Roughly half of all graduating students want to be their own boss, but only a fraction of those end up actually doing it. One reason people stall or indefinitely postpone their entrepreneurial journey is because they simply don’t know how or where to start. There are so many routes to becoming an entrepreneur, and deciding on just one can be overwhelming.
Reselling is one such route that also might feel overwhelming initially, but with the right organization and an actionable list, you could become a successful reseller in no time.
So, if you want to begin a lucrative career as an online reseller, this guide is for you. We will begin by recapping what reselling is, before jumping into the best products to resell, different types of reselling, and how to find products to resell.
Click here to jump ahead to:
- What is Reselling?
- Different Types of Reselling
- The 35 Best Products to Resell
- What Criteria Determine a Product’s Resale Profitability?
- Where to Find Products to Resell: Four Proven Strategies
- Why You Should Become a Reseller
- Joining a Discord Community to Learn What To Resell
- Reselling FAQs
What is Reselling?
Reselling is the act of buying a product and selling it again, ideally for profit. You can resell online in an ecommerce shop, or in person in places like markets and consignment stores. There are many places where you can buy and resell items, including platforms like Amazon and eBay.
In reselling, the last thing you want is to accumulate product that doesn’t sell. Even if your product is worth more than you purchased it for, if there are no buyers, you won’t have the liquidity to cash out to profit and buy other inventory.
Generally speaking, the best products to resell fall into an in-demand niche. Additionally, they may be trending, which means they might sell incredibly quickly for a profitable premium above the initial retail price that you pay for them.
Different Types of Reselling
Reselling is a broad term. Buying an existing product low and selling it higher is the basic concept, but there are many different ways you can do this, depending on your goals, skills, and where you want to put your focus.
There are two main categories that you will fall into as a reseller: retail and wholesale.
Retail
As a retail reseller, you will be selling individual products to your customers. You can sell directly to your consumer on an ecommerce site or platform where you will be responsible for the fulfillment, or you can choose to dropship, in which case another company will take care of the inventory storage and shipment.
Wholesaling
Wholesaling is the process of selling product in bulk. In order to do this profitably, you need to acquire the inventory in even greater quantities at a profitable price point, meaning that you will need a significant sum of capital to establish a profitable business model.
The 35 Best Products to Resell
We've found the best products to resell in 2024. These are in-demand items that move quickly so that you can build a side hustle as a successful reseller!
Best Beauty Products to Resell
One of the largest markets is the beauty industry, which is expected to generate an astounding $646 billion in revenue for 2024. These products include makeup, skincare, and other topical or consumable products that fall into the beauty category.
Here’s a list of the best beauty products to resell in 2024:
Celebrity makeup
In 2016, Kylie Jenner dropped a lip kit that sold for a 300% premium over its original price, mostly profiting resellers who seized the opportunity of this hype to make a quick flip. While her makeup doesn’t resell quite as much as it did before, other brands like Rihanna’s Fenty have had limited drops that sell out and resell at a premium.
Look for any celebrity-sponsored makeup releases and buy your stock before they sell out, as this is consistently the most in-demand category when it comes to makeup.
Korean and Japanese Beauty Products
Finding and becoming an expert inside of an undervalued niche is one of the best ways to make consistent profits. A niche in the beauty industry that is exploding in recent years is Korean and Japanese beauty or skincare products. The quality is considered to be better than Western products, and these products are often hard to find or not sold in local stores.
Cash in on this reselling opportunity by going to the country or by finding a supplier of Korean and Japanese beauty products, then you can supply an in -demand product that is not easily found online.
Beauty Related Supplements
Any consumable products will have consistent and ongoing demand - especially from customers who incorporate them into their daily routine. Supplements are one such consumable that people often pay a high price for in the beauty niche, especially if they enjoy the benefits and are loyal to the brand.
It is possible to find popular beauty-related supplements for a good price that allows a profit margin for reselling. Just be sure that your product is authentic and that you meet any requirements to resell these products as they are consumables, so the need for safety and quality control is much higher than other items for reselling.
Natural and organic skincare products
A growing awareness of the potentially harmful effects of chemicals that we consume is leading to an increase in demand for natural and organic products. Although this has been a trend for a long time in food and other consumables, it’s only recently picked up in skincare.
