and Making
Your Profit
Once you’ve haggled a good price for the items that you’re
interested in buying, it’s time to close the sale. By doing it the
right way, you will make both yourself and the seller feel better
about the transaction. After all, you’re not trying to take advantage
of the other person, but you also don’t want to be taken advantage
of.
Make the entire process as friendly as possible. Treat the seller the
way that you want to be treated. If you treat them like they’re
stupid, then they won’t be as willing to sell to you. You want to
have an enjoyable and friendly experience. Once you have settled
on a price, pay promptly and thank the seller. If you should return
for another garage sale put on by the same seller, they might
remember the way you acted the last time you visited.
You ultimately want to make sure that you’re giving you online
customer the same item that you purchased yourself, if not in better
shape. You might have to do some minor repairs and cleaning to
your purchases in order to make them worth more when selling
them online. Even though you have to put in a little extra work, it
is often worth it when you receive the profit you hoped for.
In your home, you also want to make sure that they are put in a
place where they cannot be damaged. Take good care of your
purchases so that you will be able to get the best price out of them
once you list them online. If you don’t have seller accounts, then
now is a good time to create them. Just follow the steps on the
website you hope to sell on.
After you have taken good pictures of your items, you can list them
on Amazon or eBay and see how much of a profit you are going to
make for your efforts. You might be surprised at the sale prices of
some of the items that sell on these websites.
You’re well on your way to finding garage sale and thrift store
items that can be resold for profits on Amazon and eBay. As you
get used to the process, you will find new methods and techniques
that will help you make a good profit. Good luck on your
adventure and I wish you profit and success!
Conclusion
I hope this book was able to help you to learn how to shop at
garage sales and find items that can be resold for profit. Both
garage sales and thrift stores are a treasure chest of goods. Some
may be junk, but others can be resold for good profits. By
knowing what to look for and how to get them at a good price,
you ’ re well on your way to becoming a profit-earning seller!
The next step is to try going to garage sales and thrift stores and
searching for items that can be resold. If you ’ re going to a garage
sale, try haggling the prices with the seller to get the best possible
price for the item that you hope to resell. Just remember that your
goal is to make a profit by reselling items online. Don ’ t pay too
much!
Introduction
I want to thank you for downloading the book, Turning Thrift Store
Oddities And Rarities Into Cool Cash: 50 Off The Wall Items You
Can Buy Cheap At Thrift Stores And Resell On eBay And Amazon
For Huge Profit.
This book contains proven steps and strategies on how to take the
oddities that you will find in thrift stores and sell them for a profit
on Amazon and eBay.
This book is unlike any other book you will find that teaches you
how to make money on Amazon and eBay. Most books will tell
you about all of the most popular items that you can sell on the
sites but that still leaves you with a ton of competition. Other
people trying to start their own businesses flipping items they have
found at thrift stores.
This book on the other hand is going to teach you how to take
those oddities that you will find at thrift stores and flip them for a
profit. The items that other flippers would not think of purchasing
and reselling, the items that are so often overlooked but sell for a
great profit!
This book will help you understand which oddities are going to sell
the best and what you need to do to make sure that they reach the
right buyers. You will also learn a few selling secrets along the
way. I hope you enjoy the book and I hope that it helps you to
understand what oddities you will be able to make a profit from.
Thanks again for downloading this book, I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 1
So many people are going to thrift stores and resale shops looking
for the best items to sell online. This means that they usually
overlook the strange items that you can find and sell for a huge
profit. Most of the time people are focused on clothing, antiques
and the obvious items that can be found and resold. However, in
this chapter you are going to learn about the odd items you can find
in thrift stores and sell for a profit.
1. Crazy cat lady figurines. Yes, crazy cat figurines! And no, I am not
talking about going out and purchasing 30 tiny cat figurines. There are
actually Crazy cat lady action figures that come with several different
types of cats. These can be found randomly at thrift stores and they sell
very quickly on eBay and Amazon.
2. Miniature log caskets with skeleton. This is a very strange item that
people really love to purchase and it is simply a miniature of an old
fashioned casket carved out of a piece of wood. Inside the casket you
will find a small carved skeleton. Many of these are handmade by
random, unknown people and then for whatever reason they end up
being donated to thrift stores where they can sell for anywhere from a
quarter to fifty cents. Sometimes even less. They can be re-sold very
quickly for about $40, depending on the style, with some versions
going for even more.
3. Broken vintage and collectible electronics are another odd item that
you wouldn ’ t normally think could be re-sold but they are. If you have
any type of broken electronics lying around your house that you can no
longer use, just don ’ t have time to fix or don ’ t know how, there is
always someone out there looking for these types of items. You can
find broken electronics at thrift stores and purchase them for literally
pennies and sometimes they will even give these to you. List them and
watch them fly off of your virtual shelves.
4. Another highly unusual item that you never would expect to sell are
shoes with a sole filled with different random items. They can be filled
with glitter, small stones, gems or even tiny doll parts. If you find these
at your thrift store make sure to pick them up!I ’ m seen them sell for
up to about $50 a pair. I am not going to claim to know why these items
sell but the fact is that they do sell. It may be because they are rare or it
could just be that people like the way they look.
5. I honestly cannot explain why this next item would ever sell but it does.
Pictures/photos of animals wearing human clothing and taking part in
their everyday life. The photos/pictures depict animals doing things
such as dogs smoking cigars and playing poker. This is one particular
scene often hard to find that will sell very quickly. You don ’ t have to
watch specifically for dogs playing poker, it can be cats mowing the
lawn or cooking dinner, simply ‘ pretending ’ that they are humans.
6. Speaking of pictures and photos, if you come across any spooky, scary
paintings in a thrift store, especially if they depict a doll, a child or a
clown in a distorted way, they will sell really well. The older and more
haunting the painting the higher its value and the more it will sell for.
There are a lot of people out there searching for this kind of creepy
stuff so while it may be frightening to have to keep it in your
homewhile waiting for it to sell it ’ s worth it because someone
somewhere will pay a lot of money to have it in their collection.
7. Scary masks will also sell very well. They can be Halloween,
masquerade or a just an old weird mask of any variety. Just be sure to
stay away from cheap masks that you can purchase at your local
Walmart, as they are not highly sought after. Instead you want to look
for well-made masks. They should look very real and be in good
condition. And remember, the creepier that better!
And at the end of day when you are looking for items that you
want to sell quickly, you need to look for things that you don ’ t see
on a regular basis as well as items that you cannot find at a local
store or easily online. And if you ever come across any one of a
kind itemsthat means you ’ ve really scored! Many times these
items will have been hand-made and highly unusual. Those are the
items that no one else is going to be able to find!
Chapter 2
One tip that I want to give you before I finish this chapter is that
you need to be very careful when choosing what time you list your
items. If for example you are listing at 1 am, your listing is going
to be pushed very far down the list by the time anyone wakes up
and starts looking for an item. Remember just because you are
awake, does not mean that your customers are awake. If you are
listing on eBay using the auction style format, always consider
what time the auction will be closing as you want to keep as many
people actively bidding when it closes.
Chapter 3
Of course you can sell many old items for a profit but many people
believe that the items you will be looking for are only well known
items such as tube radios but that is not true at all. There is a much
wider pool of items to buy from when considering selling to the
vintage collector.
1. Old photographs always sell well but watch for old photographs that
are a bit strange of creepy. Remember there are always those
paranormal buffs out there who are looking for items like this. When
you look for these photographs make sure that what you are getting is
an actual photograph and not a reprint. Of course you can sell reprints,
but at $4 each it is going to take a long time for you to make any type
of income.
2. Speaking of paranormal buffs if you come across anything that has to
do with the world of paranormal while you are out thrift shopping make
sure to pick it up. This could be something as simple as an old Ouija
board to something as rare as a dybbuk box. Anything will a spiritually
dark look to it consider buying. The spookier the better. Many people
also list a lot of haunted items but if you want to sell something like
that you would have to have some sort of proof, or personal experience
with the item being haunted, since there are so many fakes out there
and you wouldn ’ t want to mislead someone buying something that ’ s
not authentic.
3. Vintage medical instruments are an item that many people will
overlook when they are considering which items to list but many of
these items will sell very quickly. You need to watch for items that are
in good condition as well as in their original box.
4. Clothing is an item that many people do not take the time to even look
at when they are in a thrift store, but you should keep your eye out for
unusual or rare clothing items. One unusual item that sold on eBay was
a loom dress, it actually sold for over $2,000. Keep an eye out for one
of a kind items that people have made, these are the items that go for
the most money.And when looking at thrift store clothing remember to
check the pockets! Even the ones inside the coats! You ’ d be surprised
what people leave inside their pockets and forget to check when
donating clothes to the thrift store. Many times the thrift store workers
are too busy to check each and every pocket and so some tend to get
overlooked! And all it takes it one pocket to hold a hidden treasure.
5. Vintage tools with wooden handles are great items to sell, butyou
don ’ t want to list just one item at a time. You will want to keep your
eye out for these items when you are shopping and then when you have
collected several you can sell them as a lot. Just like the medical tools,
there are plenty of people out there who collect these or restore them
and are willing to pay a lot of money for such items.
6. Vintage 1980 ’ s Hypercolor t-shirts sell for good money on eBay.
These are usual multi colored tye dye looking shirts. The special thing
about these shirts that make them unique is when the shirt touches heat,
it changes colors. These are very popular in the rave culture today. In
good condition they usually bring in over $50.
7. Gag gifts are also very popular items and the vintage ones are even
more popular. Of course the better the condition of the gag gift, the
more money you will get for it. Even simple items such as itching
powder and fake poop still bring in money! One item that I find very
often is a gag gift called rattlesnake eggs. This item has been around for
a long time and I remember playing with it when I was a kid, back then
you could get these for about $1 each, today you can sell them online
for $20 each and you can sell them all day long!
Keep in mind when you are looking for oddities to sell, you will
need to think outside the box. You can actually train your eye to
spot these weird kinds of items while you ’ re shopping. Don ’ t
think about what the average person would want because you are
not selling items to the average person. It is really good if you can
find a niche and work on it for a while before venturing out to
other areas. For example gag gifts would be a great place to start or
start with paranormal items. Choose a niche that you find
interesting and then expand from there.
Chapter 4
Remember that there is someone out there that will buy anything
you list, you just have to make sure they are able to find your
listing. I have even seen items such as pine cones sell on eBay. The
trick is not to overlook something in the thrift store too quickly.
Try to expand your way of thinking and research everything you
think is out of the ordinary!
1. Watch for anything with a skull design on it. There are numerous
buyers in the rockabilly crowd or retro crowd who love to collect items
with this design. This can be a shirt, dress or anything really! There are
plenty of people who are looking for these items and you will not be
able to keep these items on your virtual shelves.
2. How to books and self-improvement books are also an item that you
can sometimes sell very quickly. The ones that sell the best are the
older books. The Art of Feminism and books from the 50 ’ s is one of
the genres people are really looking for. That is not to say you should
not keep an eye out for other types like how to draw, paint, etc., as they
tend to sell quickly as well. Do some research on what the current pop
culture trends are and that can help you zero in on a target market.
Also remember when you ’ re shopping for books, especially old
vintage books, to flip through it to see if anyone left anything between
its pages. I once found a $100 bill someone had put between the pages
of an old Bible! So, you knew know what people tuck away within
those covers.
3. JNCO mens vintage 1990 ’ s jeans sell great on eBay! These jeans
usually have a very wide leg opening at the bottom and a lot of dragon
style embroidered artwork on them. They were very popular in the
skateboard culture in the 1990 ’ s. As a general rule, the larger the size,
the more money you can expect to bring in.
4. Vintage McDonalds toys are another item that many people collect. If it
came in a Happy Meal at one point in time, then you can bet there is
someone out there probably looking for it. You need to make sure that
these toys are still wrapped otherwise the chances of selling them are
extremely low. I have seen a set of 4 stickers that came in a McDonalds
Happy Meal go for $25 just because it was in its original wrapping.
