Finding Inventory Through Other Venues

Lots, if not most, of ebay sellers get their inventory from thrift stores, garage sales, or their own closet. There are pros and cons to these. For example, you can find great things at thrift stores but it can take up lots of time and searching. Of course, some of us like that part but it can be frustrating when you don’t have the time to do it. You can find great bargains at garage sales, but it can also take up lots of time, not to mention fuel.

Other options include putting out an ad, telling people that you buy clothing, toys, books or whatever it is that you sell. You can do this on Craigslist, school boards, flyers, classifieds, or any other place that would be free. People would then either call you or email you with what they have and you can do your research and see if you are interested in buying and make them an offer.

Another idea that a lot of us already use, is buying from people that post things for sale on Craigslist. Now, it’s pretty self explanatory. You search for what you’re interested in for resale, see how much you are willing to pay for it and contact the seller to either buy or make an offer. One thing I made a mistake on when first buying there (for resale or personal use) is that I assumed CL was like EBay as far as descriptions and such. I soon learned that just because it says “Like new”…didn’t mean that it was even close! I know this is also the case on ebay, but usually sellers on Ebay have better pictures than those on CL. I also learned that people do not realize there are things that they should disclose. For example, smoking or pets in the household, missing parts, knock offs, etc.

There are so many places to find inventory, one cannot possibly get bored with shopping for it!

Join us in the HCTS forums, where we share where we get our inventory and experiences with the above mentioned options and more!