3 New Ways To Make $12K a Year Just by Selling Your Old Stuff
Written by
J. Arky
Edited by
Rebekah Evans
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According to a study from CapitalOne Shopping, 52% of U.S. shoppers in 2023 bought apparel that was used or secondhand. That means that there is a booming market in a tight economy for sellers to take advantage of putting their older items up for sale.
“The resale market is exploding because people are getting smarter about where they spend their money,” said Zarina Bahadur, CEO and founder of 123 Baby Box. “Inflation is high, new goods cost more and buyers are looking for deals so secondhand shopping is the obvious choice.”
Here are three new ways to make $12,000 a year just by selling your old stuff.
Personalized Online Stores
You do not have to be a major brand or a huge company to have an online store. You just need a web presence, some marketing outlets and inventory, which can come from your closet or garage or other storage unit.
“Sellers have instant access to millions of potential buyers through platforms like Poshmark, Mercari and eBay. People are flipping clothes, baby gear and electronics into six-figure businesses,” Bahadur said.
As an example, Bahadur highlighted that a baby stroller which retails for $1,000 can still sell for $500 used. “If a parent flips just 20 high-end baby items a month, that is an extra $10,000 in revenue,” Bahadur added.
Holiday Shopping Offers
Sure, the huge end-of-year celebrations are going to bring in the big bucks, but there are opportunities throughout the year that online resellers can use to their advantage and tap into a customer base.
“Seasonal items like winter coats sell for 50% more in October than in April,” Bahadur explained. “Holiday toys skyrocket in November. Back-to-school gear moves the fastest in late summer.”
In fact, Bahadur noted that sellers who understand market trends can double their profits just by listing at the right time. “Even better — bundling items together increases sales by up to 30%,” Bahadur said. “It is a simple way to get more money with less effort.”
Flexible Income
Passive income is where you set up a business, sit back and barely lift a finger as the earnings come into your bank account. Resale is not passive, but Bahadur called it a form of “flexible income” due to the nature of the business being that you work as much as you want, when you want to.
“Some sellers start with $100 and scale to $50,000 a year in profit within 12 months,” Bahadur said. “Others turn it into a full-time business with warehouses and employees. The best part is that you do not even need a storefront or huge upfront costs. Just a phone, an internet connection and a little strategy.
“The demand is there, the platforms make it easy and the earning potential is massive,” Bahadur added. “It has never been a better time to turn clutter into cash.”
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