I still have the screenshot of my first "real" flip. It was 2018, and I was at a garage sale when I spotted a rusty, grime-covered espresso machine. The seller wanted $10. I almost walked away because it looked like it belonged in a landfill.But something about the weight of it—heavy, solid steel—made me pause. I bought it, spent three hours descaling it with vinegar, and polishing the chrome. It was a vintage Olympia Cremina. I listed it on eBay that night. It sold for $1,200 the next morning.
That 12,000% ROI moment ruined me for a "normal" job. It taught me that value is often just a matter of context and a little elbow grease. Whether you are looking to clear $500 a month to cover groceries or scale a full-blown e-commerce empire, learning how to resell is the closest thing to printing money that is legally allowed. But the landscape in 2026 is different than it was back then; you can't just list random junk and hope for the best. You need data, speed, and a cross-platform strategy.
How to Start Reselling (The "No Money" Method)
When people ask me how to start reselling, they usually follow it up with, "But I don't have $500 to buy inventory."Here’s where it gets interesting... You don't need money. You need "Death Piles." A death pile is reseller slang for the stuff sitting in your house that you haven't touched in a year.
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The Closet Audit: Go to your closet. Pull out anything with a tag you haven't worn, or brands like Patagonia,Lululemon, or vintage Nike.
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The Junk Drawer: Old remote controls (Sony/Panasonic), scientific calculators (TI-83/84), and old film cameras.
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The Bathroom: Half-used perfumes or discontinued lotions. Yes, people buy used perfume on eBay (listed as "used/partially full") because the scent has been discontinued.
Honest Failure: In my first month, I spent my last $100 on "mystery boxes" of Amazon returns. I thought I would get iPads. I got 50 broken phone cases and a used toothbrush.Lesson: Never pay for mystery inventory when you are starting.Sell what you own first. It teaches you the shipping and listing process without risking your rent money.
Good Items to Resell: The 2026 Hit List
Once you have exhausted your house, you need to source. But what are good items to resell right now? Forget the "Beanie Babies" or generic "Disney VHS" myths. You want boring, necessary, or nostalgic items.
1. "Boring" Replacement Parts:
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Blender Lids: A Vitamix lid sells for $25 alone.
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Vacuum Attachments: Dyson attachments found in thrift store bins for $1 sell for $15-$30 online.
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Refrigerator Shelves: If you see a broken fridge on the curb on trash day, take the plastic shelves. They sell for $40+ to people who cracked theirs.
2. Vintage "Y2K" Tech:
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Digital Cameras: The crappy 4-megapixel Canon PowerShot from 2005? Gen Z loves them for the "aesthetic." They sell for $100+.
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iPod Classics: Even broken ones sell for parts.
3. Paper Ephemera:
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Instruction Manuals: A manual for a vintage Nintendo game can sell for more than the game itself.
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Old Maps/Brochures: People frame them.
Sourcing Smarter: Closo Demand Signals
The biggest mistake rookies make is buying items nobody wants. You find a cool vase, buy it for $5, and it sits for 3 years. I stopped guessing and started using Closo Demand Signals.
How Closo predicts demand across categories 6 weeks ahead is by analyzing search velocity before it hits the mainstream.
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The Anecdote: In October 2025, Closo flagged "Coquette Aesthetic Decor" (lots of ribbons and bows) as a rising trend.
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The Action: I went to the thrift store and bought every cheap porcelain figurine with a bow I could find.
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The Result: By December, the trend peaked on TikTok. I sold $5 figurines for $45 each because I was "early" to the keyword search.
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The Data: I didn't get lucky; I followed the signal.
I use Closo to automate my sourcing research – saves me about 3 hours weekly of doom-scrolling sold listings.
Where to Resell Items: The Platform Matrix
Knowing how to resell also means knowing where to resell. A suit sells on eBay. A hoodie sells on Depop. A sofa sells on Facebook. If you put them on the wrong platform, they will rot.
The Breakdown:
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eBay: The "Everything Store." Best for electronics, collectibles, parts, and obscure items.
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Fee: ~13.25%
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Poshmark: Best for mall-brand clothing (J. Crew, Madewell) and shoes.
