Its amazing what items are selling like hotcakes on eBay. Mostly certain 80's toys. While researching the value on some 80's-90's McDonald's happy meal toys, (which unfortunately I found out aren't worth beans) I saw a 1986 G1 Transformer figure selling over 800 bucks. Sixteen bids.
It's amazing (and stupid) what people will spend even over 1,000 dollars on to have and it makes me jealous. I wish I could join in on the money-making business.
Problem is its hard to know what's hot and what's not, so I'll know what to grab up or avoid in garage sales or Goodwill.
In Goodwill one day, three Autumn Meadows corningware dishes caught my eye and I grabbed them up as Corningware is rare. Thing was when I tried to sell them, no one was interested because they didn't have lids.
Anybody else know what items are hot?

I don't know how you could come up with a list. If I could find a list, there are already 100s of people looking for those items at Goodwill.
Even some Goodwills do ebay.

Hubby sells extra random things here, whatever we got once but no onger use. Sometimes it is more obscure that sells better- special tools or parts from airplane work, electronics he rarely makes ' a lot' but we do it to keep the item out of the landfill and keep him busy. We'd rather have the digit in our electronic bank account than the thing gathering dust.

With any item, he knows how to look up current/past sales and get a feel for price and market.

A few things we sold on ebay years ago: a curved glass cabinet and dressing table with mirror (both a nightmare to pack), some small electronics, snowshoes, a tuxedo (for daughter's wedding, never worn again) a leather jacket and an alabaster figurine.

I looked up the prices for some fine china we never use, but they're going too cheap. Might do better at the local antique fair.

We sold bookshelves on kijiji, but the excess canning jars and wine bottles I put up recently got no interest. My neighbour took some; the rest go to thrift stores.

For what it's worth.
https://bloggingwizard.com/bes...

interesting article

Huh. But idk if I believe the clothes thing. Clothes are hard to sell unless they're novelty; like have tv characters or random photos on them. Those can be steep priced.

Fans I can believe since its so stinking hot this year.

Jewelry...idk about that.

Fragrances, probably since everyone makes their own homemade stuff. Then tries to sell it with no luck.

Action figures I can 100% believe. Especially G1 ones from 80's stuff. Even the original My Little Ponies can sell for a pretty penny if they're in good shape.

Someone told me that Barbie dolls started selling like hotcakes after that dirty live action came out and idk if I believe that either.

The article was talking to people setting up a major shop, not to being able to scout yard sales and put 2 things out on eBay and have an impact.
(Not to digress but 'dirty Barbie" has about the cleanest parent's guide I've ever seen on an IMDB entry)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1...

sallyg said:
(Not to digress but 'dirty Barbie" has about the cleanest parent's guide I've ever seen on an IMDB entry)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1...

The parents who made that guide aren't family friendly then. I'd never allow my children to watch it. (But that's off topic here so...)

Many check comparative values by looking at the recently sold sections on eBay. With smart phone, it's easy to check before buying. Active sales are meaningless if no one buys.
There are several great YouTubers that film as they shop and give great tips and even share what items sold for.
I guess you would have to devote some time into consistently checking the auctions and sales to get a sense of interest for various items.

Quite true. The next time I go in Goodwill and see an item I question if it might be worth anything, I'll just stand there with my phone checking eBay. If a worker doesn't catch me that is. Unfortunately Goodwill is getting smarter on what might be worth money because they're on eBay.
I won't forget the time I saw a brand new semi-rare CD I wanted on there and it was sold by Goodwill. The price was reasonable but when I checked it later the same day the price had gone up. I wasn't too happy. Bought it anyway.

TomatoNut95 said: . . .The next time I go in Goodwill and see an item I question if it might be worth anything, I'll just stand there with my phone checking eBay. If a worker doesn't catch me that is. . .

Savvy dealers do that all the time at thrift stores and yard sales. The people who make money turning over collectibles put in a lot of time and hard work educating themselves and studying the market and the products. And hustling. There is a misconception that anyone can just decide to "buy and sell stuff"... well, yes, but without hard work, not profitably and not for long.

Anne, you sound like you begrudge Goodwill for trying to make a profit. Why wouldn't they? Goodness knows they need to offset all the unsellable garage that people donate that they need to get rid of.