Skincare that is free of certain chemicals like parabens, all natural or even totally organic is not only in–demand, it’s often more expensive than synthetic counterparts, meaning that higher prices can be justified which gives room for resale potential.
Organic versions of well-known brands in addition to small batch brands with cult followings are good to target as a reseller.
Luxury fragrances
High-end fragrance from brands like Tom Ford and Chanel have strong appeal, and with price tags hovering around the $200 range, they have the potential to be lucrative if you’re able to score them on sale.
Another strategy is to target used or unopened old stock of discontinued scents from name brands that can be found on clearance or from liquidation providers.
Some fragrances will also offer limited edition scents, and those that sell out quickly from the right brand name will command resale value. For these, the highest demand will be during the time surrounding the drop, so be sure to look out for announcements and gauge hype and resale value based on engagement.
At-home beauty devices
High-tech beauty that used to require going to a high-end spa has now become accessible to the masses with at-home versions that get the job done for a fraction of the cost and no expensive recurring treatment fee.
Names such as NuFace and Foreo are in-demand with high price tags, so many are on the lookout for their pre-owned devices that can often be bought at profitable pricepoints from sellers in a hurry.
There’s also a strong demand for budget-friendly generic versions of devices like LED masks and electronic pore cleansers that have winning product potential for dropshippers and private label sellers.
Best Fashion Products to Resell
Fashion is always a great avenue for any online reseller. This reselling category is incredibly popular, thanks to items like sneakers, streetwear, watches, and jewelry.
Let’s take a look at the hottest fashion products to resell in 2024:
Hyped Sneakers
The sneaker market has endured both ups and downs, but the market retains a strong history and a rabid fanbase.
For those that have no idea where to start, a good filter is to target Nike Air Jordans that are in historic colorways on classic silhouettes such as a Chicago Air Jordan 1, or to seek out a celebrity collaboration that is a limited drop like a Travis Scott Nike.
There will always be a demand for hyped sneakers whether they are new releases or previously dropped classics, and whether they have never been worn or are pre-owned.
Watches
Watch brands such as Rolex have consistent resale value, but not only are they out of the budget range of most individuals, they’re even hard to come by for those who do have the cash due to the exclusivity of their new releases.
However, used Rolex watches always have an active market, with some even selling for $2000 or less. As such, having thousands of dollars isn’t a prerequisite for selling watches. There are even some less expensive, watches, such as the G-Shock and Seikos, that also have a strong market of buyers willing to pay above-market value.
Swatch has also released budget-friendly collaborations with luxury brands such as Omega and Blancpain. These have sold out with a reseller premium in the same way that sneakers do.
Time will tell how watches will continue to trend, but with the recent popularity of TikTokers such as Vookum, it seems that a trend for watch reselling is starting strong.
Streetwear
High fashion prices on trendy but casual clothing is a common occurrence for streetwear enthusiasts. The prices on highly sought-after pieces can be jaw-dropping: for example, a collector will happily pay thousands for an original Supreme box logo tee.
While Supreme is perhaps the primary pioneer of streetwear as we know it, newer brands like Palace and Stone Island have captured the attention of hype beasts worldwide who are willing to spend top dollar to flex.
Vintage streetwear is also incredibly hot and an excellent item to resell and some build entire businesses just off of this category. Even traditional luxury names such as Balenciaga have joined the ranks of companies pumping out streetwear to consumers.
To become a clothing reseller you need to look for stock everywhere, from vintage clothing stores, to thrift stores, online reselling markets, and new streetwear releases and celebrity collaborations. Keep an eye on what celebrities and Instagram influencers are wearing on the daily to understand which streetwear items are the current hottest trend.
Luxury Handbags
Another industry that has healthy revenue and steady demand is that for luxury handbags, which is expected to grow to hit a market size of around $100 billion within the next 5-10 years.
Since the prices are so high, there’s massive opportunity for arbitrage especially given that these can be found on various platforms and in pre-owned condition. Authenticity is of utmost importance with luxury handbags, so only buy from reputable sources or be sure to educate yourself on telltale signs for counterfeits so you can verify yourself if you’re sourcing from somewhere like an estate sale or thrift store. Consider using specialized marketplaces such as The RealReal, which is featured in the above image, to source and sell these online in an environment that has more consistent demand.
