Secrets to running a successful Re-sell of Used Items Business

Secrets to Running Re-sell of Used Items business — Secrets to running a successful re-sell of used items Business

Selling used item is one way which a stay at home mom can earn extra cash while staying at home raising her kids, however, this post will be dedicated to writing about secrets that any stay at home mom can use to make a living from successful re-sell of used items. if you have been considering starting a home business but don’t know how to choose the right business then consider reading my post on how to choose the right home business for you

Disclosure: There are affiliate links associated with this post, if you purchase from any of these links, I make a commission which does not in anyway increase your cost of purchase but helps me to keep this blog running.

Used items which command fair value is a market for people who want to shop close to originals without having to pay the price of brand new items. We often times buy stuff which we may not end up using or there may be items that the useful life has passed by in our own time, therefore, we need to sell it off in other to declutter our homes.

For anyone wanting to start up a business in buying and reselling used items, I would recommend to start with your own stuff. You can start by getting organized and sorting out those things which you no longer use and then categorize them into different niches and check which one of them you have good knowledge about.

For example, if you are a stay at home mom that has been having kids for some time, it’s inevitable that you will already have knowledge of baby gear that comes with that territory. Before I had my first child, I needed a breast pump that I will use, so I went and bought a particular brand which I liked so much because of its brand appeal, after I had my baby, I assembled the pumping gear and tried using it but it didn’t work for me.

My breasts were still engorged after attaching it and using for some time, so I had to return the pumping gear which was quite expensive by the way, the next one I bought was way less expensive and It worked. With that, I learned that brand may not always be the thing to consider when buying baby stuff.

Because I have 3 kids, I have gathered some invaluable knowledge about baby gear which I believe will be of tremendous use to me should I choose to start a business of re-sell of used items. For you, it may be something else, but whatever it is, it is always better to start with a niche you are knowledgeable about since it’s a new business, that way you can grow steadily.

Facts to consider before starting the Re-sell of used items.

-Start with a Niche that you are already knowledgeable about:

I have already written a little about it above, choose a niche that you are much more comfortable with and which you have a good knowledge about, this will enable you to pick winners in the business of re-sell of used items.

-Buyers want a good value for the money they pay for items even if it is used:

Most people who shop for used items are those who are usually on a budget but have good quality taste, just because they are shopping in the fairly used market does not mean they will buy any trash available. Therefore your knowledge of that product will make it easier for you to know the likely places where there are scuffs on a product and avoid buying stuff that will be hard to re-sell.

For example, people will want to buy an almost new baby stuff, remember because it’s baby stuff, their emotions may be involved so if you are selling such stuff, make sure that in buying from those who are selling to you that you buy items that are almost new, this will make it easier for people to purchase.

When I had my last baby, I went to a garage sale to get some items for my baby, It was going to be my last baby so I didn’t want to buy baby stuff that I will end up giving away in a few months to come.

So I got there, and saw this beautiful baby play pen, I purchased it and when I was about to leave I saw an almost new baby mattress because it was almost new, I purchased it too. I guess if it had been weather beaten I wouldn’t have considered it.

The reason I bought it was because I could fit into the Play pen and make a baby bed with it. It solved the problem of buying a brand new baby bed and mattress which will have cost me more.

-Shopping in the high-end neighborhood and mobile areas will give you better margins:

In the business of re-sell of used items, shopping in a high-end neighborhood is a must. it’s always better to go to areas where a lot of rich people live, this is because they tend to acquire stuff that they no longer use in a short time and will be willing to offload from their garage to make space for more.This means you get good quality of products from willing sellers at a low price.

The second option I talked about earlier is that you are likely to get a load of free stuff to re sell from areas where there is a lot of moving and resettling going on.

You find this in places where there is a high number of rentable apartment buildings, this because most people that live in apartments are either there for the short time or are young people who often move with a short notice. Because they don’t want to incur storage costs or transportation costs, they often throw away valuable stuff, from furniture to electronics.

If you are someone with a good eye, scoring that kind of area can give you free stuff to resell for a profit.

-Check for the ongoing price of Goods before you buy:

The reason you are in business is to make money, this means it will not make sense to spend all your time running around to get goods that will just occupy your garage space without moving.

