09/10/2026
There are so many different paths you can take as a reseller.
Some people choose one lane and master it. Others bounce between several depending on what they find, what season it is, and where the money is.
Letâs look at a few of the most common paths.
Some resellers will sell literally anything.
They buy cheap, grab freebies, take leftovers, cleanouts, curb finds, bulk lots⊠pretty much anything they can turn into cash.
This can be a dangerous game if you donât do it right.
The upside is usually extremely low COG â cost of goods â and a very high sell-through rate.
But the name of the bulk game is simple:
MOVE IT FAST. MOVE IT CHEAP.
Flea markets and yard sales are perfect for this style of reselling.
The mistake is trying to squeeze every last dollar out of every item.
Remember, when you turn down almost nothing, your inventory can grow faster than you ever imagined if you donât keep it moving.
We learned that lesson firsthand in 2024. đ
Hint: in about five months, we somehow ended up with 14 storage units in 3 states.
More on that another day⊠or ask in the comments.
Now letâs move into probably the most common reseller today:
Online sellers.
And honestly, it makes perfect sense.
You can put an item in front of tens of thousands of people in seconds â or in front of the one person 1,000 miles away who has been looking specifically for it.
That reach allows online sellers to charge what we call convenience pricing â online retail.
Online sellers will usually make more per item than booth sellers or local sellers, but there are fees, shipping, returns, customer service, photos, listings, storage, packing and time involved.
One of the biggest tips we can give an online seller:
Have a buying threshold.
For example, we generally wonât buy an online flip unless we believe it can sell for at least 5X our cost, with a real-world target closer to 7X or better.
That margin gives you room for fees, mistakes, price drops and the occasional item that sits longer than expected.
Now, back to you booth owners.
Booths can be an amazing way to resell.
They can also be one of the hardest models to truly master.
The biggest advantage?
Theyâre incredibly hands-off compared with online selling.
Buy the item.
Price the item.
Drop it in the booth.
Move on.
No photos. No shipping. No answering âIs this available?â at 2:14 AM. đ
For booth inventory, 4X our cost is generally our minimum, with occasional exceptions for especially hot or fast-moving items.
But hereâs something booth owners need to remember:
Unless your antique mall, market, or location specifically supports full retail pricing, you probably shouldnât be pricing everything at full online retail.
A surprisingly high percentage of people shopping vendor malls are resellers themselves.
Those buyers can become some of your best repeat customers.
Price accordingly, give them a little meat left on the bone, and theyâll come back.
Price every item like itâs sitting on eBay with worldwide exposure, and you may be pricing out some of your best monthly buyers.
There are plenty of other reseller paths too â auctions, live selling, storage units, estate cleanouts, clothing, specialty niches, wholesale, consignment, vintage, collectibles and more.
The trick isnât finding the âbestâ way to resell.
Itâs finding the way that works best for you, your time, your space and your personality.
Which lane are you in right now?
Which one are you curious about?
We love questions â drop them below â€”ïž or shoot us a message.