Vintage clothing
One of the most consistently in-demand fashion categories is vintage clothing. This category is broad and spans different generations all with their unique tastes, ranging from Gen Z buyers who seek 90’s and Y2K or buyers of all ages that simply like the timeless look and quality of past released versions of well-known names like Ralph Lauren.
Some of the best places to source vintage pieces include thrift stores, eBay, Grailed and consignment shops. Scroll through social media to find out what’s currently in-demand in terms of both looks and brands as taste can change quickly and can have a huge impact on your profitability.
Jewelry
Another industry that has healthy revenue and consistent demand is jewelry, which is expected to hit a market size of nearly $500 billion by 2030.
This bling can come in all price ranges and materials, and finding jewelry to resell might be as simple as walking to a weekend garage sale in your neighborhood.
You can choose to target a specific niche such as vintage or boho-style jewelry, or you can choose to go higher end with gold or precious stones. Either way, the jewelry business is a profitable one and is a great place to be if you are a retailer or a reseller.
Best Fitness Products to Resell
Another evergreen industry with popular products that have resale potential is fitness. Many products exist within the fitness category, ranging from workout equipment to wearable fitness devices and recovery-related products.
Here is a list of popular fitness products that have strong demand for reselling:
Weights
One of the most consistently in-demand fitness products is weights, whether they are dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, or machines.
It’s best to sell weights locally due to the high shipping costs, so a good strategy would be to source garage sales or Facebook Marketplace where it’s even possible to score some weights for free as sometimes people just want to get rid of them.
Local marketplaces where you buy the weights are also a good place to resell them–simply always be on the lookout for good deals or unwanted weights, and you should be able to move them fairly quickly especially during in-demand times such as around New Year’s and during the summer.
Home gym equipment
If someone is serious about their health and fitness, they’ll invest in home gym equipment. In-demand products in this category can range anywhere from high-end machines and full setups to individual dumbbells, kettlebells or recovery accessories like rollers and mats.
In general, home gym equipment is large and heavy, making them expensive to ship so dealing locally is often the best strategy to generate consistent profits.
Keep in mind seasons such as summer and New Year’s in which demand for this category increases.
Massage guns
In recent years, there has been an increased focus on the recovery side of fitness, with ice baths and saunas in particular seeing a surge in demand.
Massage guns have also picked up quite a bit in demand, and since they’re small and easy to ship, they’re an excellent product to target as a reseller. Brands such as Theragun are leading the way, and with high pricepoints, looking out for gently used ones locally or on eBay for below market prices is a great approach to make money with them.
Cheaper, generic massage guns have strong demand as well, but with high competition and slim profit margins, you’re better off sticking with reputable name brands.
High-end water bottles
One of the top selling items this year on Amazon is the Stanley water bottle. Priced around $50, it points towards the growing trend of consumer interest in higher-end water bottles that are known for their durability and thermal capabilities.
Other names to look out for include Hydro Flask, Yeti, and S’well. Look out for unique collaborations and limited editions that have the potential to sell out and provide resale potential in addition to keeping an eye out for sales or gently used brand-name bottles.
Fitness Supplements
Nearly every person who is serious about their health and fitness will take supplements, often from brand names. You can source these by buying them from authorized retailers on sale, or potentially by setting up a wholesale relationship with a brand whose product you can acquire at a bulk discount to resell individually.
As with all other supplements, be sure that you are qualified to resell the supplement on your chosen platform, and ensure that the product you are selling is authentic and not expired.
Wearable Fitness Trackers
In recent years there has been a sharp rise in demand for actionable data in fitness. Fitbit was one of the first companies to serve this with their wearable wristband, but nowadays, items like the Oura ring and Apple Watch are increasing in popularity.
The best wearable fitness trackers to resell are those that are either brand new or in good working condition. You can source them by tracking and scoring discounts from authorized retailers or by searching the used market for an in-demand wearable device at a below-market price.
Designer Activewear
People love looking good even in any outfit, even activewear. Name-brand, designer activewear in particular will always have its demand, and is an excellent product to resell regardless of whether or not it has been previously worn or not as long as it’s in good condition.
A good niche to target is women’s brands such as Alo and Lululemon, which are likely the two top-selling brand names in this department. Also look out for any celebrity activewear releases, as these will be high-demand and limited-quantity so will have great resale value.