Hence be sure to check the price of the goods you are about to purchase for a re- sell before you pay for it. The easiest places to check is Ebay. That’s one of the oldest platforms for re-sell of used items. Ensure you know the going rate for that product you want to buy at the flea market or garage sale before you buy it. It pays to do your research at home before moving out, that way you are more focused on what you want to buy, how much you are willing to pay for it and how much you will make from selling it.

-Shop on heavy discount days

With re-sell of used items, the lower you can keep your costs, the better, that is why it’s advisable to shop on discount days when you know that thrift stores will be trying to empty their stores in other to make room for new ones.

It’s not only in thrift stores that you will find such deals even real stores sometimes sell unused items at ridiculously low rates because they need to clear out their stores for a new season. Therefore having this in mind and taking the time to research when it will happen will help you attain some good deals which you can flip later for a good price. Unused items with their tags on is always a winner because people will like to purchase it given that it is still new.

-Beware of shipping costs:

Most times in our rush to buy used items for a little amount with a good re-sell profit we forget that we have to ship those goods, ensure that you factor your shipping costs into your sale price before you start purchasing. A low-cost item which is heavy may not be a good deal at all when you find the shipping cost alone will take almost all your profit if not all.

Categories of Used items you can re-sell

-Baby Goods: e.g baby clothing, toys, strollers e.t.c

-Clothing and accessories: Designer wears, Shoes, Bags, Jewelry, hats etc

-Furniture: Bed, couch tables, chairs, wardrobe.

-Gadgets: Games consoles, phones, camping gear.

-Crockery and ware: Dinner plates, cooking pots, pot stands, grill gear

-Electronics: Tv, Radio, speaker, etc.

-Antiques: Rarely seen items that had value, vintage items that are no longer in production.

-Books

-Tools and Hardware.

In this next section of this post, we are going to deal with how to start off, where to get your goods from and the tools you will need for your new business.

How to start:

As I always reiterate, start from what you have, at the beginning of this write-up, I mentioned how you can start with selling your own used stuff. Looking at all the categories above, there are hardly families which do not have some unused stuff in some if not most of these categories, so you can start by organizing your own garage sale in other to test the market and see how buyers who buy from you are likely to behave. This will give you a good idea of how your intending customers will look like and what are their most likely buying habits.

If you find that you don’t have enough used stuff to sell, please tell your friends and ask if they have stuff they want to dispose of, you can go collect it from them and see how you can sell it. If you tell them that you want to do market testing with it, am sure you will likely get if for free from them. Remember that if your business starts succeeding you may not always get it for free. So be ready to start bargaining with them the next time you want their used stuff.

Places you can get goods on sale

Garage sales: you can scout for garage sales that take place around your area and know when they are likely to open so you can go check out their stuff. There are a lot of apps you can use to check for garage sales that are in your location, some of them are: Garage sale finder, varage sale, Vendu, Glicking garage, yard sale treasure map, these ones are mainly for Android phones, if you have an iPhone then you may consider these ones: Garage sale rover, garage sale by map, Yard sale mapper.

Consignment stores: consignment stores are shops where people go to keep their stuff for some amount until it sells, so you can also find good deals there

Flea market: Flea markets are absolutely the place to hunt for treasures because you can find goods which you can re- sell at a very good price. I believe the apps above also apply to flea markets too. To add to the list above you can check these apps out Listia, 5miles, carousel. The good thing about these apps is that it’s a two-way thing, you can buy from them and sell somewhere else or you can also sell on it.

Community market sales : sometimes you can go to a community market and get a good bargain which you can re sell online for profit, the key is to look out for good quality products that are being sold at very low prices because of change of seasons, you can re sell such when a new season arrives.

Thrift stores: Thrift stores are also a major place where you can get a good item for sale.

Friends and Family: Sometimes you may have some friends who have a lot of stuff lying about in their garage which is occupying space for years. You can ask to go through them and see the ones that are of good value which you can re- sell for a profit.

Rented apartment Buildings: I made mention of the fact that sometimes people who are mobile are often reluctant to pay to ship furniture that they have lived with when they are moving, so they often dump them.

If you look carefully you may sometimes find very good furniture thrown away which you know will command a fair price in the market. Taking them up and cleaning them can give you a good amount of money when sold, The cost of acquisition being perhaps your transport and cleaning costs.

Walmart:( Look for sale items only.): Seriously one wouldn’t take me serious when I say that you can get a good quality stuff at Walmart for a sale price. I have once bought a nice kids pants for a dollar at Walmart amongst their sale items which I knew I could re –sell for 6-7 dollars when the season for that clothing type comes around.

