Are YouTubers Killing the Reselling Industry?

You can check out Flipwise here: flipwise.app (Use the promo code YoEpq9SvOLM for 20% off your first month!)
Do you have a question for me? Ask via video/audio here! www.videoask.c...
Jump around:
- Does eBay allow this use of AI in images? 1:39
- How can I mail small things cheaply with tracking? 8:10
- How do I get my buyer a return label? 10:27
- How much do you invest back into your business? 13:44
- Should.I give a full refund on this purchase? 16:18
- What USPS Priority box should I be using? 18:53
- Are KZbinrs hurting or helping the reselling industry? 23:15
My favorite reselling tools that I use:
- Label printer: amzn.to/3ymkvAE
- Tape King packing tape: amzn.to/3wywCdq
- Postage scale: amzn.to/3Usvgce
- Tape gun: amzn.to/3QBI5Qd
- Photography lights: amzn.to/4bRgVOj
- Barkeeper's friend: amzn.to/3JP9ZVn
- Scotty peelers: amzn.to/3yfrprK
- Heat gun amzn.to/3wCMNq6
- Shop towels: amzn.to/4b67ERZ
- Magic eraser: amzn.to/3UOZWG4
You can also find me on Instagram here: / justinresells.yt
Some of the links above contain affiliate codes, which means I may get a cut if you decide to make a purchase. And Flipwise is an app that I co-founded. Thank you for your support!

[@tinawiththelakeexchange2093]

Watching resellers on you tube is what gave me the guts to start reselling. Three years in and really enjoy it and the extra income is nice too!

[@PhoenixSales85]

Just to add to this conversation, Tina here has also provided me with valuable advice through the comment section of KZbin that has truly helped me with my business. One thing I truly enjoy about the majority of the “eBay” “reselling” KZbin community, is generally everyone wants everyone to succeed.

[@FloridaNative59]

I'm convinced most viewers are not serious resellers or are here just for the entertainment. It is a lot of hard work that needs to be done regularly for success and most people just won't actually act on the information you make available. I have found a lot of profitable items at the end of sales and in plain site, the business has just reverted back to the way it was pre pandemic.

[@RetroSho]

I will co-sign this post. It’s great that these KZbinrs provide so much info. The large amount of people will never make great use of it.

[@clairebeane3455]

@@RetroShoI concur.

[@ThriftMaven]

It's incredible amounts of work, I have to cosign here. Most will give up before they even start. I struggle to stay motivated to get this off the ground and the KZbinrs do help there by sparking more curiosity and competition with self to do more, learn more. It's not like it's easy money. Not as easy as the videos would make it seem any how to the average viewer. A lot goes into this.

[@clairebeane3455]

@@ThriftMaven That would be the only draw back to some of these videos, without even meaning to (I think) they make this look like easy work. It is anything but. You literally have to treat this like the business it is and work it like a 9 to 5 with tons of OT.

[@ThriftMaven]

@@clairebeane3455 that's why I don't worry that we'll ever run out of treasure or be out of luck 🤣 there's so much treasure in this world and not many will hold up to the consistency this takes to be successful. Myself included. I sometimes wonder if I'm going to steer this thing where I hope to. It's fun though! The people who can treat it less like work and more like fun will probably survive the onslaught of OT.

[@Jake-Day]

Asking KZbinrs if KZbinrs are hurting you… Of course most of them will tell you we aren’t. But of course we are. Teaching people how to fish will create more fishers fishing in your pond. This is basic economics.

[@thefloridapicker]

Well Said. You can only split a pie into so many pieces...

[@TravisInDallas]

It creates that steady stream of newbies that will over pay and sell to low. The only people making money are the suppliers and platforms but it affects prices making it harder for everyone.

[@bennystratton7734]

@@thefloridapicker but the thing is then you have the YTers Resellers that do not understand this or simply deny the facts (of what they created) and complain about slow or low or no sales WHAT DO YOU EXPECT when you EXPLAIN and hand all on a silver platter (without the millions of new sellers doing any type of work) HOW to sell and WHAT TO SELL as Jake said its simple Economics and THE MAIN reason Amazon and Walmart DESPISE competition and try to HAULT it at every CORNER there not stupid its just how SMART BUSINESS IS done There not out there teaching everyone how to be a BIG BOX retailer are they NOPE neither should resellers

[@bennystratton7734]

@@TravisInDallas 100% but sellers that sell to low help me amass backstock for when we have the mass exodus of resellers we are already seeing it i hope it keeps happening sorry i am a business and im like amazon and Walmart Competition is bad that is how they think and look at what they have been able to grow to that is how ALL resellers need to be thinking not as a community but as competition and sorry when it all comes down to it that is all we are we are each others competition and those that say oh there is enough pie to go around BS look we have like 350 million Americans in the United states and eBay says there 132 million seller base is made 50% from the us so that is only 66 million Americans out of 350 plus million Americans that is like just under 20% of United States poplulation IF and that is a big if you believe EBAYS Numbers at all and after being a 25 year full time reseller on multiple platforms including eBay and amazon nope i dont believe any numbers ebay puts out i actually think there a lot less then there claims

[@brendatomlinson]

@@TravisInDallasPrices on my categories, vintage glass and pottery, are dropping fast!

[@trasure435]

Used to be a pampered chef seller/rep. The stones are actually better stained with use. The more use they have, the more non-stick it becomes (seasoned)

[@LinFo23]

I don't watch many resellers on KZbin anymore. I did at the beginning when I was just starting out as a reseller. I wanted to learn the ins and outs of reselling. Now, I actually don't see the point in watching someone else make money. To me, my time can be better spent on selling, sourcing, or researching the history of an item.

[@bennystratton7734]

1000%!

[@lionheart830]

Yup! It gets boring fast listening to people "brag" about how much they made.

