Flipping Junk

When i was going to San Jose State the one thing that bugged me the most was not the homework or the traffic. It was not having any money! So i used this new site called eBay and an American pastime, not baseball, garage sales to bring in a little change buying junk from garage sales and reselling that junk on eBay and later on Amazon, Craigslist and any other place i could. Where do i get this junk? Thats what this blog is about. Buying junk from garage sales, estate sales, flea markets, dollar stores, closeouts, liquidation site, free items, craigslist, thrift stores, Libraries and more!!! Stay tuned!!!



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World’s Longest Garage Sale.

I have included a link with the exact path of the garage sales. It was harder than you think to do this, because the garage sale stretches for over 200 miles!!! If you are looking for something, I’m sure you will find it there. The sale starts on the first Thursday in August and goes through the following Sunday.

Key stop is the Fentress County Chamber of Commerce, which is the official headquarters of the yard sale.

Here is the link to the map.
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Visit www.127sale.com for more info.

What You Really Need To Start Selling.

There’s always some new product out there that will help you sell more.  But the fact is, if you’re just starting out going to garage sales and selling on eBay/Amazon, then you really only need to know a couple things to get started:

you don’t need to

  • start an eBay store
  • subscribe to any software that helps you organize, store pictures, print labels, etc..
  • buy an expensive computer, GPS or smart phone.
  • buy an expensive camera to take pictures.
  • rent a storage unit to store your stuff.

All you DO need to get started:

  • an Internet connection
  • cheap camera
  • free eBay account
  • free Amazon account
  • free email account
  • free paypal account
  • bank account

Now, if you have these things then you are ready to start selling. It’s not going to be easy without having a quick way to research the item while you are at the sale, like with a smart phone, but I did it for years. A simple solution is to have somebody stay at a computer with eBay open and call them, describe the item, have them look it up while you are on the phone. I can’t tell you how many times I see people go to a sale and just start grabbing stuff. And then before you know it, they have a huge pile of stuff, they’re on the phone describing each item, pricing them, writing them in a notebook and then purchasing the items in bulk; tossing the worthless ones back on the driveway. So you don’t need to spend really any money to get started. Just start small and use the money that you make to purchase a GPS or smart phone.

Buying Vintage Stereo Amplifiers At Garage Sales.

Vintage stereo amplifiers can bring a pretty penny… if you know what to look for. When I first started going to sales I had no idea that vintage electronics were highly collectible and sought after by not only audiophiles, but also the average consumer. Because not only do vintage stereo amplifiers look great, they are also built incredibly well and sound even better.

I’m going to be talking about tube stereo amplifiers.

There are many things to keep in mind when buying a stereo amp at a garage sale. First thing, what is the brand? Even if the amp is in terrible condition it could still be worth a ton of money… if it’s the right brand.

Here is a list of brands to look for at your next sale:

  • Fisher
  • McIntosh
  • Marantz
  • Scott
  • Heathkit
  • Dynokit
  • EICO
  • Pioneer

McIntosh

If you see any of these brands immediately grab it, put it in your buy pile and then do some research. First, look for the model number which is usually somewhere on the front of the unit. Then, look up the unit and see if its a model that is sought after. Some brands are so sought after, like McIntosh, that it’s going to be a buy no matter what, even if you just sell it for parts.

Next, you want to check the condition.

  • Does it look like there is any water damage, mold or mildew? This can be a big problem if its been sitting in the garage for 30 years.
  • Look at the screws and make sure they are all the same, look for evidence that the unit been opened a lot? That could be an indication it has been worked on and possibly have parts removed.
  • Obviously test the unit while you’re at the sale if you can. Check if all the lights come on, do all the dials work?
  • Ask the owners if the unit sounds good, how long they have had it, if it had any problems and of course how much they want for the big paper weight.

