25 cheap items to resell for a profit & where to sell (2026) 

I’ve sold athleticwear, streetwear, and college textbooks on marketplaces like eBay and Poshmark for the last 5 years. These items are simple to find and price, and are often great for beginner resellers. 

Discover the 25 best cheap items to resell for a profit, buy/sell price ranges, and a few real-world examples.

25 cheap items to resell: At a glance

Any of these categories works if you’re aiming to flip items quickly. But if you know more about golf clubs than you do about apparel, I recommend you niche down and develop expertise.

Clothing

1. Brand-name athletic wear (Lululemon, Patagonia, Nike)

You can find Lululemon leggings in good condition for under $10 at a thrift store and resell them for between $25 and $60 on Poshmark. Consider selling sets, with workout shorts/pants and shirts in bundles, because buyers will use these together when exercising. Keep in mind that buyers consider condition and size before purchasing.

Here’s an example of a workout bundle I recently sold on Poshmark: 

Nike running pants + long-sleeve shirt: $15 at Goodwill

Final sale on Poshmark + shipping (paid by buyer): $63.60

Poshmark fees: $12.72

My profit: $63.60 – $15 – $12.72 = $35.88

2. Vintage Levi's jeans

Buyers purchase Levi's because they’re a classic brand, but cut and era determine your profit ceiling. For example, a post-2000 pair sells for $15 on Mercari. Vintage bootcut 1970s orange tab can sell for $100+ on eBay, Etsy, or Depop. I often find these vintage jeans (and other clothing as well) at estate sales.

3. Carhartt workwear

Buyers often purchase used Carhartt workwear because the worn condition is a unique feature in this category. Trade workers are often looking for a cheap garment they can continue to wear on the job, while fashionistas favor the rugged appeal of used Carhartts. 

Find Carhartt hoodies at thrift stores for around $5, and flip them on Poshmark for between $40 and $50. Depop works well for faster flips, but at lower prices, with pants selling for between $15 and $30.

4. Vintage band and concert tees

You can find vintage band tees and concert shirts at thrift stores. But you might come across the estate sale of a guy who followed a band like the Grateful Dead for a few years and has hundreds of pieces. 

This clothing often sells for $1–$3 per piece. But vintage buyers on platforms like Depop, Poshmark, eBay, or Etsy will often pay between $50 and $100+.

5. Backpacks

You can often find cheap backpacks in good condition for $2–$8 at thrift stores. When sourcing, be on the lookout for stains, working zippers, and frayed straps. 

Used backpacks from brands like Supreme, Nike, and The North Face sell for $20–$60 on Depop.

Books and media

6. Textbooks

Many students and folks interested in learning a new subject prefer physical textbooks to e-books. In fact, studies have found that textbooks are more engaging and have better learning outcomes than e-books. 

Edition matters most: A $2 copy of the 8th edition of an accounting textbook is worth nothing for college students if the 9th edition came out last year and professors stopped assigning the 8th. In my experience, garage and estate sales can be potential goldmines for textbooks. 

7. Novels and photography books

Novels, architecture, and photography books, especially those that are older or out of print, sell because they’re rare and often can’t be downloaded. Find these old books at estate, garage, or library sales. Here’s a profit breakdown of a few old Star Trek books I found at an estate sale:

Sourcing cost: $0.05 each (part of a bundle of 20 books)

Final sale price on eBay (bundle of 5): $5

Fees (15.3% + $0.40): $0.77 + $0.40 = $1.17

Profit: $5.00 − $0.05 − $1.17 = $3.78

Here’s a profit breakdown of a recent sale of a financial and managerial accounting textbook: 

Sourcing cost: ~$0.20 (part of a 5-book bundle for $1 at a garage sale)

Selling cost on ThriftBooks: $12.50

Shipping: $1.99

Profit: $12.50 – $1.99 – $0.20 = $10.31

Use an app like BookScouter to scan the ISBN and estimate potential profit.

8. Vinyl records

Garage sales, estate sales, and thrift stores can be great places to find vinyl records. I’ve noticed that records from estate sales often have better quality than records from thrift stores. That may be because estate sale records usually had one owner who took better care of them.

Vinyl records tend to sell for as little as $0.10 at garage and estate sales if you buy a bundle of 10 for $1 to ~$5 at thrift stores or garage sales (varies by store). They sell for between $10 and $100, depending on the record, on eBay and Etsy. If you need help pricing your items, discogs.com provides useful info.