[@jesseknowles7291]

I watch what sold videos to gain some knowledge one other categories. But generally at 2x speed 😂

[@bennystratton7734]

@@lionheart830 and really they actually made like 10-20% of what they CLAIM they made in there videos when you get to there TRUE NET which is NOT the net that platforms send to there bank accounts there is other Business expenses to be accounted for which makes that 40-50% of the gross sent to there bank account about 20-30% less after business expense are deducted but YT resellers like to be deceptive to that fact especially since the majority watching YT reseller videos have no business sense and do no understand the net the platforms send IS NOT the true net (or what you can freely spend on your personal expenses, Put in savings, or Reinvest in your business......thing is Business Expense have to be deducted first which again leaves about 10-20% of the GROSS

[@PhoenixSales85]

100% agreed! I would have never got into reselling had it not been for you and channels like yours. And a huge reason I decided to make a KZbin channel and document my venture into reselling, was to inspire and educate others to get into it. I don’t have a scarcity mindset, and there are so many ways to run a reselling business and how to make it successful. I like competition, because it forces me to be engaged and constantly adapting my business to be successful. And success is a different metric for every individual reseller. If you’re blaming KZbinrs or other resellers for your business failing, I hate to sound dismissive, but I don’t think you’ll be in business very long.

[@SusanHemsley-lh7xv]

I am so thankful for those like you who put out information for us beginners!! I'm always learning. I follow a handful of KZbin creators and find them having a unique approach .

[@hiddenpixie4579]

I know resellers are driving up the prices of bulk jewelry, as well as making 'missed ' valuable items less frequent, because the thrift stores are watching and learning. Just the price of doing business.

[@marklewis3579]

I’d like to comment on the affect of KZbinrs on the reseller market….. …. but I’m too busy trying to get all my inventory listed.

[@audfashionfinds]

😂👍🏼

[@erinsmiles2day522]

😂❤

[@valeriesantos8178]

Just saw the end of ur video ab eBay + KFC 🤓… I have a new respect for u. Btw, there’s KFC dupe recipes… I made it ab 8 yrs ago and my son + his friends loved it 🤤 . We’re no threat to KFC’s business… nor are u… to eBay’s reseller business 😊. U’re actually an asset, + a plus for us.

[@hieronymusx8111]

Reseller KZbin channels have only helped me refine my reselling business. Most people try reselling with rose colored glasses and don’t realize how difficult it can be. A KZbin video won’t keep those people from giving up when sh*t gets deep.

[@uncleronny6748]

My marginally perspicacious advice is...the Birks could creak when walked on ( I always test walk boots if possible) and I think those Puma/Scuderia shirts are a slim fit.

[@juliegayle4486]

Bbb Saved💗❣️❣️❤️❤️❤️❣️❤️💗🤍🩵❣️🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵❤️❤️🤍❤️❤️☪️☪️💝🪯🪯🪯🪯💖nQrwbr

[@tammywasko5531]

I think reselling KZbinrs are fabulous. They are who inspired me to go out and try it for myself, and I’m having a blast - and making some money on the side of my full time job! Total win! However, you have to keep things in perspective according to your own life. Some of the KZbinrs resell full time and have massive followings, so they sell a ton, and they sell it fast…like within hours of listing items. That’s not my situation. Could I get there someday if I was determined to? Maybe. But I can’t let it get me down. Another thing I’ve learned because of using Flipwise: when KZbinrs say, for example, that they bought something for $2 and sold it for $40 - it’s not what it sounds like on the surface. They didn’t actually make $38. They probably made around $22 after eBay fees. They’re not sharing that info like Justin does. It’s why I appreciate Justin so much!!!Bottom line - keep things in perspective.

[@bennystratton7734]

"when KZbinrs say, for example, that they bought something for $2 and sold it for $40 - it’s not what it sounds like on the surface. They didn’t actually make $38. They probably made around $22 after eBay fees." This is 100% true i actually had a big discussion in a comment section of one of kevin commonwealth flippers videso a while back about this exact thing MANY MANY id say the Majority of resellers do not OPENLY talk about or either willingly or unwilling deceptively make people watching there videos who know no better think exactly that they made $38 and thing is Many other business expenses come into it its NOT just The net that Ebay sends you (you see a gross then the fees ebay charges and your shipping labels and then you get your net BUt thing is that is not your TRUE net or what you can spend on either personal expenses/bills or reinvest in your business you still have other business expenses to account for like Cell Phone bill (if you use your cell phone to list) , your household internet bill if you use a laptop or pc to list , electric if you work from home, Storage unit Rent, Office Rent , warehouse rent, gas to source, take packages to the post office , Get supplies there are MANY MANY business expense that eat at that NET number that ebay or any other platform you sell on sends to your bank AFTER all these expenses what your left with is your TRUE net and what you again either spend on personal household bills, Put in savings, Or reinvest in the business and usually that number is probably after all is said and done 20% or less That is why its 100% true if you want to do $100k TRUE NET you have to make $300k GROSS

[@NinasJewels]

We share our net profit in our What Sold videos. It gives the most realistic portrayal of being a reseller. Some people watch the ones that glorify it just because they enjoy the fantasy element, though. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@tammywasko5531]

@@NinasJewels Thanks for the transparency! 👏👏👏

[@bennystratton7734]

@@NinasJewels thing is if its just what the platforms are sending you its just as bad as only showing your Gross you have to also tell your viewers that what the platforms deposit in to your account is NOT your true net or what you can freely use on your personal bills, put in savings or reinvest in the business because the net that the platforms are sending to your account does not account for all the other business expenses like electric, internet, Cell Phone, Gas, Supplies, Rent (if you have a storage unit or warehouse) when all is said and done someone making $1000 per day GROSS is REALLY netting like 10-20% of that (10-20% is what they can put toward there household bills, Put in Savings, or reinvest in there business) that would be being 100% transparency

[@lionheart830]

@@bennystratton7734 Yes, I agree. And the shipping supplies!

[@JT-vl5kk]

Thank you for the candid and thorough reply to my question about youtubers and reselling. As I mentioned, no criticism intended. It was more just something that came to mind. Thanks again for the information you share! Your garage sale flips this week are awesome! We actually flipped a few sprinkler parts ourselves this week coincidentally. It's so fun to turn $1 into 100x that!

[@merridybenton7028]

I hate it when people try to use their disability to get something cheaper. If this disabled person couldnt return the item, then why would they need a bag if they cant go anywhere!

[@Atty_KelseyK]

That boils my chicken too. For a while I enjoyed name brand bags and when I sold my collection, (higher value, but not crazy high) I would get messages from people who couldn't afford them now that they have kids, they're a stay at home parent, etc...would I take a certain 60% less offer, etc... I almost fell for the first one, but then several more similar messages on the other bags revealed it's just people doing whatever they can to get a discount. If I only had one bag listed, there's a 50% chance I'd have taken a steep discount thinking I'd be making someone happy. Humans can be ruthless over the smallest things.