Places to Re-sell your Used Items.

The good thing about all that apps that I mentioned above is that they are two functional, you can buy and sell on them.But to give you more options for online sales, here is a list of places you can sell your used items

Ebay Like we are going to miss this one out, it’s the king of market places where used stuff is sold. People make a living from selling on eBay once you understand how it works. I will do a post on this one one day.

Varage sale: Varage sale is an app that allows you to buy and sell locally. I had try this if I am just starting out on selling used stuff, that way you might save on shipping costs for your goods.

Ebid; This is also an online marketplace for buying and selling that has been around since 1999. The good thing about this platform is that there are no listing fees and your selling fees will range from only between 0-3 percent of your final sale amount. This means that if you list a product and it does not sell. you don’t have to pay anything.

Decluttr : A place to sell your used phones, CD’s, game consoles, DVDs, books. If you had like to sell your stuff to them click on the icon below to get to their website.

Bonanza : This is also an online marketplace that features different kinds of categories from women’s fashion to home and décor too. They were named America’s best entrepreneurial company in 2016.

Etsy: Etsy is a marketplace for handmade goods, they are quite popular and people do make a good living selling stuff on Etsy. I believe that you can sell used stuff there that are handmade.

Facebook marketplace: The Facebook marketplace is also the go-to place to sell your stuff, there is hardly anything we can sell or buy or market without Facebook so get at it and use it for your business. The good thing is that you don’t have any listing fees involved.

Offer up: This is an app that makes listing goods for sale by sellers very easy, it has an integrated messaging system that helps the sellers to manage multiple messages from buyers. It’s been rated well by the iPhone users as very good.

Online shop: Finally if you are willing to put in the work of building your own platform for your Re-sell of Used items business, you can start an eCommerce store using Shopi fy an online e commerce platform that enables you to sell goods from anywhere in the world.

This last option is about the best of the above options because you have your own platform and you control what happens there. The only snag is that you have to do extra marketing to drive traffic to your site, but in the long run, it pays off when you establish your business securely and you are earning a steady income from it.

Of course, there are scores of other market places and apps that you can use for your selling, but this few above should help you get started.

Tools you need for this business

-A laptop

-Camera for taking pictures you will use for listing your stuff

-Phone and internet connection( if you have an iPhone, the better because some of the apps mentioned above are available on iphones alone.

Do you have any other ideas on how to turn Re-sell of used items into a good business, please leave a comment below.

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May 18, 2017July 12, 2017

How to Pay yourself as a stay at home mom

There is a constant debate as to how much a stay at home mom should be paid for the work they do. while some feel it’s a personal choice to get off the career ladder and go take care of the home hence the government should not be burdened by whether they get paid or not. Others feel that the work that they do is a great job so they should be compensated adequately.

Whichever side of the jury you belong to, here is one truth which every one of us must agree to, when a child is well raised, it’s a benefit not only to the parents that raised him but to the whole society. The society is made up of families because every child comes from a family, so when we put our families first, we ensure that the next generation of children grows up to become responsible adults who are able to contribute to their society. This is not to say that when you are not staying home to raise your children they will not turn out well. What we are saying is that if you choose to make that decision to stay home and raise your kids, your career shouldn’t have to suffer because of your choice.

There is one thing I have always believed in, that is the fact that you can make your own way if the circumstances don’t allow you to do what you need to do. Having a career fulfills a part of you that nothing else could possibly do because it helps you take control of your own destiny. When you are a stay at home mom, there are so many things you have got to battle with, from finances to self-confidence and sometimes a feeling that perhaps you did not even make the right choice by giving up your career.

What you need to realize is that even though you have made that sacrifice to stay home, you don’t have to throw away your earning ability. Technology has made it easy to be able to earn an income from home. This is the reason I am writing this piece today to encourage stay at home moms to stand up and launch a business that can sustain you from home. The business will support your lifestyle and give you the ability to live the life you want without feeling like you have lost a lot by leaving your Job to stay home.

Your children will be much more thankful if you can prove that you could stay home to take care of their needs and still provide for them. You are not scrimping and saving just to make it through every month.

I believe that this generation is calling for what Mary Kay Ash did when the corporate world would not allow her rise because she is a woman, she went out and found her own company. Today we see the results of what she did, she inspired a whole generation of women to do something about their own situation.

