Hot eBay Item - The Snuggie

Ok, this one just makes me laugh. The product may be great, but the commercial is ridiculous. My 12 year old son and I laugh at the family wearing these to a football game. Come on, get real. No 12 year old kid is going to go anywhere with that thing on - he'd get beat up.

The commercial says you get two Snuggie blankets for $19.99. (So that would be about 10 each plus shipping.) These are selling on eBay for an average of $20 each. Some sellers are profiting on the shipping, charging $24 or more. This item does NOT cost $24 to ship!

The week before Christmas, they were selling for over $100 each. The issue was shipping time: If you ordered it through the 1-800 number or online, it took 4-6 weeks to ship. Some smart eBay sellers bought them ahead of time and had them on hand to sell to the highest bidder. (This tip was announced on my Facebook group back in December.)

Snuggie Royal Blue w/ bonus light
sells on SHOP.com for $18.84 plus shipping. Sellers have reported finding them at Walgreens and Rite Aid for less than that, so you might get lucky.

The profit margin is definitely not as high as before Christmas, but Snuggies are still selling. Click here to see completed listings on eBay.

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Related articles:

How to Increase Your Profit Margin on eBay

Make Money Selling As Seen on TV Products on eBay

How to Know What to Sell on eBay

Use the Free eBay Research Tool

Happy Selling,

100% Cashmere Sweaters - Old Navy Clearance

100% cashmere is a good, reliable, steady seller on eBay. (Click here for more information about selling cashmere on eBay.) I was in Old Navy yesterday and noticed quite a few cashmere sweaters marked down to $20 or less. You can also find these online at OldNavy.com. You may consider grabbing a few of these to try selling on eBay.


Old Navy Women's Cardigan - $19.99

Old Navy Cashmere Polo - $19.99

Other Old Navy clearance items

If you sign up for the Old Navy email updates, you will receive a $10 off coupon good on a $50 online order. Go to OldNavy.com and look for the grey box under the clearance banner. I tried it, and got my coupon in my email box in just a few seconds. The coupon looks like this:



Happy Selling!

Thrift Store Item to Sell on eBay - Dansko Clogs

I've found a few pairs of Danskos during my eBay selling career, and I always feel like I've won the lottery. I look around the thrift store to see if anyone heard me say "YAY!!!" You can hit big with these shoes. Dansko clogs are made of an oiled leather and are very popular in the restuarant and medical industries as they are extremely comfortable for people who must be on their feet for extended periods of time. The oiled leather material on the shoe is perfect for people who work in environments containing liquid or moisture (such as kitchens or hospitals). Danskos sell brand new for upwards of $100.

I've found them at thrift stores for $3-$5 a pair. Many employees in restaurant or medical fields may not be able to afford a brand new pair at this price, so they often turn to eBay. I've sold used Danskos for over $50. These shoes come in unisex European sizing. Be prepared to ship them internationally. If you want to convert the European sizing to US sizing, use this chart.

Here are some examples of the black oiled leather Danskos that have sold on eBay (these are both used and could have come from thrift stores):


Item #220340549694, Womens size 7.5, sold for $70.



Item #290289073258, Womens size 8.5, sold for $86.

Click here for a list of other thrift store items you can sell on eBay. Want to know about more thrift store finds to sell on eBay? Check out Thrift Store Goldmine, which contains 61 pages of items just like this. You may already have some of these huge money makers in your house, and not even know they are valuable!

Happy Selling!

eBay Coach Experiment: Selling Coupons

I am intrigued by coupon sellers and how they make a profit, so I am doing an experiment. I've been buying coupons on eBay for years but haven't ever sold any. We get a free Atlanta Journal Constitution newspaper on Thursdays, filled with the same coupon inserts that will be in the following Sunday's paper. I've managed to secure 20 of these free copies a week to do this experiment. So, my inventory costs nothing.

I have always wondered how coupon sellers make money doing this. It is a very labor intensive process, and I can only see a profit if you can get the coupon inserts free. For the purposes of this experiment, I am offering a batch of 20 coupons for $1.50 with free shipping. Coupons worth $2 and more I am putting on auction with a starting price of .99 and free shipping.

