A woman has revealed her impressive earnings after a year of selling other people’s unwanted items on resale sites like eBay and Facebook Marketplace – and she spends just a few hours on it every month.
Chloë Webster, 29, from Chester, had been flogging random bits and bobs for years but it wasn’t until the pandemic hit that she started getting serious about selling preloved goods online.
When lockdown was first imposed, the meditation teacher was forced to take her classes online and soon found herself with extra time on her hands.
Bored at home, Chloë began noticing the clutter in her house and decided to get rid of some unwanted items and make money in the process.
“It really started when I began going through my wardrobe to see what clothes I could get rid of,” she told Jam Press.
“I’m quite a minimalist person but I hate waste, if I can reuse or recycle then I will.
“I love the idea that someone else will want the things that I don’t need anymore and they won’t end up in a landfill.
“Some of the items I decided to chuck were still quite new so I put them on eBay to see if they were worth anything.
“It didn’t take long before I had sold quite a bit of stuff.”
Chloë was so good at shelling old products for a decent price that people in her social circle soon asked to use her services.
She said: “I told some of my family and friends about it and soon enough they started asking me to sell their unwanted items.
“Everyone was in the same state of mind that was going through their belongings and getting rid of clutter.”
In return for helping others get rid of their junk, Chloë takes a 50% cut of the profits – creating a nice side gig for herself.
After 12 months, she was shocked to discover that she had made £1083.32 from selling items on eBay and Facebook Marketplace, barely spending any time on it.
She said: “I was genuinely really surprised at how much it all totted up to as there has never been anything huge or super expensive sold.
“My family have started calling me the ‘eBay queen’.
“The most expensive thing I’ve ever sold was a pair of Nike trainers that had been worn once and sold for £85.
“Another surprise sale was an oil splattered coat with a broken zip from Rab that went for £35.
“I had a bet with my friend whose coat it was that it wouldn’t sell but it did!
“There was also a really old floral lamp that was destined for the skip but I promised to sell it and ended up getting £45.
“I’ve been using eBay off and on for over 10 years but I still love the thrill of buying and selling on there.
“Buying is all about tactics and waiting until the last possible second to bid, the adrenalin rush is great.
“There’s no better feeling however when something that you were going to chuck away sells or people get into a bidding war over it.”
For anyone keen to make some extra money in January or perhaps get rid of some unwanted Christmas presents, Chloë shares her top tips for getting a better price for your goods and securing a sale quicker.
SIMPLE DESCRIPTIONS
Keep it short and sweet, and always include the most important details.
She said: “People rarely read the whole description when they’re skimming through items so make sure you have all the key words in the title.
“Always get the brand name, size and if it’s been used, has the labels on etc.
“In the main description I always list things in bullet points to make it easier to digest.
“It’s important to be completely truthful about any scratches or marks on the item too, and tell them how much postage will be.
“If it’s an item of clothing for sale I like to add in what it could be styled with too as I think it helps give people more of an idea.”
TAKE LOADS OF PHOTOS
As the saying goes, a picture speaks a thousand words.
Chloë said: “On eBay, you can add 12 photos to a listing – so I always do.
“Take snaps from every different angle, of the labels, any faults, up close, with a tape measure to prove measurements – people love to see things.
“I style my clothing listings on a plain wooden hanger against a white background with plenty of natural lighting.
“Make sure there’s nothing in the way or distracting near it that could detract from the item.
“If it’s a piece of furniture I like to style it in a corner with perhaps a light or plant next to or on it.
“Be sure to state clearly in the description that any extras in the photos are not for sale though.”
GO FOR SUNDAYS
If you’re not looking to make a career out of reselling items, Chloë recommends choosing a set time each week to upload new products – with Sunday often generating higher traffic.
She said: “I don’t spend that much time sorting my listings out, I like to do them on a Sunday morning for around three or four hours.
“It’s very therapeutic to get it all photographed, written and uploaded and once you get in the flow it doesn’t take too long.
“I’ve found that opting for your listing to end on a Sunday evening means you get the best traffic.
“There’s never much good TV on a Sunday evening, people are scrolling on their phones and making impulse bids when they’re bored.”
CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLATFORM
Do a bit of research to see where your product will likely sell best.
Chloë said: “eBay is great for lighter, smaller things and less bulky items, but if you have furniture or something very heavy then I recommend Facebook Marketplace.
“eBay takes a fee of 10% of your earnings but Facebook Marketplace is completely free, and you can ask people to come and collect it straight from you.
“It means you get cash in hand and don’t have to worry about postage and packaging that might end up costing you loads of money!”
Chloë has invested her earnings into her meditation business as well as used some of it to treat herself to weekly dinners at restaurants.
She added: “Now the lockdown is over (hopefully) I think I’m going to spend the next lot of earnings on a holiday to Italy.”
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