Selling Stuff Online

 

One of the ways I supplement our income is by selling stuff online.  I have an Etsy shop as well as an eBay account that I've used for years.  The beauty of online selling is that you can do as much or as little as you want.  Sometimes, as has been the case this year, I simply go through my house and garage and collect items I no longer need or want and list them.  Other times I may actually go to thrift stores and yard sales and search for items I can resell.  In that case I purchase items I am personally interested in and like.  I find it is much easier to sell items I enjoy and have some knowledge about.

 

Some of the items I sell on eBay and in my Etsy shop are usually vintage or retro in nature such as Pyrex or Corelle.  I love, love, love vintage dishes, have done a lot of research about them over the years and I own quite a few pieces.  When it comes to vintage kitchenware I'm a complete nut about it so it makes sense that I resell those types of items.  By selling items I like it makes the process that much more enjoyable.

 

Another item I sell quite a bit is sewing patterns.  I enjoy sewing and find that reselling patterns, particularly children's patterns has been a nice staple item to include.  Now I know I'm not going to get rich off of selling patterns, not by a long shot.  They are slow to sell, but steady and as long as I can get them for pennies I'm able to make a profit, although it isn't a lot.  But nonetheless it is still a profit and it adds up over time.

 

When setting my prices I will check out what others are selling similar items for and then decide if I want to do a set price or an auction.  I keep my prices reasonable, often setting them just under what the average is so I have a better chance of selling.  Because I am careful and don't spend a lot on items to begin with my profits are still really good even at a lower price.

 

In order to keep my online selling as profitable as possible I try to streamline the process as much as possible so I'm not wasting a lot of time.  I will photograph all my items at one time, then write up my selling descriptions and get ready to go online and start listing.  I find, for me, that listing or acquiring inventory only on Saturday and Sunday works best so I'm not overwhelmed trying to do things during my regular work week.  I also am careful not to list too many items at one time too.  I also keep my inventory small so I'm not having to manage a lot of stuff and it doesn't take up a lot of space in my home either.

 

I am careful to make sure I list the shipping fees accurately so I'm not paying extra to mail sold items and I do my best to not pay for shipping materials.  Shipping materials can be expensive to purchase so I gather up bubble wrap and boxes whenever I can and store them in a small area of our garage.  Whenever I get something in the mail I will often reuse the packaging.  I use priority mail quite a bit and the post office will supply you with free envelopes and cartons for using their services.  I will go to the post office and stock up on those from time to time.  You can also order them online and they will deliver them to your door free of charge.  I use packing tape I purchase at Dollar Tree for a dollar and print my mailing labels off on scrap paper I bring home from work.  As long as I can keep my costs for mailing minimal I'm able to pass that savings onto my customers.  Low shipping prices give me an edge over other sellers so I always try to keep the fees as close to my cost as possible.

 

I would encourage you to try your hand at online selling if you have an interest in it.  I've found it a great low impact way to add extra income to our household budget.