5. Woman ’ s purses are something that can be found in abundance at
thrift stores and they are worth taking the time to look at. Purses always
sell like crazy online and if you can snag a few good ones here and
there you will be able to make a pretty penny off of them. Of course
you don ’ t want the average Walmart brand purse, you want something
that is rare, old but in great condition or a well-known name.Also,
always check inside the purses for items left behind! Just like with old
books, people tend to be too busy to check the purses they ’ re giving
away to the thrift store and the thrift store workers are sometimes too
busy a well to stop and check each and every purse that goes out onto
the thrift store floor. And don ’ t forget the zipper compartments! I ’ ve
found money stashed in the zippered parts of purses before.
6. Keys are something that I find a lot of at thrift stores, but you have to
watch for specific keys. You don’t want to just purchase a bunch if
random keys and expect that they will sell online. However, if you can
find some antique skeleton design keys you will be able to turn a quick
profit. Most of the time you will find these and they will look rusted but
if you clean them up and treat them with some oil they will look as
good as new and will sell fairly quickly.
7. Military items are also an item that you can sell a ton of and you can
sell them very quickly. If you live close to a military base you will be
able to find a ton of items at thrift stores there for very cheap. If you
can find a uniform with a few patches on it you are going to be able to
pull off the patches and sell them alone or you can sell the entire
uniform. A lot of time you can find very old uniforms which are very
popular, but even if you find something that is not old it is going to sell
quickly.
Remember when you are looking for items to sell, the older they
are the faster they are going to sell. However that is not to say that
newer items will not sell as well. If you come across items that are
new, have tags on them or have never been taken out of their
boxes, it is worth spending a few dollars on and listing them. If you
are able to list an item for about 50 percent or less of what it would
cost new, you will be able to sell it.
Chapter 5
I have stated several times in this book that if you want to sell
oddities you are going to have to think outside the box and look for
items that most sellers would overlook. And one great way to sell
several items quickly is to create what ’ s called a “ Lot ” . This is
when you sell several items all at once together in one
big “ group ” . It is of course best to make sure they all are in the
same niche but even if you list a lot of random oddities together in
a group chances are someone is going to buy the whole “ lot ” just
so they can get their hands on one specific item within the group.
1. Native American items are also very popular. From peace pipes to
moccasins collectors are always looking for these items. You can also
watch for dolls that are made to look like Native Americans, paintings,
dream catchers and so on. I have always been lucky enough to find
several dream catchers when I go out to thrift stores and I have found
that even the smallest dream catchers sell very quickly.
2. Always keep your eyes open for the vintage 1980 ’ s game called
Crossbows and Catapults. This game routinely sells complete for over
$150. There were a lot of additional accessories available when the
game was popular. Many time you can find the game and also find a lot
of the additional accessories included! There are also other vintage
games that can bring in high profit.
3. The original NES Nintendo video game system always sells well as you
may know. However, be on the lookout for ROB. He was the optional
robot that could be purchased with the original system in the 1980 ’ s.
In complete condition he will typically sell for over $100.
4. Moving on to the subject of glass, there are a few different types of
glass items that you should watch for. Cobalt blue glass is very popular
right now and if you can find a set of anything made out of this glass
you will be able to sell it for a large profit. Hand blown green glass is
something that is very rare but you really should watch for. I have
found items that I paid $10 for and sold them for over $100 but you
need to make sure that the glass is green and not green with another
color swirled in or clear with green in it. Pay close attention to the color
of the glass. Remember to always check the “ new ” stock that is
coming out from behind the thrift stores closed doors! Keep your eye
out for the workers as they bring all the new items from the back of the
store. Often times they bring new things out several times a day so it
can be worth asking the manager what the best times are to come
shopping for the store ’ s “ new stock ” .
5. Fossils are another item that many people overlook and often times
these get thrown away when they are given to thrift stores, so you may
actually have to ask them to hold on to these items for you. Fossils are
worth a lot of money online. The fossil does not have to be something
huge, it can be small bird bones fossilized or even a fish. Size does not
matter here but the condition of the fossil will. Make sure you know if
the fossil is real and what the fossil is of. If you find a replica of a fossil
don ’ t worry those sell well also.
6. Anything to do with sports always sells well online but you want to
look for items that are rare. Cards that you don ’ t see on a regular
basis, magazines about odd sports, even books about sports that are
very old and not easy to find can make you a quick profit.
7. Colored vinyl is another thing that I am always looking out for. These
records are usually rare and sell for much more than a regular black
vinyl record. Even if the colored vinyl is scratched, it can still be
purchased and sold for good money as people like to use colored vinyl
for different DIY record projects!
8. Postcards and stamps from around the world are another item that you
might want to watch out for while you are looking for items to sell. It is
wonderful if you can find postcards that have not been written on, but
even if they have there are still collectors out there who will want them.
We all know that there are people out there who are looking for stamps
and the great thing about them is that they are super easy to ship. Just
make sure that the stamps have not been used.
9. 80 ’ s cartoon lunch boxes can be found at almost any thrift store that
you go to and they are very easy to sell online. You can also get quite a
bit of money for these if they are in good condition. You have to make
sure that you are not paying too much for them. Often times the
workers in thrift stores will know what they have when it comes to
items like this and will place them under glass instead of out with the
other items. Keep your eyes open for lunch boxes that have not been
spotted by the workers and get them for as little as possible. Don ’ t
forget that when you are purchasing a lot of items it is very easy to talk
these workers down on their prices. Don ’ t think that just because an
item has a specific price on it that that is what you have to pay for it.
10. Vintage analog synthesizers! As a general rule of thumb,
the more knobs the better on the synthesizer. Be careful not to just go
out and buy every little Casio keyboard you find. Most often those will
not sell very well. If you get lucky enough to come across a Moog or
vintage Roland synthesizer in a thrift shop, you can turn a huge profit
on it. Always check to see what condition it is in before purchasing.
11. Garbage Pail Kid original stickers from the 1980 are
extremely collectible. The better the condition, the more money you
can expect to bring in. Some of the cards in the first few series in the
mid 1980 ’ s bring in big bucks. Many times you can find these in huge
amounts jammed in baseball card style boxes.
If you can find an item that is vintage or antique and has at least
some beauty to it, thenchances are that you can sell it on eBay and
Amazon for a profit. Even if the item is not quite beautiful, as long
as it has character, you will find someone out there who is looking
for that specific item. Never turn an item away just because you
wouldn ’ t have it in your own home.
Chapter 6
You may be thinking that it will be difficult for you to find these
items at your local thrift stores and although many of them are
fairly rare, don ’ t be discouraged! You can find these oddities and
other unusual items like them at almost every thrift store that you
go to. Chances are that you might have to dig a little to find them
because the items may be buried, but trust methey are there to be
found! And don ’ t forget when you ’ re shopping to take a quick
drive around the back of the thrift store. There you can many times
check the trash bins and also ask the thrift store workers if they
have any items they ’ ll be throwing away that hasn ’ t make it to
the trash yet. Sometimes you just might be surprised what thrift
stores throw away and would be willing to give you for free!
1. Salt and Pepper shakers. A lot of people love to collect salt and pepper
shakers and although this specific item may not be much of an oddity,
you need to keep an eye out for rare, vintage salt and pepper shakers. I
recently found one that was a bass jumping out of water, I had never
seen a set like this before so I grabbed it for 50 cents, listed it for $20
and sold it within the hour. Salt and pepper shakers like this one that
cater to a specific hobby will always sell well. Santa, Easter and other
holiday shakers will not because they can be found everywhere.
2. Shadow boxes used to be very popular and many people have started
collecting them again. If you can find one that contains little trinkets
you will make even more of a profit off of them. I have seen these sell
for over $25.
3. Vampires are all the rage right now so if you find anything vampire
related you will be sure to make a quick profit. Even something as odd
as a doll casket will bring in around $100 so watch for everything
vampire!
4. Vintage Christmas items sell great! There is a huge market for vintage
Christmas d é cor. Vintage Christmas ornaments can be bought cheap
at thrift stores in the spring and summer and sold for big time money in
November!
5. Old empty tobacco tins are an item that seems like it would be garbage
but as odd as it may seem, there are those who collect these and are
willing to pay a lot of money for these. They do not have to be in the
best condition, but of course, like any other item, the better the
condition more money you will make off of it. This is a good item for
you to collect several of and create a lot to sell.
6. ‘ Haunted ’ dolls are really starting to become popular on eBay. The
ones that sell are the ones that have the best “ creepiest ” story attached
to it. It isn ’ t so important that the story can be proven but that it ’ s
written by a seller who knows how to tell the story well. Now this does
not mean you that you should lie and make up stories, but if something
you come across has a great history behind it be sure to make it part of
the “ package ” for the buyer!
Chapter 7
I want to finish up this book by giving you a few more oddities that
you can find at thrift stores and sell on Amazon and eBay for a
profit. Remember that these are items that most people would not
think to sell so chances are you are going to be able to find them in
abundance at thrift stores. Most of these are also small so it makes
it so much easier to ship than if you were selling fine china or other
items that most people try to sell.
Those are the oddities that I have for you. Remember that you
really can sell anything to anyone. You need to focus on the
description of the item, make sure you describe it well and make it
sound interesting. Be honest, but remember with many of these
historical and off the wall items, 90 percent of the sale is in the
description.
Conclusion
I hope this book was able to help you to discover some oddities
that you can look for at thrift stores and sell for a profit on eBay or
Amazon.
The next step is to create a list of items that you want to look for on
your next trip to the thrift stores and get out there. Find some great
oddities to sell on eBay and Amazon. Remember not every oddity
is listed in this book so if you find something interesting grab it
and take a chance on it!
Finally, if you enjoyed this book, then I ’ d like to ask you for a
favor, would you be kind enough to leave a review for this book on
Amazon? It ’ d be greatly appreciated!
Introduction
I want to thank you and congratulate you for downloading the book, Turning
Thrift Store Electronics and Gadgets into Cash Magic: 50 Different
Electronics and Gadgets You Can Buy Cheap at Thrift Stores and Resell On
eBay And Amazon for Huge Profit .
This book contains proven steps and strategies on how to turn ordinary
electronics and gadgets that you would find at places such as garage sales and
thrift stores into profits using eBay and Amazon. Could you use a little extra
income, but cannot figure out where to begin? Well, this book is for you!
Electronic treasures are often found at thrift stores and garage sales that
people really want to purchase. They will often go to the internet to find such
treasures. Why not be the person who could provide their treasure? By
knowing how to turn electronics and gadgets into profit, you ’ re not only
helping yourself out financially, you are also helping out someone who has
been searching for that item. Here ’ s the chance to turn your old electronics
and those you find elsewhere into extra cash in your pocket!
Thanks again for downloading this book, I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 1- Why Should I Use Amazon and eBay?
There are websites out there that offer you the ability to sell your items and
make a profit. However, how do you know you ’ re getting the type of
service you ’ re looking for? You hear about fraud being committed all the
time on websites such as Craigslist, and your first instinct is to take a step
back and avoid the internet altogether. However, if used correctly, the
internet can be a great resource for buying and selling items. It all depends
on where you choose to go.
When I first started selling on the internet, I was leery myself. After all, the
horror stories make you want to think twice. However, after doing some
research, I have found that using the top websites of Amazon and eBay are
quite safe and can help me turn a decent profit.
However, you might have some serious doubts about selling your items
online. What if the customer doesn ’ t pay? What happens if you can ’ t sell
your item? Well, these websites have you covered on all aspects of the sale.
They make sure that you sales are secure and that you get paid what the
customer buys it for.
Secure Payment Methods
If you ’ re concerned about disclosing personal information, then you don ’ t
have to worry too much because all eBay transactions are handled through
PayPal. PayPal is reputable and has been used for years to complete online
transactions. So, you have the security of knowing that they will be an
efficient method to secure your funds.