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Fee: 20% flat.
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Mercari: The "Garage Sale" app. Great for items under 1lb, toys, and household goods.
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Fee: Varies (often 0% for sellers now, buyer pays fees).
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Depop: Best for vintage, streetwear, and Y2K trends.
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Fee: 10%
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Opinion Statement: I honestly hate Poshmark's "sharing" requirement (you have to share listings to get views). It feels like a pyramid scheme social network. However, for clothing, the shipping is flat-rate and easy, so I tolerate it.
Best Items to Resell: The "Parting Out" Strategy
One of the best items to resell is actually a broken item that you disassemble. This is called "parting out." The sum of the parts is often worth 3x the whole.
The Lego Strategy:
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Buy a bulk bin of random Legos for $50.
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Do not build the sets.
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Sort out the "Minifigures."
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Sell the Minifigures individually. A single Star Wars figure can be $50.
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Sell the rest by the pound.
The Board Game Strategy:
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Find a Monopoly game at Goodwill for $3.
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If it’s missing pieces, don't walk away. Buy it.
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Sell the "Property Cards" as a set on eBay.
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Sell the "Metal Tokens" as a set.
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Why? People lose the dog token and want to replace it without buying a whole new game.
Scaling with Closo 100% Free Crosslister
If you are listing on just one platform, you are leaving 50% of your sales on the table. But manually copying photos from eBay to Poshmark is soul-crushing.
I use the Closo 100% Free Crosslister to serve as my force multiplier.
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The Workflow: I take photos and create the "Master Listing" on eBay (because it requires the most specific data).
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The Magic: I click one button, and Closo propagates that listing to Poshmark, Mercari, and Depop.
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The Safety Net: When the item sells on Poshmark, Closo helps me de-list it from eBay so I don't accidentally sell it twice.
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The Result: I list 10 items a day, but it looks like 40 items to the internet.
Resell Items: Legal and Tax Reality Check (2026)
We need to talk about the boring stuff: Taxes. In 2026, the IRS threshold for receiving a 1099-K form is $20,000 and 200 transactions (restored by the OBBBA).
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What this means: If you sell less than $20k, platforms like eBay might not send you a tax form automatically.
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The Catch: You still owe taxes on your profit. Even if you sell $500.
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The Write-offs: You can deduct the cost of goods sold (COGS), shipping supplies, mileage to the thrift store, and your home office space.
Parenthetical Aside: (I keep a simple Google Sheet. Column A: Cost. Column B: Sale Price. Column C: Fees. If you don't track this, you will panic in April. Do it from Day 1.)
Common Questions I See
People always ask me... Is reselling legal?
Yes. It is called the "First Sale Doctrine." Once you buy an item legally, you have the right to sell it, destroy it, or paint it pink. Brands cannot stop you from reselling their authentic products (though they can stop you from selling counterfeitsor claiming you are an "authorized dealer").
Common question I see... How do I ship items cheaply?
Use "Pirate Ship" or eBay's internal labels. Never go to the post office retail counter and pay full price. A 4oz package costs $4 online vs $6 at the counter. For heavy items, use UPS Ground or FedEx Home Delivery.
People always ask me... What if a buyer returns an item?
It happens. Don't take it personally. If you sold a VCR and it broke in transit, accept the return, refund the buyer, and file an insurance claim. Fighting returns usually hurts your algorithm standing more than the loss of $20.
Conclusion
Learning how to resell is a journey from "scavenger" to "business owner." It starts with finding a $5 profit in your junk drawer and evolves into analyzing market data to make $5,000 inventory buys. The barrier to entry is zero. The inventory is everywhere. The only variable is your willingness to look where others don't.
My honest assessment is that reselling is the most accessible path to financial freedom in 2026. You don't need a degree or a loan; you just need to install a few apps and start scanning.
If you are ready to stop guessing and start sourcing based on data, use the Closo Seller Hub to find your winning products.
For more on where to list your new inventory, read our Pages Similar to eBay Guide
And if you want to know exactly what items will be flying off the shelves next month, check out Trending Products Forecast 2026