Recovery Products
Most of the growth acquired from fitness happens during the recovery process, and many active people are buying products to take care of the yin side of the yang of their fitness goals.
These products can range from small and easy to ship items like as recovery tape or can be as large as an ice bath or sauna.
As with every other product worth reselling, be sure to look out for sales on recovery-related fitness products from authorized retailers and products in good condition at a below-market price that you can flip for profit.
Best Electronics Products to Resell
The demand for electronics products both new and vintage is as strong as it’s ever been, particularly with graphics cards and newer gaming consoles.
The following five products are some of the best electronics to target as a reseller:
Graphics Cards
One of the fastest growing stocks in recent history is Nvidia, whose stock price nearly 10x’d in the past 4 years and reached a mind-boggling $1.6 Trillion dollar market cap.
The primary item they are selling is graphics processing units (GPUs), also simply known as graphics cards. To put it simply, GPUs are important in computer processing, particularly with AI and data processing. The advent of ChatGPT and other AI models caused a surge in demand for GPUs, causing them to sell out and resell for sometimes double or more than the already high retail price.
While the buzz has settled a bit for GPUs, they are still a hot item that will sell quickly, so as a reseller, you should always have these on your radar. Look out for GPUs on places like eBay.
Motherboards
The motherboard is the spine of every computer, acting as the central point for the connection of necessary components such as GPUs.
A larger number of people than you may realize enjoy building their own computers from the motherboard up, so there is always a demand for them, particularly in good used condition.
Reselling used ones is often more profitable than trying to sell new ones, but be sure you know enough to make sure they are in working condition so that you give the buyer what they are hoping for.
Gaming Consoles
When the PlayStation 5 dropped in late 2020, stock sold out quickly and people paid a huge premium over the retail price, making it a profitable win for resellers who sometimes scored multiple consoles.
While the newest PlayStation won’t be coming out until maybe 2025 or 2026, the demand for these and other gaming consoles is always high, so they are an excellent item to target for resale.
Some classic gaming consoles such as the Nintendo 64 or Gamecube have their loyal fanbase, so you can always be on the lookout for any of these consoles in good working condition in addition to any popular games which are excellent items to resell as well.
Vintage Gadgets
With technology advancing at the pace that it has in recent years, some gadgets that were previously considered obsolete now have a strong demand for the nostalgic and the curious. For this reason, vintage gadgets are an excellent item to target as a reseller.
Gadgets such as the iPod, Gameboy, or even the flip phone are in demand, and since some models are hard to come by, they are sometimes worth as much or even more than they originally retailed at.
You can search sites like Facebook marketplace or you could even search your home for these items. Vintage gadgets are great to get some revenue coming in and your seller reputation established if you are using a platform like eBay to resell.
iPhones
Out of the many brands of smartphones that have emerged over the years, iPhones have reigned supreme in hype and thus resale value, with most of the newest editions selling out quickly with a large group of consumers paying a premium to secure one of the first batches from resellers.
Flipping new iPhones can be risky and prices can drop quickly, so another great strategy to profit from iPhones is by finding used models for below market price and either selling them as is or fixing them to sell for a profit.
Entire reselling businesses have been built off of flipping and repairing iPhones, but they are often operated largely in person, so it’s not viable to hope to build such a business entirely online.
Best Household Products to Resell
A category that will always have steady demand is household products. Even though the demand for home buying has decreased since a post-pandemic spike in mortgage rates, the percentage of homes that are owned by their occupants is still well above half.
Both homeowners and long-term renters are in the market for a variety of household products that you can find as a reseller, including the following:
Quality Vintage Appliances
As with many products, newer is not always better. Some specific kitchen appliances like vintage Kitchenaid mixers or vintage Sunbeam toasters have a loyal and hungry audience that will scoop up any of these products if they show up on the market.
Fans of these vintage appliances will say that new versions of these products are not made with the reliability standards or quality materials that were used in the past. Their viewpoint is proven based on the abundance of functioning products on the market that are sometimes 50+ years old and the consistent sales volume and speed that these products generate.
As a reseller, you can source these at local garage or estate sales, thrift stores, or eBay. The best place to sell vintage appliances is eBay or local marketplaces.
Smart home devices
The demand for smart home products remains incredibly strong as more homeowners and apartment dwellers are looking to increase the efficiency and function of their living spaces.
