old tools worth buying to resale??

[d_frontier]

so i just started buying older tools to sell on ebay,cl,lys and what not.i only do this to buy more tools i actually need to keep filling my drawers up so far ive had good luck with snap on and some craftsman stuff but i always see that on here you guys buy stuff like billing, buffalo,bonney,sk stuff like that do you guys resell these or keep for your personal collection and if sold what brands amd types of tools actually sell is my question?

 

[Super Sport]

Be careful, some members here will flame you for "flipping" tools.

When I acquire odd-ball USA brands like that, I've been throwing them in a flat rate box and then listing it as a lot on ebay. I don't usually look to buy them, they often come in boxes or lots that I buy. Full sets probably have some collector value, but I never seem to run across any of those.

Brands that are still around often sell decent on their own, SK for example. Bonney also has a following despite not being around any longer.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

I would do some homework and see what old tools are seling for...Make notes of the ones that are acutally selling for high prices and keep your eyes open for good deals..You might make a few bucks, after expenses...

 

[iroc409]

I'd think you'd have to sell a LOT of tools to make any appreciable money, unless they're falling out of the heavens for you.

I bought a black Friday Craftsman set, pulled out the pieces that I was missing and sold the rest. I did fine, but not enough to make me want to do it regularly.

For a hobby it might be OK, but I wouldn't expect to quit your day job. Make sure you factor in all the shipping, time, gas, etc.

 

[jjjrmx5]

Be careful, some members here will flame you for "flipping" tools.

When I acquire odd-ball USA brands like that, I've been throwing them in a flat rate box and then listing it as a lot on ebay. I don't usually look to buy them, they often come in boxes or lots that I buy. Full sets probably have some collector value, but I never seem to run across any of those.

Brands that are still around often sell decent on their own, SK for example. Bonney also has a following despite not being around any longer.

Super Sport is spot on.

"Flipping" tools is not my thing but others have made it work.

As for brands, it all depends on your market and end user.

Full sets garnish good money a long as not Chinese or low end Taiwanese brands.

I see a lot of the older S-K's, Proto's etc. as singles at car shows, swap meets and car related reseller venues. They buyers are usually trying to fill on a set or looking for a fill-in for a lost or broken socket.

Selling one-sies or two-sies on CL or ebay is a lesson in futility to me.

By the time you list, work out money transaction ship and pay for shipping supplies any profit is long gone unless a big money sale or done under the umbrella of a large retailer or B&M store.

Thus why most sell in lots just like estate sales and auctions.
Buy the lot, grab what you need and bundle and resell the rest in large lots.

I have a couple of local car show vendors that do killer business with tables full of tools where the buyers are mainly males while if I go to the local flea mkts, most tools sit as folks are looking for antiques or novelties that do sell or resell well.

CL is a lot of work dealing with sketchy buyers and ebay is rough to make a buck due to fees and shipping costs. Or at least to me.

Lots of getting up at the crack of dawn on Fri and Sat to get the best deals.
I'd rather just pay a little bit more and sleep in.

 

[Flatintoone]

There is a learning curve, but with practice and experience you can make a few bucks. I wouldnt plan on quitting your day job, but it can be a fun hobby. I'm sure geography is a big factor in what you are able to find. Plomb, pre buyout Blackhawk, and SO seem to do best. SK and Proto are probably next in line. Older Craftsman seems to run hot and cold. Sets seem to be worth more than the sum of their parts.

 

[mmack66]

Snap-On, and maybe some older Craftsman tools, are going to be your best bet for buying and selling, though the economics may not work in your favor often enough.

The other brands are pretty esoteric, and appeal to a much smaller group of people.

As long as you are reasonable, and not like that guy that is trying to sell two sets of Craftsman polished wrenches for $1000, you should be okay.

 

[Flatintoone]

What jjjrmx5 said. I don't touch anything imported.
FWIW, I've made more money with less effort selling old film cameras than tools. There are probably a lot of things easier to make money on than tools. I just like tools and hunting for them.

 

[d_frontier]

yes no plan on quitting my day job but since i just started my tool collection most everything i buy i keep but here and there i run into older stuff like plomb bonney bicarlo and things of that sort and i dont know if its worth buyin or not being the fact that i dont need them myself. it is always nice to buy sell and buy more stuff with money made from items like this instead of straight out of my pocket if you know what i mean a couple months back i bought a tool lot for 30 in the tool lot where a pair of cutco scissors that sold on ebay for $32 i then took that money and invested in more tools thank you all for the tips and comments

 

[Duct Tape Man]

I don't consider myself a tool "flipper", I do buy toolboxes full of tools at garage sales and flea markets, often I get a pile of stuff I don't want along with what I do. I sell the stuff I don't want off as best I can, for the best return - and that isn't always eBay. Sometimes it's just tossing a pile of ChiCom tools in a plastic bucket and selling them cheaply on CL.