[@random-acts-of-thrifting]

I agree with you. I could get the information must faster by searching eBay data instead of through you tubers. I just enjoy hearing their experiences good and bad.

[@joanmcmanus5320]

The following is just an observation and not a criticism of Justin or his channel: Resellers who have youtube channels can provide entertainment and (in some cases) education. In exchange for our viewership, they earn money from youtube. They also get to promote their products. Their promoted products could be their thrifted purchases or related products that they developed (such as flipwise) or even travel groups for the purpose of vintage shopping. That being said, thank you for your channel, Justin.

[@keenanwalsh1049]

Think you nailed the view on how youtubers are influencing the market. Most people don't want to apply the information that is available and start reselling. I've been pleased to learn how to resell and been able to help a few friends start and even one of their teenagers.

[@debrahansley]

Justin, i appreciate your candidness in such a positive way. I do not think eBay KZbinrs are impacting me in any way, despite a couple being close to me in Virginia! I appreciate their, and your, information!!! In fact if anything, I gain a wealth of useful knowledge!

[@GarageSaleNation1]

VA competition. 😉

[@debrahansley]

​@@GarageSaleNation1😂watch Kevin all of the time;😂

[@steves1390]

I’m sure it makes it tougher to source by making it easier for everyone to know what to buy. It helps yard sellers and thrift stores know how to research an items value. But the strong will survive just like anything. It will only get tougher.

[@bennystratton7734]

"But the strong will survive just like anything." 100% agree with you on the above thing is we were talking about the Minority of sellers not the majority of sellers " It will only get tougher" this i also agree with you 100% its not getting tougher what is happening its actually correcting itself (the marketplaces and categories) to how it was PRE covid so those that came in during covid may think its getting tougher when in fact that is how it was NORMALLY pre covid my advice to those that came in during covid that might think this way (its getting tougher) get use to it

[@anthonyxavier6300]

I'm definitely seeing more new people at the thrift stores and at the yard sales. Not sure if it's because of youtubers or tik tok but most of the time after awhile I don't see the same people. They probably realized the amount of work involved and not as easy as they thought it was.

[@thomasfrench2012]

Last I knew, the eBay Standard Envelope shipping rate was only for a select few things. If that has changed, that is great, because there are a lot of things that would be great for that, but didn't qualify.

[@justinresells]

Yeah, good point, I should have mentioned it was restricted to certain categories, but I believe they did open it up to many more categories late last year.

[@freddyrussell6611]

It is open to many more categories. However it states “no strings or clousures” (because of Prison mail). Laces???? Sounds like a NO NO! Dont fit your item in a catagory that qualifies for this mail and possibly have the Ebay police shut down your account.

[@bennystratton7734]

@@freddyrussell6611 This!

[@bennystratton7734]

@@freddyrussell6611 sounds like the seller that asked that question is to cheap to pay for actual postage even if its purcahsed on ebay which is cheaper then retail rate! what some sellers will try to do to get around the system.....my advice is DONT SELL THINGS with FREE SHIPPING bad bad mistake NOTHING ever is free if you do free shipping that shipping is coming out of your POTENTIAL Profit

[@ReclaimedRepublic]

I think resellers have always been out there, but I didn’t notice them until i started reselling. Now I see people doing the same things I'm doing and chat with them. It’s like when i started noticing all of the honda minivans on the road once i bought one. Just my thoughts! Keep up the good work Justin, love the videos!!

[@charlesswartz521]

The debate about KZbinrs ruining things for existing resellers has been going on for years and, if anything, there is more opportunity today than at any point in history. Of course the landscape has changed and certain niches may be more difficult to make a profit than they were in the past. But there are endless categories of products and nobody can be an expert in all. Successful sellers will be constantly learning and adjusting strategy to supply value to the current demands in the market. My experience has also been that there is a high burnout rate among folks who are new to the industry. Most will try for a few weeks or months and bail out due to frustration, boredom, etc. In fact, I would say most people are discouraged at even a realistic discussion of what it takes to get started and make a steady profit. Can't tell you how many friends/family who have asked how I do it, and after I explain, decide too much work for them.

[@bennystratton7734]

and the main thing is compared to 25 years ago when i went full time in 98' all we had was Ebay Amazon and Yahoo auctions that is it NOTHING elese im like living the lap of luxury in 2024 when we have at minimum of 10 plus platforms you can sell on IF NOT MORE we should all be humble and greatful its not 98' when you only had 3 options! and we should also be grateful if you sell your based and sell in the united states because we have way more platforms to choice from then any other country on this planet!! food for thought remember an attitude of gratitude will take you along way!

[@johndough23]

Sounds like rationalization to me. YT has ruined most things it touches.

[@heatherheather600]

Great explanation of info helping. On the upside I now come to eBay first to buy needed items.

[@positivepsycho2932]

The KZbin reselling debate has been going for years. Everyone wants reselling to be "their" little secret. They want to know all the secrets but don't want others knowing because muh sales. My advice is get used to it. Be smarter, faster than everyone else. And dont just sell what you see in YT videos.

[@bennystratton7734]

or be willing to sell what others are not or what others consider a waste of there time

[@kattymatty413]

The Birkenstock clogs-they are not comfortable like traditional Birkenstocks. My mom has a pair she never wears. So I wear them for just when I’m going in the yard and need to slide shoes on fast. But I try not to stay in them too long! 😅

[@nopunts9947]

More sellers means more inventory which means more choices for customers making eBay more useful and increasing the amount of buyers.

[@bennystratton7734]

that is a lot of more's lol those are assumptions more choices for customers does not always mean more buyers that is wishful thinking tell me how having 2.1 billion active items and only 132 million active sellers (these are 100% ebay numbers from there Q2 earnings call) is good for buyers its way way to many items to choice from which means ONE THING lots of sellers will be left out MORE does not always mean better that active item to active buyer ratio needs to be brought way more closer together that active item number needs to drop way below 1 billion active items a smaller active item account does not mean LESS BUYERS but it will MEAN way more sales once a upon a time eBay was VERY STRICT with the ability to increase seller selling limits it was very hard for new sellers once a upon a time to increase those new seller limits of 10 items with a total value of $500 each month. they need to revert back to those STRICTNESS when it comes to increasing those limits this would slow the influx of ACTIVE ITEMS

[@Wendy-Go-0411]

There are only a handful of categories that you can use eBay standard envelope with and I don't think lace would be one. Without looking it up, I believe the categories are stamps, paper money and coins, postcards and trading coins with a value of less than $20.