Popular products in this category include Ring doorbells, Amazon Alexa or Google Home in addition to each of their respective supplementary products or accessories.
The demand is strong for both older versions and the very latest iterations of all of these devices, with some consumers even preferring past-released iterations over the newest versions. Just be sure to look up reviews and analyze sales volume and average sales prices before picking up a specific device to make sure you’re getting a profitable deal.
Air purifiers
Since a huge increase in demand during the pandemic, air purifiers continue to have strong demand, rising to the status of must-have for some, making them a great item to target as a reseller.
As with many products, newer isn’t always better as it’s the quality and performance that matters. Brands with quality HEPA filters like Dyson and Molekule are known to have a loyal and hungry audience that is ready to scoop up any model in working condition, so there’s a strong market for these in particular.
You can find these pre-owned at garage and estate sales or on eBay. When buying, always know what the general market price is so you can quickly identify and act on any deals that are profitably priced.
Vintage and Designer Furniture
Another product that some physical resellers choose to specialize in is furniture, specifically the designer and vintage kind. While it’s possible to do well flipping regular furniture, if you want to score huge returns, you should keep an eye out for vintage designer furniture such as art-deco or retro pieces.
Stories abound of furniture flippers finding unwanted couches or chairs on street corners that turn out to be incredibly valuable vintage pieces.
It’s necessary to study this market so that you can identify undervalued opportunities. Pay attention to the materials in addition to silhouettes and styles of name brands, and you’ll begin to develop an eye for what furniture lovers are looking for and how much they’re willing to pay.
Wall art and posters
Everyone loves to decorate a room to personalize it to reflect their vibe and interests, and one of the easiest ways to do this is to buy wall art or posters.
As a reseller, posters particularly are great items to source as they are light and compact, making them easy to store and ship. Original vintage posters often abound inside thrift stores, with some of them being worth far more than the typically low price tag that they can be found at.
Keep an eye out for autographs or any other valuable marks as well, such as numbered limited edition pieces. Wall art of all kinds, including paintings and other hangable designs can often be worth more than you think, so always try to find an item of interest online to see how valuable it is.
Retro toys and games
Another category of products that is great for resellers is nostalgic toys and games. In addition to retro video games, classic board games have a strong demand and can be quite valuable, especially if they have ceased production.
You can research on eBay to see how much people are paying and how often listings are moving for any retro game or toy you find in particular. These products are particularly hot and in demand during the holiday shopping season of the fourth quarter, but some items will always have demand because of birthdays, special events, or the need to fulfill nostalgic cravings.
Pet toys and accessories
The market for four-legged friends is a strong one, with an annual market size of over $200 billion. Most pet owners allocate a chunk of their disposable income to serve the wants and needs of their furry friends, so this is a great market to target as a reseller, especially if you are a pet owner yourself.
Performing retail arbitrage inside of this industry is a good bet. Additionally, brand-new, generic pet products are one of the hottest and top-performing products for dropshippers.
You can even target products made for specialty pets like reptiles, amphibians, or rare breeds of dog or cat–remember that in business, and in reselling in particular, riches are in the niches.
Collectibles and memorabilia
Perhaps one of the strongest and well-known markets for reselling is the realm of collectibles and other memorabilia.
From sports and gaming cards to figurines and other fan lore, the market for these items is vast and can be incredibly profitable if you learn to specialize in a certain category.
In addition to eBay, there might also be dedicated groups and forums where you can either source or sell your product, so the rabbit hole with this category can prove nearly endless.
Motor Vehicle Parts
Cars can sometimes become a subject of care, affection, and financial interest as much as or even more so than an owner’s other living and breathing responsibilities.
Those who love their car are always in the market for parts or accessories that will improve their ride. As with every other reselling market, relating to your audience by actually being one of them is a huge advantage, so you will do best in this category if you are a car lover yourself.
Even for those who don’t know much about cars, if you target common parts for older but widely bought cars, such as a Honda Accord, you can profit from buying accessories or parts made for it.
Stick with simpler parts and accessories if you can’t confidently check the condition of what you’re selling, and if you don’t know if something is actually working or safe to install, don’t sell it.
Books
Even though some consumers are shifting to eBooks or e-reader hosted books, physical books will always have their loyal audience, as there’s nothing like physically thumbing through, highlighting and bookmarking a well-written classic.