If I was doing actual "flipping", buying low to sell higher, I must say I'd probably starve to death. A lot of folks at the flea markets and sales know what good tools are, and I rarely get "good tools" for a song, and there is too much competition online to make any money at it.

Like I said, only way I "flip" tools and get a great deal is by buying a lot at once. Even then I rarely get back what I have in the tools. Tool reselling is harder than it looks if you want to make any $$$.

 

[jeffmoss26]

Be careful, some members here will flame you for "flipping" tools.

When I acquire odd-ball USA brands like that, I've been throwing them in a flat rate box and then listing it as a lot on ebay. I don't usually look to buy them, they often come in boxes or lots that I buy. Full sets probably have some collector value, but I never seem to run across any of those.

Brands that are still around often sell decent on their own, SK for example. Bonney also has a following despite not being around any longer.

be careful, some members will also chime in about how they have been buying tools for 50 years and have every tool known to man

 

[snapmom]

There comes a time, as a collector, you get so many dups that you have to sell. I use to just buy another box, but I have run out of room to put boxes, so I sell some of my dups.

 

[4x4gearhead]

The best way to do it would be to buy up retiring mechanics sets for pennies on the dollar, split the tools up and sell. Time consuming and can be a bit of a gamble but if you can be at the right place at the right time you definitely see some nice tool sets go for cheap money at times.

 

[thundermug]

I don't buy tools for resale because I don't know enough about the old ones to guarantee a profit. I have so few high quality old tools, that when I find them, I keep them.

 

[RatchetMan]

Here's a calculation you can use to determine whether or not it's worth the time. Let's say you focus on garage/estate sales to find your old tools.....

Total Sales Attended in a Single Month (2 per week) = 8

Average Roundtrip Miles Drive to Each Sale = 15

Based on the above scenario, you put 120 miles per month on your car looking for old tools.

The 2013 IRS mileage reimbursement rate is 56.5 cents per mile. That makes your monthly gas/vehicle maintenance expense $68 (120 X .565). You figure you gotta make at least that much to cover your costs. Anything above that is gravy.....although don't count on making much of a living. Call it a hobby where you might hope to break even.

 

[nationalminer84]

I've been buying/selling tool lots at flea markets, garage sales, etc. for years. I don't buy with the intention to flip but I usually buy the lot, take what I want and sell the remainder for the initial cost or a profit. What's wrong with selling something used you legally buy at a profit? as long as it's not misrepresented who cares? My last lot (100 pc. asst. sockets/ratchets mostly no name stuff some craftsman/Wright) I bought for $15 I took 2 Snap On sockets, and a Cornwell Ratchet Out, put a no name ratchet in Put it for sale for $40 took $30. the end buyer DIDN'T have to scope out sales in the paper, drive 30 miles at 6 am on their only day off and wait in line. For my trouble I got 2 sockets and a ratchet and $15 if you don't put a value on the cheap ratchet I threw in. I Don't see the problem with flipping tools.

 

[Jere]

I would think if you can find other stuff with the old tools like certain antiques or whatever else it could work. If you have a good place to sell that will help too. Like a friend with a thrift store in a high traffic location that might let you sell some stuff for a commission (let them cover the cost of rent for the shop employees and whatever else). You could advertise on CL or list the same stuff on Ebay in addition as well. The more effort you put into advertising the more money you will make.

 

[Pumpman1968]

Pretty much repeating what others have said. If you are going to try to resell JUST tools, you will not be able to retire or quit your day job. However, it does make a great hobby. I started just with tools and decided to set a limit on what I spend each weekend and how far I travel......say $25.00 in a 25 miles area (I have a small car I use so $10 in gas gets me pretty far). I lost almost all of my tools in a divorce so I bought a pile and sold off what I didn't want/need using both Ebay and CL. I started paying attention to what other people are selling on Ebay and, since I was already at the sales, started picking up a few other odds and ends.........but still keeping my same limits.