Options on How You Want to Sell Your Items
Between the two websites, you can either sell your item outright or put it up
in an auction format. This helps you to get the best price for your sale as
possible. So, do a little research on your specific item online in order to
determine which method would work better for you. You can have accounts
on both sites, so don ’ t be afraid to choose one over the other if you think
that you can make more with a different sale format.
You also have the opportunity to put your asking price on your item. If the
buyer likes how much you ’ re selling it for, then they will buy it. So, when
pricing items outright, make sure that you ’ re pricing it fairly and not
shorting yourself in the transaction. By looking at similar items, you can get
a good idea of how to sell yours.
Less Fraud
Unfortunately, fraud can happen anywhere. However, it seems to happen
less on these websites because of the security measures they have set into
place. Since they act a middle man for selling goods, you will hardly ever
deal with scams from buyers or other sellers concerning your item. This adds
a sense of security to the overall experience.
For example, if a buyer wins the auction or buys your item, you don ’ t have
to ship it until you ’ re sure you ’ ve gotten paid. This takes the risk out of a
buyer who simple wants to make your life miserable. Also, both websites
offer a great return policy to make sure that a buyer gets what they paid for.
By knowing the benefits of selling on eBay and Amazon, you will feel more
confident in posting and selling your items. However, be aware that the
websites have to make money, too. So, expect to see fees when selling your
items and be prepared to price your items in order to cover the fees that you
know will come after the sale!
Once you understand the pros and cons of selling online, you will realize that
it is a secure and easy process if you use the right websites. Take some time
and evaluate how you would like to sell your items and what type of website
will make this possible for you. Remember, you want to make a profit out of
your items, so be sure that the method you choose will get you that desired
result.
Chapter 2- Best Selling Electronic Items on eBay
and Amazon
Now that we have established the benefits to using the websites of Amazon
and eBay, we can look at the electronics that will sell on these sites the best.
If you ’ re trying to make money selling your electronics, you want to know
whether or not they are even worth selling online and whether or not they are
in demand by the buying crowd. If your item is in high demand, chances are
that you can get a better price for what you ’ re selling. So, without further
ado, I ’ m going to list some of the top selling electronics that top the charts
on Amazon and eBay!
Gaming Consoles
Video gaming consoles are always a hot item to resell on the internet. Even
if they are older systems, there is still a high demand for them and people
who are willing to pay for them. Actually, vintage video gaming systems are
collectable and in high demand, whether they are working or not. So, if you
come past an old Nintendo in a thrift store, don ’ t be afraid to pick it up and
try to resell it. Odds are, you will make a nice profit!
Video Games
Video games for all systems, old or new seem to be a hot item to buy online.
However, you need to know a little about the popularity of the game before
purchasing it. Some video games just didn ’ t get great ratings, so knowing
this will help you to not buy something that won ’ t earn you much of a
profit. Games for vintage systems are great sellers as well. Be aware,
however, that the games need to by playable and in decent condition in order
to get any sort of profit from them online!
Vintage Electronics
If you remember them as a child, chances are that someone is looking for
them today. People are constantly looking for electronics that were popular
during their childhood. If you come across something like this during your
forays in the thrift store, don ’ t be afraid to pick it up if it is selling at a
reasonable price. You never know, you might have picked up a treasure and
not even know it.
Walkman Cassette Players
Speaking of vintage electronics, name brand Walkmans are in high demand
on Amazon and eBay. These can sell for a great profit if they are in great
shape and of the right model. If you come across any type of Walkman in a
thrift store, pick it up. You might just be finding something that is in high
demand that can make you a pretty chunk of change.
Old Telephones
You might laugh, but old corded and cordless telephones are great sellers
online. Even though the world has been taken over by cellular phones,
people still seek old telephones to add to their homes. With corded phones,
the older the phone, the more popular it is. So, if you ’ re looking at an
antique rotary phone, it might just be worth it to pick it up and try to sell it!
Lamps and Lighting
Different types of lamps and lighting are nice to sell online. If you ’ re in a
thrift store, look for unique and different lighting that might catch a person ’ s
eye. People like to have unique elements in their homes, so finding
something that suits their style will be a great seller.
Character lighting is another great seller. If you find lamps that feature
cartoon or Disney characters, pick them up. People like to purchase these for
children ’ s rooms, and the more unique the piece, the better price you can get
for it.
Pinball Machines
Whether it ’ s a table top machine or a full sized pinball machine, these are
hot items for people to purchase online. They are also hard to find, so if you
have the opportunity to buy one, it will be well worth your time and money to
buy it and resell it.
Handheld Video Games
Handheld video games were a huge item for children in the 1990s. Today,
they are collector ’ s items and they sell very well on the internet. Take some
time and look out for some of these old games and pick them up when you
have the chance. They could be little gold mines waiting to happen.
On the other hand, handheld gaming consoles, such as the Nintendo
Gameboy Classic, is also a top seller online. These are also difficult to come
by, so finding one in any condition is a treasure.
IPod
IPods of all generations can make a nice chunk of change on eBay and
Amazon. Even if the unit isn ’ t functional, people will buy these for their
parts. The classic IPods tend to get the most money because they carry a
higher capacity for storing music. However, the IPod touch is up and
coming. So, no matter how old the IPod, it is a good investment to purchase
it. If the model is no longer made, it might be in higher demand than the ones
that are still readily available in stores.
Used Cell Phones
Used cell phones, especially smartphones, are a great item to resell online.
As the technology advances, people will go for the new and get rid of the
old. However, these old phones are still quite usable and still have a lot of
life left in them. People will go to the internet to find deals on cell phones, so
take advantage of this crowd and snatch up functional used cell phones when
you see them!
Cameras
Different types of cameras can be worth a ton of money. If you ’ re not
knowledgeable with cameras, you might be passing by a great deal on a
professional quality camera that has lenses that might sell for a lot of money.
Film cameras are now becoming an item of the past and people seek them
wherever they can find them. Think about it. If you go to the store to
purchase a camera, you will very rarely find film cameras on store shelves.
Use this to your advantage and when you find one, pick it up and sell it
online!
Computers
Refurbished computers are a hot item online. Buying a new computer is
costly, so people will often seek out computers that have been previously
used and restored. If you have experience with computers, you might even
be able to tweak a computer with desired elements that someone would be
willing to pay money for. When you come past a computer in a thrift store,
take into account its age and its capability to be resold. Even vintage
computers can be resold for profit, so don ’ t discount a computer simply
because it ’ s outdated.
Televisions
If you come across old tube televisions, these are in high demand amongst
collectors. Since they are no longer made, people have started to collect them
and the prices for an old tube television have risen drastically. On the same
score, new televisions that are way underpriced at a thrift store can also bring
a good price when resold online. So, just because you encounter a television
at thrift store, don ’ t think that it is total trash. People do donate items that
they simply have no use for.
Portable Audio
Just like Walkmans are selling for high prices online, other forms of portable
audio will also get a good price. For example, old portable cd players are in
high demand among collectors. You have to be careful with these though
because many of them that are donated are no longer operational. You might
still be able to sell it for parts, but for the most part, a dead portable cd player
is virtually worthless.
Other portable audio that can be sold online for great prices include any type
of MP3 player. Having the capability to take music and media on the go is
huge among the general public. So, take some time and look through the
smaller items in this section. You never know what you might find.
Tablets
Within the last couple of years, tablets have taken over the electronics world.
People like these because they function as a miniature computer without the
hassle of carrying around a laptop. The fact that they are extremely portable
is their best selling point. There are many different brands of tablets that are
being sold, so make sure that you know which brands are good and which
ones have lower ratings. You might waste your money if you buy a tablet
that nobody wants because of bad ratings.
Vintage Calculators
In the world of collectors, old calculators have great value. Many of these are
the older model graphing calculators. Certain models will sell of more on the
market than others, so if you ’ re looking to buy a used graphing calculator,
check out which models are in highest demand.
Electronics make peoples ’ lives easier. So, when they are good or if they
have collectible value, they can often get a great price when resold.
Remember, not every person is able to find what they are looking for
electronics-wise, so you might just be offering them something that they have
been desperately searching for! Just because it has no value to you doesn ’ t
mean that it doesn ’ t have value to someone else.
Chapter 3- How to Find These Items Wherever You
Are
Before I go to the thrift stores, I check out the top selling items on the
websites that I hope to sell on. Most of the top websites, including Amazon
and eBay have lists of items that have been selling more than others within a
certain time period. Take note of the types of items that seem to be selling
and keep an eye out for them when you are making your rounds to thrift
stores.
Depending on the area you live in, you have different chances of finding
some items than others. For example, you might find newer electronic items
in areas where the population has a higher income. They have the money to
be able to update their electronics more frequently than those who don ’ t
have a higher income. So, if you ’ re looking for these types of electronics,
go to thrift stores in the areas that cater to the higher income population.
You might give other thrift stores a chance and see what you can find.
People donate items that you might not expect them to donate. Don ’ t
discount a thrift store based upon the surrounding demographics. Give even
the most remote thrift stores a chance.
Tips for Finding Good Electronics in Thrift Stores
If you ’ re leery of finding decent electronics in a thrift store, you ’ re not
alone. Many electronic items that are donated are often broken or unusable.
This makes it difficult to resell them. How do you make sure that you ’ re
getting an item that can be resold for a decent price? Well, let ’ s take a look
at some ways that you can know if you ’ re getting ripped off or getting a
deal.
Testing Stations
In the past few years, I have noticed that a lot of the thrift stores have an area
where you can test the electronic equipment so you know what you ’ re
buying before you actually purchase it. This can really work to your benefit
because you can get idea if there are some small flaws with the equipment
that can be looked past or if there is something that cannot be fixed
whatsoever and you would be better leaving it behind. So, take advantage of
the electronics testing stations in the thrift stores if they are offered.
Look at the Physical Condition
Sometimes the outward physical appearance of the electronic item can give
you an idea of if there is something wrong with it working. If it ’ s a highly
sellable item, test it if possible. Often if the item has major external damage,
it is damaged within. However, it can still have internal faults and still look
okay on the outside. Use your judgement if you have doubts about the item.
If the Price is Right, Buy it
Even if the item appears to be damaged, if it is being sold for a relatively
inexpensive amount, don ’ t hesitate to purchase it. The worst that can
happen is that you cannot resell it. If it ’ s a big item, make sure you do your
inspection thoroughly before buying it. The item might seem overpriced, so
wait it out if you feel that it would resell for a higher price. Thrift stores
always have sales!
By knowing what you ’ re buying and its condition, you stand a better chance
at getting the most money out of it when it ’ s resold. Finding the items can
be the most difficult of the operation, so once you get past that, you are ready
to go online and sell. Happy shopping!
Chapter 4- Gadgets that Sell Well on eBay and
Amazon
High end electronics are not the only items that can sell on eBay and
Amazon. Smaller electronics and gadgets can also resell for some good
profits. These items are often easier to find in thrift stores and won ’ t cost as
much as the higher end electronics. However, just like the other electronic
items, you must be careful about their condition and pricing. Here are some
of the small electronics and gadgets that can be sold for good profits on the
internet.
Wireless Routers
Any type of wireless router can be resold for a profit. Since buying a router
new is expensive, people often turn to eBay and Amazon for better prices.
Knowing this, when you find an operational router at a thrift store, know that
someone out there is looking for a deal on one and might not think to go thrift
shopping themselves.
GPS Systems
GPS systems are becoming increasingly popular since people tend to go more
places and need directions. Finding a good GPS can be hard, but if you find
one in a thrift store, you can easily resell it at a bargain to someone looking
for that device!
Go Pros
Fitness is taking on new levels with the new devices out there to record and
monitor your activity levels. Go Pros have become very popular because
they are hands free and can take amazing video while the person is
performing the task. Since these devices are rather pricey, if someone can
find a deal on them online, they will buy them.