Amazon was started as a marketplace just for books, and Jeff Bezos strategically chose this product because of the market demand and the expansive diversity that this category holds.
In addition to literary classics, academic books are a popular niche, as well as rare esoteric books that might not exist in ebook format. Browse through online marketplaces, thrift stores and estate sales to find coveted rare, first-edition copies.
What Criteria Determine a Product’s Resale Profitability?
Seasoned flippers understand that in order to maximize profits and efficiency, one should have specific criteria in mind when looking for items to resell.Keep the following criteria in mind when deciding whether or not an item is good for reselling.
These generally apply to virtually any category, and the most profitable products to resell tick some or all of these boxes:
Established demand
The most important factor that determines whether or not a product has resale potential is if it has established demand that is ideally growing. Although individual products can vary over time depending on trends and seasonality, you should approach items with the overall market in mind. Evergreen niches such as popular gadgets, clothing and accessories are always a good bet.
You can analyze past and current demand using free tools such as Google Trends or by going through top sellers on eBay and Amazon. Pay special attention to items that have strong demand in pre-owned condition as this generally means higher resale potential and steady or growing demand.
Size and ease of shipping
In addition to the price of the item you’re reselling, you also have to factor in all fulfillment and handling costs when determining the profitability of what you’re selling.
Small and lightweight items are not only cheaper to ship, they’re easier to handle and less likely to break or require any special care when being delivered. Watches, smartphones, and sought-after trading cards are some of the best items in terms of having a high value and a small size.
Scarcity
Items that are both in demand and hard to find, discontinued, or limited-run will command the highest resale prices, including a sometimes significant markup above their original retail price.
Examples include limited release sneakers, one-off pieces of art, bespoke watches or elusive collectibles all have the potential to have huge resale value and can even be sold for top dollar at auction houses like Christie’s and Sotheby’s if the piece is verified and rare enough. Trying your luck at thrift stores, estate sales, and garage sales can sometimes produce a hidden gem of insane value.
Brand power
The steadiest and broadest demand is for items that people know and trust, so most experienced resellers prefer to deal with brand names. Brands with cult followings such as Apple and Nike have such a strong market that nearly any of their items in virtually any condition are incredibly liquid on the aftermarket, especially on marketplaces like eBay.
Apart from the household names, get familiar with specific brands within niche categories, such as Chrome Hearts for streetwear accessories, Helly Hansen for activewear, and Leica for high-end cameras.
Perceived value
Lastly, every product that flies off the shelves on the aftermarket has a high perceived value. Although this is almost always subjective and a topic of debate amongst purists, numbers don’t lie, so if you see an item is consistently selling at a high price, jump on it.
Additionally, remember that you have the power to increase an item’s value by fixing, cleaning, or simply providing better photos or a product description to make the item more desirable. Remember that as a reseller, success is all about fetching top dollar which comes from framing your store and everything you sell in the best light to get the highest value.
Where to Find Products to Resell: Four Proven Strategies
Finding products to resell, also simply known as sourcing, is the most important part of establishing a reselling business. Sourcing is the lifeblood of any reseller’s revenue, so without consistent sourcing, your business dies.
Here are four different channels for finding where to source your products so you can profitably sell them:
Wholesale
One of the simplest ways to ensure a better price for a product is by buying it in bulk, that is, buying it wholesale.
Using the strategy of acquiring products by wholesale can be as simple as contacting your desired supplier and asking if they sell their product wholesale, and if so, what the minimum order quantity would be.
If you want to profitably incorporate this strategy, be sure to start with a large budget, as the larger quantity you are able to order, the greater the discount a supplier is often willing to give.
Additionally, you will likely need to have correct business registration and permits such as a reseller’s certificate so that the supplier is willing to work with you and so you are properly taxed.
Retail arbitrage
Since product prices operate inside of a free market, fluctuations and price discrepancies occur, so almost always, you can get a product for a lower price than it usual if you know where to look. Sometimes, simply checking a different platform for the same item–for example, Amazon vs eBay, might reveal a profitable price discrepancy, and thus, an opportunity for retail arbitrage.
Retail arbitrage is the act of buying a product low and selling it higher, almost always on a different marketplace than where it was acquired. For example, you can buy a product on clearance at a big box store and sell it on Amazon for a higher price.
