How We Made $200 Selling Someone’s Trash On Craigslist
We’ve all heard the saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s vacation fund…” (or something along those lines). But come on… do you SEE what people are throwing away?
Tables, chairs, entire bedroom sets! I’m not even kidding!
Craigslist even has a “free” section with items begging to be flipped or repurposed.
So if you’re in need of some quick cash and willing to put in effort (and I’m talking minimal effort), here are tips on how we’ve flipped two items designated for trash and gained $200 profit by the end of the week!
Keep Your Eye Out For Quality Products
Sometimes trash is just trash. So, how do you know what items to pick up? Look for items that are in “New” or “Like New” condition.
It might be tempting to see all the possibilities in a dining room table that needs
Oftentimes it’s better to keep looking than excepting a project.
Quick Flip VS. Quality Flip
Another thing you’ll want to consider is how long you’re willing to sit on the item before it sells.
Small items like chairs, bistro tables, and vacuums sell quite quickly (our bistro table even sold in 12 hours)! While larger items could take up to a week, like
Really there is no money you’ve invested at this point, so at most you’ll be losing real estate in your garage. But if you’re needing money ASAP, it might be best to choose a smaller item.
The turn around is something you’ll want to consider before taking your haul back home.
Selling Like A Pro
Selling things is not my forte… So, it’s a good thing Ethan knows a thing or three about marketing items for the biggest profit.
First off, when setting a price, search for what similar items are selling for. The more competitive your price the quicker you are to sell (just be sure you’re maximizing your profits too… after all, you’re doing this for some moo-lah)!
Second, to get the most visitors to your post
- Short, simple, but descriptive title (even exclamation points are good to use)!!!!
Description talks only about the product with loads of adjectives to push the sell.- Provide a contact number, make it easy to find you!
- Always put OBO (Or Best Offer if you’re totally new to this like me) so it opens the way for negotiation.
- Include all keywords related to your item several spaces below your description so anyone can find the item no matter what they typed in. In other words, make each post SEO friendly.
- Don’t put your the price you’re hoping to get as the listing price. If you’re really wanting $50 out of your item, post it for $70 with OBO, to open negotiation but still give you a price you’re happy with.
Making The Sale
Item is listed,
When the first call or text comes in, it’s exciting. But, try being patient to see if more offers come in. If you get three calls the first day, you know you’ve got a hot product and won’t want to lower your price during negotiations. Be transparent and let the other buyers know others are interested.
Also, never fall for the “what’s your bottom dollar” question. As a seller, your list price IS your bottom dollar, nothing less.
Instead, ask them to make you an offer. You’ll know after their offer what dollar amount you’re comfortable accepting.
I wish you much success in changing that trash to a money stash. I’d love to know what items you’ve found and how you were able to flip them for profit!