I'm at the point now where I have rebuilt my tool stock to the point where I collect old S-K Tools myself. My sales are enough to pay for the all the repair parts on my families vehicles, my car insurance and pretty much any tool/garage related item I happen to want. I have 2 Ebay accounts and usually have about 100-125 items listed between the 2 plus 5-10 items on CL. I never put any money into my side business and have been able to take out a few bucks after the expenses/parts/fuel/insurance. Am I making a million? Of course not...............but.........I have a hobby that costs me NOTHING and I get to spend time with my better half each weekend now that she has discovered that she can lump some items into what I buy. She has even pulled a few items out of the piles of junk that I scrounge through that have sold well.

Tools that seem to sell well are Snap-On, Blue Point, Williams, Craftsman, Bonney, Plumb/Proto, S-K...and a few others. A hint when selling old Snap-On: each tool has a date code (link to the chart http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14884) and serious collectors build or add missing pieces to their set in like years..........add the year of yours in your ad.

 

[woody 73]

There is a learning curve, but with practice and experience you can make a few bucks. I wouldnt plan on quitting your day job, but it can be a fun hobby. I'm sure geography is a big factor in what you are able to find. Plomb, pre buyout Blackhawk, and SO seem to do best. SK and Proto are probably next in line. Older Craftsman seems to run hot and cold. Sets seem to be worth more than the sum of their parts.

In all my many years sets are hard to find and mostly when I find them the original owner had lost a item and maybe replaced it with a different date code. For me at least the hunt is fun, last week a guy that buys up old houses and flips them, sold off some of the tools that he found in those old houses. turns out I bought all his Sk 1/2 sockets for under 20 cents each, but it had a ton of the same sizes, so trying to put together a set will take forever.

 

[CNGsaves]

+1 to purchase tools that you'll want to KEEP or use yourself . . .
. . . OR . . to continue building your lifetime plethora of tools !!

However, if you run across some terrific garage sale, estate sale, CL, etc deals and have extras you want to make some money, you have to work on the terminology BEFORE you ever try to post up some CL or Ebay ads. I've included an example sentence with each.

SALE . . I just attended a SALE that had lots of Craftsman tools.
SELL . . I intend to SELL some of the extra tools I have purchased.
RESALE . . This pile of tools are for RESALE as I don't intend to keep them.
RESELL . . Are these old tools worth buying to RESELL ??

 

[jakemac]

I'd just add that if you include pics in your adds, try to get a good shot of any markings. Especially date codes. Nothing annoys me more than to see an item that I might want to use to fill in a hole in my collection, just to learn that the listing doesn't have any mention or shots of the code I'm looking for to match my set. Or multiple shots of the same side of the tool, with no shots of the other side. As an example, for those who care, just listing Craftsman as V series isn't enough. Is it =V=, -V-, VV (not W), or something else. Without a picture of the code, I ignore a listing that I might otherwise bid on. I'm sure that there are other collectors that do the same with other brands.

 

[RCStocker]

If you want to flip tools it is a great way to make extra money.
Keep an eye on E bay. See what things are selling for. There can be a huge difference in what they bring but you will get a good idea of the value no matter what the brand.
Snap-on bring the most. They can bring 1/2 price or more. SK can bring good money if you get the right bidder and have good sets.

Through the years I have found that Cornwell, Wright and Willams are hard to sell.
Some times you can pick up SK tools on E bay for a song if you want to fill your tool box that is the brand I would recommend.

It take time to learn but sets sell much better if you want to flip
Craftsman are hot across the country. Don't ask me why but everyone I know sells them the first thing at the swap meets or thrift stores. They can bring more money than one would think and I get them dirt cheap at yard sales.

Never buy sets with missing pieces unless you are getting it dirt cheap. 20 cents on the dollar or less. It cost more to fill in sets most of the time than it is worth. You are better off buying the complete set for the same price.

Remember shipping on small items cost more than most items are worth unless you have a good socket or wrench someone wants to fill in their sets.

If you sell in good size lots of like items. Shipping is a killer. US Flat rate medium box in almost $13 and the large one is almost $17 now. You can put 70 pounds in one.
Make sure the sockets and pieces are in a zip lock with tape wrapped around it completely and tape it to a card board or wood panel The boxes get banged around and parts fall out if you leave them loose or not wrapped well.

Remember the E bay fees, pay pal fees and bank account fees when you sell.
Offer things of good quality and value.

Remember the more expensive the item the less the percentage is to ship the item.
It takes a lot of time to sell little items. You can make more money selling more expensive things.

If you sell sockets don't sell the rack. Lowe's is selling their 3 piece set for $4.99 That is $10 for SAE and Metric in all 3 sizes. You can't ship one for that price.