While this strategy is fairly simple to execute, you’ll have to constantly track prices and demands to make sure the inventory you buy will sell consistently at a higher price than you purchased it at in a reasonable timeframe.
Thrift Store and Yard Sale Sourcing
While many people think of reselling as an activity performed wholly online, the in-person aspect should never be ignored. On-site, physical sourcing is often the secret sauce of many online resellers.
If you simply drive around your local area and do some exploring, you’ll likely find yard or estate sales in addition to thrift stores or other places where you can find secondhand goods.
These places are especially good for scoring vintage or retro items such as jewelry, furniture, or other miscellaneous collectibles or memorabilia.
This physical hustle of treasure hunting can prove addictive, and you can either sell to buyers in person or online on your chosen platform. EBay is often the best place for resellers for general collectibles that are found at thrift stores, whereas other specialized platforms serve a purpose for specific goods, for example, Grailed for used streetwear.
Liquidation sales
If you’re struggling to find profitable wholesale sources, you can simply seek out liquidation sales where product is sold in bulk. Sometimes, you can find these simply by Googling “liquidation sale” or “liquidation sale + (your city)”.
Liquidation sales are most common when a company is going out of business or has already gone bankrupt.
Additionally, wholesale liquidation pallets of unsold, past-season goods or return pallets are excellent sources of buying items in bulk, especially for beginners. There isn’t a special process or need for a license to buy liquidation or other pallets, most of the time, these sites are like any other regular online storefront where you simply pick what you’d like and pay for it.
The main issues you want to be aware of when targeting liquidation sales as a reseller are the condition of the items, especially if they are returns, open box, or consumables, and also having the speed to scoop up the best deals as they come to the market as they are often one time instances that any cash ready buyer will jump on.
Why You Should Become a Reseller
Reselling provides a number of benefits, including the following:
Easy entry-level business model
While some business models require more knowledge, start-up capital, or strategy, reselling can be quite simple as you can start as small as you’d like. As a reseller, you can buy a single brand name, in-demand item for a low price and sell it for more without having to worry about marketing it correctly or building a platform to sell it on. It’s even possible to get products for free to resell, so it’s hard to find any business model that is better for beginners.
Freedom of schedule and other general autonomy
Resellers create their own schedule and choose what products they want to sell and how they want to sell them. Since the overall reselling landscape is so vast, you have the freedom to pick products that interest you, have good profit potential, or ideally both.
This freedom of choice does come with the responsibility of the ownership of your time and efforts, but this is the same with any entrepreneurial pursuit, so if your goal is to be your own boss, reselling is a great lesson in that.
Ability to develop a niche expertise
Riches are in the niches. Once you build a profitable reselling business, you will have likely gained a high level of expertise inside a niche that you may have known nothing about before. The niche itself doesn’t matter so long as it’s an established market with growth potential, so any one of the previously mentioned products is a good choice to become a reselling expert in.
Having this expertise will allow you to establish and maintain a competitive advantage in reselling which you will also be able to transfer to any further business ventures or even give you the knowledge and confidence to launch your very own reselling community.
Gain valuable entrepreneurial skills in real-time
Most entrepreneurs will tell you that the best lessons learned were not in the classroom, but happened in real life while conducting business live.
Reselling, no matter what product or platform you are operating with, will give you valuable entrepreneurial skills such as customer service, inventory management, risk/reward analysis, market trend insights and more.
These skills will pay lifetime dividends whether you choose to stick with reselling or if you choose to venture off elsewhere. They’ll act as a helpful base that you can build from if you move on to more complex skills like making and marketing a product from scratch.
Can be highly profitable when scaled correctly
As you may have seen if you follow any well-known resellers, flipping anything at a high scale can earn you a solid living. It’s not uncommon to hear of resellers in any category generating profits well into the six or even seven figures annually.
Starting small and establishing an expertise and then understanding your product and the market opportunity well enough to scale as large as it allows is the best way to go about earning as much money as you possibly can as a reseller.
Keep in mind your profit margins and how fast your inventory is moving, as these are the two biggest factors that make or break a reseller’s potential for massive income.
Joining a Discord Community to Learn What To Resell
While the benefits of reselling are incredibly motivating, many don’t take action simply because the steps and strategies you need to take can be too overwhelming for someone starting out solo.
