You’ve seen the YouTube videos. Someone finds a $5 vintage jacket and sells it for $200. Easy money, right?
Well, yes and no. Flipping absolutely works. People make real money doing it, from side hustle beer money to full-time income. But there’s a learning curve, and most beginners make the same avoidable mistakes.
This is the guide I wish I had when I started. No fluff, no hype, just what you actually need to know to start flipping profitably.
What is Flipping, Really?
Flipping is simple: buy something for less than you can sell it for. The profit is the difference minus your costs.
That’s it. You’re not inventing anything. You’re not providing a service. You’re finding items that are priced below their market value, buying them, and selling them to people willing to pay more.
The skill is knowing what’s valuable, where to find it cheap, and how to sell it efficiently.
Step 1: Pick Your Platform
Before you buy anything, know where you’re going to sell it. Different platforms work better for different items:
eBay
- Best for: Almost everything, especially vintage, electronics, collectibles
- Fees: About 13-15% total
- Pros: Huge buyer pool, established trust
- Cons: Fees add up, requires more work per listing
Poshmark
- Best for: Clothing, shoes, accessories
- Fees: 20% flat (on sales over $15)
- Pros: Simple shipping, social selling features
- Cons: Only fashion/home categories, high fees
Mercari
- Best for: General items, clothing, small electronics
- Fees: About 13% total
- Pros: Easy to use, good for beginners
- Cons: Smaller buyer pool than eBay
Facebook Marketplace
- Best for: Local sales, furniture, bulky items
- Fees: 0% local, 5% shipped
- Pros: Free for local, easy meetups
- Cons: Flaky buyers, no seller protection on local
Depop
- Best for: Trendy fashion, vintage, Y2K styles
- Fees: About 13% total
- Pros: Young, engaged buyer base
- Cons: Narrow aesthetic, not for everything
Pick one platform to start. Get good at it before adding others.
Step 2: Start With What You Know
The biggest beginner mistake is trying to flip everything. Don’t.
Start with categories you already know something about:
- Into sneakers? Flip sneakers.
- Know vintage clothing? Start there.
- Gamer? Electronics and video games.
- Grew up thrifting? You probably know more about vintage goods than you realize.
Your existing knowledge is a competitive advantage. Use it.
Step 3: Learn to Research Before You Buy
This is the single most important skill: verifying value before you spend money.
Here’s the process:
- Find a potential item at a thrift store, garage sale, or wherever
- Pull out your phone
- Search for it on eBay
- Filter by “Sold Items”
- Look at what similar items actually sold for (not what people are asking)
- Calculate your profit after fees and shipping
- Decide whether to buy
This takes 60-90 seconds once you get fast at it. And it’s the difference between profitable flipping and filling your garage with junk.
If you can’t find sold listings for an item, that’s a red flag. Either there’s no demand, or it’s so rare you’re gambling.
Step 4: Understand Your Real Costs
Beginners consistently underestimate what things actually cost. Here’s what eats into every flip:
Platform fees: 10-20% depending on platform
Shipping: $4-15 for most items (higher for heavy stuff)
Payment processing: Often included in platform fees, sometimes separate
Packaging: $1-3 per item for poly mailers, boxes, tape
Your purchase cost: Plus tax
Gas/sourcing costs: Often forgotten but real
A $50 sale is not $50 profit. It might be $25-30 after everything. Know this before you buy.
Step 5: Start Small and Cheap
Your first few flips should be low-risk learning experiences:
- Items under $10 purchase price
- Things you understand
- Items with clear sold comps
Don’t spend $50 on something you’re “pretty sure” is valuable. Start with $3-5 items where the math obviously works.
You will make mistakes. Make them cheap ones.
Step 6: Take Good Photos
Bad photos kill sales. Period.
You don’t need fancy equipment to start:
Lighting: Natural daylight near a window is free and looks great
Background: A clean white or neutral surface. A $15 poster board works fine.
Coverage: Multiple angles. Front, back, tags/labels, any flaws
Detail shots: Close-ups of logos, textures, interesting features
Flat lay or worn: Clothing looks better laid flat or on a mannequin than crumpled on the floor
The listing with good photos outsells the same item with bad photos every time. Often for higher prices too.
Step 7: Write Listings That Actually Sell
Your listing needs to:
Help people find it: Keywords in the title matter. Include brand, item type, size, color, notable features.
