Pieces are lurking in your closet that you know don’t belong there but you haven’t had the courage to face them because getting rid of the sweater from Aunt Becky is going to give you a serious guilt trip. Consider reselling it and using the money made to get what you really wanted your favorite aunt to give you on your birthday. While you are at it, gather all the unwanted clothes, shoes and accessories and follow these fun tips to make some cash and clear out the clutter.
Sell Online
One way to resell your stuff is by setting up a website and posting what you have for sale. You can make use of workflow automation for some of the tedious tasks, such as entering customer information because this will free up time for you to take care of other parts of this venture. Advantages to this include being in control of what the prices are and being able to keep all the cash you bring in. Shipping can be part of the price your customers pay. The small fees involved with setting up a website will be covered by just one item sold and takes a very small chunk out of the profits. A disadvantage to this method is having to build a customer base. Another way to sell online is by reaching out to established resale companies and signing up with their services. Advantages to this include having access to their customer base. Disadvantages include the fees that most of them take from what they sell for you. Most of these fees can be very small, as little as a couple of dollars, and are insignificant compared to what you can make if your stuff sells. Also, there are different markets you can appeal to, such as women’s, men’s or children’s clothing specialties.
Sell Through a Consignment Shop
If you want to do business in person, you can approach consignment stores to resell your goods. When they accept your merchandise, they will either pay you for them up front and then put them on their floor at a higher price so they make a profit, or they will pay you a percentage of what they make when items are sold. The clothes, shoes or accessories you are reselling need to be in the best condition possible. Make sure everything is clean and take the time to fix any damages so they look like new. In addition to paying cash for your stuff, some consignment stores will offer you store credit, which can be nice if you like the style of the shop. The advantages to consignment stores are that they have the customer base and all you have to do is drop your stuff off so there is no shipping involved. The disadvantages are many of them do not pay unless your items sell, and even then they take a large percentage of the money.
Sell at a Market
Another way to resell your stuff is by participating in a local market during nice weather months. Where you can do this is dependent on your community, but many cities have farmer markets that also feature local goods as well as local food. Some craft markets and festivals look for different vendors to offer a variety of merchandise for the crowd they hope to attract. It is always desirable to have lots of different types of booths to visit at fairs or shows. The advantage to reselling at markets is the access to crowds and possible customers. You can have your business cards on hand to direct people to your website if you have one. The disadvantages include the fees that are almost always associated with being in a show or market. There is also more work involved with setup and displaying your merchandise.
Hanging in your closet or lying in your dresser are items that need a new home, so clean them out and make some cash, too!