Maximizing Profits on eBay: Four Hot Products to Sell Now!

Even though I am an eBay seller and educator with 16 years’ experience and 20,000 + feedback, I am constantly trying to think of ways to work smarter, not harder. Last January, right before COVID hit, I decided to downsize and streamline my eBay business. Instead of running it out of a warehouse, I moved it back to my house. When social distancing became the norm, I started doing all of the listing myself instead of paying someone to list. Because of all of these changes, I became laser focused on low-cost products that are easy to source, easy to store, and easy to ship. As a result, I sell less but make more!
The following four items are among the type of products I now sell on a regular basis. If you don’t have much space, and you want to maximize profits in 2021, don’t miss out on these easy-to-source products:
#1 Women’s bras and lightweight tops: Both of these products meet the aforementioned criteria. Heavily padded bras in all sizes from brands such as Victoria’s Secret are always hot sellers. Be sure to mention style names in the titles of the listings you create. Lightweight tops (especially camisole-type tank tops) from companies such as White House Black Market are also popular. Bras and tops are easy to find at yard sales where they often hide in large piles of clothing and can be purchased for next to nothing. In general, try to focus on those items that are light enough to be sent via First Class Package Service (under 1 lb.).
#2 Swimsuits: Name brand swimsuits for men and women are also fun to sell. Swimsuits are easy to store, and they don’t weigh much. Focus on new or almost new name brand suits that are photogenic. As far as sizes go, the bigger the better. A few years ago, I purchased 90 name brand swimsuits at an end-of-the-summer sale at a local thrift shop. During COVID, there were no yard sales, and shopping at thrift shops was not an option. That’s when I pulled out the bags full of swimsuits I had purchased!
#3 Lego Minifigures: Legos can be sold by the pound, but did you know that Lego minifigures can be sold individually for a nice profit? Minifigures (or minifigs) are small, lightweight figurines produced by the Lego company. Both children and adults collect minifigs, and they are sold individually or as parts of sets. Some are produced to fit a certain theme while others are specific characters from film, television, or game franchises. We often purchase large lots of Legos and sift through them looking for minifigs.
#4 Vintage ashtrays and plates: I love listing vintage ashtrays and plates from bars, restaurants, and hotels, especially if the establishments no longer exist. I recently sold a set of four small vintage dessert plates from a hotel for $60. These treasures are relatively easy to find at estate sales and can be listed in just a few minutes from just about anywhere.
eBay Seller Tip! Remember, you make your money when you buy! So when you’re out and about sourcing for your online business, don’t miss out on these small, lightweight, easy-to-source items that will help you maximize profits in 2021!
About the Author
Miriam Otto is an e-commerce blogger and credentialed teacher with 16 years’ experience selling on eBay. She was a frequent guest on eBay Radio and has participated in eBay seller panels and projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create a Return Shipping Label?
Yes. After you're printed your shipping label, you can generate a pre-addressed pre-paid return label your clients can use to send items back.
Can I import my orders from Shopify, eBay, Amazon, and other stores?
Yes. You can connect your shopping carts and marketplaces including Shopify, eBay, Amazon, and Etsy with Stamps.com in under 5 minutes. You can also import your orders from a CSV file, Microsoft Excel, XML, or your own ODBC.
Can I print multiple shipping labels at once?
Yes. Stamps.com allows you to print up to 10,000 labels in one click.
Can more than one person use my account?
Yes. You can add users to the same Stamps.com account - user limits vary by plan. If your organization has multiple locations, you can switch to our multi-location plan. Visit stamps.com/multilocation to learn more
Does Stamps.com send out a Shipment Notification email to my recipient?
Yes, when you are configuring your label, all you have to do is enter your recipient's email address to ensure they receive tracking information for their package. This email includes the delivery address, mail date, mail class, estimated delivery date, special services, a customizable personal note, and a link with the tracking number.
Does Stamps.com support an ODBC connection to my database?
Yes. Stamps.com can pull order or customer information from virtually any database, from Excel to SQL. Stamps.com also creates an export file that includes mail class, mail date, shipping cost, and tracking number.
How do I cancel my account?
Log in and navigate to your subscription page to cancel from within the app, or simply call our toll-free number 855-608-2677, M–F 8AM to 8PM CT and our customer support team will be happy to assist you. You can cancel any time.
How does the 30-day risk-free trial work?
We offer new customers a 30-day risk free trial to see if Stamps.com is right for them. Cancelling any time within the 30-day time frame will result in no charges; however, if you continue past your 30‑day trial, you will be charged a monthly subscription including your first month's fee. Your service will continue uninterrupted unless you cancel.
I work in a company with multiple locations. Can Stamps.com work for us?
Our multi-location plan, designed for companies with 2+ office locations, gives each location the ability to print postage and labels as needed, while capturing information about how much is sent and spent in a single dashboard to give the business the ability to budget. No leases, no contracts, and best-in-class support available when your users need it. Visit stamps.com/multi-location to learn more
What do I get in the Special Offer?
We offer new customers free supplies including free NetStamps and a 5 lb scale so they can get started with the basics required to get the most out of Stamps.com