DVD and Blue Ray Players
Used DVD and Blue Ray players are a hot item if they are of a good brand
and in good condition. Anyone can go and buy a new DVD player for cheap,
but a good name brand player in good condition is more than likely going to
sell better when resold online.
Adapters for Apple Products
Since most Apple devices only come with the cord that hooks into your
computer, wall chargers and car chargers for Apple devices are great items to
resell online. Since Apple is such an exclusive brand, their adapters and
chargers tend to be expensive when bought brand new.
Record Players
Records are popular among collectors, so it stands to reason that old record
players would be popular as well. However, you need to make sure that they
are in good operational order. If you do try and resell one with defects, make
it known in the listing. Most people don ’ t want to buy broken devices.
Digital Recorders
Digital recorders can be bought for a low price and resold for a higher price
online. Students and others like to have these devices for recording lectures
and not having to take massive amounts of notes.
MP3 Players
As mentioned before, IPods and other MP3 players are popular for reselling
online, despite their condition. People will often buy broken MP3 players for
the parts to fix another player. Depending on the brand and the storage
capacity, these can be resold for a nice profit.
Car Electronics
Car speakers and radios sell well online if they are of a quality brand. You
need to know which car electronics brands are top notch in order to make a
good investment when you see them sold at thrift stores.
Accessories for Popular Electronics
Accessories for cell phones and other electronics sell very well online. The
better the condition and the brand name, the better the price you can resell it
for. This can include headphones and microphones as well as webcams and
other accessories for computers.
Surveillance Equipment
With safety being a concern for many families, surveillance equipment has
become a hot item to be bought online. From cameras to keypads to set
alarms in homes, people want to feel safe and are looking for the equipment
to do so.
Cable Alternative Devices
In the past year or so, Amazon and other online companies have come up
with ways to get premium programming without going through a cable
company. A lot of these are in the form of a stick that will plug into your
television and work with your internet connection.
Headphones
High end headphones will sell well online because it is less expensive to
purchase them online rather than buying them new. Make yourself familiar
with the top brands and look for them when shopping.
DVDs and Blue Ray Discs
With the prices of new discs rising in stores, people will seek out their
movies on used discs. Depending upon the movie, its rarity and popularity,
you can actually make a good profit by reselling these online. Thrift stores
price them all the same, so they really don ’ t take into account the titles or
the condition of the discs.
Power Tools
Name brand power tools can be easily bought and resold if in good
condition. Know what the top selling brands are and what models sell the
best. When people buy used power tools, they look for the newer models, so
if it looks older, it ’ s probably not going to sell well.
Printers
Top brand printers and printer accessories are good to resell online.
However, you must make sure that they are in good working order. People
tend to look for top selling brands, so be aware of this when looking at these.
The lower level brands can be bought new at cheap prices, so many people
will buy them new. Don ’ t waste your money on a cheap printer that you
won ’ t be able to resell.
Photo Printers
People like to print their own photos from the comfort of their home, so
photo printers have become increasingly popular. These too can be pricey if
purchased new, so people look for good quality used ones online.
Computer Software
Used and new computer software can be sold online as long as they are not
outdated and the discs are in good condition. You also want to be aware that
you ’ re looking for the more popular software and not the stuff that no one
has heard of before.
Vacuum Cleaners
Top name vacuum cleaners are also a great seller online as they are very
expensive if bought at a retailer. Look for the top brands and make sure that
they operate well before reselling them.
Kitchen Appliances
Small kitchen appliances such as blenders, microwaves, toaster ovens, and
food processors are in high demand and people will search for and buy them
online.
Small gadgets and electronics can be great sellers if they are priced right for
the buyer and are in decent condition. People often turn to eBay and Amazon
because they can find what they are looking for at a reduced price. Even if
the item is used, they are still getting a bargain and are happy not to have to
pay full price for the item. Keep this in mind while shopping for items to
resell online. Think like a buyer would and you will find that you ’ re buying
items that can easily be resold.
Chapter 5- Knowing How to Price Your Items
Once you have your items, you might wonder how you can price them so that
you are making money and the buyer is going to purchase it. This takes a
little research and knowledge on your part. Not every item is going to sell for
the same price. Since you are buying these items at a thrift store, they are
more than likely going to be used and have a various array of defects. You
have to take this into account when you price your item online or start the
bidding for the item on eBay.
Look at Similar Items
Go onto the internet and look at what your item is selling for on eBay and
Amazon. Both of these websites list the popular items and how much they
sold for within the last day or so. You want to keep your pricing within the
same range as similar items. If it is overpriced, you stand the chance of not
being able to sell it and if you price it to cheap, you won ’ t make much, if
any, profit off of it.
Evaluate the Condition of Your Item
Since you are reselling a used item, you must take into account the damage
and flaws that the item might have. These can range from scratches to small
operating malfunctions. Depending on how good of shape the item is in, you
can price it accordingly. People aren ’ t going to buy something knowing that
it has damages if they can get the same thing without the damage.
What did You Pay for it?
Keep in mind how much you paid for the item. You are trying to make a
profit, so you don ’ t want to lose money in the resale process. Price your
items and start the auctions off to ensure that you are making money from
your resale and not losing money or wasting time because you broke even.
This might happen a few times, but being aware of the items original sale
price will make it easier for you to price it to make a profit.
Allow for Shipping Costs
When you price your item, you have to take into account the shipping costs.
More than likely, the buyer will pay this, but you must set the rate that they
will pay for it to be shipped. Make sure that you ’ re allowing for a shipping
cost for foreign sales because you can end up losing money if a foreign buyer
purchases your item and you quote them the domestic shipping price.
At first, pricing used items can seem a little overwhelming, but knowing the
condition of the item and how much similar items have sold for recently will
help you to make a reasonable price for your item. By taking time to do a
little research on the specific item and knowing what a fair price is for it, you
will be better prepared to price it so that you make a profit and that it will sell
quickly.
Chapter 6- How to Buy These Items in Thrift Stores
Thrift store shopping can be sensory overload for those who haven ’ t done
much of it in the past. However, when you get the hang of the shopping, you
can easily find items to resell without feeling overwhelmed. Taking a
structured approach to your shopping will make it much easier for you to get
in and out and find what you ’ re looking for. In this chapter, I ’ m going to
give you a few hints on how to shop in thrift stores and get them at a bargain
so that you can make a larger profit when reselling them.
Seek Items with Sale Stickers
Most thrift stores will price their items using different colored stickers. On
certain days of the week, these stickers are half off, making the item an even
better deal. Know which color is on sale that day when you ’ re in the store
and try and find items with these tags if at all possible.
Use Coupons
Some thrift stores will issue percent off coupons when you make a donation
to the charity that they support. By combining these coupons with the low
prices that the store offers, you can save even more money on the items that
you ’ re looking at.
Know What You ’ re Looking for
One way to keep yourself from being overwhelmed is to know what you ’ re
going to look for even before you enter the store. If it ’ s going to be video
games, then focus on finding video games to resell. Don ’ t let the store
distract you. If you see other electronics that would be good for resale,
don ’ t be afraid to look at them as well. By being able to go straight for the
area that you ’ re planning on looking in, you will save yourself time and
stress. Also, by knowing the specific type of item you want to focus on will
help you to narrow down your search even more.
However, if the store you ’ re in doesn ’ t have the type of item you ’ re
looking for, it doesn ’ t hurt to browse the section and see if there are any
other items that would be useful for resale. You don ’ t have to have a
wasted trip even though you didn ’ t find exactly what you were looking for.
Shop during Sale Days
If you want to make a larger profit, then going to a thrift store during a large
sale day is another option. You will be dealing with more people, but if you
know what you ’ re looking for, you won ’ t feel stressed out by the extra
bodies in the store. Thrift stores tend to put their entire inventory on sale at
least once a month. By knowing when these sales are, you stand a good
chance at getting your item at a great price.
Know Your Thrift Store
At first, you ’ re not going to know the layout and the policies of the thrift
stores that you ’ re shopping in. After a while, you will be able to go straight
to the area that sells what you ’ re looking for and be able to look through the
inventory quickly and efficiently. Since thrift stores stock what is donated,
their inventory constantly changes, so frequent visits are to your benefit.
Knowing your thrift stores and how to shop them during sales is going to be a
great way to maximize your profit-making potential. Many people don’t
know how to shop during sales and end up spending more than they would if
they were focused on the tags and dates. If you shop more than one store,
keep a calendar of the sale dates so that you make sure you hit them for an
opportunity to make the best profit when you resell your items.
Chapter 7- The Secrets to Turning Your Finds into
Profits
Even though it takes some time and effort to get your business started selling
electronics on eBay and Amazon, it will be worth it once you get the hang of
it and know what to expect. From actually buying the item to selling and
shipping it can seem like a long and drawn out process, but once you have a
routine, it will seem easy and efficient.
At first, you’re not going to know what you’re looking for and what to look
for. It takes time and research in order to find items that you can make into
profits. Another factor that might inhibit you from making the most out of
your reselling is that you don’t know how to sell them. Selling on the
internet is based on description and pictures. You must have both of these in
order to make your item stand out.
Once you get good at pricing and finding items to sell, you will be well on
your way to making great profits online. Since pricing can be tricky, learning
how to price your items so that you make the most money and are attracting
customers can have a find balance. This will take time and skill to perfect.
Sometimes you’re going to take a loss, but the ultimate goal is to make more
money than what you spent on the item.
The great thing about reselling thrift store items is that you don’t invest large
amounts of money to buy your merchandise. If it doesn’t sell or it turns out
to not be worth what you thought, you’re not taking a huge financial loss.
After some time, you will become an expert at finding resale items that will
earn you the maximum profits. Don’t be disappointed if you don’t see the
profits come in right away.
Last of all, know what your customer is looking for. By catering to the
people, you will be successful when reselling your items. You can find out
what is popular by looking at eBay and Amazon and knowing what people
are buying. Take some time to know what to look for and what people
ultimately will pay for.
Good luck and happy selling!
Conclusion
I want to thank you for downloading the book, Turning Thrift Store
Vintage Toys into Stacks of Cash: 50 Vintage and Collectible Toys
You Can Buy Cheap at Thrift Stores and Resell On eBay And
Amazon for Huge Profit.
Finding vintage toys in a thrift store can be a quick and easy way to
make some extra money. Collectors are forever looking for old
toys to add to their collections, and they are willing to pay mad
money for them. Why not take advantage of this opportunity? In
this book, I ’ m going to provide you with some of the vintage toys
that you can find in a thrift store that collectors will pay top dollar
for. Why not give it a try?
Thanks again for downloading this book, I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 1- Dolls and Other Girls ’ Toys
While some people don ’ t think twice about getting rid of used
toys and games, others have a sentimental link to them that makes
it difficult for them to part with them. People may have had such a
toy in their past that they would like to find once more. A lot of
toys are only made for a limited time, so it can be difficult to find
the same toy five to ten years after you have parted ways with it.
However, if they existed once, they will be found again.
Many people turn to the internet to find such toys. How do you
know which toys are being sought out? You can either turn to the
internet or take a look at the timeless vintage toys that always seem
to be in style. In this chapter, I ’ m going to list some of the girls ’
toys and dolls that make big money online.
Barbie Dolls
As time has gone on, Barbie dolls have become made of less
expensive materials. So, if you can find the dolls that are mad out
of heavy plastic, then you ’ re looking at a collectable. However,
knowing your Barbies and the year that they were released will
also help you to find rare and collectable dolls that people will pay
good money for.
Just like Barbie dolls, older dolls were made out of different
materials. Heavy plastic, porcelain dolls, and those made of
celluloid are all collectible and valuable for you to purchase. You
can definitely tell an older doll by its materials and facial
characteristics. They most often won ’ t have moveable eyes or
ones that are weighted. Also, they don ’ t tend to be equipped to
make much noise. There are older dolls that do boast these
characteristics, but for the most part, they are plain and made of
older materials.
