I still remember the adrenaline spike I felt in 2018 when I pulled a muddy, yellow Sony Sports Walkman out of a donation bin. It wouldn't turn on, the battery terminal was corroded, and it smelled like a damp basement. I paid fifty cents for it. I listed it on eBay as "For Parts/Repair," fully expecting it to sit for months.
It sold in twelve hours for $45.
That specific sale rewired my brain. It wasn't about what I wanted; it was about what the market was desperate for. I realized that eBay isn't just a marketplace for new gadgets; it is a global archive where nostalgia and utility collide. While everyone else was fighting over Supreme drops and PS5s, I was quietly making a living selling broken electronics and discontinued blender lids.
If you are reading this, you are probably looking for the best things sold on ebay to start your own side hustle, or you’re trying to pivot away from a saturated niche. The truth is, the "best" items aren't always the flashy ones. They are often the boring, invisible essential items that keep the world running.
Analyzing the Best Items to Sell on eBay for Maximum Profit
When you look at the data for what items sell the most on ebay, you see two stories. One is volume (millions of phone cables), and one is profit. As a seller, you want profit.
The "High Sell-Through" Strategy: I use a metric called Sell-Through Rate (STR). If 100 items are listed and 100 sold in the last 90 days, that is a 100% STR. That is a hot item.
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Video Games: Consistently high STR. A copy of NCAA Football 14 for Xbox 360 isn't just a game; it's a cult classic that sells for $70+.
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Digital Cameras: The Gen Z obsession with the "Y2K aesthetic" has made old Canon PowerShot and Nikon Coolpix cameras skyrocket. I used to pass these up at thrift stores; now they are instant buys.
My Personal Anecdote: In 2023, I found a bag of old remote controls for $5. Most were junk, but one was a specific remote for a high-end Bose Wave Radio. That single remote sold for $55. The good things to sell on ebay are often the accessories that people lose.
Highest Selling Products Online: The "Boring" Essentials
If you want to know the highest selling products online that fly under the radar, look at what breaks in your own house.
1. Replacement Parts: When a $500 Vitamix blender breaks a lid, people don't buy a new blender. They pay $30 for a replacement lid.
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Vacuum Attachments: Dyson tools are liquid gold.
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Appliance Shelves: Refrigerator door bins often sell for $40-$60.
2. Discontinued Health & Beauty: This is a weird one, but profitable. When a company changes the formula of a shampoo or discontinues a specific lipstick shade, loyal customers panic-buy.
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Opinion Statement: I avoid liquidating expired goods (it’s against TOS), but if you find sealed, discontinued hair dye or perfume, the margins are insane. I once sold a discontinued Bath & Body Works lotion for $45. Retail price was $12.
Here's where it gets interesting... The most bought items online are often consumables. If you can find a source for ink cartridges (HP, Epson) that are new and sealed, you have a license to print money. Just check the expiration dates carefully.
Finding Good Things to Sell on eBay in Your Own Garage
You don't need a wholesale supplier to find the best items to sell on ebay. You probably have $1,000 sitting in your junk drawer.
The "Death Pile" Audit:
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Old Cables: Genuine Apple cables or proprietary connectors for old cameras.
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Instruction Manuals: Yes, really. People buy the original manual for their vintage car or complex camera to increase its resale value.
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Broken Tech: "For Parts" is a legitimate category. I sell broken Nintendo DS consoles regularly. People buy them to fix them or harvest the screens.
My Honest Failure: I once tried to sell a lot of generic "glassware" I inherited. I spent hours photographing clear vases.
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The Result: They sat for a year. Two broke in shipping. I lost money on bubble wrap.
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Lesson: Generic home decor is not a good thing to sell on ebay. Stick to branded items or things with a model number.
The Best Way to Ship Things Sold on eBay
Logistics will make or break you. You can find the best things sold on ebay, but if you ship them wrong, you lose your profit.
The Essentials:
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Poly Mailers: For clothing and soft goods. Cheap and waterproof.
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Bubble Wrap: Don't scrimp.
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Thermal Printer: I use a Rollo printer. It saves me from buying ink and taping paper labels.
