A SAVVY woman has revealed that she earns cash by selling “actual rubbish” on eBay.
Kirsty, a bargain hunter and part-time Ebay and Vinted reseller who has made £8,000 in the last year thanks to her side hustle, explained that her most recent sale was a freebie she found on the floor by a bin.
Social media users thought it was “genius” that Kirsty sold rubbish for profit[/caption]
And not only did she flog the freebie, but she managed to sell it for £10 – yes, you heard that correctly.
Eager to share more on her side hustle with others, Kirsty took to social media to show off the gin bottle she recently sold.
The content creator held up the empty Whitley Neill Quince Gin bottle and said: “I have just sold a piece of actual rubbish on eBay.”
Stunned by the sale, she beamed: “This sale has blown my mind – it is this gin bottle which I found on the floor by a bottle bank.
“When this was new and full of gin, this was sold for between £20 and £25.
“When I saw it I thought, people like these coloured glasses for upcycling projects and things like that, so I knew someone on eBay would buy it.”
Kirsty explained that she “aimed quite high” with her listing, as she added: “I listed this at £9.99 and somebody did pay that full price I was asking, which is crazy.
“A tenner for something that was literally going to go in the bin.”
As a result of her sale, Kirsty advised other resellers: “Do look out for glasses which are coloured, or they’re more unique or unusual because people do like to collect them, or like I said, they like to use them for their upcycling projects.”
Detailing how she would be sending out the bottle, she confirmed: “I’ll be wrapping this in a lot of bubble wrap, popping it in a sturdy box and then padding out the box some more.
“And then of course I’ll be wrapping that box in a lot of fragile tape, so that it’s completely obvious that what is inside that box is breakable, because you can’t take too many precautions.”
‘Amazing what people will buy’
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @kirsty_reseller, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up over 5,000 views, 145 likes and 32 comments.
Social media users were gobsmacked by the sale and many eagerly raced to the comments to express this.
What!? I’m definitely doing this
TikTok user
One person said: “Well done Kirsty! I love selling ‘rubbish’.”
Another added: “Haha love this! I’ve sold loads of empty perfume bottles and boxes! Amazing what people will buy isn’t it?!”
A third commented: “What!? I’m definitely doing this.”
Top tips for selling on eBay
NEW to eBay? It’s head of secondhand, Emma Grant, reveals how to optimise your listings:
- Use key words – eBay automatically filters listing titles for key words, so it’s crucial to use the terminology people search for – especially brand and product names.
- Choose the right category for your product – It might sound obvious but it’s important to always choose the most specific category to sell in.
- Pictures are important – Most users will not bid on items they cannot see. For best results, take photos in natural light against a neutral background and be honest about any scratches or damage to the item.
- Be as detailed as possible – Be honest about the condition of the product and be sure to note any wear and tear.
- Look at past sold items– eBay has a function that allows you to search for the item you want to sell and then filter the results by sold items. Here, you can view the price the item has sold for and get insight into how others have listed it.
- Selling Sundays – Get the timing right. The busiest time for buyers is Sunday evenings, so schedule your listings to end around that time. Opt for seven-day auctions to ensure the max number of bids. The longer your item is listed, the more chance of people seeing it, so unless it’s time-sensitive, pick seven days. December is the busiest month on eBay.
- Be realistic with pricing – Try searching for similar items on eBay, to make sure you’re going for the right price and always ask yourself “would I pay this price for this item?”
- Donate to charity – When listing your item, consider donating a percentage of the sale to a cause of your choice – from 10% to 100% – you can donate the funds raised from your item straight from the platform.
Whilst someone else simply wrote: “Genius!”
At the same time, a Vinted seller claimed: “Honestly you will be surprised, I sold a £1 coin for £6 on Vinted.”
Meanwhile, one reseller explained: “I’ve sold bags that bags come in before. Paper Michael Kors one. You can make money with anything.”
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