Don't try to sell tools with rust on them unless it is a rare old goodie. There are many bands out there that are no longer made that bring good money. It takes a long time to learn what things are worth. I have been doing it for years and still learn every week.

Now take on the flip world and have fun. Craftsman are really hot right now. I have now clue why but they are.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

Like others on here, I have started flipping due to necessity. I buy tool lots for certain items, but get a better deal buying a box of stuff. Pick through what I want, and flip the rest. I try to make my money back.

It has become a personal game for me, that I would like to have zero dollars invested in my garage/shop (I personally don't count my time b/c it is a fun hobby, and I'd be doing some other dumb stuff if I wasn't doing this).

Evaporust is your friend. It pays for itself.

I have learned to stay away from anything that you can not easily carry in your hands. Loading and unloading big machines tends to be a PITA and then you have to store. i.e. I came across a 1949 DeWalt RAS that was super clean. Took a long time to flip, weighed a million pounds, always in the way, etc. But wrenches and what not clean up easy, photos on ebay, then sit on my "ebay shelf" until someone buys them.

And to boot, I must research all the crazy stuff I get in tool lots in order to keep or sell, so I learn about all kinds of cool stuff.

 

[catsteve]

Some of the brands you mentioned in your first post produced 'branded' tools for car and tractor companies. Look out for stamped part numbers.
eg John deere, Caterpillar or Ford wrenches. These are fairly sought after by collectors trying to put together the correct tool sets for their machines.
good luck

 

[Gregg33]

I basically deal in tools for the love of it. Obviously I try to buy as cheaply as possible, although for some things I'm in need or in want of I will pay market value gladly. Sometimes I buy tools in lots. I sort into 4 piles....keep, sell, give away (either not worth selling or some1 I know really needs it) and scrap or garbage for the real junk. There are times that what I sell actually covers the price I paid for the lot a few times over, but normally I get enough to offset the cost or break even. 9 times out of 10 I always sell the offshore stuff.

Keep in mind that outside of collectors and tool junkies, it is often difficult to get what something is really worth. There is a flood of offshore tools from places like Home Depot, Harbor Freight, Cdn Tire etc. and they often go on sale. When an average Joe can get a new set of Mastercraft Maximum wrenches on sale for $35 good luck trying to convince him to buy a used set of Gray wrenches for $40, even if that is a more than fair price. This is very frustrating, but a fact of life.

Also as a rule of thumb there is always $ in SO, of course it's harder to find "you ****" deals on SO as well. I guess in the U.S. Craftsman has a big following in Canada not so much. Other brands will appeal to a niche (collectors or users that swear by a certain brand).

To summarize you can sell tools and make a bit of $, mostly to help finance stuff you need for your own use. But unless you are a real hustler, with lots of free time, don't expect to make much. Maybe I've become a do-gooder in my old age lol, but I find it's more rewarding when I'm able to help some1 get that elusive wrench to complete a set or when I know a tool I sell will be needed/ used frequently, even if I barely break even.

 

[DandDMachine]

I agree with most of the comments here. You will have to spend some time researching what sells. Go to ebay and check the completed auctions to see what stuff sells for. If you have a smart phone, use it to check the value while at the sale. I have made too many trips home and had to waste to much gas speeding back to the sale after checking values when I get home all the while hoping its still there.

As for brands Snap On is best, Craftsman is pretty good, Proto, Plomb, Mac Matco all do reasonably well. Don't overlook vintage and antique tools. Sometimes they do really well. You just need to be able to determine if its just an old tool or if it has some value to it. You will have to do some research. Some old adjustable wrenches are worth very little others are worth big bucks. You have to learn the difference if you want to make some $.

I have stopped buying small items unless I know they are going to bring big money. Tool boxes usually do well if in good shape. You will often be able to make a good amount of money in one transaction rather than a couple dollars each on 20 transactions.

As far as places to buy, garage sales are very hit and miss so I don't travel very far. Often they will list tools and you get there they have a rusty pair of pliers and worn out Phillips screwdriver, other times they will have Snap On ratchets for $1. For me garage sales usually have the cheapest prices. Estate sales are usually pretty good. Swap meets have been great also, plus you don't have to drive all over the place. Be prepared to get up early that's when you will find the deals. Most of the really good deals are sold right away.

I have made a fair amount of money over the years. It is fun for me. Plus I have been able to buy my own tools while doing it. I don't hunt or fish so this fills my hunting gathering instinct. As has been said you probably wont quite your day job but can put spending money in your pocket. So if you don't enjoy the hunt don't bother.

