Birkenstocks

One of my better flips this week has been a pair of Birkenstocks.  These 60's style hippie shoes are making a huge comeback.  New from the Birkenstock website these shoes cost over $100!  On eBay you can fetch close to that on some models, depending on how quick of a sale you're looking for.

I bought these recently at a Goodwill in Delaware for $8 and sold them for $49.99 + $12.35!

It's really important to know about current trends and hot brands.  For me, I learn through magazines and social media sites.  Another good idea to learn some brands and trends would be going to a fashion forward secondhand store, like Uptown Cheapskate.  Just browsing the racks will give you a good idea of what is popular now.  The prices are usually pretty similar to what I price my items on eBay, I probably price a little higher on most items (and some, I price way more, like that recent flip of the Kate Spade dress.)  It's usually not a good place to source because of the close-to-none profit margin, but it is a great place to gain some brand knowledge!  

EBay seller blogs can also be a good way to catch up on brands.  Bloggers often use the term BOLO, meaning "be on the lookout for."  These are brands that are usually hot sellers on eBay.  Of course, bloggers want to help you out, but we also don't want to give away all of our secrets so there are some brands we keep to ourselves.  

For some people it's easier to learn just by doing.  Steven is getting into the eBay scene and isn't too keen on brands, so he started by looking at fabrics.  Things that are silk, wool, or cashmere seem to do well.  After finding things that are made of quality material he uses the eBay app on his phone to look up the "completed listings" for a similar item from the same brand.  He also keeps an eye out for current trends like herringbone and elbow patches.

Getting started with eBay will take lots of education.  You will need to know brands, trends, time management, and money management.  Money management is probably the toughest one.  You have to put in money to make money.  When I was starting off, I was definitely "in the hole" financially.  I had invested probably $500 in inventory and it took a while for me to recoup my investment.  It was definitely well worth it though.  Being an eBay seller means I get paid to do my favorite thing, shop!  It also gives me the freedom to make my own schedule and I love to see that the time I put in directly influences my earnings.