When people think of thrifting, they often think of used items only. About 20% of my inventory are new with tags and lately I’ve been finding some really neat items, all for less than $1. Here’s a few things I’ve picked up since the beginning of the year.
When it comes to taking pictures for sites like Ebay, it can be difficult to make your item look as good as it does in person. When I first started Name Brand Thrift, I would clean the carpet thoroughly and take pictures of the items on the floor. They didn’t look bad, but they definitely didn’t look professional either. Still, sales were good and the business grew. Many of my items still contain those pictures, as I don’t have time to retake them all, but my newer listings now have a clean white space.
As the business has grown, I’ve chosen to invest in it so that it can grow as quickly as possible. I purchased a lighting set up for under $40, use the myTouch 4g phone for pictures, and now have good, quality pictures. You don’t want your pictures to be too good, however, for one simple reason. I’ve heard from many sellers that the buyer was disappointed with the item when it arrived because the pictures were better than the item. You have to find the fine line between good and J Crew good. J Crew good may look nice, but it also has the potential to disappoint the buyer when they receive their order.
This picture is not perfect, but it accurately shows the item and looks much more professional than a floor/table/door in the background. Here is the lighting set up that I purchased and the white space in the background only cost me $4. I found some incredibly thick cardboard that was nearly as strong as wood, cut a piece to put clothes on, and then purchased white fabric from the local Wal-Mart (from the remnants). I stretched the fabric tightly over the cardboard, stapled it onto the back, and now have a nice white space to take pictures on. I also put white sheets on the wall and the floor so that my photo space has white edges, though I still crop out the “extras.”
Click on the picture below to hear my recent interview on Ebay Radio:
9. Under Armour
This is a brand I find all the time. I particularly like finding jackets and hoodies, but also specialty items like padded shirts for sports. While I buy UA stuff all the time, I currently have only one UA item in my store because they sell so quickly.
7. Banana Republic
This is a brand that I prefer to find for men rather than women. Their jackets and fleeces do really well for men and they have nice pants for women too.
4. Nike
This is probably my #1 brand since I sell more Nike than any other brand. It’s rare that a day goes by where I don’t sell at least one Nike item. You have to be careful with Nike as some of their items don’t hold their value as much as others. Still, if it’s a jacket/hoodie/pants, you’re normally going to do well. You might not make the most profit from Nike, but they are virtually guaranteed to sell.
2. Juicy Couture
Their jackets and pants sell fine, but it’s the blingy ones that do particularly well. Whenever I find one of their hoodie jackets with the bling or sweat pants with stones, I know it will sell quickly. They are high quality, but this brand runs small, so be sure to include measurements (always include measurements, no matter what brand you are selling).
1. Victoria’s Secret
This is a brand that sells great in so many different areas. You can find value in everything from bras to sweats and hoodies to jackets. One VS item that doesn’t hold its value is VS jeans. They will sell, but not for a high value.
Jackson Paul Baer 