Selling retail items is tough! But, with a few helpful pointers, you too can be on your way to making some pocket money selling retail items!

Places to find retail to sell

Second hand shop: you probably arent going to find clothing that will bring in a profit here. This is where you really need to root through the bins and shelves to find that TREASURE.
Antique stores: be careful here! sometimes, you will find an item that is underpriced, but alot of the time, the sellers know exactly what the item is worth and then jack up the price a bit. I have found one or two treasures here though so its really worth looking.
dollar store:  Almost every city has a dollar store. The key here is to find something you havent seen around for a while, and then put it on the shelf. You might have to wait a month to sell this item. Wait till it is no longer offered, wait till people want it and then cant get it. then offer it at a good price. say you pay a dollar seven for the item, sit on it for a couple months, and then list. add in listing price and 50 cents profit. thats still a really low price for a discontinued item!
Yard or garage sales: these are great for treasure hunting, becuase normally, people are unaware that they have a TREASURE on their hands. they see it as JUNK!  so, you can buy low and sell high!  And you can haggle!!  you may have to dig through alot of trash to find that treasure but it pays off in the end!
after holiday sales: have some storage space? Buy holiday items at ultralow prices, store for the year (make sure that it is protected so it stay in mint condition) and sell at lower than retail the next holiday!!!!
novelty shops: if there is a store nearby that is NOT a chain, alot of the time, they have NOVELTIES that no other store has! if it an interesting item people have never seen, they want it!!!!
Wholesale: Buying wholesale is risky, as you will be getting alot of the same item, and putting in some startup capital.  Make sure that the wholesale item you are buying is something of good quality, something people are in need of, or something that is a popular highpriced item.  If you are buying erasers at wholesale, you are probably not going to do very well. If you are buying handmade beauty products, OR electronics, you are probably going to clean up!!!

Some little tips

DO your research. find out what prices people are asking for items, what is selling well, and what is not doing so well.
DONT jack up your shipping cost to make extra. Factor in packaging and time if you must, but no more. The lower the shipping, the more appealing the item will be.  If you can manage it, and it isnt going to cost a FORTUNE to ship, offer FREE SHIPPING! it draws alot of traffic.
DO offer shipping discounts for multiple purchases if at all possible.
DONT ignore your customer. If they request something that is reasonable and possible, do it for them.  Dont say no just becuase you dont feel like it!
DO respect your customers. the better your service and product, the more likely you are to get repeat business.  It helps to build up a regular clientele!!!!


And last but not least........ make sure your descriptions are honest and detailed. If there is a stain on a blouse, mention it. If there is a tear in a teddybear, show it. Dont lie. If your product is going to sell, it is much better for business to sell it honestly