[@bumpasaurus487]

Exactly, I just commented this. I use them all the time for my magic cards. They used to be like 50 cents too at bottom rate. Made selling cards for $5 worthwhile. It’s only allowed for trading cards, stamps, and currency i believe. Also it has to be $20 and under, tho people (myself included) do the old eBay standard workaround of shipping area money stashing. I have a few cards selling for $20 and $20 shipping that qualify. Biggest I’ve seen someone do is $20 with $40 shipping and using the envelope postage rate. I try to only do it for $5-$10 shipping as you get occasionally angry customers who think you’re trying to squeeze extra money, and I have to explain that standard envelopes save me and therefore them money.

[@Wendy-Go-0411]

@@bumpasaurus487 Makes all my old postcards worth selling also.

[@Rescued_Goodies]

While the info they give might not be a problem, KZbin resellers absolutely influence more people to get into reselling. This most certainly results in greater competition for inventory, and for sales on marketplaces. BOLO videos almost immediately result in a flood of those items and a measurable drop in the price. I see it constantly. I also disagree that there's effectively infinite inventory. Only so much is worth bothering with. While there might theoretically be hidden value in more difficult items, the time and effort required to become educated about and hunt for that residual value gives rapidly diminishing returns.

[@TheDustyOldHat]

Read the book Secondhand by Alex Minter to understand that there is truly infinite inventory available for the secondhand market. And it will not stop in our lifetime.

[@Rescued_Goodies]

@@TheDustyOldHat While the book looks interesting, and I might give it a read, there is not infinite inventory. And no infinite demand. Resources, money, and most importantly time are limited. Although the amount of available inventory is certainly massive, and although there might be a lot of hidden potential value within it, the great majority of that value is not worth the resources needed to extract it. Partly because value is relative. Could I find a way to turn the mountain of millions of discarded and "worthless" clothing articles into a billion dollar empire? Quite possibly. But am I willing to make all the lifestyle and professional and personal sacrifices needed to make that happen? Probably not, because I don't value the sacrifices that it would take. Just one example.

[@bennystratton7734]

@@TheDustyOldHat if anyone here watches James my great reseller life like him i have been reselling full time for 25 years i went full time in 98' like him i have implemented into my business model to sell what others DEEM not worth there time those that state this are 100% ONLY in this for the money PREIOD its like a trigger word for me i smell it a mile away! if you have no other MOTIVATION then money when it comes to reselling if you don't have a "WHY" then yes you will feel like certain things are not "worth" your time or effort i tell all those with that mindset your better off going back to a brick and mortar job and Making someone else richer making someone else company grow instead of your own! your willing to sell what others wont (because they claim its not worth there time) yes there is truly infinite inventory available! and MANY people do not think outside the box (ill give one hint sourcing LOCALLY/IN person is not the ONLY way to source hence why there is an infinite supply of inventory)

[@bennystratton7734]

@@Rescued_Goodies again why selling what others DEEM a waste of there time or NOT worth there time (for what ever lame reasons) if you have the work ethic and ACTULLY do not look at reselling as work (like it seems you do) but you actually TRULY love reselling every aspect of it (which i do or i would not be doing this 25 years later) and YOU have a WHY and doing this FOR MORE THEN JUST the money then as the saying goes if you love you job truly love it then you will never feel like you worked a day in your life that saying is 100% truth! and exactly how i have felt the last 25 years of full time reselling and best thing I GET PAID to do this! so yes those that feel like i do and we are in the minority (i know James my great reseller life also feels this way) we both sell what others wont sell because they feel its not worth there time! and we make $100's of dollars a day on those items as long as you have your processes down (meaning how quick you can pick and pack items) you can do it! you just have to have the will and the want to do it and the work ethic! id like to see you say this same thing about selling things not worth your time or effort not willing to change you lifestyle or professional or personal sacrifices (sometimes in business its a must YOU DO NOT get a choice) tell burbank cards this when they make $8000 plus per day on $2.50 Cards! or tell James this when he is NETTING $1.75 on cds or Tell People that sell post cards that are probably netting $2.50 but making $100's per day on post cards YES it might be work EVERYTHING TAKES WORK sorry but that is the honest truth! im sure they would all disagree with your mindset

[@TheDustyOldHat]

@@Rescued_Goodies trying to respond to you but KZbin keeps deleting my comments. I give up. Best of luck.

[@tammywasko5531]

I had an eBay seller send me a bunch of small items in USPS boxes within a larger unmarked box. They also used the padded USPS envelopes as bubble wrap inside the boxes. Well, I turned around and reused one of the boxes by covering it with paper. Even though it was technically a “recycled box” - now I’m going to get rid of the others I have left from that purchase!

[@empowereveryone7063]

I reuse all sorts of material. I'll wash a pillow destined for the trash and then just cut it open and use it as padding and cushion for shipment. I've gotten nothing but good reviews

[@donnamarkow2368]

I think it isn't KZbins BUT I think it is all about the money that we are spending. Every thrift store big and small is now on Facebook with a channel selling all the good stuff they get from the public.

[@burntpopcorn7543]

I have not had good luck selling shoes.

[@1280hi]

It is an endless supply of inventory to the point where I wish I could clone myself to go shopping. It’s mind consuming the finds you’re missing when you’re not shopping.

[@randycarson9812]

I have listed and sold some personal items that I've owned for years. In Flipwise, I entered the purchase data as 01/01/01 for speed and simplicity. But now I see that this has skewed my days to list to more than one year. What is the alternative? I could make the "purchase" date, the date I finally decided to list something. Thoughts?

[@JenniferRobison-c8w]

And do you list the source cost as what you paid for it originally?

[@roadtrippingdrone5139]

YESSSSSSS Theres no denying it. I have been in the game a very long time. Especially these youtubers that just play as they resell. They give people horrible advice and prey on people "Oh let me review your store" just send me $50 or even more. Every Goodwill now has every resellers channel and up the prices accordingly.