Bad: “Nice jacket” Good: “Vintage Carhartt Detroit Jacket Brown Canvas Men’s XL Made in USA”
Tell them what they need to know:
- Exact measurements (not just size tags)
- Condition description (be honest about flaws)
- Materials
- Any notable features or history
Build confidence:
- Clear return policy
- Accurate shipping time
- Professional presentation
Better listings = more sales at higher prices. It’s worth the extra 5 minutes.
Step 8: Price Based on Data
Do not guess at prices. Check sold listings every single time.
Find 5-10 comparable sold items and look at:
- What condition were they in vs. yours?
- How recently did they sell?
- Were they auction or Buy It Now?
Price in the middle-to-upper range of comparable sales. Pricing too low just leaves money on the table.
Step 9: Ship Fast and Smart
When something sells:
- Pack it properly: Nothing worse than a return because something arrived damaged
- Ship within your promised timeframe: Same-day or next-day shipping builds good reviews
- Use the cheapest option that works: First Class for light items, Priority for heavier. Compare rates.
- Track everything: Protect yourself with delivery confirmation
Good shipping gets you good reviews. Good reviews get you more sales.
Step 10: Reinvest and Scale
Made $50 profit this week? Reinvest most of it into more inventory.
Early on, your goal is learning and building capital, not cashing out. The more inventory you have listed, the more consistent your sales become.
A basic path:
- Month 1: Learn, make small profits, don’t lose money
- Month 2-3: Start building consistent inventory
- Month 3-6: Develop reliable income
- Month 6+: Scale into whatever this becomes for you
Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid
Buying without researching: Check sold comps. Always.
Buying everything that seems cool: Cool doesn’t mean profitable.
Pricing based on hope: Use data, not feelings.
Ignoring fees and shipping: Real profit is after all costs.
Terrible photos: Invest 10 minutes in decent pictures.
Sparse listings: Buyers need information to feel confident.
Giving up after slow weeks: Consistent listing beats occasional spurts.
Hoarding inventory without listing: Stuff in your closet can’t make money.
What Realistic Beginner Results Look Like
Let’s set real expectations:
Month 1: You’ll probably make some mistakes, maybe lose money on a few items, and hopefully learn a lot. Profit: $0-100 if you’re lucky.
Month 2-3: Starting to understand what sells and what doesn’t. Maybe 10-20 items listed. Profit: $50-200/month.
Month 3-6: Getting efficient. Know your niches. 30-50 items listed. Profit: $200-500/month.
Beyond: Depends on how much time you put in. Part-timers often settle at $500-1000/month. Serious full-timers can make $3,000-10,000+.
This isn’t get-rich-quick. It’s a learnable skill that pays off over time.
The Stuff No One Tells You
It takes time: Not just to make money, but to learn. Give yourself 3-6 months before deciding if this works for you.
Inventory management matters: The more items you have, the more organized you need to be.
Returns happen: Budget for them mentally and financially.
Some things don’t sell: You will buy stuff that sits forever. It happens.
Seasons matter: Winter coats sell in fall, not spring. Plan accordingly.
It’s a lot of small tasks: Sourcing, photographing, listing, packing, shipping, customer service. You have to like (or at least tolerate) the process.
Your First Week Action Plan
Here’s exactly what to do:
Day 1: Sign up for eBay (or your chosen platform). Browse sold listings in categories you’re interested in. Get a feel for what sells and for how much.
Day 2: Go to a thrift store with $20. Look for 2-3 items in categories you understand. Check sold listings before buying anything. Only buy if the profit math works.
Day 3: Take photos of what you bought. Look at top-selling listings in your category for inspiration on how to photograph and list.
Day 4: Write and post your listings. Take your time. Better listings beat fast listings.
Day 5-7: Wait and learn. Check your analytics. See if you get views, watchers, questions.
Ongoing: Add 3-5 new items per week minimum. Consistency builds momentum.
The Bottom Line
Flipping works. But it’s not magic. It’s:
- Knowing what’s valuable
- Finding it for less than it’s worth
- Presenting it well
- Pricing it based on data
- Selling it efficiently
That’s the whole game. The rest is just details and optimization.
Start small. Make cheap mistakes. Learn from every flip. Stay consistent.
In a few months, you’ll look back and wonder why you thought this was complicated.
Now go find your first flip.