If you are like most stay at home moms, perhaps you may be confused as to where to start from. How do you start a business online when you are not tech savvy and you have never run a business too, here is my Free Ebook, it will give the needed information to ramp up and start immediately.

If you are confused about choices to make then you need to read my post about business you can do from home to make up to 6 figures, get it Here.

Do you have a life experience you want to share with others, here is how you can monetize that experience and make a ton of money out it. Read my Post How to turn your Life experience into a money Printing online business.

If you already have a business idea but don’t know how to market it to your audience or how to turn it into a real business, then you need to read this post about 7 helpful tips for the home business owner.

So while the Jury is still out on whether you should get paid or not for the Job of raising your kids, you can choose to start a home Business. If you want to know how I did it, then read this story on how I ran my training solutions company from home

Here is a list of Home business ideas you can start from home as a stay at home mom.

- Online Marketing Consultant – If you love helping others promote their business on social media and other online avenues then an online marketing consultant might be something you’d like to do. With the popularity of Facebook and other social sites businesses need a lot of help doing everything from posting memes to helping them develop better profiles.
- Webinar Expert – Many types of business owners have regular webinars to promote their products and services. They need people who know how to use the platform they choose, how to set up sign up pages, and how to troubleshoot the technology.
- Online Business Manager –Just like a bricks and mortar business needs a manager, any business online that expects to grow needs a manager too. You can specialize with different niches such as managing a coaching business, an affiliate business or even an online business that sells physical products.
- Life / Business Coach – If you have a gift for helping people and the expertise to do it you can become a life or business coach. There are coaches that help people start businesses, lose weight, parent better and more.
- Affiliate Marketing – With affiliate marketing you usually combine blogging or vlogging with promoting other people’s products. You’ll get a special link that you set up to send people to the product and you’ll get a percentage of each sale that you make. Here is a Link to an affiliate marketing site that pays well AWIN:

Online Teacher / Tutor – Today, there are many ways that you can teach people online. You no longer have to be in the same room. You can use live streaming technology to meet with students live or you can set up courses using a platform like Udemy.com for almost any type of subject from learning to be happy to algebra.

Starting an online business simply requires knowledge of using the technology available, knowing who you want to work with, what your skills are and finding a way to match those qualities together to create an amazing online business.

When you work from home, most of the time you don’t have to get child care or buy nice clothing, or even have transportation. You can schedule your work around your children’s schedules and create a very balanced life while earning a full time living.

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May 4, 2017July 12, 2017

7 things to expect when working from Home.

The thrill that comes from earning your first dollar while working from home cannot be compared to anything else, especially when it’s your first time of trying out an online business. it validates what you have been saying to yourself from the beginning that it can work. Before you rush off to make that move of working from home, consider the 7 things to expect when working from home.

There are a lot of factors that come into play when working from home, but some of the things that happen, you may not initially expect. There are so many myths surrounding working from home that you may have fallen for the idea that it’s super easy to work from home. While there are many reason and benefits to working from home there are some things you need to know about in advance that you should expect.

- You’ll Learn Time Management – If you’re serious about making it as a work at home mom you’ll discover a new understanding of time, calendars, and schedules. It may seem unromantic but the more you schedule and calendar your days the more you’ll get done. To get your scheduling easily sorted out Here is a free software link for online calendars
- You’ll Get Lonely– It may seem crazy since you never liked working with people anyway (maybe) but you’ll get lonely working from home. Luckily that’s easily remedied by joining groups on Facebook or LinkedIn of other women and moms who work from home.
- You’ll have Distractions You Never Considered – Pets, children, neighbors, TV and even Facebook can be distractions to your success at working from home. What’s more, you’ll have to be self-motivated to avoid these distractions when you need to earn money.
- Your Spouse & Friends Won’t Understand– Many people don’t understand working from home and think it has to be a scam, a hobby or worse a lie you tell yourself every day. But, remember that you know the truth and you can combat their doubts by earning enough money to make a difference in your life. Here is a post I wrote to help you soldier on when others don’t believe in you.
- You May Let Yourself Go– When you have to go to work each day you’re forced to fix your hair, put on some makeup, and get dressed. But, when you work for yourself from home you don’t have to do any of that and you may end up gaining some weight or looking rundown. You can, of course, combat that by at least putting on some leggings after a shower each morning.