Here’s an example of a Ramones Rocket to Russia sale I made on eBay:

Sourcing price: $1 at a garage sale

Sell price (shipping included): $55 

eBay fees: $7.29 + $0.40

Total profit: $46.31

Pro tip: Always play the record to check for scratches and quality before selling. If you sell a scratched record, you’ll most likely have to deal with returns.

Toys and collectibles

9. LEGO sets and loose LEGOs

Sealed sets can sell at premium prices, often starting at a few hundred dollars on eBay. But sets need to be rare and at least a few years old.  

If you have a few boxes of loose LEGOs taking up space in your closet, you can sell them by the pound on Mercari for around $10/lb.

10. Vintage action figures

Vintage action figures like GI Joes, Ninja Turtles, and Star Wars characters grab the attention of nostalgic Gen X and millennial collectors. Thrift stores and estate sellers often bundle figures at cheap prices. For instance, I once purchased a bag of GI Joes from an estate sale for $5 and then sold them in lots of 10 on Etsy for $100.

11. Hot Wheels

You can find Hot Wheels at thrift stores for about $0.50 each. But some rare and specific castings like Redlines, Treasure Hunts, and the original Sweet 16s can sell for around $5–10 on eBay. If they’re in original packaging, they’ll often go for much higher prices.

12. Board games

Garage and estate sales, as well as thrift stores, are often excellent sources for board games. Before purchasing any used board game at a thrift store, open the box and verify the piece count against the insert. From these sources, you can pick up used games for under $10.

Specific vintage titles from the 1970s and 80s, like original Star Wars Monopoly, often cross $30 to $60 on eBay brand new.

Home and kitchen

13. Power tools

Buy power tools at estate sales for between $5 and $20 and sell them on Facebook Marketplace for between $30 and $90, depending on type and condition. For instance, a like-new circular saw will often sell for much more than a heavily used electric screwdriver.

14. Cast iron cookware

Garage sales, estate sales, and even thrift stores are ideal sourcing locations for cast-iron cookware. My friend found a 15” Lodge cast iron skillet for $5 at Goodwill. After cleaning, she resold it, without any fees, to a local buyer on Facebook Marketplace for $35. 

15. Kitchen appliances

Garage and estate sales are your go-to for kitchen appliances like blenders, microwave ovens, and mixers, where owners want to liquidate them quickly in order to clear out homes. This means you can purchase appliances for between $5 and $10. But before you purchase, you’ll need to make sure the appliances work properly. 

Facebook Marketplace is best for selling heavy and expensive-to-ship appliances since you can meet buyers in person and avoid platform fees. Appliances typically sell for around $10 to over $50, depending on type, brand, and condition. 

16. Pyrex vintage bakeware

Buy Gooseberry, Butterprint, and Lucky in Love Pyrex bakeware for between $1 and $8 at thrift stores or garage sales. These items have collector demand, which means you can sell them for $40 to $60 on vintage platforms like Etsy or eBay. 

Beware, though, that chips and cracks cut value by more than half and make pieces nearly unsellable because buyers expect pristine condition.

17. Measuring cups

You can find measuring cups, essential cooking gear, at estate and garage sales. But liquidation pallets are usually a good source for these staples, too. On average, you can source these products for about $5–$10 per set from these 3 sources. 

Mercari is typically the best platform for reselling measuring cups and mixing bowls because buyers are looking for good deals. They often sell in sets for as little as $9–$50+.

18. Stainless steel pots and pans

All-Clad 2-ply and 3-ply bonded lines sell for $3–$12 at thrift stores and garage sales. Single-ply stainless steel from any brand has no collector premium. Before buying, check the bottom for warping by setting it on a flat surface. A warped pan rocks. Also, check for varnish and burn marks.

Pre-owned stainless steel pot and pan sets can sell for $80–$100 on eBay.

Electronics and tech

19. Vintage cameras

Find vintage cameras at garage sales and thrift shops for $5–$25. eBay and Etsy are excellent platforms for selling vintage camera products. Before listing, test the shutter at multiple speeds and check the light seals for deterioration. A camera that leaks light at the seams sells for $25. One that tests clean sells for $150.

20. Retro video games

Millennials, Gen X, and older Gen Z have a nostalgic demand for retro video games for consoles like Sega, Nintendo 64 (Goldeneye, anyone?), and PlayStation 1. Find games at garage sales and thrift stores for between $1 and $10, and flip them for around $5–$80 per game on eBay.