[@steves1390]

I bet goodwill/thrift stores have subs in the various groups for easy BOLO lists

[@bennystratton7734]

100% just like they spy on sellers at the bins what do you all think those cameras are for and why do you think over the last 5 years (maybe even longer) that all the good items are not coming out as much as they use to BECAUSE they watched what everyone was picking in there bins they were zooming in and making notes what to pick in the back BEFORE it even makes it out to the floor this is 100% truth! i picked up on years ago i was telling people watch more and more of this stuff will be going on shopgoodwill and now that is what is happening

[@tishawngonsalves1350]

I think they do because the over saturated content and filming inside thrift stores has cause thrift store prices to skyrocket. The companies for example Goodwill are now aware of the value of some of the donations an on the east coast not even putting valuable items that are probably more noticeable by name or designer in the store they are putting on their own website. It does make harder to source material at a reasonable price for profit and it make thing unaffordable for people who a shopping in thrift stores for themselves with no intention of selling.

[@bennystratton7734]

100% if i had a penny every time i heard someone utter under there breath how expensive goodwill is the last few years id be a millionaire and your right its not just resellers uttering those words under there breath but regular buyers who want to buy things for themselves!

[@Cards-In-The-Closet]

I believe the Standard Envelope is ONLY for a few categories, like stamps and trading cards.

[@SequelsBoutique]

Well said! I agree the key is "Information & Execution" most people consume KZbin for entertainment. So many of the biggest KZbin resellers would be considered KZbinrs, as most of their profit comes from the platform, rather than resellers. There have always been resellers and IMHO as fast fashion and overconsumption continue to grow the needed for more resellers will grow as well.

[@nickbarounis1081]

Ok, I have some time and this is a pet peeve of mine--here is a great example of KZbinrs effect on the industry. Tommy bahana shirts - the vast majority of KZbin resellers said it's a bolo, go buy it, it sells for lotsa $$$. 99.9% of KZbin resellers were showing all the $$ they were making with Tommy Bahama shirt finds.....Tommy Bahama sales have tanked, and it's oversaturated on eBay. unless it's silk and a great print basically not worth it. other examples currently on the down swing, but less vivid as the Tommy fiasco are. Tieks: they used to sell for around $100+. now abt $30-60, and going down.i have more examples but you get the drift. Oh, and the saddest of all, The North Face (sigh) I used to get a hi when id find a north face, it was $$ in the bank and a fast seller. w e l l, now I just leave it on the rack unless its a rare high end north face. Patagonia is following suit also. But I still momentarily get a rush when I find a north face but it's just for a second or two, and then I remember, oh yea dang KZbin resellers. you see its cause and effect. you tell 1 person and they tell 1 person and so on and so on to infinity. making everyone look for Tommy shirts and to sell them on eBay. and then wondering why its taking so long to sell, so they drop the price (remember the above mentioned infinity) everyone is doing the same thing, causing price to tank. this is even more clear if you sell on amazon! a store discounts an item. KZbinrs tell everyone about it. everyone runs out buys the items and lists them.... OH NO....the market is now oversaturated with the item. so what happens.....everyone is now lowering the price, tanking the item. sorry but it's undeniable! Im now definitely NOT talking about Justin but lots of the youtube resellers are not resellers anymore----they are now KZbinrs, that's how they are now making most of their money! I respect the ones that say it outright! like rally roots, they tell you they make there $$ in whole sale and youtub and also Hairy tornado. that was the longest post I have ever made, sorry maybe it helps? idk.

[@JAY-ROCK]

Your absolutely right, they help kill any trending brands, you forgot Robert Graham shirts, Levi’s 560 jeans etc

[@bennystratton7734]

and the most FUNNY Thing of all this they are all wondering why this is UMM do you not understand supply and demand and saturation in general!

[@bennystratton7734]

those that actually treat this like a business and have been doing it for decades full time need to have enough in the bank to wait this out let them all put themselves out of business its coming quicker then many know people are saying how hard its getting when in reality this is normal! reselling is correcting to how it was pre covid you actually had to work for the money you made (Thing is if you loved doing this then it is not really work and YOU GET PAID FOR IT how much better can life get) i banked enough during covid (because i had been doing this full time for 25 years) i knew we were in a start of a recession under trump but the Pandemic and the money that was inflexed under both administrations (that was well need...just think if we had a recession and pandemic going on at the same time without that money it would have been REALLY bad) but that influx put like a band aid on the recession that had already started now that we are fully out of the pandemic era and no more influx of money into the system we are feeling the full force of the recession that started in 2018/2019 i lived through the 08' recession as a full time reseller and it feels JUST like it did in 08' those that are not willing to give deep discounts like 35-50% off what they could have gotten during the pandemic are going to be GONE in the next year or 2 same thing happen in 08' when the dust settled around 2010 MANY MANY resellers had closed up shop and quit Many of my competition i have been buying up inventory and built up my backstock JUST for this to ride out the Recession we are in i have only sourced from my backstock this year (2024) i have enough backstock to source from to last me the next 10 years i have 2 10x25 storage units full (all of which those items have all been paid for as i sold the HOME runs from the lots (i mainly purchase my inventory in huge lots) and those home runs paid for each lot (the entire lot) so when i do source list and sell those others items there pure profit and i don't have to deal with the outrageous prices at thrift stores, estate sales, flea markets and so on and so that YT resellers had first hand helping in doing that once the dust settles once the mass exodus of resellers pack up shop and quit which will in turn Cause the prices to go back down at all these places because the less resellers to buy there items the more pressure they will be to lower the prices again there is the effect supply and demand

[@NinasJewels]

The problem with the eBay standard envelope is it is not available in every eBay category. Not sure why but this limits the use of it. We use it all the time for trading cards and postcards though.

[@terisa_csc]

I find that no two re-sellers sell the same way. Not even when selling the same item. I'm not sure why. But have been around long enough to see it. What is nice is the company and sharing ups and downs. Gives ideas when you need them and I do believe it gives new sellers a direction; be it on a bike or train. Just a thought. So please keep sharing those secrets lol

[@corkychetwyn9987]

Once again, a great video! You are a Master teacher! Thank you!

[@blueskyflipsyyc]

Wow I do almost the exact same thing when it comes to ebay banking. I am part time as well. Basically I always ensure I have a couple hundred cash for yard sales, a couple hundred on a cash card for sourcing at thrifts and then 1k or so holdings to be able to capitalize on any large buys. All the rest above that I transfer out into personal savings accounts.

