eBay

slpentico · ‎03-08-2022

Hello all, I’m in a bit of an inventory slump lately due to either lack luster selections at my local thrift stores or thrift store prices being to high for me to have room for profit. I’ve started looking around clearance at big box stores but the clearance discounts aren’t deep enough for me to have room to profit. I’m in a smaller are with only a couple of thrift stores. I know I could gamble on pallet auctions but m not looking for that big of a risk. Garage sales haven’t really started popping up yet.

this*old*attic · ‎03-08-2022

Seems like you’e following sensible ideas

Folks will suggest you do your own research, though. No one gives away their sources.

Anonymous · ‎03-08-2022

@slpentico

I would checkout the free items on Craigslist and sometimes people are moving and just don't have the time to sell. This can also lead you to other leads.

Good luck in your adventures.

Have fun!

mam98031 · ‎03-08-2022

Unlikely any seller that is actively selling is going to tell you where they get their inventory from so they can add you to their list of competitors.

Looks like you have some great ideas without any help. Just keep on thinking, you will come up with something.

mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999

"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you." Quote from Edward I Koch

coolections · ‎03-08-2022

I would think most Ebay sellers trying to make a buck wishes they knew where to get stuff cheap and make a profit. Those that do know will most likely not want to tell you as you would then become their competition. Maybe one of those storage locker buyouts?

katzrul15 · ‎03-08-2022

@slpentico

Inventory can be a struggle at times.

What interests you? We do buy/split pallets, but am picky on what "type".

I work FT, do e-Bay and Amazon. I also volunteer 1 day per week at our Church thrift. End up with great items from there and St Vincent de Paul thrift Retail store that we donate to and assist every once in a while.

Freecycle - have a close friend in my Seller group. He re-sells from Freecycle finds daily. He also dumpster dives at Bed Bath & Beyond, Kohls, Target, Ulta and Hallmark. None of them lock their bins. He used to at Barnes and Noble and Pier One. Pier One went out of business and B/N lock their dumpsters now.

I went with him 1 Saturday - his truck was full in about 2 hours. Many items needed cleaning, but he gets them for free, especially on Freecycle. I believe on Freecycle, you can also post "wants"....he gets lots of Books on there, media, furniture, lumber, etc.

Good luck to you!

....... "The Ranger isn't gonna like it Yogi"......... Boo-Boo knew what he was talking about!

Posting ID Only.......
Yes, I have no Bananas, only Flamethrowers.......

reallynicestamps · ‎03-08-2022

Some of these are local names for national or international site.

Freecycle.

Used. Victoria (Used.ca)

MaxSold (online auctions- many estates, downsizing, clearances)

Craigslist

Kijiji

One of our local churches has a Book Sale monthly with pews filled with donated titles. Another has a weekly rummage sale that takes up two of their outbuildings.

But my community is elderly, one poll has an average voter age of 71, and there are a lot of estates and downsizing going on.

Actually-- if you sell fine antiques (it's also a wealthy community) a vacation on Vancouver Island combined with sourcing would be a pleasant way to visit a very attractive part of Canada.

I just learned the Victoria Times Colonist Book Sale is back after two years ! They fill a curling rink for three days and on the first day the entry line is two hours long.

moondogblues · ‎03-09-2022

I also recommend Freecycle and Flea Markets. Library book sales are great. Usually we keep our sources to ourselves but due to the pandemic are not pursuing any of these avenues at this time. We do however wish to see items kept out of landfill and into other homes where they will be loved.

dbfolks166mt · ‎03-09-2022

Sourcing is becoming a challenge. Some of the more popular local forums I used to source from are rapidly becoming alternative platforms for sellers in the wake of the rising costs of the ecommerce sites and the Federal 1099 reporting requirements. While I still source from those I also use them to sell items on since I can post them form 15-20% less than what I can post them for on eBay since in most cases there are no seller fees, no shipping, low risk of returns or scams since the exchange is often person to person at a neutral safe location and done in cash.

I find estate sales to be a good source EstateSales.Net shows several estate sales in your area over the next couple of weeks.

Consignment auctions either in person or online can be a good source but I have also found that lately the bidders are driving prices through the roof. However, that is generally for a specific individually listed item. I have picked up bulk lots of things at a reasonable price that I was able to sub-divide.

fuzzface50 · ‎03-09-2022

You already cover some of the ways I source already and seeing you don't like pallet auctions then I am not sure you will like this one either but I like doing storage auctions. I was doing them before the shows came out regularly but then the shows came and destroyed that for about 5 years but now they are profitable again.

Even regular live auction especially a business or farm type I do well at.

antique stores in your area? Everyone thinks they are high but I made money from them by purchasing the right items.

Think outside of the box for a second. What do you have down in Texas that is readily available that northern states don't have and might want? You might think the item might be priced high locally but do a little research and maybe you will find out that across the country it is worth lots more to them because they only get it when the travel south. Like the person that posts here from Hawaii, they post items we don't get on the mainland that they have and if you are a native to that area you might want that special treat again.

Any business's you can make deals with? I use to sell spices years ago that I made a deal with a spice company locally. That was going over great until the owners son got older and became my competition few years later. it was hard for me to compete against my source and gave that up.

bashort · ‎03-09-2022

@this*old*attic wrote:
Seems like you’e following sensible ideas

Folks will suggest you do your own research, though. No one gives away their sources.

I will give away 2 of my better sources

Auctionzip, hibid auctions.

Find your niche and learn it, you will quickly find that sourcing inventory is the easiest part.

I would not recommend the purchase of big box return items because they are usually merchandise that was cheap and common when it was pristine and it will be far from pristine and buyers like us will most likely be getting pallets that have already been cherry picked.

eunster1313 · ‎03-09-2022

@katzrul15 wrote:
@slpentico

Inventory can be a struggle at times.

What interests you? We do buy/split pallets, but am picky on what "type".

I work FT, do e-Bay and Amazon. I also volunteer 1 day per week at our Church thrift. End up with great items from there and St Vincent de Paul thrift Retail store that we donate to and assist every once in a while.

Freecycle - have a close friend in my Seller group. He re-sells from Freecycle finds daily. He also dumpster dives at Bed Bath & Beyond, Kohls, Target, Ulta and Hallmark. None of them lock their bins. He used to at Barnes and Noble and Pier One. Pier One went out of business and B/N lock their dumpsters now.

I went with him 1 Saturday - his truck was full in about 2 hours. Many items needed cleaning, but he gets them for free, especially on Freecycle. I believe on Freecycle, you can also post "wants"....he gets lots of Books on there, media, furniture, lumber, etc.

Good luck to you!

luckythewinner · ‎03-09-2022

@slpentico wrote:
Hello all, I’m in a bit of an inventory slump lately due to either lack luster selections at my local thrift stores or thrift store prices being to high for me to have room for profit. I’ve started looking around clearance at big box stores but the clearance discounts aren’t deep enough for me to have room to profit. I’m in a smaller are with only a couple of thrift stores. I know I could gamble on pallet auctions but m not looking for that big of a risk. Garage sales haven’t really started popping up yet.

IMHO the answer to "where to find inventory" depends greatly upon what kind of items you are looking for. Without more information, I suspect you are going to get a lot of assumptions and/or general information that may not help.