What To Buy To Resell — The Fall Vintage Version

Everyone always wonders what to buy to resell? Even the pros are always looking for something to add to their repertoire. There’s always something out there we hadn’t thought about selling that sells quite well. It takes a lot of research to find out what those are. So today’s report is:

What To Buy To Resell — The Vintage Version

I’ve been remiss in writing my Etsy sales report (And booth report, too!) for the past three months. Why? Beats me! The sales weren’t good but, there were some and I’m thankful for even that little bit. Still, it would have been a waste of your and my time to do a September and October report. So. Because I’ve committed to sharing the bad along with the good, I’m doing it. Combining August, September and October sales in this one post. It won’t take long to read. Sigh.

(Also check out these posts for more things that routinely sell on Etsy and my friend, Florence’s latest sales report at Vintage Southern Picks. Hint: She sold more than I did.)

---

August:

I’ve mentioned before that vintage patterns can be a good investment. I got lucky last year and bought a box full of patterns for under a dollar. I kept a few and culled a bunch. The rest have gone on Etsy. This was one. 

Vintage Simplicity jacket pattern
Sold for $15.00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I don’t remember where I bought this or how much it was but I’m inclined to think it was in the remains of a friend’s mother’s estate that was given to us. Personally, I’m a sucker for vintage Christmas wrapping paper. I wonder what the buyer is going to do with it? Wrap presents, display it or craft with it?

Vintage WT Grants Christmas Wrapping Paper
Sold for $12.00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Are you old enough to remember the TV show Good Times with Kid Dynomite, Jimmy “JJ” Walker? He coined the word “dyn-o-mite”, pronounced with accents on each syllable. Almost like 3 words. There were plenty of items you could buy with the saying on it and this belt was one of them. I don’t have a clue where this came from or how much it cost either but I suspect it might have been the same estate as above.

Dyn-O-Mite Belt and Buckle
Sold for $12.00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another pattern

Vintage Simplicity 7936 Pattern
Sold for $12.00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Funny how I had two of these. This one and another from a nearby town. This one sold within a few days. The other still awaits its buyer.

Vintage, leather key holder from Colonial Chevrolet-Buick in Talladega, Alabama
Sold for $12.00 (with free shipping)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I found several packs of this green, beaded Christmas garland at a thrift store several years ago for about 5¢ each. This was the last package to sell.

Green Christmas beaded garland
Sold for $12.00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Winking Santa ashtray
Sold for $24.00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yet another pattern

Vintage Simplicity 4759
Sold for $27.00 with free shipping

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That was all for August. This starts September. Sales took a definite downturn in September:

Still another pattern:

Simplicity 3190
Sold for $15.00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These were left over at an estate sale we conducted. I thought they were adorable!

Mod cat and dog pen and pencil holders desk set
Sold for $39.00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mugs can be a profitable niche, but you really have to do your homework. There’s more junk out there nobody wants than there are winners. This one was, if I remember correctly, was left over at one of our sales, too. I took a chance on it.

Care Bear “Hello World” Mug
Sold for $10.00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~“`

That’s all that sold in September!! October was worse. Same amount of sales, but lower dollar amount.

This small, vintage, flower book sold the day after I listed it:

Small, Garden Flowers book
Sold for $8.00 with free shipping

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another adorable item:

Vintage 1950’s-60’s kids wrapping paper
Sold for $20.00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

And finally, this vintage spaghetti Santa bank. There were more of these than I expected to see listed on Etsy. I’m lucky someone chose mine to buy.

Vintage Spaghetti Santa bank
Sold for $24.00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

---

And remember, you can check out these posts for more things that routinely sell on Etsy. And while your’re at it, hop on over to Vintage Southern Picks for her latest sales report.

---

November has started off much more promising. We’ll see how it goes.

Etsy has implemented more changes that most sellers are unhappy with. It has to do with the way they’re starting to take their fees and payments out immediately upon a sale. It hasn’t been activated on my account yet but I always liked paying all along anyway, so maybe I won’t notice? Another thing about that though, is they’re somehow not itemizing fees, making bookkeeping difficult. I’ve only heard the rumblings. I can’t comment on it one way or the other. 

Every time a major change happens, people start closing their shops right and left. Most of those who stay, grumble. It’s like this with every venue. eBay is notorious. The only way to avoid that is to sell on your own site where you’re in complete control. Which comes with its own set of challenges. Like getting people to find your offerings and building trust so they’ll buy. Selling ain’t easy, folks! It’s a hard way to make a living, but oh, so rewarding.