Prep Work - Cleaning Items for Sale

Say Godzilla wandering through your friendly neighborhood thrift store and your eyes lock on 1966 Topps baseball cards real find- something you know you could sell on eBay if it were only in a little better condition. Good news! if you're willing to give it some TLC and a proper cleaning, it 1888 Goodwin Champions be eminently sellable.

Start Inexpensively

I suggested thrift store merchandise for a reason- if you're going to get into refurbishing items for sale, begin by finding items with very low purchase prices to minimize your risk. Take advantage of yard sales, flea markets and other deep-discount opportunities to pick up some treasures in the rough.

Pick an Area of Expertise

If you're a mom with destructive toddlers, you know the brands of toys and strollers which best stand up to abuse; focus on finding these. Collectible toy buffs -whether Star Wars figures, Transformers, or My Little Ponies- already know which toys are most prized. Find an area where you believe you have more information than the average person, and seek out used items in that area of expertise to refurbish and sell.

First, Do No Harm

It's tempting just to pick up a used item and start scrubbing away with whatever cleaning solvent you have on hand, but this is extremely unwise. The wrong cleaner or the wrong cleaning process can damage or destroy your item, along with any chances you might have of selling it. Some items require a specific cleaning process if they are to remain attractive to collectors. Always start with the mildest possible remedy and work up from there.

Learn From the Pros

The wonderful thing about the Internet is that it's relatively easy to find people who share your particular esoteric interests. If you do a search for information on cleaning and/or selling a particular item, chances are very good that you?ll find a web page explaining exactly how to do it. Remember, though, that anything you read online should be taken with a large grain of salt. It?s wisest to double-check web page information against advice from the library, other sellers, etc., to avoid costly mistakes.

Be Patient

It may take a while to work through the cleaning process. Some cleaned items may require a prolonged time to dry completely, or a mail-ordered 1970 Topps baseball cards part may take weeks to arrive. You must give yourself enough lead time to complete the entire process so that your item is properly prepped and ready before the auction begins. Never, NEVER start an auction before your item is completely cleaned and ready to sell! This practice will inevitably come back to bite you.

Tell the Truth

If you've done a really good cleaning job, it may be impossible to tell your used item from a brand new one. If so, please be honest with your customers and let them know they're buying refurbished merchandise. In many cases, as with collectible items, an item's newness is not an asset anyway.

If you're willing to educate yourself, roll up your sleeves and do a little extra prep work, you can turn many items from thrift-store specials into profitable sales.

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