Troll Dolls
Every little girl had a tea set. Well, now the older the tea set, the
more valuable it is. Also, tea sets from overseas and made of
porcelain are worth money. Also, be watchful of tea sets boasting
characters from television shows or Disney movies. These are
great ways to make a few extra bucks.
Kewpie Dolls
These adorable little dolls with the plastic curl on top of their heads
have because a collector ’ s item within the past ten years. You
can find them in antique stores, but you might stand a good chance
at finding some in thrift stores as well. The better condition that
they ’ re in, the more money they are worth.
Again, these are common around antique stores, but they are also
valuable when resold online. When looking through the toys, try
to find authentic Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls in their original
clothing. Collectors will pay top dollar for authentic dolls in good
shape with original clothing.
Little Orphan Annie was a popular toy line in the early 1980s.
Today, the dolls and the different accessories and clothing for the
dolls are coveted by collectors. However, make sure that the
clothing and dolls are authentic prior to purchasing them.
Strawberry Shortcake and the dolls that are a part of her clan are
sought after by collectors. Be careful when buying these. You
want to make sure that they are authentic and that the dolls
themselves are in decent shape. Since collectors look at items that
are in good shape, this is a good rule of thumb whenever you are
looking at vintage toys.
The original Cabbage Patch Dolls are one of the top items that
people look for when searching for vintage dolls. The thing with
the Cabbage Patch kid dolls, however, is that there was a knockoff
of these that were sold in craft stores for crafting purposes. So, be
aware of the characteristics of a real Cabbage Patch doll when
observing these on a thrift store shelf.
While these are only a few of the toys that you might be able to
resell for money on eBay, know that a lot of older toys to show
wear and tear and other such damage. Take this into account when
searching for toys. Some of these defects can be easily overcome,
but others are beyond repair. I will cover what to look for in the
way of damages in a later chapter.
It might make you feel old, but many of the toys that were popular
during your childhood have come back with resounding
popularity. Not only do collectors seek these out, but will also pay
high prices to get their hands on some of these toys. With vintage
toys, it ’ s important that they are in good repair with as little
damage as possible. If the buyer will have to restore it, then you
will not get the highest price out of the sale. Keep this in mind as
you ’ re looking for vintage toys in your local thrift store. Even if
you ’ re not too old, toys from your childhood might still be
considered vintage. It all depends on when they were made and
their popularity when they were originally sold. In this chapter,
I ’ m going to list some of the vintage toys that might just make
you flashback to your own childhood!
Beanie Babies
The original Beanie Babies have been a highly collectable item for
some time now. Beanie Babies will have tags on them stating the
animal ’ s name and birthdate. People like to find Beanie Babies
that have birthdates that coincide with their own. You might have
heard some rumors about the original toys. They still have a high
popularity rate, even with the viral internet scare of them being
stuffed with spiders ’ eggs. Don ’ t worry, they are perfectly safe,
and people who collect them are looking for specific ones to
complete their collection.
Pogs
The game of Pogs was played amongst preteens and teens during
the 1990s. The challenge of turning these cardboard circles over
with a metal disc happened to appeal to children. They were often
found in abundance, but now they are a collectable item. So, if you
should come across the cardboards circles and metal discs, know
that they can be resold for cash!
There are a lot of trading card games that were popular throughout
the 1990s that are still popular today. These card games have come
out with different series based upon the year. The older cards that
are not being made anymore, or those that are rare, are worth
money to collectors. Look for card games such as Pok é mon,
Magic, My Little Pony, and Yu Gi Oh. These stand the highest
chance of having collectable and coveted cards!
Lincoln Logs
These connectable logs were used to build houses and other such
structures. They consisted of log looking pieces that had grooves
at the ends, making them stackable. When put together, they had
the feel of a log cabin. Since these are not made the way they used
to be made, the original Lincoln Logs are worth some money when
resold online.
Old Legos
Legos are a type of toy that is still highly popular today. However,
when they first came out, they weren ’ t as complex and specialized
as they are today. The original Legos came in smaller sets and
gradually evolved into the huge sets we see today. If you can find
a complete set of old Legos, you can stand the chance of making
some major cash when you resell them online.
Most people can tell when a stuffed animal is old. They tend to
lack tags and other markers that they were mass made. Older
stuffed animals are also made of different materials. So, when
looking at stuffed animals, take into account the material that they
are made of and whether or not they have tags. These are good
indicators of whether or not they are vintage.
Fisher Price, a company that is known for creating toys for young
children, is a highly sought out brand when looking at vintage
toys. The older toys from this company are collected by toy
enthusiasts. A good indicator of whether they are considered
vintage is when they were made. As a general rule, I like to place
the toys before 1975 into the category of vintage.
Mr. Potato Head and his family have long been a favorite amongst
children. Who else will let you change their facial appearances on
a daily basis? The older models of these toys and their accessories
are a popular purchase online. So, the next time you find yourself
face to face with a Mr. Potato Head doll, think twice before passing
him by!
Just like toys that were made to cater to little girls, there is a large
amount of toys that are for boys that are now worth money. The
selection of these toys is a little more diverse for boys, so you stand
a better chance at finding something vintage for a boy. However, a
lot of toys were never gender specific, so they can fall into any
category. In this chapter, I ’ m going cover the main toys that are
high in popularity that were made for boys.
Soldier Figurines
If you think about little boys, one of the toys that are commonly
associated with them are soldiers. Soldier dolls and figurines are
highly collectable and popular. Depending on the type of material
that they are made of, these can bring in varying amounts of cash.
Hot Wheels Cars
Hot Wheels cars, especially the ones that are no longer made, are
sought out by collectors. In their time, Hot Wheels have come out
with many limited edition toys that collectors would love to get
their hands on. While looking through toys, take note of the year
that the car or truck was made. It ’ s often printed on the bottom of
the car with the Hot Wheels logo. Like other popular toys, Hot
Wheels has a lot of knock offs that look similar, but are not worth
anything.
The old heavy metal dump trucks that little boys used to have are
now a vintage toy item. The companies have stopped making these
out of metal due to the dangers that sharp edges may cause
children. Even though they have stopped making these toys,
people will seek out the old metal dump trucks because they are
durable and will last for a long time.
The super heroes from the comic books have been a favorite to
adults and children alike. From Superman to the Hulk, items that
boast super hero logos and likenesses are popular and will sell for
big money. I know that Batman and Superman were popular
during my own childhood and are still popular with children
today. Use the knowledge of super heroes to find items that you
will be able to make a huge profit off of.
Ventriloquist Dolls
GI Joe was a role model for young boys around the time of the
Vietnam War. Having this fictional role model helped boys
achieve creativity and bravery. The dolls and accessories remained
popular for many years, and now the toys are being sold for nice
profits.
Transformers
Based upon a cartoon, these vehicles that turn into action figures
were a favorite among young boys. By moving their parts around,
you could either have a vehicle or a person. These characters
would fight the bad guys and win. The show no longer exists, but
the toys can still be found and resold for stacks of cash.
Erector Sets
Every child likes games and puzzles. As they have evolved with
time, the older versions of some games have faded into the past,
while others remain strong up to this day. Depending on how rare
and popular the games were, you can stand a chance at making a
good profit by finding and reselling vintage games and puzzles. It
might be difficult to figure out whether or not these items are
considered vintage, but they tend to follow some of the same rules
as the other toys in this book do. In this chapter, I ’ m going to
highlight some of the main toys and puzzles that are searched for
and bought frequently online.
The old fashioned wooden blocks that young children used to use
to learn their letters and numbers are considered a vintage item that
can be worth some money, depending on how old they are. When
looking at wooden blocks that have the alphabet and numbers
painted on them, take a look at the quality of the wood and that will
help you determine the age of the block. The older blocks tend to
be made out of high quality wood.
Pinball Machines
Table Hockey
Chess Sets
Chess is a highly popular game all over the world. With that said,
there are multiple variations of chess sets. I have seen them range
from cartoon characters to intricate figurines that grace an ornate
board. Since there are so many variations of pieces, people will
buy ones that suit their fancy. Older sets are collected as antiques
and people will pay a good amount of money to buy a set that suits
them.
Cribbage Boards
Nowadays, one can play Maj Jong on the computer. However, the
game originated centuries ago, using brightly colored tiles that you
set up and tried to match in order to complete the puzzle. These
tiles are worth some good money if you can find a unique or
intricate set.
Wooden Puzzles
After covering the basic categories of toys, I realized that there are
still some toys that really don ’ t fit into the other categories, but
they still can be considered vintage toys and worth some money
when resold. So, I thought that I would devote this chapter to these
toys that don ’ t really fit inside the definitions of the other
categories. As mentioned before, this is not an extensive list, but it
is a list of the most popular toys to be bought online.
Wooden pull and push toys that were popular for young children
are a hot item to be resold online. These toys typically made
motions while the child would pull it or push it along, making it
seem as though the child were leading an animal on a leash. These
might seem simple at face value, but they are considered vintage
and collectors will pay good money for these toys in good
condition. The best quality and most likely to resell are going to be
the wooden toys that still work properly.
My Little Pony
My Little Pony dolls and trading cards fit into the category because
they are not necessarily popular with little girls. Grown men have
taken a fancy to the card game and collecting the dolls. By finding
the toys and the cards, you are basically guaranteeing yourself a
sell online. Be careful about fakes though. There are pony
figurines that will closely resemble the My Little Pony horses, but
they are not the originals. So, when you come across an older
looking My Little Pony horse, don ’ t discount it as some poor
reject from a little girl ’ s collection.
Pez Machines
Pez machines might not seem like a toy, but kids love to play with
them. Another thing about Pez machines is that there are millions
of different ones and new ones are becoming available regularly.
Since when a new machine is released there is only limited
availability, collectors are willing to pay more if they cannot find
the toy in stores or anywhere else. The older Pez machines are also
highly collectable because they are no longer in production and
coming across them is rare.
Waterfuls
Cap Guns
Cap guns were a realistic version of a real gun that even made a
similar sound. You would put in cartridges that would pop when
you pulled the trigger on the gun. Boys and girls alike liked to
play cops and robbers using these realistic guns.
Yo-yos
Yo-yos are another type of toy that has evolved over time. They
started out as wooded discs on a rope that would return when
thrown correctly. As time went on, the wood was replaced by
plastic and other variations of materials. These are a great selling
item if you can find the old wooden yo-yos or one of the older
plastic yo-yos.
View Masters
View Masters were a toy where a child could put in a disc and
view whatever the discs had printed on them. It was kind of like
looking a picture ’ s negative with a magnifying glass. When you
would hit the trigger, the disc would turn and a new picture or
scene would fill your line of vision. There were multiple types of
discs that could be viewed in these toys, ranging from scenery to
comic book characters.
If you have a feeling that a toy is vintage and that you could sell it,
try it. The good thing about thrift stores is that they don ’ t charge
a lot of money for items. You will stand a better chance of making
your money back plus a profit on most of the items you buy and
resell. Don ’ t be afraid to take a chance. It might be a better
investment than you could have imagined!
Chapter 6- Knowing Whether or Not to Buy
When looking through the endless piles of toys at your local thrift
store, you might be confused as to the quality and resale
capabilities of the toy. For starters, how do you know if it ’ s
simply a thrown out piece of garbage, a knockoff, or a real
collector ’ s item? These are tough questions to answer, and it
might take you time to figure out exactly what toys you can make
some decent money on. In this chapter, I ’ m going to give you a
few tips on what to look for before taking the leap and buying thrift
store toys for reselling online.
Quality
Age
A lot of vintage toys tend to look older. This doesn ’ t mean that
they are falling apart. It simply means that they have signs of
being loved and used for some time. Along with looking at the
quality of the toy ’ s materials, look for signs that the toy has been
around for some time. This can be signs such as chipped paint,
scratches, or fading. Be careful if the toy is showing signs of
damage. The age of the toy can often indicate if it is vintage or
not.
