Are you looking for the best things to buy and resell in 2024? The flipping landscape has changed much over the last decade or so. It used to be MUCH easier to find things at thrift stores, yard sales, and flea markets to resell. Nowadays, it seems as though everyone has jumped on the resell train, and it has caused several problems.
Firstly, thrift stores have caught on. Goodwill has raised prices, and now offers many items for sale in an auction format on its website. Furthermore, it is very common to see other resellers hunting for items during a thrift store visit. If you’re a reseller of used items, you now face the following conditions:
- High cost of inventory
- More competition for fewer items
- Saturated online marketplaces
- Longer selling cycles
Is reselling dead?
Procuring used items and reselling or “flipping” is absolutely not dead, but it is tougher than ever before. Don’t listen to online “influencers” or “gurus” who boast about how “easy” it is to make big bucks from reselling. It takes time, organizational skills, and persistence to consistently make money.
The beauty of it all is that there are times when you will score easy money by virtue of good timing. Just two weeks ago, I found a pair of gently worn Ecco boots for $10 at my local thrift store. I’ll probably net a profit of $20+ when all is said and done. Not bad. Then again, I’ve visited the same store twice since then only to leave empty handed.
So what does all of this mean? In short, it means that you must approach reselling with knowledge, goals, and reasonable expectations. One part of knowledge is knowing what to sell. Here are some of the top things to resell in 2024:
- Shoes – this might be an obvious one but used shoes are still great for resale. Unfortunately, the days of flat pricing for shoes at Goodwill are over. Also, they absolutely markup shoes that they think are worth a “pretty penny”. This is good news for you, as the folks at Goodwill simply do not have the time to research every pair of shoes that they slap a price tag on. My Ecco example from earlier in the article is a perfect example.
- Hoodies – this very much depends on how your local thrift stores price these, but brand name, gently worn hoodies tend to sell quickly. It is a bonus if you are able to create bundles of 2-3 hoodies, as people are more willing to pick up locally or pay for shipping for bundles. Read more: How to Sell Used Hoodies for Profit – Side Hustle Watch
- Book sets/author bundles – the days of selling individual books for profit aren’t entirely dead, but unless you want to take a deep-dive into that niche, I’d avoid buying one-offs. Rather, book sets and author bundles tend to sell faster and for more money. Most thrift stores offer flat pricing for books, but some Goodwill locations jack up the price for select books, so be mindful of that.
- Video games – You’d be surprised at the eBay prices for old Nintendo and Sega games. Some sell for more than others, but you should always check for this section for gold. Learn more here: How to Sell Used Video Games for Profit – Side Hustle Watch
- Designer plus size clothing – with the advent of Poshmark and other sites, selling clothing it tougher than ever. There’s a lot of competition, and one way around that is to focus on a niche group. Plus size or big and tall clothing is one way to go. For example, I had a nice run selling XXL wrinkle-free shirts to a buyer on Poshmark. After he bought one shirt, I would share all of my XXL wrinkle-free dress shirt finds with him, and he would buy more often than not.
- Seasonal & holiday merchandise – there’s a huge market for vintage Halloween and Christmas decorations. Do your homework to get a sense of what people are buying, but this category is often overlooked by your competition.
- Is Poshmark still viable? Check out this article: Is Poshmark a Viable Side Hustle in 2024? Learn More (sidehustlewatch.com)
Good Luck!
This list is not comprehensive by any means, but there’s plenty of earning potential in each one. Good luck and happy selling!