Instead of starting a resale business alone, you could join a Discord group led by experienced professionals. The business itself is still yours, but by joining a reselling Discord group you can be a part of a community that shares advice, strategies, and even the tools necessary to profit in the reselling game. This drastically reduces your learning curve and you can access all of the best information in one place.
Become a Reselling Pro with Whop
Some of the best groups out there have been curated on Whop, where a vetted marketplace of Discord communities has a thriving and diverse set of groups that get better by the day.
Inside of these communities, expert resellers share their veteran advice and guidance. You’ll also find a plethora of helpful tools and hacks that you may have been totally unknown to you before, in addition to a tight-knit community of individuals who all share the same goal of cashing in big as a reseller.
Many have made the choice of joining a reselling Discord community and are often satisfied with the results.
Or, if you are already a successful reseller, why not share your expertise with others by creating a paid Discord community?
Monetize your knowledge and help grow the next generation of resellers. Sign up as a seller on Whop today!
Reselling FAQs
What is the easiest thing to flip for profit?
The easiest thing to flip for profit is constantly changing, but will depend on what is readily accessible to you at a below market price, which might be because of proximity or a knowledge advantage that you have above the general public. For example, if your niche is sneaker reselling and you live near a coveted sneaker boutique in a city like LA and get first dibs on all of the hottest releases that people in most cities want but don’t have, reselling shoes will be easy for you.
Can I resell digital products?
If you have already been deep in the resale rabbit hole, you may have heard of the opportunity of reselling digital products by means of buying private label rights, or PLR, to digital products such as templates, ebooks, or even video courses. However, if you want to build a real business, it’s not worth reselling generic digital product as your own when you can make an original digital product without much more effort and with much more potential success and a better reputation.
Are tickets a good item to resell?
Tickets are some of the best items to resell. They have some of the best profit margins and volume, and additionally, ticket reselling is often done entirely online. There are always sporting events and concerts that sell out quickly and have a strong demand of people who are happy to pay a fair premium for securing a seat at their favorite artist or team’s event. However, reselling tickets can be in the grey area of legality depending on how you are operating, so it may be best to join a ticket reselling group to get the most accurate and actionable information.
Where can I find stuff to resell?
You can find items to resell by visiting thrift stores, yard sales, browsing clearance sections online or in person or even looking at platforms and storefronts for price discrepancies that allow for room for profits in retail arbitrage. Sourcing directly from wholesalers or liquidations is also a good way to gather inventory for reselling. Additionally, you can join a group that specializes in different types of reselling for exact information, guides, links and strategies to find resale inventory.
Can I make a living as a reseller?
Although it’s fully possible to make a full-time income as a reseller, it will require a good amount of commitment, knowledge and perhaps capital before you can earn a living. Having the goal of earning a side income is a great way to start in the reselling game without setting your hopes too high or getting discouraged if you inevitably encounter difficulties while trying to make money reselling. Be aware that it is possible to lose money too as a reseller if your inventory doesn’t move, in which case you will be forced to sell it at a lower price.
Should I buy products wholesale to resell?
Buying products wholesale to resell individually is a common strategy for those who own a resale business. However, be sure you are getting a good enough price and that the inventory will move quickly, especially if you have to buy a large amount as your minimum order. You’ll also have to make sure you have the proper licensing to do business with whoever your supplier might be, in addition to being compliant with whatever platform you choose to sell your products on.
Can I resell without any previous business experience?
One of the greatest things about reselling is that not only can you do it without business experience, but it’s considered by many to be the best way to dip into entrepreneurship without any prior business experience. This is because you’re selling products that are already in demand and known to be of a certain quality, so you don’t have to go through the trial and error of making a product on your own. You’ll only need basic skills such as price research, customer service, and a willingness to learn and grow to find a decent level of success as a reseller.
Is reselling legal?
The act of reselling is perfectly legal, so long as you are the rightful owner of a legally acquired, genuine product, either through purchase or donation. The only time reselling is illegal is if you are selling stolen or counterfeit goods. However, some laws or regulations may affect you if you incorporate strategies such as using bots to buy tickets for example, which is technically illegal in some US states. If you want to learn more about this topic, read our full guide on reselling and legality here.