Brands
Toys that are based upon movies and cartoons tend to make a
comeback if the show was popular during its original time. Take
the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for example. They were popular
twenty-five years ago and are now coming back, making the
original toys popular and collectible.
Before going to your thrift store, look on the internet to see what
toys are selling well. Try and find those types of toys when
shopping. If they are selling well, odds are that you can turn a
profit from reselling them yourself. By taking the time to know
what sells, you are saving yourself money by not purchasing toys
that are not going to give you the maximum profit.
Authenticity
When a toy becomes popular, other companies will try to capitalize
on this fact by making similar products. These are not the
originals, and they do not hold the same monetary and sentimental
value as the original would. By taking a close look at the toy, you
will be able to determine whether this toy is one of the originals or
one that is made to look like the original so that someone could
make some extra money.
The amount of profit that you are able to turn on a toy is highly
dependent upon the condition that it is sold in. Since toys often get
damaged and altered, make sure that you are taking into account
whether or not the clothing and other features of the toy are
original. You want to purchase a toy in as close to perfect
condition as possible, so major flaws in the toy might be a reason
to leave it behind.
When considering your thrift store toy purchase, make sure that
you are taking into account the condition and popularity the toys
had in the past. The best piece of advice that I can give you is to
look closely for markings from the maker of the company that will
hint to its originality and value. Also, do your research online
before shopping so that you know what will sell and what can be
left for someone else to purchase.
Chapter 7- Knowing What to Look for
Buying thrift store toys is a hit or miss venture. Since you are
dealing with items that children have loved and used for who
knows how long, you are encountering toys in various conditions.
Looking at toys for signs of damage and past repair will be a good
way to determine whether or not you can get top dollar for the toy
if you were to resell it. If there is too much wrong with the toy,
then it might be a good idea to pass it up. People will go for the
ones that show the best condition, so if you know that what you’re
looking at is not in the best shape, then it’s likely that you will
have trouble selling it.
There is also the possibility of restoring items to their original
condition. Depending on the extent of the use and damage of the
item, this can either be an inexpensive fix or a costly venture.
Remember, you want to make money, not spend it. So, if it looks
like a toy is beyond restoration and repair, leave it behind. If the
toy is extremely rare, you might still consider purchasing it because
collectors will put the time and effort into restoring toys that are
rare and worth money. You won’t make as much money off the
item if you sell it in a less than perfect condition, but it is still
possible to make a profit on damaged items.
Another factor that you will want to look for is signs of alterations
to the original toy. For example, if you notice that a doll’s hair has
been cut. The doll will have to be restored in order for it to be in
top condition, and replacing a doll’s hair can be time consuming
and expensive. You know children. They have a sense of
creativity that will often be displayed in their toys.
When shopping for vintage toys, the best thing you can do is to be
educated on what to look for. This book is just the beginning of
the possibilities of what you can find in thrift stores that can be
sold for stacks of cash. Another fact about the online world is that
it is constantly changing. Some of the toys in this book might be
popular now and not be in a year or two. By taking time to
research what will sell online will help you to make informed
purchases that will benefit your pocket book.
Good luck in your venture into selling thrift store vintage toys
online for a profit! I know many people how have succeeded in
turning a decent income from this simple task. It only takes a little
time to make money! Remember, there are people out there who
are looking for the items that sit on your thrift store’s shelf. Help
you and them by giving them what they are looking for!
Conclusion
I hope this book was able to help you to identify the toys that you
can find and resell online for great profits. Sometimes it is difficult
to evaluate whether or not the toy in front of you is vintage and in
demand. By knowing what will sell online, you have a good
chance at finding toys that will give you stacks of cash.
The next step is to go to your local thrift store and see if you can
find any of the toys listed in this book. A stack of cash might be
staring back at you from the shelf!
Finally, if you enjoyed this book, then I ’ d like to ask you for a
favor, would you be kind enough to leave a review for this book on
Amazon? It ’ d be greatly appreciated!
Introduction
This book contains proven steps and strategies on how to use all of
the sections of your thrift store in creative ways so that you can
make a huge profit selling on eBay and Amazon.
This book is going to teach you how you can use your creativity
paired with the items you can regularly find at thrift stores to turn a
huge profit. Unlike other books, this book is not just about finding
those special treasures, but how you can use literally any item that
you find in a thrift store to make a profit.
You will be walked through the different sections of a thrift store
and given in great detail ideas that you can use to make a profit. At
the end of this book you are going to be given tips ensuring that
you are able to turn a profit and ensuring that you only purchase
items that you will be able to resell.
Thanks again for downloading this book, I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 1
1. Many times you can find a lot of plain t-shirts at thrift stores for
pennies, but most people are not looking for this type of item when
they shop eBay or Amazon. You should not pass these up however.
Instead think about buying all of the white, cream and grey t-shirts,
dresses and pants you can find. Then,take one day out of the month and
spend it tie-dying them. So many people love the tie-dye look but they
either don ’ t have time to do it themselves or they simply don ’ t
understand how it is done. You can sell these tie-dye shirts for about $5
each so spending a few hours a month tie-dying thrift store clothing can
turn into big profits!
2. If you go to the thrift store on a day when they are having what is
called a bag sale, you can get a lot of clothing for pennies! A bag sale is
when a store will allow you to put as much as you can in a bag and they
charge one flat rate, usually a dollar for the entire bag, instead of
charging per piece. Of course you are going to end up with a bunch of
non-brand name clothing that you will not be able to sell. So when you
get home, go through the clothing and start cutting them into small
quilting squares. Once you have enough squares, you can make a
simple quilt and sell it for up to $150!
3. Make your own designs by using thrift store clothing as a base. Often
times you will see shirts or light sweaters at thrift stores and wonder
why anyone would ever wear that. However, have you ever asked
yourself what you could actually do with it? For example, you may
think that no one wants to wear a striped sweater, but have you ever
considered that it could be turned into a simple cardigan that people
would love? Maybe add a few buttons and really make it pop. You can
also advertise this merchandise as one of a kind.
4. Grab a bunch of sweaters at the end of winter when the stores are trying
to clear out their winter clearance and make some sweater sleeve boot
socks. Boot socks are all the rage right now and you can make $5 a pair
easy if they are cute. Try to focus on sweaters that have lace around the
wrist or another pretty design and you will not be able to keep these on
the shelves!
5. You will also notice that when you are looking through thrift store
clothing there are a ton of gorgeous jeans for girls and women but
many of them may be worn in one spot or even have a tear. You can
take these home and use lace to embellish these jeans making them
look amazing. Again you can advertise these as one of a kind and make
a huge profit. If you find jeans with holes in them, you can ask for a
discount at thrift stores making your profit even larger!
6. Another thing you can do with old jeans is cut them off into shorts, add
lace trim around the bottom of the shorts and sell them for $15-$20
each. You just need to make sure that the lace is not scratchy or too
rough on the skin. You can usually find this type of lace at thrift stores
in the arts and crafts section for a few dollars. We will get more into
that later though.
7. Remember how I told you that you can find a ton of old t-shirts at thrift
stores? One thing that I love to do is go to the men ’ s section and look
for the largest t-shirts I can find, add some elastic to the inside of the t-
shirt where my waist is and I have a cute dress. You can get t-shirts for
almost nothing at a thrift store and this is another good item to stock up
on when your store has a bag sale. It only takes a few minutes to add
the elastic. These dresses sell for about $20 each and if you want to get
creative and add some more details, you can charge even more!
You can find so much home d é cor at thrift store,but often times it
looks old and worn out. Before you use any of the tips I am going
to give you in this chapter make sure that you cannot make more of
a profit by selling that old home d é cor without doing anything to
it. Many times I have picked up an item with the idea of
repurposing it and have found out when I got home that it was
worth much more in its current condition than if I repurposed it.
1. Picture frames are a great item for you to pick up. You need to look for
frames that look old with a lot of detail. Don ’ t worry about the picture
inside of the frame. Simply look at the frame and if it is not chipped or
broken, you can take it home. Remove the glass, as well as the picture,
clean up the frame and paint it. This is one of the items you want to
check the value of before painting it! People are always looking for
large old picture frames. If you can find one with an old photo of a
person in it, you can usually get even higher profits from it.
2. Look for old trinkets as well! Old keys, locks, or tags, anything that
looks old and you can create a beautiful wind chime out of it. There are
people who collect wind chimes and the more unique, the more value it
has. If you simply collect these trinkets and create a one of a kind wind
chime you will be making a huge profit.
3. Another item that you can find an abundance of is scrabble tiles. Many
stores have bags and bags of these for a dollar each. Use these to create
coasters simply by gluing them together, sell them for $8 for a set of
four and watch them fly off your shelves!
4. It is difficult to find full china sets at a thrift store, but what you can
find is random tea cups. These can be used to make candles in and sold
for about $20 a piece. It is very simple to purchase the wax and wick to
make the candle and if you glue the cup to the saucer (if you can find a
matching set) you can charge even more.
5. One thing that I love to do is make a huge profit out of something that
doesn ’ t cost more than a dollar. One way to do this is to purchase
plastic toys. For example a small dinosaur, drill two holes in his back
and place one toothbrush in each of the holes and sell it for a
toothbrush holder. Parents go crazy for this type of item, but make sure
you are not drilling into a toy that you could sell as is. You have to be
very careful with toys when it comes to thrift stores because often times
you will find that something you think has little or no value is actually
worth a lot of money.
6. Purchase an old plain lamp shade and cover it with buttons or gems.
Lamp shades are very expensive, but you can find them at a thrift store
for around $1-$2. Clean them up and make them look new again and
you can earn a huge profit. Even adding a few jewels around the top of
a plain white lamp shade will easily bring in $20.
7. Take an old vase that you find at a thrift store and cover it in pennies,
trinkets, buttons or gems. Use whatever you can find the cheapest at a
thrift store, but make sure it looks unique. Simply use a hot glue gun to
attach these to the vase.
The more unique your item the faster it is going to sell and the
more profit you are going to make on it. When it comes to being
creative with your items to sell them for a profit on eBay you want
to make sure they are unique, but you also want to make sure it is
something that someone is actually going to want to purchase.
Simply having an item that is unlike any other is not going to
guarantee a profit. You need to ask yourself if you would give the
item as a gift or if you would purchase the item yourself. If the
answer is no chances are you will not make a profit.
Chapter 4
Most thrift stores have an arts and crafts section and this can be
utilized to make a ton of money. In this chapter we are going to go
over the many different ways you can make money by using the
arts and crafts section in your thrift store.
One great thing about thrift stores is that you can purchase crafting
supplies super cheap. You have a few options when it comes to
these supplies. You can gather them and use them to create your
own crafts which we will discuss plenty of ideas in this chapter.
You can also create lots of these supplies and sell them quickly. If
you want to make the most profit you will want to use these
supplies yourself.
1. Yarn is in abundance at thrift stores and the great thing about this yarn
is that it is high quality yarn. You will pay less than half of what you
would normally pay for it and in your spare time while you are sitting
in front of the television you can crochet a blanket and sell it for $50!
2. Hair bows for little girls are selling like crazy and these only take a few
minutes to make. You can purchase the ribbon at a resale shop, spend
five minutes making a bow and sell it for $5 with no problems.
3. A really great thing I like to purchase is baby dolls in the arts and craft
section. These usually sell for about a quarter each and you can use the
material, ribbons and such that you find in the craft section to really
dress them up. Doll collectors go crazy for this stuff because it is one of
a kind.
4. You can use a lot of the items you find in the arts in the crafts area to
embellish other items such as shoes and sell them for even more.
Remember the more you can save at a thrift store, the higher your profit
will be, so that means taking advantage of all that the thrift store has to
offer.
5. Use the fabric to wrap around old or cheap picture frames to make them
look amazing. You can also create a peg board out of these fabric
wrapped picture frames. You can also make a chalkboard out of them.