Some other things to keep in mind when buying a vintage amp. Cosmetic shape sometime is more important than the function, meaning that if the unit works perfect but is in cosmetically really bad shape, the unit will sell for far less than the other way around. This is because it may cost more to fix cosmetic damage then to fix a transformer or replace a tube.

Just remember, vintage amps have a warmer sound then modern amps and they are easier to work on then most modern amps. This is why they are highly sought after and sell for good profit. Never pass up a vintage amp, always check it out, you won’t be sorry.

I went to an estate sale about 4 years ago, at a 5 million dollar house. I knew they would have nice stuff but I also knew it was a professional sale, which means everything would be priced high. Well I opened a big cabinet and saw a rack with Technics gear. I could not believe what I found and the price was $100 for everything!!!! I’ll post a picture soon but I made about $3000 off this deal.  And the lesson is… always take a look at the vintage gear, you won’t be sorry.

Technics Rack

Make A Living Selling On Amazon.

There are so many opportunities to make a living buying and selling stuff. I wanted to share some information about a friend of mine who i met going to garage sales. He only sells on Amazon, that’s it. He doesn’t sell on eBay or craigslist. When he first told me this i was shocked, i told him he was missing on tons of opportunities but soon i started to see how much he was making. This is what he does.

  1. Has total software solution, many out there, that gives him a database of prices for amazon products. That is, sales rank, number of sellers selling the same product and how much it’s selling for.
  2. He only buys things with a UPC or ISBN period!!! He goes to a sale and anything that is new or even used in box with UPC he will scan with a pocket pc (very cheap dell axiom and scanner connected to it). If there is a margin for profit he buys it.
  3. When he gets home he groups all the items into a few categories describing condition. So he will have new, like new, slightly worn, and maybe 2 more.
  4. Now he has them in the catagories, the software will do this for you, he scans all the items and they are automatically processed for shipment.
  5. He packs everything up and ships it to amazon.
  6. Now Amazon holds everything for him and when anyone purchases a item, Amazon ships it for you.

Incredibly simple once you set it up, i will post later all the exact software he uses. There are a couple of benefits to have fulfilment by Amazon.

  1. Biggest reason is you save on shipping, for example if you bought a blender for $5 from a garage sale that was brand new and sold it yourself on Amazon, if would cost you around $15 to ship it but Amazon only gives you a certain amount that is much less then the actual shipping. Using fulfillment by Amazon doesn’t cost you anything.
  2. People that have the membership Amazon prime get the benefit of the membership on items shipped by Amazon.
  3. Saves space on inventory
  4. Saves time on fulfilling the orders yourself.

Great Deal, check it out!!!

“When asking how much someone is selling an item for, never ever, ever make the first offer.”

“When negotiating price for an item at a garage sale always offer 50% of whatever their starting price is no matter how good you think the price might be!”

What NOT To Buy From Garage Sales.

So if there is one thing i learned very quickly going to garage sales it’s wheat not to buy from them. I have compiled a list of items to stay clear of, don’t waste your time with these items.

  1. Beanie Babies - One of the worst collectible items of all time in my opinion, you will see them at almost 1 our of 3 garage sales. Remember when the McDonald’s had those highly sought after beanies? I remember people paying absurd amount of money for them.
  2. Bibles - The most printed book in the world, need i say more?
  3. Comics (pre-1970) - I’m not saying that all pre-1970 comics are not worth re-selling, some of them are. It takes a real collector to know which ones to purchase and the amount of time spent searching through piles of comics is a waste in my opinion. I would possible by them in bulk if i could get them for no more then a nickle a piece and that may be too much!
  4. Newspapers - This is another item that really isn’t worth your time unless you enjoy collecting this sort of thing, remember my blog is about buying to resell, that is it! There are too many newspapers out there, good luck finding a collectible issue.
  5. Silverware - Unless it’s pure silver stay away!
  6. Stamps (foreign) - Check eBay and you will see why i say stay away, you can buy a million stamps for $300. Just stay away.
  7. Stamps (post-1920) - same as above, stay away unless you know they are pre-1920 then you can sell these in a lot or you might have some gold.
  8. Underwear - unless it’s brand new in packaging and expensive brand, stay away.
  9. Used Make-up - Not to metion the health risk knowbody will every purchase used make-up.
  10. Personal Hygiene Products - Again this is a health risk, i wouldn’t even touch this stuff at a garage sale.
  11. Food - To much of a risk, you never know what it’s been through and there is nothing you can do if someone get’s sick.
  12. Medication - very dangerous, i have seen medication at estate sales that was 40 years old, if a kid got ahold of it and ate one, they would be dead, STAY AWAY!