Funds Will Be Tight– When you first start your work at home business you may be working 40 hours a week without seeing any monetary results. In fact, you may be spending money instead of earning money at first. Before you quit your day job ensure that you can handle the expenses until you start earning a living.
Sometimes You’ll Get Discouraged– Working from home can be hard when you’re not bringing in enough money at first. Even when you are, sometimes it’ll get discouraging and you’ll want to give up. But, if you create a plan and follow the plan after having done your due diligence you’ll be successful. Here is a Post you can read to remind you of the reason you started out in the first place.

Finally, you’ll soon learn that you have to be completely self-motivated. If you are seeking for a way to transition right now to a work from home mom, dont worry, I have your back, just read my Free Ebook and you will be ready to go.

If my Blog has encouraged you, please share with your friends

Regards,

Elizabeth.

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March 30, 2017December 12, 2017

10 Tips to make your Home business effective

How to be an effective Home business owner — 10 tips to be effective in Business

The Effective Home Business.

Home-based businesses can be ideal if they are set up and maintained properly. The following are a set of tips to de-mystify the process of setting up a home business and running it smoothly.

-Scheduling is a Must: Even though you are working at home, it is important that you establish a proper business schedule, by making a proper schedule and sticking to it you are showing others that you are serious about what you are doing. It also shows them that you can be reliable and dependable.

-Set your work time: Reduce distractions by keeping your office off-limits to your kids. Have set work hours that enable you to run your business and still have time for your family. Older children should understand not to disturb you while you are working. For your business to succeed your family needs to be supportive and respectful of your work schedule.

-Content is king: People will keep coming to your website repeatedly when you have valuable content that solves their problems, therefore, you cannot afford to have a site that is not valuable. Your content drives traffic to your website which inevitably leads to more sales. If you are not so good at creating content, then you can use this valuable resource in Contentmart to create your content :find people to write content for their websites

-Index your Website Properly: Give your website address to as many search engines as possible, even the small, unknown ones. You want to do everything you can to increase the likelihood that a potential client will come across your site. This step does not take long and could have positive results for you in the future. An example of a good plugin that helps you index a new website is Google XML sitemaps, All in one SEO pack and Yoast SEO, they are plugins that help your site become more visible on the net and enables your page to perform better.

Just in case you are using WordPress for your site, here are some exciting plugins you don’t want to miss WordPress estore Plugin, WP Affiliate Program, WP PDF Stamper Plugin.

-Promotion is key: Promote your home business by running a contest on your website. It will attract potential customers to your page and possibly result in new sales. Get the word out about your promotion by advertising on social media sites, contest boards, ezines and search engines. The return you receive, will be well worth the extra effort involved. A word of caution here though, do not make it a habit as you will end up attracting people who are only interested in winning the prices for the contest and not what you have to say.

-The Magic word is Free: Use your website to advertise a free product for visitors. This will increase traffic to your site and give potential customers the ability to sample your product. Although it may cost a little money, in the beginning, you should make up for it in sales from impressed new customers. Freebies are the easiest way to collect people’s email addresses which you can use in selling products to them later or market affiliate products to them.

Handmade muticolor bags — Guanabana Handmade from abc Carpet and home

-Affiliates Increase your sales: Join an affiliate program and sell your products through them as well. You can search online to find several that will meet your needs. This allows your home business to exchange affiliate links and reach a broader customer base, leading to increased sales for your product. It is quick and easy to sign up. Some examples of such affiliate companies are Clickbank, Jvzoo, Rakuten Linkshare, Viglink, Izea, to mention but a few.

-Tax Matters: Consult a tax professional who is experienced in dealing with your type and size of business. There are several different tax requirements for different businesses, and there could very well be special statuses and credits given for your type of business. Remember also that you will always need someone to help with your tax filing click here to get an online tax filing service:Start Filing Your Taxes – Here

-Organization is Key: Keep everything as organized as possible to make it easier for you to keep your bills paid on time and your customers happy. Find a place with few distractions that you can dedicate to only your home business supplies. It will make the time that you spend working more efficient.

-Research is Key: There is no such thing as doing too much reading up and researching on how to make a home based business successful. So much needs to be in place and well managed before a home-based business is even a possibility. The rewards will be well worth the extra effort. One of the best advice I can give is to look up the influencers in your business niche and follow them, you can learn quite a lot from their mistakes and also from their success, thereby speeding up your own success.

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