Remember creativity counts here!
6. Fake flowers are something thrift stores never seem to run out of and
you can use these in a variety of ways. For example, you can add a
flower to your hair bows and charge a little more. You can make
barrettes that are several different flowers in a short amount of time and
sell them or add the flowers to head bands. You can also add these
flowers to the picture frames and give them a bit of personality.
7. Use a picture frame and a few of the supplies from the arts and crafts
section and create some amazing 3D art work to sell. You will find that
this type of item is going to sell quickly, again because it will be unique
to your store. Buyers cannot go looking for a cheaper price and this is
what you want. Of course you want to have items in your store that
cannot be found other places. You also want to make sure your
customers can find items at your store that they can find nowhere else.
So, use your imagination and start making money!
It will really depend on the different types of arts and craft supplies
that your store carries, as well as the amount of work you are
willing to put into a project. You do want to make sure that you are
not putting more work into a project than you will be paid for. For
example if it is going to take you 3 days to complete a project and
the value is only going to be $30, that is not a project you should
really concern yourself with.
Most of the tips in this book can be done in your spare time. It is
understandable that you are not going to take your normal 40 hours
each week that you normally spend on purchasing thrift store items
and selling them to work on this type of thing. These items are
either for your spare time or for when it is hard for you to find
items to resell.
1. Watch for items that sell well but are not often found at thrift stores.
One example being that I can go into any local thrift store and find
bread makers. I can also go on eBay, look up bread maker and find the
same one listed for $13 ending in 3 hours and no one has bid on it. The
same thing goes for a George Foreman grill. You can purchase these
for almost nothing any day of the week from a thrift store, list them on
eBay for $2 and you will not be able to sell it for much profit at all. So
make sure you are looking for rare items.
2. Food processors are one of the top five small appliances selling on
eBay right now. You have to be very careful when you are looking for
one to flip, because you want to get a multi-purpose food processor. A
normal food processor may sell at some point, but what people are
looking for right now is a way to save counter space and save
themselves from having to purchase two different appliances when they
can find one to do the work. Watch for multi-purpose small appliances,
these will bring you the highest profits.
3. Rice cookers are another one of those multi-purpose items that you can
sell for a profit. Rice cookers not only cook rice but the high end rice
cookers can be used for stews, soups as well as a variety of other foods.
This makes buyers willing to pay top dollar for them.
4. Anything vintage will sell as well, even small vintage appliances. You
need to make sure that these have all of their cords and it is best if you
can find them still in their original boxes with any books that came with
them. It does not matter what the appliance is when it comes to vintage,
as long as it is in good condition.
5. Meat grinders are another item that you will be able to purchase from a
thrift store and make a huge profit from but you need to make sure all
the pieces are included. If you have a customer who is expecting an
entire meat grinder and even one piece is missing, you will end up
having to refund the money and you will have one upset customer.
6. Finally you should keep your eye out for flour grinders. Many people
have gotten into grinding their own flour. Some of these people have
decided it was too much of a hassle and are selling or donating their
grinders to thrift stores. You can pick these up for $15-$20 and sell
them for a huge profit, often up to $200.
Those are all of the tips I am going to give you when it comes to
selling small appliances that you find at thrift stores. One of the
reasons for this is because you have to consider shipping when it
comes to large heavy items and many people do not want to deal
with that hassle. The other reason is that selling different small
appliances is very easy, all you have to do is ensure it is a brand
name, it is in good working condition, and is something that you
cannot find every day at a thrift store.
I want to give you a few more ideas that you can use to make a
profit from thrift store items. These are items that really did not fit
in the other sections of this book, but that I still feel they are very
important. In the final chapter I will give you some tips that will
help to ensure you make the most from your items.
1. Coffee cups are a great way to make money on eBay. These are often
over looked but they can be bought cheap and sold for a huge profit.
This is an item that you can purchase as is and make a huge profit.
Look for Disney mugs, Smurfs or even Peanuts. The only thing you
have to do to make money!
2. Another way to make a profit from coffee mugs is to grab some nail
polish and a bowl of water. Put a few drops of different color nail
polishes in the water and quickly dip your cup in the nail polish. Pull
the cup out and you will have personally designed cups that you can
sell for a profit. Plain colored coffee mugs sell for about a quarter a
piece at a thrift store and you can sell them for $7-$12 each.
3. Grab those white coffee mugs and using some chalk board paint and
create chalk board coffee mugs. Add a piece of chalk and you can sell
these for $16-$20 each!
4. You can create your own throw pillows from the material that you
purchase at a thrift shop. You can also purchase the ones that are
already made, use an iron to add a cute saying and people will go crazy
over them. Remember there is always someone out there looking to
purchase what you have to sell.
5. Curtains are a great way to make money from flipping thrift store
items, but you will find that you will not really be able to sell the
curtains you find as is. Most of the curtains you will find will be lace
panels. You can take these panels and add some of the material you
found at the thrift store and make beautiful unique curtains. Using this
same idea you can make cute shower curtains that will sell quickly and
for a huge profit!
6. Right after Christmas is a great time to stock up on Christmas
decorations such as Christmas balls. You can use these items to make
wreaths or other Christmas d é cor. If you have room to store these and
are not looking for a quick turn around, you will see large profits in the
following year.
7. Jewelry always sells great but right now you can sell handmade jewelry
for a huge profit. There are tons of books out there telling you how to
make the jewelry, but if you really want to put your thrift store finds to
work, grab some books and make your own beads out of the pages of
the books. It is a very simple process, and it only takes some book
pages, glue and a straw. You can sell the beads on their own or make
cute jewelry out of them.
8. Cell phone covers can be purchased for a few cents at thrift stores, add
a few gems and you have a new unique cell phone cover. Make sure
you know what type of cell phone the cover fits before listing it and
don ’ t copy someone else ’ s creating, remember uniqueness counts in
this area.
9. Cell phone chargers are another item that you can find in abundance at
the thrift store and can usually get them for pennies as well. Remember
you want to make them unique. I have seen jeweled cell phone chargers
go for as much as $20. These are small and easy to ship and you don ’ t
have to worry about them breaking during shipment.
10. Bedding is a great item that you don ’ t have to be creative
with but often times gets over looked, especially childrens bedding.
Again this will be Disney, Peanuts, The Smurfs and such. You want to
look for vintage bedding that is in good condition. It is best if it comes
in a complete set but simply selling the sheets without a blanket will
earn you a great profit as well.
11. Use old watches that you find at thrift stores and place them
on the face of a clock instead of numbers. So many people collect
clocks and this one is sure to sell quickly. You don ’ t have to worry
about doing any wiring or electrical work, simply glue the watches to
the face of an old clock you find at the thrift store.
12. Use old t-shirts to create a t-shirt necklace. You can create
t-shirt necklaces or infinity scarfs out of any plain t-shirt and it doesn ’ t
have to be in good condition either. This is a great way to make $10 off
of a bunch of t-shirts you paid 10 cents each for.
13. You can purchase Easter decorations after Easter and just
like the youwould do for the Christmas d é cor, make wreaths or other
decorations out of it. Hold it until the following year and watch your
profits soar. Again, this is only if you are not looking for immediate
profits and have the space to store the items.
14. Stuffed animals are an item that you don ’ t have to be very
creative to sell. You have to have an open mind when it comes to
looking for them in thrift stores. Watch for items such as Puff the
Magic Dragon, the original Smurfs, Scooby and other 80 ’ s plush toys.
Many people think that beanie babies will sell, but the truth is that you
are going to make more of a profit on these simple stuffed animals than
you ever will on beanie babies.
15. Cuff links are usually easy to find when you go to thrift
stores and they are very cheap. You can use these to create many
different kinds of jewelry including cute earrings. Not only can you
make a profit on these but you can sell them very quickly.
16. Halloween costumes are a great find! If you can find small
ones and turn them in to pet costumes you can sell them year round.
People love to dress up their animals and pet costumes sell quickly, so
if you are looking for a quick profit make sure you try this.
Chapter 7
To finish up this book I want to give you a few extra tips to help
ensure you pick up the best items and make the most profit
possible.
One of the first things you need to do is make sure that when you
are purchasing clothing you check them for any flaw. I discussed
how you could embellish torn jeans, however you need to make
sure the tear is in an area that will look good if it is embellished
and that the hole is not too big.
Know what your budget is! This is one of the most important
things you can learn. Often times people get so caught up in
purchasing items to resell that they forget that they need to focus
on how much they are spending. I advise that if you are going to
use these tips you do it with one item at a time, see how your item
sells and then decide how much you are willing to invest. Always
make sure you stick to that budget.
The next tip I have for you is that you should choose a niche. This
means that if you want to sell glitter shoes and jeweled purses that
you really need to stick to this type of item as much as possible.
Time versus money. Many of these projects are very simple, they
can be done within a few minutes, but for some of them you will
need to weigh the time it takes you to complete the project versus
the money you are making. If the money is not worth your time,
then you should not do that specific project.
Create a formula for your success. You need to have a plan. How
much time you will spend in thrift stores each week, what type of
items you are looking for, how much money you are willing to
invest and how much time you are willing to invest in listing
products.
Finally make sure that your descriptions are detailed. You don’t
want to make a description that is only a few words because that
will not draw the buyer's attention. Make sure you give as much
detail as possible.
Conclusion
I hope this book was able to help you to find creative ways to use
all the areas of your thrift shops to make the most profit.
The next step is to choose one tip from this book, try it and see
how quickly your item sells. If the item sells quickly, go ahead and
invest a bit more time if not then move on to the next tip that
interests you the most.
Finally, if you enjoyed this book, then I ’ d like to ask you for a
favor, would you be kind enough to leave a review for this book on
Amazon? It ’ d be greatly appreciated!
Introduction
This book contains proven steps and strategies on how to find easy
projects that are useful to others and can be sold for profits. People
often like the look and feel of homemade goods, but they either
lack the time or motivation to do them themselves. By making and
selling homemade projects online, you can find an audience that
will appreciate your work and pay you for what you do!
Do you have a knack for making things that others want in their
home? Do others ask you to make them items for their home? If
this is something that sounds familiar, then why not use your talent
for making items that others will pay good money for? By taking
the time to put together homemade projects and selling them
online, you can show your flair for handiwork while making a
profit. This book will tell you some of the top projects that people
are spending good money on. Why not be a part of this growing
trend?
Thanks again for downloading this book, I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 1- What People are Looking for
As you may well know, most of the items that we use and look at
on a daily basis are mass produced for profits. We might be lucky
to find a few homemade items in craft stores or at garage sales, but
for the most part, we live in a day and age where almost everything
is mass produced, having no personal value to it whatsoever. Do
you find that you wish to find items that are unique and special to
you? Having items that not everyone can have is a desire of many
people. However, in a busy world, many people don ’ t have the
time or motivation to make these things for themselves.
If you find that you love do it yourself home projects and that
others appreciate your work, it might be time to put your skills to
work for your pocketbook. There are hundreds of do it yourself
projects out there that people like but don ’ t have the time to do.
By taking these projects and making them yourself, you can
actually sell these to those who cannot do it for themselves. Do
you have the time and the motivation to provide these to those who
cannot make them for themselves?
There is a wide variety of items out there that people like and wish
that they could make for themselves. If you have gone on social
media lately, you have seen do it yourself hacks posted to your
friends ’ pages that they really like. The fact is, they might like the
idea, but they will never actually make the item for themselves.
You can also find a whole array of do it yourself projects by
simply going on sites such and Pinterest. People are constantly
sharing ideas that others really like.
When people decorate their homes or offices, they often look for
unique pieces that they can display. No one likes to have someone
come into their home and exclaim that they saw that at the local
retail store. Having unique and handmade items are a must for
people like this. What can you make to cater to this crowd?