 

[sberry]

This is a good thread, a lot of common sense filtered thru it.

 

[Davefr]

High quality images will sell your item faster and at a higher price. Get a real camera (not a phone).

Learn to use the macro feature and get nice close up images. Also use white balance adjustments to compensate for lighting differences.

Also don't post your images upside down or sideways. Learn to rotate your images so buyers don't have to stand on their head to view them.

A software package like Adobe Lightroom can do all this and is very easy to use.

The key is to stand out from your competition and that's very easy to do when you see some of the crappy images posted to CL or Ebay.

 

[sberry]

I am not a collector, I have stopped buying stuff because its a good deal. I buy what I need and give some consideration to where its made and what it is. I buy stuff I need and only a minor amount of speculation if the price is really right, if something is off the shelf ready then why buy?

Last replacement sockets I bought were USA. Last full wrench set and most singles USA, Last 4 plier Channelok , have bought half a dozen used tools as I was at a market. I already have a master set or 2 if its critical and the rest is duplication,,, I wouldn't go anywhere to buy a used 1/2 socket set for 40 just because. My fist thought may be real cost,,,,,, time gas etc and if a Walmart is on the way have it for 23$ last time I looked,,, if I am buying this its not likely a hobby,,,, and its so cheap, disposable really that if you have a need its foolish not to get it asap.

 

[bigcaddy]

I buy and sell old "junk" found at estate sales to make money and its a way to keep myself occupied during weekends.

I started out buying and selling everything i could make a profit on until i got on here and my focus shifted to tools

I've used tools all my life and feel comfortable buying automotive tools just as easily as buying a large lot of machinist tools.

I more or less collect them and love the idea of hunting but don't really make much money on antique/vintage tools.

My reimbursment from estate sale spending usually comes from a few select non-tool items that i purchase too. Once these are sold, i'm free to do what i wish with my old iron. Some gets traded to others for missing pieces of Plomb while the rest get placed in boxes until i have enough complete sets to make it worth selling or giving away

Money can be made but its usually piecemeal or you have to really have something special like a 1930s Craftsman tool set complete in the box or other unusual items. Automotive tool rolls are great but hard to find complete. Watchmaking tools or engraving kits for leather or jewelery are great finds.


IF you are just starting out, budget yourself and only spend what you have set aside. Its gonna take time to make the money but it will happen and then you can increase the money in your spending budget.


If you find something really cool, don't sell it immediately. I've had regrets for selling something unique quickly because the money is great but then you no longer have that one killer item. Enjoy it for a few months and if you still want to sell, go for it. The way i justify it, to myself and the woman, is to remind ourselves its like having physical assets around the house that always have an increasing cash value.

 

[sberry]

If I was diy, home brew, small biz wouldn't bother becoming a compulsive collector, the Cal Van or the Lisle rack has most of it as well as Napa. I never bought an ATD tool that didn't work just fine. Some extensions a bit set or 2 and 3 sets of adjustables that have been outstanding for the 4$ a piece cost. The HF wrench is ok, not quite as good as this ATD.

30 yrs ago a 3$ flea mkt wrench was junk, today it can be had out the door at the parts store for 4 and is world class. I havnt seen the Vise Grip, the Channelock or some cutting pliers duplicated at this level. Screwdrivers and bits many yes but even though the tool is a spitting imqage of s Klein it looses its edge quick or we could be more inclined to abuse it on hardened work. The clone works for a while, its worth the price and better than doing without but eventually sifts its way to the bottom of the box.

Not so with the adjustable, just like you can use a cheap pipe wrench for a while, its whole replacement cost less than jaws. Same with hammers, hard to beat a 4# with yellow handle from HD when you need it.

 

[BFBOB]

I'd just add that if you include pics in your adds, those who care, just listing Craftsman as V series isn't enough. Is it =V=, -V-, VV (not W), or something else. Without a picture of the code, I ignore a listing that I might otherwise bid on. I'm sure that there are other collectors that do the same with other brands.

Not me. If it's something I want, I contact the seller asking for more info. I try to be nice, something like "Your pictures are really good, but they don't show ________________"
Most of the time, they respond. I always follow up with at least a "Thanks, but" note.

 

[jakemac]

Not me. If it's something I want, I contact the seller asking for more info. I try to be nice, something like "Your pictures are really good, but they don't show ________________"
Most of the time, they respond. I always follow up with at least a "Thanks, but" note.