[@d.s.7411]

Thanks for that tip on envelope shipping that will help, although the value of item cannot exceed $20. If you don't use tracking then the buyer never gets it, how can you prove you mailed it? The rise in resellers for whatever reason does impact the eBay market. Saturation as you stated is a problem because there are so many listing of the same thing that folks are selling at loss to get rid of it that the supply is driving the price paid down. But uncommon things are profitable. It takes some experience selling to recognize something that will sell for a profit and still pay eBays fees. Good Video!

[@johnathin0061892]

You can't prove it, but if you have items of little value, like a $3-5 used event ticket or booklet, just mailing it with a stamp is worth the risk. At worst you are only out the cost of a stamp. Most people are honest about it, you will come out ahead doing it even if you get a few false (or real) "never received it" claims. The risk to TRS status for not having tracking is a much bigger issue.

[@bennystratton7734]

100% agree saturation In any category is a problem many are saying there are to many resellers on eBay i disagree the problem we all face and its a huge one is there are way to many active items in all categories sorry eBay loves to boast about there almost 2 billion active items and only 132 million active sellers around the world were only 50% are from the United states so for those almost 2 billion items there are only 66 million active buyers from the United states sorry that ITEM to buyer Ratio if people have any math sense at all will understand that ratio is way to far off it has to be brought way closer like the items have to drop under 1 billion or eBay has to get rid of sellers which will then get rid of all that excess items that are really not needed. "But uncommon things are profitable" 100% agree and yes you do have to be experiences to recognize that something will sell for a profit and still pay ebay fees technically you don't really have to know this the ONE THING you must do is be smart on the BUY and try to get your inventory as close to $0 as possible so if you need to deep discount and item by buying low or as close to $0 as possible you are able to Deep discount and STILL make a profit ON JUST about any item! remember YOU make your Money on the BUY not the sale

[@d.s.7411]

@@bennystratton7734 I think the problem is that the resellers coming in the market are not educated enough to know how to track their sales well enough to know how their really doing or have a business plan. They will likely give up, but more will try. I say that because I have just learned to keep your eBay fees down you really should not offer free shipping as if it is in the price eBay fees are charged increasing the cost of shipping. When it comes down to competing for common items, your profit may be all about bringing home that 1 or 2 dollars profit rather than that 73 cents. My ROI started at 12%, and now its 70% combined sales.

[@jfgibson73]

I didn't realize you couldn't add text. I've captioned photos numerous times. I don't know if it helped with the sale or not, but I thought it was an effective way to make sure buyers knew what to expect when items had flaws.

[@johndough23]

Just use a small video

[@luckytreasures8681]

You can't use the standard envelope on items that are not in the right category. Example it has to be in pins and cards etc categories.

[@kimwalters6483]

If I get an item returned twice, I reach out to the buyers and ask them to review the product so I know what's going on. With clothing sometimes it's just too small so I will list it as a size smaller.

[@smu7270]

I was succesful selling those exact Birks on Poshmark for about $40 - $50 CAD.

[@abdulG8413]

I disagree with his point that there is infinite amount of items or products. Because he himself said he has sources to items that he wouldn't share on youtube. Its contradictory to say one can educate without it being impactful. The most difficult part is sourcing on a consistent basis. Ebay selling itself is and has never been a mystery. But when you give sources whether you use them or not to thousands of people it will have an impact and it in my opinion has been more negative

[@rebecasantas3444]

I think anyone who is worried about resellers ever running out of items to sell are living on a scarcity mindset-it all depends on how you look at it.

[@Self-HelpReseller]

I have been selling on eBay long before KZbin existed, and I agree that KZbinrs are not making reselling harder for everyone. There is still a gold mine of inventory out there, and just because KZbinrs are alerting us on BOLOs does not mean they are ruining the game. It has always been a challenging game. I can say that anyone who relies on KZbin for their reseller education is in the wrong business. If you are not self-taught, you are at a tremendous disadvantage. It may seem like there is more competition, but most resellers get discouraged and drop out of the game early, leaving the meat and potatoes still there for us established resellers.

[@bumpasaurus487]

I started my eBay with magic cards so I know eBay standard envelopes well and I believe you are making a mistake as they are only for trading cards, stamps, and currency. It’s not for anything that fits the dimensional requirements, which there are, you were correct about that.

[@bennystratton7734]

100%

[@Oatchi329]

I agree that youtube resellers are hurting reselling. I do want to say that channels like this one are different. They are educational and helpful. However so many of the videos I see in my feed are harmful. No one is finding items worth hundreds or thousands at every single yard sale they go to. No one is finding mystery boxes full of designer clothes in pristine condition for $5 a peice. No one is showing up at a hometown bins and buying 50lbs of designer clothes every time they go (LA, Hollywood, NYC maybe). It is often faked for content and views. If you compare everyone's 50 or 100 BOLO list, pretty much every mainstream brand is included. The truth is, a lot of designer items in mystery boxes is damaged, out of season, or fake. Most high end designer at the bins is also fake (ask the real real). Many of these sellers never actually sell their miraculous finds, it was just content. Since haul videos are everywhere now, sales are becoming a race to the bottom. The prices these resellers quote for listing is not even close to what they sell for. While reselling is great for those of us who invest our time and skills, these types of reselling content videos are harmful to new sellers. They make new sellers believe there is gold everywhere and that they can sell all these brands for big money when it just isn't true. New resellers often win up with piles of merch, debt, and disappointment. You have resellers even flooding retail stores and buying up everything decent on sale to resell. I even saw a video of a guy stalking a storage unit! This really turns off buyers as it seems a predatory culture. You can't blame buyers for no longer wanting to pay up and for revolting against reseller culture. And yes, there is a growing distaste for reseller culture. Channels like this are great for the community. A place to share info and build a community. But most are not like this!

[@kathleenanderson4008]

Since I have started reselling on line, I have also started buying more from reselling platforms.

[@nickchaltry2596]

I've only used priority flat rate boxes in the last year selling ruck marching plates. Think 30Lb laptop you can ruckmarch with in a body carrier. Ground Advantage has gotten improved over the last year to beat out priority. Unfortunately UPS ground Saver has become cheaper than USPS too

[@clairebeane3455]

I love that the production company of The Bear bought your coffee maker!!! I’ll keep an eye out for it!!!

[@georgeedmonson9894]

I curious about bots. I know they often show up as a view almost immediately after posting and I know eBay works to delete them. What I don't know is what the heck are the bots doing on eBay in the first place?

