Some Things That Sell on Ebay

Garage Sale Items That Sell on eBay

If you want to get anything sold on eBay, you have to get it listed. That is rule number one. I know I said it before, but moaning about all the stuff you should sell won't get it done. Besides, once the first sale is complete and you see that you made some money, the momentum will kick in automatically.


Here are some things people have sitting in boxes that are worth checking out...

• Books...Before you give them all away to the local library or Goodwill Store, take a few minutes to look them up on eBay. A book doesn't have to be a rare, signed first edition from the 1800's to be worth money. Some of my better book sales have been older technical books related to engineering. Arts and crafts books can bring some good money too. The more specialized, the better. These do not necessarily have to be old. Just hard for people to find.
• Old Paper Items...Some people call this ephemera. If Grandma liked to hang on to ticket stubs back in the day, you might be in luck.
• Clothes...Do you wear only the best? If so, there is a good chance that someone is willing to pay for the clothes you don't wear any more if you've kept them in decent condition. Did you go to every Alice Cooper concert during the 1970's and buy a shirt? Old concert T's are great too!
• Old advertising items... If the label of something catches your eye and screams "vintage" it will probably catch someone else's eye too.
• Toys...I often look at the toy listings on eBay and just shake my head. If only our Moms had known how much that stuff would be worth before they threw it all away in the 1970's or earlier.
• Boxes of magazines...I mentioned before how much old Vogue magazines can bring. They won't all bring money like that, but they are worth checking out.
• Jewelry...The really good stuff isn't the only thing that sells.
• Photographs...Yes, some people will pay for old photos of people they don't even know!
• CD's...Depending on what you have, it could be worth your time to list.
• Items related to groups...Scouts, Masons, Kiwanis, fraternities and sororities and many others all have people who collect memorabilia.

This is a short list and I'll add more to it soon. Each of these groups could also be explored in depth. For now though, you should look around and see if you have anything that falls into these groups.

Some Things That Are Hard (for me) to Sell

• I've never had luck with trading cards or comics. This strikes me as an area where you really have to know the product well to properly describe it and know an item's value. If this is you, there is definitely a market waiting for you. It just hasn't worked too well for me. The buyers are usually very particular about the product and I am too far from an expert to want to deal with that.
• Newer or common books...You can find hardcover books that sold for $30 selling at yard sales for 25 cents. Most of these won't sell on eBay. They are just too cheap and easy for others to find.
• Old bottles...Another very picky group of buyers. If you find them cheap and want to check them out when you get home, you might get lucky. It's a tough crowd though. On the other hand, the bottles that DO sell can go for amazing amounts. Collectible bottles is one category that is worth studying a bit.

Some Things People Just Shouldn't Collect

True (but gross) story. Turn back now if you're easily offended...

Back when I was in Middle School, a friend of mine (who shall remain nameless for good reason) showed me a collection that I honestly don't think I'll ever forget. We had gone to his house after school and were just hanging out when he left the room and came back with a small box that you might use to keep a necklace. He asked if I wanted to see his collection. I wish I would have just said no. When he lifted the lid, the box was filled with nail clippings. Complete sets of toenails and fingernails lovingly collected during the four years since fourth grade. It made a (disturbing) memory. I don't see him much any more so I don't know if he continues to maintain it. By the way, you are not allowed to sell those on eBay so don't bother looking.