The eBay Standard Envelope: This is a game changer for small items (trading cards, coins, stickers) under $20.
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Cost: Less than $1 with tracking.
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Why it matters: It opens up the market for low-value items that aren't worth shipping via Ground Advantage ($4+).
Now the tricky part... Dimensions matter more than weight sometimes.
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Anecdote: I sold a large plastic toy. It weighed 2 lbs. But the box was 18 inches long. The "Dimensional Weight" pricing kicked in, and shipping cost me $40 instead of the $15 I estimated.
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Opinion Statement: Always measure your box before you list. If an item is over a cubic foot (12x12x12), the shipping cost jumps exponentially.
I use Closo Crosslister to automate my inventory management – saves me about 3 hours weekly – which frees up time to focus on packing fragile items correctly rather than typing data entry.
Most Bought Items Online vs. Most Profitable
There is a difference between what sells fast and what makes money.
The "Hype" Trap (Sneakers): Sneakers are arguably the most bought items online in the resale sector. But the margins are thin because everyone is doing it.
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Competition: You are competing with bots and massive warehouses.
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Verification: eBay's Authenticity Guarantee is great, but it adds time to the payout.
The "Long Tail" Win (Vintage): I prefer items that sell slower but have higher margins.
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Vintage Car Parts: A taillight for a 1995 Ford F-150 might sit for 3 months. But when it sells, I bought it for $5 and sold it for $80.
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Ephemera: Old postcards, yearbooks, and brochures. Easy to store, cheap to ship, high ROI.
People always ask me...
"What items sell the most on eBay for beginners?"
People always ask me this. Start with media. Video games, DVDs, and CDs are the easiest entry point.
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Why: They have barcodes (easy to scan and list). They are durable (hard to break in shipping). They are cheap to source at garage sales ($1-$2).
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The Strategy: Don't just look for Mario. Look for obscure horror movies on DVD or Japanese role-playing games. That's where the value is.
"Is selling clothes worth it?"
Common question I see. Yes, but be selective.
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Best Brands: Outdoor gear (Patagonia, Arc'teryx) and workwear (Carhartt) hold value incredibly well.
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Avoid: Fast fashion (Shein, H&M). The shipping cost exceeds the value of the item.
"How do I know what an item is worth?"
People always ask me this. Never guess.
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The Tool: use the eBay app's barcode scanner.
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The Filter: Filter by "Sold Items" (not active). Active listings tell you what people hope to get. Sold listings tell you what people actually paid.
Conclusion
Finding the best things sold on ebay is a treasure hunt that never ends. It changes the way you look at the world. You stop seeing a pile of old magazines and start seeing a potential $100 bill.
But remember, this is a business of logistics. Sourcing is the fun part; shipping is the work. Focus on items that are easy to ship and hard to find locally. That is the arbitrage sweet spot.
If you are ready to turn your "death pile" into cash, start listing today. And if you want to keep your growing inventory organized across eBay, Poshmark, and Mercari without losing your mind, check out our guide on Inventory Management for Multi-Platform Sellers.
FAQ Page Schema
Here's something everyone wants to know: Is eBay still profitable in 2025? Yes, absolutely. While fees have risen slightly, eBay remains the largest global marketplace for used goods with over 130 million active buyers. The key to profitability is sourcing items with high sell-through rates (like vintage electronics or replacement parts) rather than competing in oversaturated markets like generic clothing.
Common question I see: What is the best way to ship things sold on eBay? For items under 1lb, USPS Ground Advantage is the standard. It offers tracking and insurance. For items over 1lb, UPS Ground or FedEx Home Deliveryis often cheaper, especially for cross-country shipping. Always buy your labels through eBay (eBay Labels) to get the commercial discount, which is significantly cheaper than retail post office rates.
People always ask me: What sells fastest on eBay? Consumer Electronics (smartphones, video games) and Brand Name Clothing (sneakers, activewear) sell the fastest. These categories have massive daily search volumes. However, "fast" selling often means lower margins due to competition. Niche collectibles may sell slower but offer higher profit per item.