21. Bluetooth speakers

You can buy Bluetooth speakers for as little as $5–20 from thrift stores or liquidation sales. I recommend you purchase from liquidation sales, as Bluetooth items are often brand new and still in packaging, and typically have a better battery life than those found at a thrift store.

On eBay, new Bluetooth speakers sell from $10–$100+ depending on brand.

Sports and outdoor gear

22. Fishing gear (rods, reels, tackle boxes)

Garage sales are often fantastic sources for fishing gear. I’ve seen 3-year-old Shimano spinning reels sell for $3, which you can flip on eBay for $55. Before buying, test the drag mechanism, line roller, and casting abilities first. Make sure rods have no cracks, and all the eyes are intact.

Tackle boxes with original contents sell faster than empty ones.

23. Golf clubs (individual irons, putters)

Just like with fishing gear, estate and garage sales are the best places to find golf clubs. Brand names matter here, so keep your eyes open for Titleist, Callaway, and TaylorMade.  Individual clubs go for $2–$10, depending on brand and type.

If you’re selling sets, each one should include the following clubs: 

• Driver (1)

• Fairway woods (1–3)
• Irons (usually 5–9)
• Wedges (2~3: pitching, sand, sometimes gap/lob)
• Putter (1)

Refurbished, brand-name clubs in very good condition can sell for over $60 each on eBay.

24. Camping gear

You can find camping gear like lanterns, tents, and sleeping bags at garage and estate sales, but thrift stores often have camping products in good condition, too. Test lanterns before buying, and check to see if the tents have all the pieces. One missing pole or rainfly will most likely trigger a return. 

Second-hand tents typically sell for between $40–$200 on Mercari, while pre-owned sleeping bags sell for ~$15–$150+ on eBay. 

Furniture

25. Wicker and rattan furniture

If you have the space, selling wicker or rattan furniture can be a profitable option. These pieces often sell at garage and estate sales for between $10–$30, as owners are aiming to offload these bulky items quickly. 

Sell them on Facebook Marketplace for $60–$200 locally after cleaning.

Best platforms to resell cheap items: At a glance

Choosing the right platform helps you reach buyers and determines how much profit you’ll make. Here are some popular platforms for resellers:

eBay

eBay, the OG of reselling and e-commerce, is one of the largest secondary markets, with around 136 million buyers across over 190 countries. You can sell nearly anything that’s legal on eBay. 

The platform has a complex fee structure, which ranges from around 10% to 15%+, plus $0.30–$0.40 per sale for most categories. You get free listings on your first 250 insertions per month, then it’s $0.35 per listing. Use the sold filters to set prices before buying, and enroll in the Global Shipping Program to protect against international return scams.

Poshmark

Built around apparel discovery, buyers browse Poshmark by brand, style, and aesthetic, and it serves North America with over 130 million users. The platform features a social media feed, actions like liking, sharing, and following, as well as the option to host livestream auctions called Posh Shows. 

Fees are 20% flat on sales over $15 and $2.95 on sales under $15. 

It's ideal for brand-name street and athletic wear like Lululemon, Nike, and Patagonia. Resellers also have success offering designer handbags from Coach, Kate Spade, and Michael Kors.

Mercari

Mercari has over 20 million active users. It’s an excellent platform for selling everything from clothing to electronics to household goods. Its fees are generally lower than eBay’s at 10%. Buyers come to Mercari expecting deals, so price competitively and leave room for offers.

Facebook Marketplace

Bulky, heavy, or fragile items make the most sense on Facebook Marketplace because the platform charges no fees if you meet in person. If you do decide to ship, Facebook Checkout charges 10% per shipment with a $0.80 minimum. Get more visibility with boosted listings, which cost between $1 and $5 per day.

Depop

Depop appeals to younger millennials and Gen Z buyers. It stands out for vintage band tees, Y2K clothing, and other trendy garments. Fees are low, about 3.3% + $0.45 per sale.

Like Poshmark, Depop has social media features, so hashtags like y2k, vintagebandtee, thrifthaul, and Levi's 501 help visibility. Depop's algorithm favors sellers with under 48-hour shipping times and high engagement rates.

Etsy

Etsy is a leading marketplace for vintage items (20+ years old), handmade goods, and craft supplies. For resellers, the vintage category is key, but the platform has strict rules: Items must be at least 20 years old to qualify. 

