Charity shopping for profit

We’ve all read stories about the enviable eBay power sellers who quit their day jobs to earn thousands from online trading. It might sound like easy money, but large-scale eBay retailing can be a high-risk business.

If the idea of wholesaling and bulk buying doesn’t appeal (or you simply don’t have room to store mountains of stock), you can try flogging your own possessions, and those of family and friends.

Sooner or later you’ll run out of unwanted junk, but if you’re heading to your local charity shop with the unsold items, you could walk out with a collection of fresh stock.

Charity shopping for profit is a great way to make extra cash while supporting charities at the same time. Here are some tips to get you started:

* These days, charity shops are deliberated positioned in clusters – the reasoning being that seasoned shoppers are more likely to make the trip if they can hit several shops in one go. This tactic saves a lot of leg-work, but it also means that more out-of-the-way shops might be over-looked by professional and die-hard charity shoppers.

* Just as wholesalers need to find a gap in the market to make their eBay auctions successful, so must the charity shopper find out which second-hand items are worth buying. You might be surprised – a fabulous silk dress could sell for 99p if it doesn’t have a familiar label attached, while a well-used toy car might spark a bidding war between two avid collectors.

* If you’re a regular eBay user, your instinct for spotting a bargain with re-sale potential is probably already pretty good. If you’re in any doubt, the best strategy is to resist impulse buys, check to see if similar items are attracting bids, then return and buy the item. Can’t bear to leave the shop without it? Buy it.

* To begin with, use what knowledge you already have – whether it’s of women’s accessories, sports memorabilia or antique furniture. Some charity shop staff are more on the ball than others when it comes to recognising the value of their wares.

* Learn about your buyers – one man’s trash truly is another man’s treasure. People collect the strangest items, and also indulge in some pretty peculiar inclinations. From foot fetishists bidding on worn-out ladies shoes to closet transvestites buying extra-large ladieswear, there are a whole load of niche markets you probably never knew existed.

Buy and sell on ebay.co.uk

Got a charity shopping tip, or maybe an ebay auction you want to promote. Share it on the Peazy Forum.