Best Items to Sell on eBay -- Whatever You Think Is Worth Selling

From my short-lived experience as an eBay seller, one question I often found myself stumped with was what were the best items to sell on eBay? It's a natural question to ask and one that really has no broad definition. The truth is, the best things to sell on eBay are the things you think are worth selling.

Bear with me on this...

When you start out as an online reseller, one thing you quickly learn is that there is no authority on what to sell. Sure, there are guides and gurus explaining what the best items are, such as brand name clothes or vintage t-shirts, but the truth is in the pudding.

Take, for instance, this guy who found a way to trade a red paperclip for something that was worth and repeated the process until he found a house. He made a red paperclip become a house simply by finding value and advertising in such a way that he could trade up and get more for something that most would agree is trash.

That should be your mantra on eBay and all online selling platforms as well.

That should be your mantra as well

The mark of any good salesman, and face it, that's what we are as online resellers, is to sell stuff. And no matter how many price guides you consult or YouTube videos that mind feed you BS on what is going to make you money, you'll never know until you get out there and sell that used gold! So don't go into this field thinking that you have to be an expert or read a blog article telling you what to sell because that will only narrow your field.

Take it from this angle

Imagine going hunting in a field where everyone is hunting for the same doe you are. The more hunters that come to the field, the more competition, right? What once was a very valuable and probably tasty deer has now become commonplace because everyone is now hunting that same animal. And while scarcity can be a good thing in terms of resale value, when everyone is selling the same item, you're going to settle for an eventual loss on the worth of that item. This is essentially what you're doing every time you look for advice on what to sell or worse someone simply telling you what to sell.

Not that there's anything wrong with seeking advice...

If you found this website on Google because of my niche and very SEO friendly keyword in the title and opening paragraph, you're probably either new or looking for some ideas on how to get your own business going. And while there is nothing wrong with that, there is something to be said of simply following the words of others. What one man sees as gold may absolutely be junk in another's eyes. And while one person may be awesome at selling something such as vintage 70s wide men's ties, another person may find themselves struggling just to break even.

There is no universal list of items that will guarantee you success on eBay

Read that again. What do you think every successful online seller realizes? The only true way to learn what sells online is to find out with experience. And while not every item will hold the same values as another, there is a general mantra that many sellers know, which is that everything will sell given enough time.

What you really should ask is what is my business model?

Imagine if there was a fast food restaurant that sold burgers for a buck and made millions of dollars. Crazy right? And yet McDonald's and other chains have done exactly this. Yes, not every burger costs the same, but what they've found is that there are models you can use to create income. And just as a company like Burger King can find profit in a dollar menu, so can you when sourcing for items to sell on eBay. So stop asking what the best items are and instead think of your long-term business plan. Do you want to be quick flipper who doesn't invest much in storage but instead sells items for a low price and on a frequent basis? Or do you want to follow a model that other eBayers use, such as my personal favorites Scavenger Life, which is hold on to an item for as long as possible in the hopes of netting the largest return on investment possible? Both models can work but require different resources, inventory, and all around mindsets.

Which leads me to my last point

Whatever model you choose, what you should really focus on is what you think you would like to buy on eBay yourself. Because if there is no passion in what you sell or source for, then you won't last long in this field. And believe me, everyone knows burnouts come quick in this business.

If you would like to read more and help out with this site, please click the link and order One Red Paperclip. Every sale provides a small commission that will help this site grow into hopefully your one-stop source for all things reselling.

Support Small YouTube Channels - My Thoughts

YouTube -- Received My First Shout Out

Hey folks.

So a little background. About 2 years ago I started reselling online and in the spirit of a true startup started posting YouTube videos about my journey. The videos were mostly about what I sold and the occasional how to video (with one even cracking the 20k mark as of today!). And while the success was mild, I found myself taking a year long hiatus to focus on politics and getting my life in order.

During that time I found God and saw the devil that was politics, but came out with a renewed determination to grow my business and become a far more successful reseller.

I've also been getting more active on YouTube, trying to post 2 videos a week.

Lately I've been struggling to find an audience and honestly have thought about throwing in the towel but as with all things have seen the error in my thinking.

