Is Thrift Store Clothing Still Profitable on eBay?

Many of you who follow my eBay store have noticed that I am no longer selling clothing found in thrift stores and that my inventory has shifted to consumer products. This blog post is a response to those of you out there who have contacted me with the question, "If you aren't selling thrift store clothing anymore, does that mean it is no longer profitable?'

The answer - Thrift Store clothing is still a good seller on eBay!

My eBay business and my life are completely different than when I started selling on eBay back in 2003. My children were 7 and 9, and as a single parent, I wanted a way to make money from home. I would make 1 or 2 thrift store runs a week and spend the bulk of my time processing, photographing, listing, and shipping the items - all from the comfort of home on a schedule that worked for my family.

My children are now 12 and 14 and are much more independent. They can be at home by themselves if I have to run an errand, meet with a client, or hold a seminar or class. My coaching business occupies much of my time now as I do telephone consulting, one-on-one consulting, and seminars and classes for other moms who want to learn how to make money on eBay. I also am a compensated writer for other blogs, women's causes, and work-from-home sites. And of course, there are my eBooks which I will continue to crank out as fast as I can - right now I have two in process - all about shoes, and how to market your store on the internet for free. I've also got some new ventures in the works that you will be reading about in the next few months.

So, do not dispair that my eBay store does not contain the items that I describe in my books. Trust me, after selling over 10,000 pieces of clothing on eBay, I've learned a few things. Those of you who sell clothing will agree that it is time consuming and labor intensive, however, a good fit for moms at home with small children as you can work on clothing at your own pace and clothing is something that everyone around the world will always need.

As for my inventory now, I have made some new connections where I am able to experiment with new products at a minimal investment. Keep in mind that your eBay store will continue to evolve as time goes by. I started out selling lingerie, then books, then dishes and kitchen items, and finally clothing. I found that clothing was easy to find, easy to store and ship, and everyone needs it (and needs to replace it eventually) so clothing is a good, reliable seller.

I am not in the thrift stores much anymore, but come winter, I guarantee I will be visting them to look for some 100% cashmere sweaters - for myself this time!

Happy selling!