This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Read my full disclosure for more information.
Are you in the middle of decluttering your home or closet? Do you love to shop thrift stores? How great would it be to make money off of your used items?
Well, you can! And a lot of it!
It’s exactly what 61-year-old mom Melanie Heltke has done and continues to do. In this blog post, she will share with you how she was able to turn her clutter into cash and then into a side hustle that has earned her over $24,000 and counting!
Her secret? An app called Mercari.
When I heard her story I decided I wanted to interview her to find out exactly how she is doing it. Check out my interview with her below.
FREE TRAINING: Learn How to Turn Your Passion For Visiting Thrift Stores, Yard Sales & Flea Markets Into A Profitable Reselling Business. Sign up for this Free Webinar here.
SELLING ON MERCARI
Can you give us a brief intro into who you are and what made you decide to sell on Mercari?
My name is Melanie Heltke. My profession is a realtor, and in my free time, I’ve always loved to shop and find treasures. I have a huge handbag collection and other collectibles.
I was initially introduced to Mercari by a friend and once I tried it I was hooked. I have used other platforms previously and found Mercari to be the easiest platform to use, far better than any others.
For total newbies, what exactly is Mercari?
Mercari is an app for selling just about anything old or new, from clothing, shoes and handbags to toys or smartphones or home decor.
Lots of people use it to resell secondhand goods — and unlike Facebook marketplace or most local sites or apps, everything on Mercari ships, so there are no in-person meet-ups required.
How much of a time and money investment is needed to sell on Mercari?
It takes just about three minutes on average to list an item for sale on Mercari. After you have set up your account, you just snap a pic of your item, fill in a few fields for information and set a price, then upload the listing and wait for offers to come in.
The app is free. The only money investment needed is if you are buying items that you are then reselling for a profit. But you could start with items in your own closet and garage first – which is free!
FREE TRAINING: Learn How to Turn Your Passion For Visiting Thrift Stores, Yard Sales & Flea Markets Into A Profitable Reselling Business. Sign up for this Free Webinar here.
Are there any specific tools or equipment I would need to start selling?
The only thing needed is a phone for snapping pictures and posting items for sale. I also chose to invest in a small scale to help determine shipping prices. I found a baby scale was the best to use.
Where do you find items to sell?
I started by going through my house and purging items I no longer use. I went through all my handbags and listed the ones that I was no longer using that were just closet clutter.
I also began doing a lot of thrift shopping to find fun, hidden treasures. One of my great finds was a Pyrex Chemix I purchased for $1.00 and sold for $85.00! Also, I once bought an American Girl doll trunk for $15 and sold it for $155.
What should one look for when looking for items to resell? Are there certain items that sell quicker or for higher profits?
Whenever I go out to thrift shop, I make sure I have my phone and go on Mercari to see if that particular item sells quickly or if it just sits. I have found the handbag market is the best! Designer bags sell at higher profits, just be sure you don’t overpay for it at the thrift store.
Where do you store your items until they sell? What is the longest time you’ve kept an item before it sold?
Now that I have been selling so much and so often, I dedicated one of my extra bedrooms to store the items I’m selling. The longest I’ve ever had an item for sale is approximately 6 to 8 months. If things aren’t selling I will create a listing of a bundle with several of the bags and list it that way.
How much money have you made on Mercari so far and how long have you been selling?
On Mercari alone I’ve made approximately $24k for the past few years.
Any tips for newbies?
Taking great pictures and providing a detailed description is key! This helps ensure there are no questions from the buyer and makes your transaction quick and easy.
Where can one find out more information on selling on Mercari?
The easiest thing to do is to simply download the app on iTunes or Google Play. Or go to www.mercari.com.
TIP! Get $10 off your first purchase at Mercari if you use my referral link here.
Anything else you want people to know about starting a Mercari side hustle?
When selling designer items, be sure you are familiar with the brand and item and that it’s authentic. Mercari actually now offers an authentication tool for sellers as well and it shows buyers it’s been verified authentic too. It’s really a lot of fun to make extra money!
Wow, thank you, Melanie!
I loved this interview, she gave such great tips! What do you think? Do you want to try out Mercari for yourself? I’ve dabbled in Poshmark (you can see my Poshmark experience here) and am now thinking about listing some items on Mercari after having interviewed Melanie.
Get Started with Mercari
- Sign up for Mercari here (use this link to get a $10 credit)
- Start listing your items! Look around the house first and then if you love it, you can expand to sourcing items from thrift stores, etc.
Let me know in the comments what you think and if you’ve tried Mercari.