I used to contact the sellers and ask questions, but got tired of waiting for a response, or not getting one. There are plenty of sellers out there, the item I happen to be looking for at the time will show up somewhere else. If a seller wants to get my money, the listing needs to be as complete as possible. Many just say "see photo", but the photo doesn't show anything. Otherwise, my money goes to someone else.

I see a lot of minimal listings on ebay that don't sell, and then get re-listed over and over again until the seller gives up. More complete listings tend to sell faster, with more bids (i.e. higher selling prices). Or, on CL, the item is sold faster at or near the asking price.

 

[warmpancakes]

if you wanna flip tools and make money.
3 simple rules

1 snap on other brands have a piece or 2 that bring money snap on is always easy to sell

2 owners marks avoid them

3 buy cheap real cheap

 

[justanengineer]

Aside from SO, individual hand tools even bought in sets arent worth the effort by themself for me, so if I buy its bc I want them and I sell the extras when I have room. POWER and shop tools and machinery OTOH very much are, so long as you use common sense. Ive found on the woodwacking side that homeowner grade Cman power tools are a quick sell, as are things with the names "Bridgeport," "South Bend," and "Atlas" on the metalworking/machining side. I prefer the metalworking side personally, as I can often buy machines that hobbyists cant fix and the pros dont wanna bother fixing/cleaning.

 

[Major Ramifications]

To the OP:
Let me guess...you will be listing these tools for sale on Craigslist.
With your complete mastery of the written English language including punctuation, you will fit right in.

 

[d_frontier]

To the OP:
Let me guess...you will be listing these tools for sale on Craigslist.
With your complete mastery of the written English language including punctuation, you will fit right in.

hey thank you!!

 

[Gregg33]

High quality images will sell your item faster and at a higher price. Get a real camera (not a phone).

Learn to use the macro feature and get nice close up images. Also use white balance adjustments to compensate for lighting differences.

Also don't post your images upside down or sideways. Learn to rotate your images so buyers don't have to stand on their head to view them.

A software package like Adobe Lightroom can do all this and is very easy to use.

The key is to stand out from your competition and that's very easy to do when you see some of the crappy images posted to CL or Ebay.

You have no idea how many high end SO tool boxes selling for thousands of $ that I've seen on Kijiji that have pics so small and blurry you can barely distinguish what the item is. If you want $7000 for your tool box, take some proper photos and dust the damn thing off too.


Also, I see a lot of ads presumably done by immigrants, where the spelling is so bad it it's ridiculous. " I have for selling, my 54inches snapin tool boxe. By 1 year go, paying $8000+taxs. Change job, so must be sell. Askin $7000 no loballers" For *%$ sake if you are selling a $7000 tool box get some1 (co-worker, family member etc.) who can properly type English to post the ad for you. It's also surprising how many brand names are spelled wrong like Gray (Tools) being spelled Grey.

 

[Boiler]

1) try to stick with snap on. If you can get sets of Mac, Matco, and SK for cheap, get them. But I'll sell any singles in snap on I can get. At auctions the big pile of oddball wrenches goes cheap and sells fine on ebay

2) look through ebay sellers and figure out what they are doing. I was doing all auctions and the trying to flip fast, and got much lower prices than I do now. With eBay, I believe patience is a virtue.

3) be prepared to be able to ship lots of shapes and sizes securely. You don't want to waste time trying to find packaging after each sale. Right now I only sell a few things a week and keep relisting. Packing takes me about 2 mins each.

4) on ebay it seems to help sales if you are constantly adding new items. Whenever I add a few new things per day for a week, I sell several items that have sat for many months. I think ebays search rewards activity.

5) individual pliers, wrenches, hammers, and specialty are fine. Individual sockets are more work than worth. I only list them when I run out of other things and want to remain active listing.

6) older cheaper quality might sell just fine, but if the selling effort is the same you want higher dollar stuff. Shipping cost doesn't change either

 

[Davefr]

There's one other factor you need to understand. If you sell on Ebay you will have "shrinkage". "Shrinkage" can be the result of shipping damage, shipping loss, your own screwups, buyer screwups, fraud, etc, etc, etc.

This shouldn't happen too often but if you choose to sell on Ebay it's just a matter of time before you'll have some form of loss.

The key is to make sure your business model factors in a reserve for loss. (maybe 5-10%). If and when you have some form of loss "grow a set" and deal with it and move on. (Too many sellers go into fits of hysteria when this happens and throw in the towel.)