[@justinresells]

scraping data most likely

[@rhoward295]

I used to believe, like the questioner asking about KZbin channels creating much competition at yard sales, estate sales and the like, but it’s also educating many buyers about what’s quality and what’s crap to collect/use. So, I think both will be true, but there will be a great filter creating sifting of those sellers who creatively find other ways to source, hustle better or find other ways to compete.

[@FloridaNative59]

Jride Flips just did an excellent video on this very subject. His take is to stop making excuses and blaming others, get to work.

[@ImAlwaysFrisky]

I signed up for flip wise since i am taking this serious as my full time job, love it so far! This will definitely help me at the end of the year and also gives me a good insight into my profits an keeping track of where i am buying things the most

[@susanphelps9674]

My average sale price was $40.17. Not bad for me. Part time reseller with a fulltime job.

[@elisewilson4682]

I am always willing to help anyone who wants to resell. Even in my small town, there is no way I could grab all the deals at the thrift stores. And no way I could list them all! I agree we have almost infinite amount of inventory to be found.

[@Cbgrandtheftauto]

KZbin resellers I don't take seriously. Ebay has its own algorythm and it screws us all equally so most of the time when resellers are crying sales are down, another seller is making bank. My sales have steadily been dropping. I havent been listing like I used to either and when I do its a lot of low value items so I dont get sales pushed my way. I have moved over other more steady ways of making income and using ebay as part time gig again until sales start increasing. When I am sitting on over $30k of inventory, its not a me problem..its a Ebay problem.

[@bennystratton7734]

100% its the lighthouse effect or the on and off switch your absolutely right when some sellers are complaining about being down others are hollering about being up in sales they have done this for decades (ebay) its just seems to me (and i have been full time reseller on eBay since 98') that in the last few years they seem to be turning the switch on and off it use to only happen once a month not it happening like every few days my theory is they know they have WAY to many Active items (2.1 billion as of q2 earnings call) and only 132 million active buyers world wide they know that ITEM to buyer ratio IS WAY TO FAR OFF it needs to be more closer together so instead of some getting all the sales the are doing the on and off switch in opens ALL will get some sales

[@Rescued_Goodies]

I hate using Ground Advantage for anything over 1 pound, or larger than a cubic foot, as they get treated pretty roughly and stuff gets broken too often. Priority Mail boxes tend to be fairly sturdy, and come with $50 of free insurance coverage, so I'll very often use Priority Mail for items between 1-3 pounds. Anything heavier than that though, and it's UPS all the way. (FedEx has given me waaaay too many headaches with damaged packages.)

[@justinresells]

Both Ground Advantage and Priority come with $100 of insurance. But otherwise, I mostly agree -- anything over a cubic foot typically goes UPS or FedEx for me.

[@Rescued_Goodies]

@@justinresells Good update. Not sure how I missed that insurance news, thanks. Though, my last claim through USPS was an impossible circle that ended nowhere. 😞

[@bennystratton7734]

"I hate using Ground Advantage for anything over 1 pound, or larger than a cubic foot, as they get treated pretty roughly and stuff gets broken too often. " its why when they started it last year the implemented the free $100 insurance they took away first class mail which would always travel Separate from the larger heavier packages and why i always use to ship first class items in bubble mailers only items weighing 1lbs or less would travel in the same bins all the other classes (parcel Post and priority) would travel in there own bins well the genius (and i'm being sarcastic) that thought combining all three and NOT separate the 1lbs and under items was a great idea must have nothing between there melon and why Since July 2023 even 1lbs or less its all gone in boxes To date i have not had ONE issue with something being broken I know why the PO did this change because they felt it was time consuming to separate all the different classes of mail!! well when you have 1lbs or lighter items even NOW it should still be separated and NOT be allowed to travel in the same bins as a 70lbs Ground advantage package LOGIC SAYS the 1lbs or less package is going to be crushed again you have to have nothing between your melon to understand that but i guess the Post master general Dejoy does not have anything between his melon or he just does not care about our 1lbs or under packages!

[@bennystratton7734]

@@Rescued_Goodies that is usps for you

[@Rescued_Goodies]

@@bennystratton7734 I didn't know they don't keep the smaller packages separated. Thanks for the info! Yeah, most small things now get a box from me. Yet another expense. Oh well.

[@luckystyx]

Thank you for saying the truth . And all the education. Regards

[@mastermk7]

Ground Advantage is not cheapest method to ship now since shipping cost increased at USPS, UPS Shipping Saver and FedEx is cheaper now.

[@positivepsycho2932]

USPS is more convenient.

[@tammywasko5531]

I had an eBay seller send me item in covered-up USPS boxes…and then I turned around and reused it by also covering it up. Even though it was technically a “recycled box” - now I’m going to get rid of the others I have left from that purchase!

[@thomascabral8443]

positive your info on reselling I still am confused with electronics want to find stuff but no competition here on that front,,,my son sells jackets I do not get that category so goes the story sell what u know or learn about,,,

[@thriftingtiger]

I hope one of my thumbnails on my videos is the one hidden behind your sweatshirt in your thumbnail. Lol. Great sales and tips!

[@bruceshootingstartradingpo262]

Good vid. Haven’t seen the Oxo yet.

[@Nataliya0907]

makes sence to ship Priority if you sold expensive item, Ground Advantage insurance till 100$, Pruority - 200$. if they loose your package and you had there 200$ value, Ground Advantage refund u only 100$....

[@kenns_dealz]

Love the content - I also had a buyer claim they accepted an offer but were charged full price and ended up refunding the difference as well. Maybe an eBay glitch???

[@abdulG8413]

I believe it has clearly made it really difficult. And I would assume some areas or regions maybe more difficult than others. The fact is I have been doing this for a very long time. And ever since the KZbin influence of resellers emerged. It has been a steady decline and increasingly over competitive hustle. It has become difficult to even find profitable items them it was before. Items I used to find all the time I can no longer find. And then I find a reseller video about that very item. Its ridiculous

[@pattyd3735]

I have been selling on Ebay part time since 2001and I think if you have a good product at a fair price that someone wants it will sell. I sell Lego and 10's of thousands of people sell Lego on Ebay and I don't feel it has hurt me at all. There are 50 states to source from and I am still amazed at what people give away or donate or sell at garage sales dirt cheap. I think because we are resellers we assume there are a lot more of us out there than there really are. All of my friends and family marvel at what I make on Ebay part time and they all say "I need to start doing that!" Do you know how many have started doing it.. zero. Its a lot of work and no one wants to put in the effort, you gotta love it and be willing to live with all this stuff in your house 😆

[@lionheart830]

I was curious, so I asked AI in another program to write something and gave it a topic with a few ideas. I then asked if I was allowed to use it's words for something I was writing. It said yes and gave an explanation. Not sure if it's the same with photos. I guess you have to ask the AI your using. Oh, and I didn't use the words, just asked to see where it led. Never thought about photos.