This will be a ongoing process of adding items, i know there are more but these are the main ones that come to mind which should really make you optimistic because you can really make money from anything at a garage sale, the key is getting the right price which i will be talking about another time.

Garage Sale Thieves - Protect Your Stuff When Having A Garage Sale.

Over the last 10 years i have seen some pretty scandalous people at garage sales. When you go to garage sales every weekend for years you get to know the regulars. The pawn shop guys, the flea markets guys, the antique dealers, the eBayers, the collectors. You become friends with some of them and even find things for each-other. But you also see many criminals!

If you are ever going to have a garage sale, take if from an expert, be curtious to everyone but treat everyone like a thief. I know that may sound harsh but i have seen old women slip jewelry in there purse, i have seen families use there children as diversions while they take things, DON’T TRUST ANYONE!!!!!

Here are a few tips, many common sense.

  • Keep all your small valuable items near you at all times unless you have a case that locks but i doubt that.
  • Watch out for couples, YES, husband and wive combos, over the years i have seen them be the sneakiest of them all! One of them will keep the seller busy while the other sneaks off with your goodies.
  • Keep a close eye on the guy who buys stuff in bulk. He/she will buy tons of stuff from you and then ask for a big box to put it in. When they are packing everything up, the seller will go help other people and you will all the sudden see things missing, lots of things!!, and you never knew who did it.
  • Lay the garage sale out so all the items are in groups and in a way that you can see everyone in the driveway. This way you will notice when things are taken.
  • If you can have friends and family help you. I myself have garage sales once a year and they are huge as you can imagine. I make thousands of dollars because i sell all the eBay leftovers. I will never have a garage sale by myself, if you do i guarantee you will have things stolen from you.
  • Be loud, friendly and confident. Sounds weird right? well, trust me, people will be less likely to take advanage of you if your talking to everyone, asking questions, making suggestions, just be involved, dont just sit like a lump in the garage in a chair.

I’m sure I’ve missed many other tips but i hope you learn something from this post. It’s sad to say but some people go to garage sales with no money in there pocket if you know what i mean. You might think its silly to think why would someone steal something worth $5? well, if they go to about 100 garage sales on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and steal one $5 item it adds up big time.

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Another great item that I see often at garage sales and if you can get for the right price can turn a great profit! It’s Mary Kay products which are make-up, you wont believe how many housewives want to start their own business and end up buying a huge lot of this stuff, spending a fortune only to find out selling it to people other then friends and family is a lot harder then they thought.

Another great item that I see often at garage sales and if you can get for the right price can turn a great profit! It’s Mary Kay products which are make-up, you wont believe how many housewives want to start their own business and end up buying a huge lot of this stuff, spending a fortune only to find out selling it to people other then friends and family is a lot harder then they thought.

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Just one of my most profitable find, over 250 of the same game I bought for $50, basically doing the guy a favor in his mind. Well, I sat on them for about 6 months then the game was incredible popular. I was selling them for $30-$45 each. YES really! I made over $5000!!

Just one of my most profitable find, over 250 of the same game I bought for $50, basically doing the guy a favor in his mind. Well, I sat on them for about 6 months then the game was incredible popular. I was selling them for $30-$45 each. YES really! I made over $5000!!

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