Here is how the math works out:



I wonder how these coupon sellers do it after paying for the newspapers. (You can get them free - read my article on "How to Get Unlimited Grocery Coupons FREE.") Some sell thousands of coupons a month. At 50 cents profit an item, you're going to have to sell an awful lot of coupons to make any money. Also, who is doing all the clipping? Do they hire people? Of course, some of the higher valued coupons sell for much more than $1.50. Some good ones to sell are diaper coupons, medicine coupons, pet coupons, cosmetics, hair products, and any type of refill (such as air fresheners).

I'd love to know more about this. From the looks of my experiment, for the time and effort, I think this one will be a thumbs down. I'll keep you posted!

Happy Selling,

What to Sell on eBay - Move Free Glucosamine Supplement

Supplements are another drug store / grocery store item you can sell on eBay. Here is how you do this deal.

Check WalMart, drug stores, or local grocery store for Move Free Glucosamine supplement, 80 count. This product costs between $18 and $20 off the shelf. Between Walgreen's, CVS, Rite Aid, Kroger, Publix and other stores, someone will have this item on sale buy one get one free during any given week. You just have to check your Sunday paper inserts to see where it is the cheapest.

Next, get some coupons.



Right now, there is a $5 off coupon available. You can either get these on eBay for about $2 for a batch of 20 ($100 in savings), or get them here. The coupon does not expire until 3/31/09. (Note, if you get them on eBay, use a different buyer id than your selling id. You don't want your competition to figure out what you are doing or discover how you are getting the item so cheap. Or, just buy from the other site shown and it will be your own little secret.) You can also click here for more ways to get unlimited FREE coupons.

Combining the BOGO sale with the $5 off coupon significantly reduces your price. Here is the math:



If your store offers a Senior Citizen discount day (Kroger's day is Wednesday and Seniors get 10% off their groceries), see if you can find a friend or relative to go with you and use their discount.

This item sells for up to $22 a bottle on eBay. Click here to see completed listings. Based on this scenario, your profit on one bottle of Move Free could be about $17 before fees. Not a bad deal!

Be sure to subscribe to my blog for more great eBay tips like this. No spam, just real information to help you make money on eBay.

Happy Selling!

What to Sell on eBay - J Crew Apparel (Michelle Obama Look)

I started selling gently used thrift store clothing on eBay in 2003, and J Crew has always been a steady seller. J Crew fashions are conservative, sophisticated, classic, and timeless. Now with Michelle Obama in the spotlight and in the White House, more women around the world will want to emulate her look. When you are out at thrift stores searching for items to sell on eBay, check the women's clothing and look for J Crew. Here are some items that have worked for me:


Twinsets. Look for 100% wool, cashmere, or those embellished with "bling." Click here for tips on selling cashmere on eBay - it is one of my all time best sellers.


Skirts. The basic black, knee length "career" skirt is always popular and versatile. Pencil skirts are great. Make sure it is lined - a lining indicates higher quality. Wool and gabardine are the best sellers.



Pea Coats. They are popular this year and are a classic. You can often find gently used coats at thrift stores for $5-$10 and they are good sellers.

These styles are good sellers even if they aren't J Crew brand. Here are some more resources for selling gently used (thrift store) clothing on eBay:

Make Money Selling Sweaters on eBay

What to Buy at Thrift Stores to Resell on eBay for Profit

How to Sell Used Clothing on eBay for Profit

Podcasts

Episode 6: What to Sell - All About Women's Clothing
Episode 14: What to Sell - Sweaters

Happy Selling!

Hot Item to Sell on eBay - Dual Action Cleanse

Sam's Club has this item in a special club pack for $34.95. This item is selling for between $50-$60 on eBay USA. Now is the time for health related products as everyone is in the "new year lose weight" mode.

You will find lots of variations on this product if you check completed listings. You want the club pack shown on item #390017388850 - it appears to be the most consistent seller.

No, you won't become a millionaire selling this, but if you can find it at your Sam's and sell it repeatedly, you can make some easy money.

Happy Selling!