Selling on eBay and Mercari: A Beginner Cheat Sheet
What sells, what does not, and how to get the fees back.
Reselling on eBay and Mercari is one of the lowest-barrier side hustles - the inventory is sitting in your closet, your garage, and the next thrift store. Here is the realistic cheat sheet for clearing $200-$500 a month.
What sells consistently
- Brand-name clothing in good condition - especially anything from the last 5 years.
- Books, especially textbooks at the start of semesters.
- Vintage anything with branding - jerseys, jackets, electronics, toys, kitchenware.
- Discontinued items - kids' toys, beauty products, sneakers.
- Working electronics - old phones, gaming consoles, lenses.
- Power tools and specific car parts.
What does not sell (without dramatic discounting)
- Used clothing from generic mall brands without the tag.
- Common books in mass paperback.
- Mass-market home decor.
- Anything with damage you cannot photograph honestly.
Mercari vs eBay vs Facebook Marketplace
| Mercari | eBay | FB Marketplace | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fees | ~10% | ~13.25% + processing | 0% local |
| Audience | Mobile-first, fashion-heavy | Massive, global | Local pickup |
| Best for | Clothing, smaller items | Collectibles, electronics, niche | Furniture, bulky items |
| Shipping | Buyer pays, you ship | Buyer pays, you ship | Local pickup, no shipping |
Photos are 60% of the sale
Natural light. Clean background (white sheet works fine). 6-10 photos per listing. Show every angle, every label, and any flaws honestly. Photos that look like a brochure outsell photos that look like a yard sale by a wide margin.
Pricing
- Search the same item with "sold" filter on eBay to see what it actually went for (not what is listed).
- Price 10-15% higher than the average sale to leave room to negotiate.
- Always allow "make an offer."
- Drop the price 5-10% after 14 days of no sale.
Tax implications you have to know
Starting in 2024, payment platforms send a 1099-K if you have $5,000+ in transactions (dropping to $2,500 in 2025 and $600 in 2026). If you are selling at a loss (most of us, when we resell our own stuff), that is reportable but not taxable income. Keep records.
Realistic time investment
A solid listing takes 15-30 minutes start to finish. Shipping each sale takes 10-20 minutes. Sustainable monthly side income is 5-15 listings a week. Try less than that and you cannot get the volume needed.
When it starts to feel like work
If you are still in the game after 3-4 months, you will hit the point where you stop selling your own stuff and start sourcing from thrift stores or estate sales. That is where reselling crosses from "decluttering" to "actual side business." Worth knowing whether that is what you want before you start.
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