By Megan Harwood-Baynes, price of residing specialist

I like promoting stuff second-hand, and one factor I’ve discovered is that, actually, one man’s trash is one other man’s treasure. 

I’ve bought all the same old suspects – outdated garments I do not put on anymore on Vinted, a automobile, and a wardrobe on Fb market. However one web site that can all the time have my coronary heart – primarily as a result of I can promote absolutely anything on it – is eBay. 

It takes a number of seconds to listing and also you is perhaps stunned to know simply how a lot you would earn. Listed below are a few of the extra shocking gross sales – and some tips about learn how to benefit from the platform. 

(Notice: all of those costs are earlier than eBay takes its price, which is 12.8%).

1. Previous Costa worker badges: £30

My husband used to handle a Costa Espresso and had a number of pin badges from his time there that had been simply dumped unceremoniously within the pile in our storage. After choosing one favorite to maintain, I requested if I might listing them on eBay. 

I set an public sale beginning value of £5, however two days later somebody supplied £30. I used to be so stunned. I could not assist asking why anybody would need them – seems he was a newly appointed retailer supervisor and head workplace did not give out the outdated designs anymore. A contented consequence throughout.

2. Empty fragrance bottles (approx £4 every)

I used to be given my first bottle of Marc Jacobs fragrance on my nineteenth birthday and have liked his scents ever since. They arrive in completely beautiful bottles, however after ten years, I simply had too many cluttering up my dressing desk, and due to Stacey Solomon for beginning a pattern of upcycling outdated bottles, they’re fairly simple to promote on-line. (Sure, they’re empty, all of the fragrance is gone).

I listed a pair on eBay for £4 a go – they had been shortly snapped up. Stupidly, I obtained supplied £15 for one and obtained cocky pondering I might win extra at public sale.  I did not, and that vendor grabbed themselves a £3.53 discount. Lesson discovered. 

3. A free Chromecast (£15)

My husband gained a Chromecast as a part of a web-based giveaway, however we ended up not utilizing it – so I listed it. I set the worth low (as a result of it was free anyway) and it was gone inside half an hour.

4. A dog-eared automobile handbook (£8)

Apparently, some individuals really learn their automobile manuals (who knew?!) and Haynes ones are fairly well-liked. After convincing my different half we did not want a handbook for a automobile we now not owned, I caught it on eBay. I used to be initially supplied £4.50. I chanced it and went again with £8 and it was bought inside a day. 

5. Unusued skincare (£20)

My brother had some unwrapped (nonetheless sealed) Clinique skincare he was about to throw out as a result of it wasn’t a model he used. I managed to promote it for £20 (and no I did not share the earnings, you snooze you lose, David). 

There may be fairly a giant marketplace for unused skincare and make-up on-line, and certainly I’ve discovered a few of my favorite Charlotte Tilbury eyeshadows on eBay for half the worth. So if you happen to’ve obtained an undesirable present, put it up on the market as a substitute of letting it collect mud. Whether it is nonetheless sealed, it is going to do properly. 

What I discovered

Persons are fast to throw away gadgets that might be making them cash – so if I spot my household placing one thing within the bin that might be price a number of quid, I attempt my hand on eBay as a substitute as a result of I can all the time recycle it if it does not promote.

Nothing is ever too area of interest, however be sure you are taking a look at what different sellers are making. In the event you have a look at listings, underneath settings you may toggle to see what costs gadgets have bought at, which is a way more correct indicator of the place your costs must be. Ignore the one who has listed at a vastly inflated value. 

Tech can be fairly well-liked – every time I swap web corporations, if they do not ask for the router again, I promote it on-line as a substitute. I’ve managed to get between £15 and £50 relying on the mannequin.

In the event you’re affected person, you may sit on gadgets for some time, however if you happen to simply need house and are promoting in bulk, promote low to get it gone. However keep in mind you must really undergo the trouble of taking issues to the publish workplace. I’m comfortable to promote low if I’ve a lot of gadgets and I can do it multi functional journey. 

Activate the perform to permit individuals to ship you affords and be clear with your self about what you’d settle for because the lowest quantity. 

Lastly, AI has come to eBay! Now you can get it to autogenerate your itemizing particulars which is an absolute timesaver. However proofread it earlier than setting one thing dwell to ensure it is not promising one thing you do not have.