Fees are a 6.5% transaction fee plus 3% + $0.25 payment processing (total ~10.9% for a $50 item). The listing fee is $0.20 per item, valid for 4 months or until sold. If your shop makes over $10,000 in revenue, you’re required to use offsite ads. Etsy takes an additional $12% from attributed sales. 

Buyers expect branding and storytelling, so detailed descriptions about era, condition, and history often help sales. Search optimization matters more on Etsy than on other platforms, so use all 13 tags and include era-specific keywords like 1970s, mid-century, or Art Deco.

Where to find cheap items to resell

Your item’s source is a huge factor that determines your margin. Here are some places that I’ve used to source cheap items to resell:

• Garage and estate sales: Know when local estate and garage sales will happen in your area by checking Facebook, your local newspapers, and estatesales.net. Arrive early for the best selection. But if you go late, you could barter for better discounts.
• Thrift stores: You can often find great deals at thrift stores, but you might need to take an entire day traveling to different locations to find what you need. Always have a list of items prepared so you can stay organized.
• Retail clearance and discount stores: Clearance works when you can find in-demand online items. Opportunities are best during seasonal resets, like when you can offer products like Halloween goods or Christmas lights.
• Wholesale suppliers and liquidation: If you have enough space for inventory and startup capital for purchase, wholesale and liquidation are a great option. But you’ll need to pay at least a few hundred dollars to get started, and pallets can be hit or miss.

How to avoid losing money on cheap resale items

Avoid losing money by knowing if your products will sell and their ideal pricing. These four factors determine your profit margin the most:

1. Platform fees: Always know how much each platform will take from your sales, and then price your items so fees don’t cut into your margins too deeply.
2. Shipping costs: Heavy items, like cast iron pans, often incur expensive shipping fees. Weigh heavy items when sourcing. If they’re too heavy, make sure you can sell them in person on Facebook Marketplace.
3. Low-demand inventory: Before you even start sourcing, check a few marketplaces and see if the items you’re aiming to offer have actually sold.
4. Seasonal demand: A Coleman camping stove bought in October sells in April because more people tend to go camping when the weather’s better. Holding costs and storage time are real expenses that most beginner resellers don't track until they've absorbed them once.

Manage and sell more items with Nifty

If you want to cut out some of the manual work that comes from reselling items across multiple platforms, go with Nifty. It’s a crosslisting and automation tool that gives you a central command center to upload, edit, and list your items on platforms like eBay, Mercari, Poshmark, Depop, and others. 

Here’s why over 10,000 resellers trust Nifty:

• Customized AI listing: Snap a pic and let Nifty’s AI build a high-quality listing, with SEO-optimized titles and descriptions, and trending hashtags already filled out for you. You can even customize how AI writes your listings to follow your unique style.
• Crosslist now: With a couple of clicks, post your items across Whatnot, Poshmark, eBay, Mercari, Depop, and Etsy. No copy-paste clutter and no multi-tab hopscotch. (More marketplaces coming soon!) 
• Automatic delisting? Handled: When you make a sale, Nifty’s sales detection auto-delists that item from every marketplace. Say goodbye to double-selling disasters and “sorry, it’s already gone” apology messages.
• Bulk tools = no busywork: Share and relist daily in just a few clicks. You can even schedule drafts to go live while you sleep and set automatic discounts that run deeper over time.
• Analytics and profits are real: Track sales, fees, top performers, and slow movers in one clean dashboard, so you can actually see what’s working and what’s just dead space. You can also set and track seller goals directly from your home screen.

Nifty pays for itself in just a few weeks. Start with a 7-day free trial and see how Nifty simplifies reselling cheap items for a profit so much that it feels like cheating (but it’s not). 

FAQs

1. What cheap items are best for beginners to resell?

Clothing, textbooks, and kitchen appliances are the best cheap items for beginners. These items have constant demand because they’re generalized, and they can sell across multiple platforms. Many buyers already trust these categories more than specialized niche ones.

2. Where do people find cheap items to resell for profit?

People find cheap items to resell for a profit at thrift stores, garage sales, and estate sales. You create good margins because most of these sources are aiming to free up space and aren’t concerned with making a profit when selling. Most profitable inventory comes from underpriced local sources. 

3. What is the biggest mistake when reselling cheap items?

The biggest mistake when reselling cheap items is buying without checking sold listings first. Always check sold listings on the platform you plan on using, such as eBay or Poshmark, to get an idea of how in-demand the products you want to sell actually are. Cheap inventory that doesn’t sell ties up cash and storage space.