Dress for sale on Poshmarkle” for thousands of people, world-wide, is reselling used goods on web sites like eBay, Poshmark, Mercari, Facebook Market Place, Offer Up, Craigslist, and others.
Motivation for these “side hussles” is, of
course, the need for money. However, many say they also want to reduce solid
waste, recycled used goods, and reuse items that continue to be in good
condition.
Anyone who lost a job or can’t return to
work due to the virus can start a business from home with some relatively
simple tools and some specific computer skills without spending much money.
How does reselling work? What do you need to
know in order to start your own business and resell used goods on-line? How
much are you likely to earn? What are the costs? What are the risks?
There is a short list of “Must Have” before
you can resell on-line. You MUST: (1) Have a certain level of computer skills.
(2) Own a computer—desk top or lap top or use a cell phone that has Internet
access. (3) Have access to a printer that has Internet access. (4) Have a
source of goods to resell. (5) Have packing/shipping supplies on hand. (6) Be
prepared to mail/ship items in a timely fashion—every 2 to 3 days. (7) Have an
e mail address and access so you can send and receive e mails.
Assuming you are prepared, here are the
steps to operating a reselling business over the Internet: Study the web site of the company you plan to use in your business.
Learn how to use this web site. Set up a page with your e mail,
password, and photo of yourself or an image you choose. Determine a source for the goods you plan to sell.
(Everyone says to begin reselling by taking things from your own home. DO NOT shop and spend money on items
to resell until you know what you are doing.) Make photos of the goods you plan to sell. Research each item to learn the original price. Decide on a price you want to set for
each item. Prepare and write a
description of each item including the designer or producer, color, size,
condition, and any other details that need to be given. Begin to build a “closet” or your own section of
the web site by uploading between 3 and
16 photos of each item you list.
List as many as 100 items for a good start.
(It is estimated you will sell 10% of the number of items you have listed. In
order to sell 10 items, you need to list 100).
If you
plan to make reselling a permanent part-time job, you will need to continue to
add to this number. Many resellers have as many as 8,000 items in their
“closets,” most have well over 3,000. You might begin to earn profit after you
have listed 30 to 50 items; having more listed in your closet will bring more
sales.
You may need to clean, wash, or repair goods
you want to sell. Problems will arise you will need to handle. You will need to
develop a good relationship with your local United States Post Office and your
local carrier. They can be of great help. The USPS will provide you with free
envelopes large enough to hold up to 3 articles of clothing. You will need to
research more about this by going on line to their web site and it is always a
good idea to discuss your plans with the local workers.
How much you earn is dependent on the goods
you have to sell and the demand for those goods as well as the price you set
and the price someone is willing to pay you. Example: You might set the price
of a jacket at $50, but the only offers you get are $20. If you decide to hang
on to the jacket until you get $50 or something nearer to that price, you are
known as a “long tail” flipper. Most resellers will take the $20, clear that
item out of their life, and move on. You can’t make any money if you aren’t
accepting offers.
Remember: Nothing is as easy as it appears to
the folks who do not have to do it.
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