[@christiancrowe8996]

Hi Justin, thanks for the great videos. Do you look through media? Cds, cassettes, records? Is there a certain genre to focus on? Having a hard time finding anything good

[@natashaoilar7705]

Another great video!!! I think I posed this question previously but may have been missed. I’ve been selling on eBay for a year. I haven’t quite figured out when it makes sense to accept offers. What say you? What percentage of your sales were negotiated from an offer vs. a sale from the listed price?

[@Thrifty_OC]

Hey Justin, another great video. And I have another question for you. I’m also part time, I have a full time job as a social worker. I’m actually making about the same or slightly more reselling. You had talked in one video about sourcing at more places if you’re going to go full time. Just wondering, what places would you recommend or rather what other sourcing. Currently my top sources are: Garage sales A local auction site Estate sales and lastly thrift stores if necessary Not considering full time for a while, just curious. Thanks again!!!

[@LaddFPF]

The eBay standard envelope only really applies to trading card category under $20, and it’s not a great tracking system really,

[@Resellingonthespectrum]

Uh oh, I just sold the same Birkenstock clogs. I hope it doesn’t come back, I got mine for $7

[@dawnm2623]

We are located in north Idaho. For 1 lb plus or bulky items, it is a tossup whether ground advantage or USPS flat rate shipping is least expensive for our buyers. We offer a choice of the two for items that may be on the cusp depending on buyer location. The shipping cost shown in listings is for the option at the top of the list - not the cheapest one for the buyer. We are in a no win situation as far as which option to list first and would like to know if there is a way to make buyers aware that they have shipping options/choices because it is becoming increasingly apparent that many buyers have no idea that the shipping cost they are seeing isn't their only option. Have asked this question of a couple of others and have gotten answers that were incorrect or didn't apply to not being more centrally located. Would really like to know if anyone has any suggestions that apply to our situation. Thank you!

[@luv2read963]

Poshmark ships everything priority mail.

[@nicholasblake9561]

Reselling is a ton of work....most that start end up quitting

[@Kzoee]

Does scheduling your listings in advance to go live daily still let you get the boost that eBay gives you for daily listing? Or is it better to draft your listings in advance and manually post them daily? I've tried scheduling listings weeks in advance because I had so many and I feel like the boost isn't the same after a couple of days compared to if you would be listing daily.

[@dash_rabbit]

Lol, I have a pair of Cole Haans that are cursed. I'm going to relist on only PM and forget about them.

[@kattymatty413]

To the reselling KZbinrs point, I believe every person’s endurance for failure is different, and if every single viewer tried reselling, the experience of failure (whether one or many) would balance out how many actually stick with it. For various reasons, not everyone is ready to embrace the failures that inevitably come along the way. When I was younger, I started a clothing brand, and I quit it as quickly as I started it because I could not recover from my first failure. It took no time to wear me down! 😂 Several laps around the sun later, I have thicker skin and the tenacity to keep going even when it gets tough. While only 6 months into reselling, I feel fully prepared, unlike when I was younger.

[@bennystratton7734]

its not a failure if you learn from it ....its called a learning experience! that is how you get over failure quick keep this in mind as i have been reselling full time for 25 years! always always try to learn from your failures and move on quick!

[@kattymatty413]

@@bennystratton7734 you’re totally right! I think in the end, it’s all perception. When I was younger, all I saw was failure. Today, those bumps in the road are a normal part of the path, even if they would have stopped me before. It’s now exciting to keep learning and growing!

[@bigjohntechreviews4807]

Great informational video Justin, thanks for sharing with us

[@HeyMsVal]

We need a Savers in my city. You seem to find fantastic items.

[@valeriesantos8178]

I nvr even heard of a Savers… had to look it up.

[@julianwillard208]

That caller with the gun shot sound lmfao

[@audfashionfinds]

Hi Justin - I just watched your second episode on the flipwise channel, but thought my question would make more sense asked here. You mentioned your bias about adding features, including crosslisting. Makes sense that it’s not a priority for you if you wouldn’t use it. My question is about your (brief?) time with crosslisting feeling like a distraction to you. Would you please elaborate on that? I get that ebay is a mammoth machine with tons of users, but if there are demographics who have never even been on ebay (depop kids, to my new understanding ), is it a potential miss to ignore them? In what way did you feel crosslisting was a distraction? Would the time be better put to use listing more items on ebay, for example? For context, I sell primarily clothes and accessories and am still trying to understand which platforms are best for ASP and STR to make it worth my time. Thank you!

[@LaurieAnnCurry]

Justin what size are the “cursed” birkies? My Merrell clogs are dying so I’m actually interested.

[@nickchaltry2596]

On these car switches how do you know year make and model they are for... just Google images or is there a code somewhere on them?

[@sarahkoltz8017]

How did you l now the coffee maker would be lb the TV show? How cool!

[@tammywasko5531]

The Bear is one of my favorite shows! That’s so cool!

[@SpeedJouster]

What purchase ammount do you put when selling a personal item? Do you go back and list your original purchase price or just out 0$. Thanks

[@brandondeakins564]

With the AI question, the best answer i can give is "why?" I do not see a situation where taking the time and effort to use AI for clothing has any positive impact and only results in a waste of time while listing

[@anthonysolis8933]

Great thumbnail. 👍

[@Malkuthe]

Hey Justin, been watching for a bit but I had 2 questions Are there any categories you know are money makers, but you avoid because your knowledge isn't there or it doesn't appeal to you? What kind of backgrounds do you think are best product photography. I've wood grain backgrounds, white, off-white, In a living room, on a table, etc. I've seen some arguments that say that there is an inverse of taking more professional photos making your items feel less "authentic". I'd love to hear your opinions. Thank you!