How to start a reselling side hustle
Jun 3, 2025
Kickstarting Your Reselling Side Hustle: Practical Steps for Beginners
Reselling is an accessible way to earn extra income—no need for huge investments or advanced technical skills. With the right approach, anyone can build a profitable side hustle, even with a busy schedule. This guide walks you through the essentials of starting a reselling business, keeping things beginner-friendly and actionable. We’ll cover how to choose what to sell, set up your listings, keep everything in sync, manage basic teamwork, track your profit, and handle shipping or pickups efficiently.
1. Pick Your Niche (and Source Products)
Start by thinking about what you know or have easy access to. Popular beginner-friendly niches include:
Clothing and shoes (especially vintage or branded)
Electronics and gadgets
Books and textbooks
Collectibles (toys, cards, memorabilia)
Home goods and small appliances
Source your inventory from thrift stores, clearance racks, yard sales, Facebook Marketplace, or even your own unused items. Start small—just 10–20 items is more than enough to learn the ropes.
2. Choose Where to Sell
The best marketplaces for resellers are easy to use and have built-in buyer traffic. Most beginners start with:
eBay (general goods, collectibles, electronics)
Poshmark (clothing, accessories)
Mercari (general goods)
Facebook Marketplace (local deals, furniture, bulky items)
Depop (youth fashion, vintage)
Pick one or two to start. As you grow, cross-listing (selling the same item on multiple platforms) helps you sell faster—but managing that can get tricky without the right system.
3. Set Up a Central Inventory System
Staying organized is crucial, especially if you list on multiple sites. A central inventory system helps you:
Track what you have and where it’s listed
Keep listings in sync (so you don’t accidentally sell the same item twice)
Assign tasks if you’re working with friends or family
For absolute beginners, a simple spreadsheet (Google Sheets or Excel) works. Track:
Item description
Purchase cost
Selling price
Where it’s listed (e.g., eBay, Poshmark)
Status (listed, sold, shipped)
As you scale up, consider tools that automate this process. Gavelbase is designed for resellers to sync inventory and listings across major marketplaces, making it easier to avoid double-selling and manage your workflow.
4. Create High-Quality Listings
Good listings sell faster and for more money. Focus on:
Photos: Use natural light and clear backgrounds. Show any flaws.
Title: Be specific (brand, size, model, color, condition).
Description: Include measurements, material, and any imperfections.
Price: Check what similar items have sold for (on eBay, search and filter by "Sold items").
Copy your listings to each platform, but tweak them to fit the site’s audience (for example, more style-focused on Poshmark, more detailed specs on eBay).
5. Assign Basic Team Roles (If Collaborating)
If you’re reselling with a friend or family member, basic role assignment helps avoid confusion:
One person handles sourcing and photography
One person uploads listings and handles messages
Both can chip in with shipping or pickups
Even if you're solo, creating a simple process checklist keeps things consistent—especially if you plan to grow.
6. Track Sales, Fees, and Profits
To understand what’s working (and avoid surprises at tax time), track:
Sale price
Marketplace fees (e.g., eBay, PayPal, Poshmark take a cut)
Shipping costs
Net profit per item
A simple spreadsheet does the job at first. If you expand, automation tools like Gavelbase or inventory management apps can simplify tracking and reporting, freeing up your time for sourcing and selling.
7. Handle Shipping and Pickup Smoothly
Shipping can make or break your buyer’s experience (and your reviews). Keep it simple:
Stock basic supplies: polymailers, boxes, tape, a scale, and a printer
Use each marketplace’s built-in shipping labels (often cheaper than retail postage)
Ship within 1–2 business days of sale
Communicate proactively—send tracking info and answer questions
For local deals (like on Facebook Marketplace), meet in safe, public locations and accept cash or digital payments (Venmo, PayPal).
8. Keep Improving: Learn from Every Sale
After each batch of sales, review what worked:
Which items sold fastest?
Where did you get the best prices?
What questions did buyers ask?
This feedback loop helps you refine your sourcing, pricing, and listing strategies over time. Join online reselling communities (like Reddit r/Flipping or eBay Community) to learn from others’ experiences.
Action Steps Recap
Pick a niche and source a small starter batch
Choose one or two marketplaces and sign up
Create a basic inventory tracker (spreadsheet or tool like Gavelbase)
Take clear photos and write detailed, accurate listings
Assign basic team roles if collaborating
Track every sale, fee, and shipping cost
Ship quickly or arrange safe pickups
Review your results and adjust for next time
Starting a reselling side hustle is about taking simple, repeatable steps and learning as you go. By staying organized and focused, you’ll avoid common beginner mistakes and set yourself up for long-term success.