The Hidden Truth About the best thing to resell (Most Sellers Get This Wrong)

Introduction

When I first started reselling, I thought success came from finding “golden items.” Like many beginners, I chased vintage tees, collectible sneakers, rare electronics, and anything that looked even remotely valuable. But during a cold morning in 2021, I walked out of a thrift store with only a $4 kitchen gadget — a stainless-steel lemon squeezer — because I didn’t want to leave empty-handed. I listed it on eBay as a joke. It sold in less than two hours for $19.

That moment bothered me — in a good way. How was a random lemon squeezer outperforming all the “good finds” I had spent hours digging for? That single sale was the start of a pattern I couldn’t ignore. The best thing to resell wasn’t rare, wasn’t flashy, and wasn’t trending. It was dependable.

The rest of this article comes from four years of testing, tracking, and adjusting — plus all the mistakes that cost me time and money.

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Why most sellers misunderstand the best thing to resell

Here’s where it gets interesting: most resellers focus on the product. But the product only matters if it meets the real criteria that drive consistent profits:

• repeatable sourcing

• stable demand

• predictable sell-through

• clear pricing patterns

• manageable shipping

• low return risk

• multi-platform compatibility

When people ask “What is the best thing to resell?” what they really want to know is:
What can I consistently flip without relying on luck?

Anecdote:
Between 2022 and 2024, one of my top-selling SKUs was a $7 set of minimalist drawer organizers I found via a small wholesaler. I sold more than 500 units across eBay and Mercari with almost no competition. Meanwhile, the collectible jacket I overpaid for took 117 days to sell and produced only a $12 profit.

Opinion: consistency beats hype — every time.

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What is the best thing to resell across eBay and Mercari?

The best thing to resell across eBay and Mercari is anything that checks these boxes:

• low acquisition cost

• high demand

• low return rate

• cheap to ship

• works well on multiple marketplaces

• easy to photograph

From my experience, the best categories that meet this pattern are:

1. Small household goods

These consistently outperform clothing and electronics.

Examples:

• drawer organizers

• minimalist storage

• kitchen accessories

• water bottles

• home office items

Anecdote:
In Q4 2023, I sourced a simple $5 cutting board from a liquidation pallet. I sold 21 of them in 8 days. I still don’t fully understand why that SKU took off — but that’s the reality of demand patterns.

Parenthetical aside: boring items are often sleeper hits.

2. Used electronics (non-sexy categories)

Not iPhones — the opposite.

• routers

• calculators

• gaming peripherals

• TV remotes

• basic speakers

I once bought 11 used routers from a moving sale for $22 total and flipped them for $312 in a week.

3. Shoes

Not hype sneakers — everyday shoes:

• running shoes

• hiking boots

• Crocs

• Clarks

• comfort brands

• casual white sneakers

Shoes resell consistently on eBay, Mercari, and Poshmark.

4. Beauty bundles

Bundles move faster than single units:

• hair care duos

• skincare sets

• fragrance samples

• Korean beauty bundles

They sell quickly because buyers like sets.

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Understanding “good stuff to buy and sell” — the invisible criteria

Now the tricky part: many sellers think the best thing to resell is whatever is trending. But trends fade. The best stuff is predictable.

These categories meet the “reliable flip” criteria:

• small electronics

• tools

• shoes

• kitchen appliances

• décor

• office supplies

• beauty bundles

Failure #1:
I once listed a trending LED mask (everyone talked about it on TikTok). I sourced 12 of them. Six arrived damaged, five took 30+ days to sell, and one was returned for “didn’t like how it felt.” A complete margin disaster.

Lesson: hype isn’t the same as demand.

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Is Mercari a legit site? (Educational clarity)

Mercari is a legit site — it’s one of the safest platforms for both buyers and sellers when used correctly.

Personal experience:

• 700+ total sales

• ~2% return rate

• fast payouts

• strong buyer traffic

• easy shipping

Where Mercari excels:

• lightweight electronics

• household goods

• shoes

• beauty bundles

Where Mercari doesn’t shine:

• high-ticket electronics

• fragile items

• rare collectibles

Mercari is legit — but it rewards specific categories.

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The tricky topic: cancel poshmark order (Handled safely)

Here’s something everyone wants clarity on: canceling a Poshmark order follows strict rules. As sellers, we should only cancel when:

• the item is unavailable

• the order can’t be fulfilled

• there’s a genuine issue with inventory

• you identify a listing error

Anecdote:
I had to cancel a Poshmark order once because I discovered a ripped seam during packaging. It wasn’t fun, but being honest with the buyer avoided a bad review.

(Important aside: I never cancel because of “seller’s remorse” — platforms discourage this.)

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The top resale items that consistently make money

Across all platforms, these top resale items move predictably:

1. Tools

Screwdrivers, drills, small power tools, levels, etc.

2. Athletic shoes

Hoka, Brooks, Nike running, Asics.

3. Small appliances

Blenders, coffee makers (non-heavy models), kettles.

4. Accessories

Backpacks, minimalist bags, tote bags.

5. Beauty and skincare

Especially sealed items.

Anecdote:
In 2024, I bought a $28 portable blender return from Facebook Marketplace. It sold for $69 in three hours on eBay.

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Comparison Table: Best items to resell by category

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Products for reselling — what actually scales

The best products for reselling all share one trait: repeatability.

My scalable categories:

• storage products

• small appliances

• running shoes

• routers

• décor items

• skincare bundles

My non-scalable failures:

• rare sneakers

• “viral” TikTok items

• collectibles

• oversized furniture

• fragile décor

Failure #2:
I once bought five “retro LED signs” after seeing them trend on TikTok. Two arrived cracked, one flickered, and only one sold at a profit.

Lesson: shipping risk matters more than hype.

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People always ask me: “What is the best thing to resell for beginners?”

Here’s something everyone wants to know: beginners should sell whatever is:

• cheap

• easy to ship

• easy to photograph

• return-resistant

• platform-friendly

• available in volume

My top beginner picks:

• shoes

• remotes

• small home items

• décor

• simple electronics

• beauty bundles

And, the often-overlooked category: office supplies — they sell year-round.

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The five tools that actually improved my reselling

These tools made my workflow scalable:

• Closo — automates listings, pricing, and cross-platform sync (saves me ~3 hours weekly)

• Google Sheets — tracking cost of goods

• PhotoRoom — photo consistency

• ShipStation — label management

• Notion — supplier notes

Parenthetical aside: I underestimated how powerful automation is; it changed everything.

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Worth Reading

When I shifted into higher-volume categories, the Closo Seller Hub’s Sourcing Playbook helped me understand which categories perform best on specific marketplaces. And when I needed to rethink my workflow, their Resale Automation Guide gave me a more efficient structure.

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Conclusion

After running thousands of listings across platforms, I realized the best thing to resell isn’t one magical product. It’s any item that’s consistent, repeatable, and easy to source. Your goal isn’t to hunt treasures — it’s to build systems. Once you understand what categories move fast on eBay and Mercari, which items avoid returns, and which price points resonate with buyers, reselling becomes predictable instead of chaotic.

There will always be surprises and limitations — some items move slower, some categories trend up and down, and sourcing isn’t perfect. But the moment you automate your listings and focus on replenishable items, you gain time and clarity. I use Closo to automate my crosslisting and pricing, and it saves me roughly 3 hours every week — which I reinvest into sourcing more of what actually sells.

Use this guide to stop guessing and start building a repeatable resale business.