Pallet Makeovers
Decorative Vases
You can buy glass containers at craft stores. Try wrapping them
with rubber bands and spray painting the outside of the container
with frosted spray paint. After the paint has dried, take the rubber
bands off, and you will have a frosted glass vase with a unique
design on the sides! You can find several things that can go
against the glass to make different designs. Lace is another
material that will give your vases a beautiful and unique finish.
Window Treatments
You can create beautiful and unique curtains and valances by using
fabric and other materials. There are many patterns out there for
window treatments that don ’ t need you to sew anything. All you
would basically need is a yard of fabric and some string to make a
beautiful and unique window covering. You can design several
types of these to catch a buyer ’ s attention.
Places that sell photo frames will often sell old or damaged pieces
for much less than full price. You can take advantage of this and
buy these frames and create new frames. Spray paint, stencils and
hot glue can be used to apply new designs and colors to an
otherwise bland frame. I have seen ones made that have silk
flowers glued to the corners. These are fun and unique.
Having unique d é cor that you can sell will draw people to you.
Many do it yourself decorations and furniture items can use old
pieces of furniture and repurposing it to make something new and
unique. Try looking around at a thrift store and putting a new spin
on some of the items that you see lurking in the aisles. Your
creative touch could be what someone was looking for!
Chapter 3- Soaps and Candles
Old fashioned bottle caps can be remade into candles that give you
a nostalgic feel. Find the old metal bottle caps, clean them out, and
pour your wax in them. Put a wick in the center and wait for them
to cool. These can be a fragrant and decorative expression in your
home.
Peppermint Soap
In order to make soaps, you will need to buy a good soap base to
work with. These can often be found in craft stores. Starting with
a soap base, you add the necessary ingredients and essential oils to
give it its scent. For peppermint soap, you use a soap base and
peppermint essential oil to make a lovely smelling soap. You can
add color with soap colorant and pour them into the molds of your
choice. These are typically ready within ten minutes!
Lavender Soap
Lavender soap is made much like the peppermint soap, except you
use lavender essential oil in order to give the soap base its
fragrance. You can also give this soap a purple coloring by using
soap colorant. There are many types of molds out there, so you
can be creative and use molds that are unique and will gain
peoples ’ attention.
Try putting olive oil into mason jars. Take essential oils and put
into the olive oil and place a wick in the middle. This will give
you a quick and easy liquid candle that can also be stylish and
decorative! You can also try to add coloring to the oil to make the
candles various colors!
Sand Jar Candles
If your home has a beach feel to it, then sand jar candles will be a
great accent. Take a Mason jar and place sand in the bottom. Take
a stick candle and place it in the center of the sand, gluing it to the
bottom of the jar. Place sea shells and other decorations that will
give the candle a beach feel.
People love to buy homemade candles and soaps for gifts. You
will see that these will be great sellers around the holidays.
Making a nice array of either candles or soaps, or even both, can be
a huge seller. People like creativity and variety, so give them a
little bit of both!
Chapter 4- Furniture Refurbishing
Nowadays, there are a lot of people who enjoy having unique and
creative furniture. There are many do it yourself ideas for making
furniture into something beautiful and creative. The great thing is
that people don ’ t have the time or motivation to make these
unique pieces. There are tons of ideas for how you can use
bookshelves and other pieces of furniture to create beautiful and
unique pieces.
There are numerous do it yourself projects that have you paint the
furniture. This can be a white color or any other color that would
be unique and bring out the beauty of the furniture. You may also
have to replace knobs and handles on the furniture in order to make
the overall effect something to be admired.
Reupholster Old Furniture
Sometimes you can find furniture that has fabric that is worn. You
can actually remove the fabric from these pieces and replace it with
new and fresh upholstery. Good examples of projects that would
be easy and work well for reselling would be easy chairs or dining
room chairs. These have very little upholstery, so you will have to
put little effort into replacing it. There might also be wood on
these chairs, so think about a good combination of finish and
upholstery when you take on the project. The finished product can
be beautiful.
Repurposing Furniture
Sometimes, old furniture will outlive its usefulness for what it was
originally intended for. A part may be broken and unable to be
repaired, or you might find that it could serve a better use if it is
converted into a new type of furniture. There are numerous ideas
for furniture that can be repurposed and used for new and different
things than what it was originally built for. Some of the best pieces
of furniture are ones that have been converted from another piece
of furniture. One of the best examples of repurposing that I have
seen includes taking wooded crates and nailing them together to
create items such as shelves and coffee tables. The wooden crates
may not be useful to you in their original form, but as a piece of
furniture, such as a table, they show a greater potential. Use your
imagination when you look at furniture. You might just come up
with something that no one else has!
If you think that handmade apparel is for old ladies, think again!
There has been a huge boost in popularity in the younger crowd for
handmade apparel and accessories. There are many different ways
to go about making these items, but the uniqueness of each
individual piece will help you to make them shine when trying to
sell them.
Do you have the talent to quilt, knit or crochet? These are all crafts
that can produce items that can be worn. You can even buy
premade garments and spruce them up in a unique way. If you ’ re
rearing to figure out what you can make that will sell, let ’ s take a
look at some handmade apparel, accessories and jewelry that you
can sell for money!
String Bracelets
A new trend in fashion has girls wearing bracelets that are made of
colored string and yarn. These bracelets can either be crocheted or
braided, and beads and other accessories can be added to them as
they are being crafted. Try making some unique designs in these
types of bracelets. You can even go beyond the bracelets and make
choker necklaces. Create your own styles and sell them to those
who are looking for a unique take on fashion!
Fabric Handbags
Leg Warmers
Leg warmers and boot cuffs are a popular fashion statement among
the young women. These add a pop of color to the area between
the top of the boot and the pants. You can make these by working
a simple round pattern with either knitting or crocheting.
Depending on the material that you use, you can really make an
endless number of varieties of this popular accent.
Handmade garments and accessories are consistently increasing in
popularity, making them a good choice to make and sell to the
public. By seeing what types of clothing and accessories are
popular, you can easily make your own at a fraction of the cost and
sell them for less than what someone would pay for them at a retail
establishment. Don ’ t be afraid to be creative. Let your hands do
the talking and let your imagination take your creations to places
you would never have thought imaginable. People will appreciate
your creativity!
Chapter 6- Where to Sell Your Do it
Yourself Items
Now that you have a good idea of what you can make in the way of
do it yourself items, you are wondering where you can actually sell
your creations for cold hard cash. There are many creative ways
that you can market your goods, but not all of them will work out
the way that you hope for them to. So, we are going to take a look
at some ways you can get your handmade goods out there and get
the money that you want from them. Also, I ’ m going to give you
some ideas on how to price your items to sell. By understanding
how to market and price your items, you will be ready to make
your do it yourself goods into money!
Online Websites
You can pretty much reach anyone online. The world has gone
online, and that is one of the key arenas where you can market and
sell items with little to no effort. The most that selling online
requires is a product and a good website. So, with that said, let ’ s
look at some of the websites where do it yourself items can be sold
easily and quickly.
The first site is Etsy. This website offers anything handmade. So,
since most of your DIY items are handmade, this is one of the best
places you can begin. For Etsy, you set up a “ shop ” where you
list your items and post pictures of them. You will also have an
asking price for each item. People can go through and search your
shop and buy whatever you have listed. Once your item has sold,
you will pay a listing fee for the site and ship the item. Whatever
you have left is what you made from the item. Etsy is easy to use
and attracts millions of people on a daily basis.
Every summer, you will see tons of craft fairs in your area. Why
not make some money off of it? Almost anyone can rent a booth at
a craft fair, and there is such a diverse array of items that can be
sold at these events that almost anything handmade will go. If you
have a lot to sell and believe that you can sell it in this atmosphere,
give it a try! These events will often benefit good causes, so either
way, your booth rental money won ’ t be wasted.
You can sell your craft items from your home as well. Some
people who are known for their DIY items can sell them from their
garages and their homes. You may have to earn a reputation for
your product first, but once you have a good customer base, then
you will be able to market and sell out of your home without
having to worry about paying fees.
Pricing to Sell
When you get ready to sell your items, it ’ s important that you
price your items in such a way that you will be able to sell them
without taking a loss to your profits. So, think about how much
you actually spent on the materials to make your item, the time
spent making them, and how much it will take you to sell it. With
all of these factors in line, find a competitive price that will allow
you to have a profit without overpricing the item itself. You don ’ t
want to take a loss by pricing it too low, but you also don ’ t want
to overprice it so that it won ’ t sell. Remember, it ’ s homemade
and you cannot price it like its brand name and new.
Making a Profit
Ultimately, you want to see a gain from your product. So, figuring
out how much you sell your item for that will show a good profit is
important. You want to see a return for your time and efforts, after
all. Take a look at the store version of what you ’ re selling and
make your price competitive to that. You will have an edge
because your item is unique, so take that into account when pricing
as well.
Selling your DIY items is a great way to earn extra income. You
probably will enjoy what you ’ re selling enough to want to make
more for others. It might take some experimentation at first to get
the patterns and the formulas right, but once you have a good
product, be ready to sell!
Chapter 7- Finding Items to Make that Will
Sell
This book just covers the surface of what you can make that will
sell for a profit. There are new and intriguing ideas that come out
on a daily basis. To keep up with these trends, you can browse
websites such as Etsy and go to DIY websites that give people
ideas that will inspire them to make items for themselves. If these
ideas appeal to you and you know that you can sell them, give it a
try! You don’t know what will sell unless you make the effort.
As you go along, you will notice that unique takes on home goods
and apparel are amongst the most popular DIY projects out there.
People like to make their homes and themselves more unique. If
you have a talent for sewing or crafting, then you have an edge in
this arena. You can find patterns and recipes that you can make
changes to that will give you a wonderful and unique twist. Be as
creative as you can without going overboard, though!
If you have ideas in your head that are begging to get out, give
them a try. Be creative and be unique. The items that sell the most
are the ones that stand out and cannot be found anywhere else.
Even if you feel foolish, it really doesn’t hurt to give it a try.
Another great place to find good ideas for new projects will be
social media. Your friends are always sharing things that they
think are cool and unique. Keep up with what they are liking and
sharing and see if you can make your own renditions of them for
your own profit. Also, if you search the internet, you will find that
there are hundreds of websites that focus on do it yourself items.
People are proud of their work and want to show it off. If you can
duplicate some of the ideas efficiently, you will have a great item
that you can sell and make money off of. You may not even
realize that some things really can be made! Let your friends guide
you and give you some ideas.
Finally, you can get some great DIY ideas by walking through
thrift stores and looking at furniture and furnishings that can be
redone with a unique twist. Let your imagination take root and let
the voices of the thrift items speak to you. You never know, you
might just have a great idea that can earn you some nice cash!
Wherever you find your ideas, keep going back to them. Even if
you find yourself mass producing ski hats, you might get a better
idea for something new that you can create and sell. Don’t limit
yourself. Allow the possibilities to flow! You will be happy that
you did.
As you are on your way to making DIY items that can be sold for
cash, make something for your own home as well. You can make
your home a showpiece that people will see and say that they want
what you have. This will give you some more ideas on what you
can make that will sell for good money.
I want to wish you good luck on your venture to find DIY projects
that will sell for good money. This book only covers the surface of
what is out there that you can use to sell for a profit. There are
numerous other ideas that I haven’t even thought of that could be
the next big thing. Keep your eyes and ears open and find what
can make you a huge profit!
Conclusion
I hope this book was able to help you to find some ideas for items
that you can make at home and sell for a great profit. Many people
look for a handmade and unique touch on many of their household
items and apparel, but many either don ’ t have the time or the
creativity to make them for themselves. By doing it for them, you
can earn some nice money!
The next step is to find some ideas and projects that you can make
and sell. Look at different thoughts and ideas, and think of how
you can package and sell them for a profit!
Finally, if you enjoyed this book, then I ’ d like to ask you for a
favor, would you be kind enough to leave a review for this book on
Amazon? It ’ d be greatly appreciated!