I donate to charity, and figure they are expert at getting profit from used stuff. Possibly they profit on some classes of items by having large quantities of certain things, bales of clothes instead of a few pieces. And if some of my stuff goes in their trash, then it really belongs there.
Ebay and thrift shops are two different shopping experiences. . many things that sell in a thrift store would never sell on ebay. And the opposite.

This books talks in part about goodwill selling stuff. Fascinating book.
https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/...

I don't donate to Goodwill. Why give your stuff away to this guy for free and then he makes money on your donations. Dumb. I call Purple Heart and they pick up. However brfore giving something away check it online to see if it has any value. You'd be surprised. I was going to give a milk glass cake stand away but just for the heck of it I checked online to see if it had any value. That cake stand is worth $435. I won't be giving that away.

also certain colors bring a higher value. Hummels are worth some money others more so than others. Most collectors items should have the original packaging-that's important. If the packaging is unopened even better. I have my mon's Thanksgiving plates and platter. Barnyard King I think by Johnson Brothers. That's a keeper. My neighbors had an estate sale after the relatives passed away. I bought a set of Lennox plates, hand painted, with different animals-deer, raccoon, martens, beavers, squirrels,etc. They're worth more than I paid and the relatives had saved all the boxes and packing material so I'm good should I want to sell them. The Martens are the more expensive of all 10 plates. Weird. I have all the guys from Reservoir Dogs and Randy and his Mom from a Christmas Story. All unopened. I was told that anything blue has more value although I can't confirm that.

I prefer to donate to a hospice thrift store or a local one that benefits cat rescues and adoptions but in a pinch, Goodwill is a quick drop.

I buy and sell fabric, vintage and new. In the shop (called The Legacy, they take in all types of crafts donations) where I get most of my fabrics, I was chatting with another customer one time, telling her I make quilts and things but sell whatever extra fabrics I don't use and she asked me if the shop allows me to do that. I just looked at her confused...what I do with anything I purchase there or any thrift shop is up to me, I paid for it, it's now mine. Her question caught me off guard, what a weird thing to ask.

breith95 said: I don't donate to Goodwill. Why give your stuff away to this guy for free and then he makes money on your donations. Dumb. I call Purple Heart and they pick up...

My apologies, I knew I shouldn't have used the word "profit" in my last post. Goodwill Industries is a nonprofit organization and provides innumerable job training services to the unemployed, seniors, disabled, etc, and have an "A" rating with CharityWatch nationally, and 90% with Charity Navigator in New Jersey, both nonprofit charity watchdog and rating organizations (also themselves nonprofit) that monitor the value and transparency of those organizations.

I don't have any affiliation with Goodwill Industries, and usually donate to the local women's shelter or animal welfare thrift stores. But I admire Goodwill's work and wanted to correct your misunderstanding of how the proceeds of your donations are used.

You might find these informative
https://goodwillnj.org/fact-vs...

https://www.snopes.com/fact-ch...

Zoe I'm aware of the good things goodwill promotes but I donate to other places instead. I have a list of places that I will or will not donate to simple because of how the "donations" are dispersed. I prefer to give to the Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity. You would be shocked at the yearly income some of these organizations bring in and home.

No problem, Brenda, of course we all have our preferences.

I'd never give anything really expensive to Goodwill. For example, I have a brand new, unwanted, unopened box of dishes I'd never give away unless to a needy family personally or a charity place.
Yes, I would MUCH rather give to Salvation Army but the closest one is a good ways away from here which is why we just throw stuff to Goodwill. We had a nice thrift store much closer to us we donated to but they closed down. Still miss that place.
Besides, after I read up on Salvation Army, they sound a little picky on what they want. Sounded to me like they preferred stuff practically brand new. The stuff we give away usually isn't stuff a needy person would need like knickknacks.

All very interesting and I cannot imagine the potential headache of managing all the random crap that comes in the back door of donation places.
One of our best charities uses the good stuff for families in need, and sells the weird stuff at a monthly giant garage sale for cash to further support their main mission. Seems a good plan, tho must take a lot of volunteer hours keeping it all sorted out.

My SIL sold a VHS tape of the Little Mermaid for $1500 last week because it's in a rare package with a mistake on the cover.