The Average American Household Has $3K to $4K Sitting Around — How To Tap Into Missing Funds
Written by
Laura Beck
Edited by
Molly Sullivan
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Is your basement filled with junk you consider trash? Well, as the saying goes, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure! Most people don’t realize they’re sitting on thousands of dollars worth of sellable items collecting dust in their homes.
Jamie Iannone, eBay’s CEO, recently appeared on Yahoo Finance’s “Opening Bid” podcast and dropped an interesting statistic. The typical American household owns roughly $3,000 to $4,000 worth of items that could be sold online, but less than 20% of that inventory has actually made it to digital marketplaces.
That’s a lot of untapped cash gathering dust in closets and garages.
What’s Actually Worth Money
Iannone pointed out that collectibles are particularly hot right now. Items like Pokémon cards and Labubu figures are moving fast on the platform. But it’s not just niche collectibles; secondhand items in general are seeing strong demand, especially from younger buyers focused on sustainability.
About 40% of items sold on eBay are used or refurbished, which shows there’s a massive market for pre-owned goods. One person’s clutter is genuinely another person’s treasure.
Making It Easier To Sell
The barrier for most people isn’t demand, it’s the hassle of listing items. EBay has been rolling out AI tools to streamline the selling process and make it less tedious to get items online.
The company’s strategy is simple: Unlock what’s already in people’s homes. Iannone’s goal is getting that dormant inventory out of storage and onto the platform where it can actually generate cash.
The numbers back up the opportunity. EBay reported $2.7 billion in revenue last quarter, up 6% year-over-year. The gross merchandise value of goods sold hit $19.5 billion in the same period, also up 6%. The stock has climbed about 56% over the past year.
The Bottom Line
If you’re looking for some extra cash, you might not need a side hustle. Just look around your house. That box of old electronics in the garage, those designer clothes you never wear, the collectibles from your childhood — they could add up to several thousand dollars. Or even more!
The key, of course, is actually selling it. Most people know they have stuff to sell but never get around to listing it. With AI tools making the process easier, there’s less excuse to let money sit idle in your closet.
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