Thrift Store Finds Can Be
Highly Profitable

By Joe Waynick
April 22, 2016

Hunting for thrift store finds to sell on Amazon can make some beginners jittery because they're not used to scouting in such a public place.

But nothing cures book scouting jitters faster than making a sale. However, getting to that first sale is what keeps most beginners from being successful.

You don't want to short-circuit your business before you have a real chance of making money.

If you're not a self-starter then taking the plunge can be daunting. But it doesn't have to be. Becoming a book scout is no more difficult than starting any other type of business. In many ways it's much easier.

Not only is it easier, but many entrepreneurs earning a living in the book trade find that it's far more profitable than most other home-based businesses.

Your First Day in the Field

The best way to get your feet wet and start finding valuable used books to sell is to just get out there and do it! Believe me, nothing horrible is going to happen to you. In fact, something really good is most likely to happen — you'll make some money, maybe even a lot of it.

Irrational fear has kept many men and women from achieving their financial goals. You don't have to be one of them. Simply put one foot in front of the other and make it happen with online book selling.

Most thrift stores carry a selection of books for customers to browse. Only now you want to browse with the purpose of finding hidden treasures.

Your first step is to make a list of all of the thrift stores in your area. I suggest thrift stores because they are usually plentiful in most communities and they're easy targets of opportunity.

Be Prepared for Business

To make the most of your time and earn the most income when tracking down thrift store finds, make sure you're properly prepared for the job. You'll need a scanning device to read the bar codes. Your scanner is probably your most important piece of equipment.

Wear comfortable shoes because you'll be on your feet for several hours. You also want comfortable fitting clothing that's appropriate for the weather in your area.

Another suggestion is to keep a small cooler in your car stocked with cold drinks and sandwiches during the summer. In colder months you'll want hot drinks and warm sandwiches. You'll save money by brown bagging it instead of eating at fast food restaurants every day.

Reserve restaurant dining as a means to reward yourself once or twice a week for doing an exceptionally well job of scouting over a period of time. It's one of the little tricks I use to keep myself motivated. And a little motivation can go a long way towards helping you remain focused on your financial goals when you sell books for cash.

It's Much Easier Than You Think

These days, seeing someone use a scanning device in a thrift store is not an unusual sight. While it may not be exactly common, chances are the store clerks have seen them before.

Trust me when I say that no one cares. When looking for thrift store finds you definitely don't want to waste time worrying about what other people think of what you're doing.

You have far more important things on your mind, like where you're going to take your next vacation with all the profits you make.

As a matter of fact, you'll probably be approached by curious onlookers who want to know what you're doing. Be friendly, be polite, but don't give away too many secrets. After all, you don't want to invite competition into your market by bragging about your success!

Speaking of competition, it's only a matter of time before you run into other booksellers. Again, be friendly and polite, but guard your trade secrets because they'll definitely ask.

Search For Thrift Store Finds Daily

If you hunt for used books to sell on a daily basis and list them for sale on a daily basis, then within a week you'll start selling used books online on a daily basis. It's really that simple.

Exactly how much money can you make? That's entirely up to you. Seriously. You can spend just an hour or two a day finding products to sell online and earn $500 per month. Or you can work your small business full-time and earn $5,000 per month.

Like I said, it's all up to you. If you're considering learning how to go after thrift store finds and you're in need of coaching of any kind, then you definitely want to join my FREE Internet Bookseller's Discussion Forum where you'll meet other booksellers just like yourself who earn a living selling used books every single day.

That's the business in a nutshell. What are you waiting for? Join the forum and participate in the discussion today!

Joe Waynick is author of several eCommerce books covering the bookselling and publishing industry. His books are available on Amazon.com.You can also follow him on Twitter @JoeWaynick.

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