eBay is a well-known classifieds website that allows you to buy and sell almost anything! The site is available in many parts of the world. It offers auction-style listings to people that want to sell physical goods. Of course, there’s also the option to have a fixed-price listing. And you can even let people submit “best offer” prices too.
Most people go on eBay because they want to buy something at a low price. Usually, that applies to used items that perhaps might have some wear and tear. But, there’s also a following of people that want vintage items. Examples include things like clothes and memorabilia.
Due to eBay’s global audience, it’s possible to make a living from selling vintage items. If that’s something you would love to do, read on to learn how.
Forge relationships with suppliers
When you sell vintage items, you have to source your products from somewhere. Sometimes you can even do that using eBay itself. But, for the most part, you’ll need to go offline to find good things to sell.
You might not think it, but some people regularly receive vintage items. For example, house clearance firms may get them and seldom have the time to sell them separately. If you build a good rapport with suppliers, they will contact you first with new stock.
Specialise in a niche market
The vintage goods sector comprises products from any industry that you can think of! Niche markets that are popular include clothing, signs, and scale model toys. You should select one niche market that you have particular expertise in.
That way, you can become an expert in the products you sell. Otherwise, you may end up making a loss due to your lack of knowledge and experience.
Standardise your packaging
It’s likely that the bulk of your sales will need to get despatched via post. For that reason, you should keep a stock of packaging materials. Are you planning on selling large volumes of stock? If so, it’s worth buying direct from manufacturers.
For example, let’s say that you’re specialising in vintage posters. You should talk to postal tube manufacturers to buy packaging material in bulk. It’s cheaper than doing so from retail outlets.
Have a backup plan for products you can’t sell
One of the downsides to selling vintage items is your stock can get affected by trends. If you have stock of something that isn’t popular anymore, what will you do with those items?
If they don’t sell on eBay, you should consider alternative classifieds platforms. Examples include Gumtree and Craigslist. Otherwise, you could offer items as a “job lot” to local vintage stores and retailers.
Brush up on your ad copy and photography skills
Last, but not least, improve your ad descriptions and photographs. These are the two key elements that will help you sell your vintage items! If your ads have poor copy with spelling and grammar mistakes, they won’t help your cause. Neither will blurry, out of focus photos taken on a mobile phone!