That's right! I received a shoutout from a fellow YouTuber and reseller who goes by the name of Victoria Schless.

Her channel is just starting but I really like her style and passion for reselling. And as always, am grateful for her giving my channel some much needed love. Anyway, feel free to check out her video below and if you're feeling blessed and like it and subscribe to her channel.

And as always, God bless and may your Treasure Hunting Be Glorious!

What is An Online Reseller -- A Defined Take on What It Means

Whenever I hear someone ask "What is an online reseller" my immediate thoughts are someone who has probably failed in a lot of areas. Because honestly, when it comes to online reselling, you're going to fail.

Repeatedly...

Not to say this discourage anyone from jumping into the field themselves. Being an online reseller has been probably the best career move I ever made, and not just in terms of dollars.

You see, when we ask what is an online reseller, what we really are asking is what does it mean to have complete control of a business in a field that allows you to work from home and control your own destiny. Which is why I want to share my own take on the field.

Without further ado then, I present my following list of what an online reseller is, at least according to my take. I speak only from experience and am in way an expert, but do know a thing or two when it comes to flipping used stuff on the Web.

1. Scavenger

First and foremost, someone who resells stuff online will always be at heart a scavenger. I say this not because we are vultures sneaking up on your goodwill trying to profit off your own mistakes, but because we generally view used items as gold worth sharing with the world.

And when we're out in the field, trying to figure out how to flip those used sandals that might be an Armani exclusive, we're basically scavenging for the left over treasures that everyone else seems to think is junk.

Which is why in many ways, we are the last saviors of capitalism, in that instead of throwing something that might have value in the trash, we actually outperform the life of that item by finding revalue on it thru online marketplaces.

This is esecpially true for all my eBay and Etsy sellers of the world out there who are trying to find the most unique and one of a kind item to sell on the internet.

2. Entrepreneur

Before I get too far into my own digression on what it means to be a reseller, let's get to the heart of the matter. Selling online is always going to be an entrepreneur embarkment. And what exactly does that entail?

At it's heart, an entrepreneur is someone who sells something for profit. And when we talk about profits, we talk about maximizing the potential value of an item so that we can get a nice return on investment and hopefully survive in what is one of the toughest marks to crack.

Because let's face it, everyone and their brother are selling online today. And with any good entrepreneurial endeavor, what would a market be without competition?

And just because someone may scoff when I tell them I sell used guitar hoodies online, I always like to be the one reminding them that I own my own business. Tell that to you're Office Space clone of a boss!

3. Independent

Last but not least, an online reseller will always in their heart be independent, mainly because that is why we got into this business in the first place.

I know from my own experience that when I wake up at 12 in the afternoon and go to work in my stained Adidas boxers and socks from last night that I have to bow down to no one. Because face it, if you're not in business for yourself, you're someone's employee.

And not to make fun of anyone who works a 9-5 to barely survive, but face it. Not everyone is cut out to work for someone else. Those who are truly adventurous of spirit and willing to go the extra mile to make an income on their own time and dime are always going to be the ones who end up creating their own time slip, if not timeclock.

Which is why rock, if you ask me!


In Conclusion...

To be quite honest, I could go on and on about what it actually means to be an online reseller. But if you're the one asking this question, you probably should be spending less time reading this definition and more time out in the field getting some more reps thrifting and hauling all that glorious treasure waiting to be found.

So let me ask you, what's stopping you?

Welcome and thanks for stopping by!

Welcome and thanks for stopping.

As you may know now from watching my story video, I've recently begun selling on eBay after a 2 year hiatus which involved working for Hillary Clinton's Presidential Campaign as well as spending sometime in a homeless shelter in Cleveland, OH.

Before this however I ran a pretty successful online reselling business, averaging 3,000-5,000 in sales on eBay and Amazon part-time.

While my success was mild my dreams never died, and after my small break, I've decided to continue my adventure in online entrepreneurship.

Which is why I have started this blog/vlog. My goal is to document my journey relaunching my business as well as document my growth along with successes and failures.

I admit I am new but also contend that nothing is impossible without a dream and the belief that thru a higher power all things are possible.

With that out of the way, I want to say welcome!

As a bonus, listen to my intro theme for my YouTube channel to delight your sore eardrums!