5 New Things I Learned to Sell on eBay in 2014

2014 has been an interesting year both personally and professionally. It started for me with some unexpected medical issues, a hospital stay, and surgery. My youngest graduated from high school in the spring, and started college this fall, and my house is on the market as I prepare to downsize and enter the next chapter of my life. That being said, eBay is always running in the background and I continually challenge myself to learn new things each year and share them with my readers.

I have to thank other sellers on my Facebook group for this information (now over 18,000 sellers strong) - you guys and gals rock every week sharing your sales on Money Making Mondays. Here are the top 5 things I learned and put into practice this year thanks to the power of community.

Vineyard Vines. If you aren't familiar with this brand, get to know it. Pretty much everything in the store costs over $80 - and has great resale value on eBay. Here are a few items I found and sold this year:

Vineyard Vines Tote Bag $1 at thrift store, sold for $29.97 

Vineyard Vines Shep Shirt $4 at thrift store, sold for $69.97

Vineyard Vines Tie $1 at thrift store, sold for $62

 Granny Square afghans. I never would have given these a second look until I saw other sellers posting about them. A beautiful vintage item that is easy to spot at thrift stores, estate sales, and garage sales. Here are a few I sold this year:

Granny Square Afghan $10 at estate sale, sold for $79.97 + shipping

Granny Square Afghan $2 at thrift store, sold for $64.97 + shipping

Completed needlework. There is a lot of opportunity in this niche if you know what to look for. And this type of item is often overlooked and under-priced at thrift stores and estate sales. Here are a few of  my sales from 2014:

Airborne Military completed cross-stitch $1.29 at Goodwill, sold for $27 + shipping

Folk Art Sampler $3 at church sale, sold for $29.97 + shipping

Vintage fisherman needlepoint $3 at garage sale sold for $45 + shipping

 

Tonner collectible dolls. I am selling a doll collection on consignment (a great way to learn for free - sign up for my consignment directory here) for a client and they have quite a few of these. Now I know to look for this brand at estate sales, garage sales, and on Craigslist. These 3 have sold so far:

Tonner Aquaman Doll sold for $159.97

Tonner 22 Inch American Models Raven sold for $130

Tonner 22 Inch American Models Raven Short Hair sold for $139.97

Comfort shoes. There is a lot of opportunity in this niche if you know who the target customer is, why they are buying this type of shoe, and what other sellers are overlooking because the shoes aren't exactly fashionable. Learn all about this niche with my course, "The Art of Selling Preowned Women's Shoes on eBay."

Birkenstock Footprints Shoes $6 at Goodwill, sold for $49.97 + shipping

SAS Tripad Sandals $2 at thrift store, sold for $35 + shipping

Finn Comfort Sandals $2 at thrift store, sold for $55 + shipping

I hope this recap of 2014 has shown you some new things you might not know about, as well as emphasize that you can never stop learning in this business. eBay is a moving target and when you get too comfortable you miss opportunities. 

What did you discover to sell this year that has helped your bottom line? Please share in the comments below so we can continue to learn from each other.

Wishing everyone a happy and safe holiday season and a prosperous new year!

Update February 2015: Check out my complete list of 72 Unique Items that Sold Big on eBay in 2014.

Related Articles:

Why I Sell Ugly Shoes on eBay

Hot Brand to Sell on eBay - Vineyard Vines