Last fall when I came home with about 30 pairs of white maternity jeans and pants, all new and purchased from a chain store, my husband gave me a look. I of course, ignored the look because after all, I think I know what I can sell!
What he was thinking was legitimate though. The summer was coming to an end and people were looking for fall clothes, not summer.
My thinking was:
- Maternity clothes are difficult to come by for expectant moms.
- The price was right.
- It’s summer somewhere!
It doesn't necessarily matter what season the item is. What does matter is demand for that item. I have no regrets about my mass purchase. In fact, I went back and bought more when I started selling them right away, both domestically and internationally. I was also able to use multi-variation listing and save myself on fees.
This past January I did just the same thing. I went again and purchased about 6 down coats and sold them within a month. The price was a little steeper, but I still made a nice profit. More importantly on this purchase, I was confidant that I would sell quickly because the market was not saturated with this product.
I sell mostly children’s clothes, but is it any wonder why my top performing category is maternity? I took advantage of the timing of a sale(s) and demand for items and it has paid off.
Deciding whether or not to make a big purchase for resale demands a few questions.
Can I sell these; what does the market say?
How long will it take to sell?
What is my target market?
What is my price point and mark up?
Am I willing to sit on this inventory?
Answers to those questions take research and requires that you follow trends. Personally, I don’t purchase items that I don’t think will sell in a reasonable amount of time. I don’t want to have too much money hanging out there in inventory; I need items to move quickly.
I know many of my fellow eBay sellers generally shop at thrift stores. But if the timing and opportunity is right, you can do very well making new purchases!
