Gold_Hunter
Jr. Member
Hey Tnet Members. Gold_hunter here to share a few tips of the trade that I have learned from doing this for years of buying and reselling. I am going to post one of these tips every so often, hoping to inform any viewer who wishes to learn. At the same time, I want you guys to give your own input so long as it is relevant to the topic. This way, we can combine our knowledge and improve our success. Because let's face it, there are too many deals waiting to be had and we can't possibly buy them all!
My first tip involves a category I deem Inconspicuous Electronics.
What is an inconspicuous electronic?
An inconspicuous electronic is an electronic item that a normal thrifter would pass by. This could be due to a lack of product knowledge, lack of interest in the item, or not paying attention. Whichever reason, the phenomena exists and you should take advantage of it!
How can I spot these items?
Pretend you are in the store, in someones parkway, or at a flea market while someone is trying to talk to you (but falling on deaf ears..because your focusing..right?). Step back and take a second to really see what is in front of you. You see VCR recorders, CRT televisions, alarm clocks...and...hey what is this thing? You pick it up, and identify it as one of those credit card things you use at almost every store you shop at.
The first thing you do is look at the price. It is $3.99. Okay, so it's not too expensive. But what is it worth? This is the turning point in your search for inconspicuous electronics. You must must must pull out your smart phone and do a "sold listings" search on eBay. eBay sold listings never lies. If it is worth anything, show yourself proof. Sometimes the electronic will be so off the wall, that you won't find anything. But for this specific item, you're in luck.
Click the link below to see the sold listings search with the used search filter for this Hypercom T4220 Credit Card Terminal:
hypercom t4220 | eBay
Does the picture look familiar? This is an item I just sold a few days ago. I paid $3.99 at Goodwill. Why was it listed at only $3.99? Because it flies under the radar of most people as something of value. Letting an auction style format play out for 3 days, I was able to profit $86.68 after eBay fees, PayPal fees, and shipping cost.
ALWAYS TEST YOUR ELECTRONICS BEFORE SELLING!
I will end this post with a small list of other home run deals that I personally have found. If you have another item to contribute to this list, feel free to post it here or message me and I will add it for the benefit of us all.
List of Inconspicuous Electronics:
- Credit Card Terminals
- Media streaming tv devices (Apple TV, Roku, etc.)
- DVD HDR (records and plays DVD's and also records them to an internal or external hard drive)
- Logitech Programmable Remotes (usually have an LCD display)
- Designer Essential Oil Diffusers (Mainly doTerra/puhzen brand)
- High end humidifiers (Air-O-Swiss brand)
- HD DVR's
- Old tube radios (Thanks to user insontis)
Member contributions:
- Check for battery corrosion, bring screwdriver (Thanks to user mjlalt)
- Test item in front of seller, if not working, get the seller to give you a deep discount (Thanks to user jerseyben)
Please post any tips you want to add specific to this topic, or any questions you have!
My first tip involves a category I deem Inconspicuous Electronics.
What is an inconspicuous electronic?
An inconspicuous electronic is an electronic item that a normal thrifter would pass by. This could be due to a lack of product knowledge, lack of interest in the item, or not paying attention. Whichever reason, the phenomena exists and you should take advantage of it!
How can I spot these items?
Pretend you are in the store, in someones parkway, or at a flea market while someone is trying to talk to you (but falling on deaf ears..because your focusing..right?). Step back and take a second to really see what is in front of you. You see VCR recorders, CRT televisions, alarm clocks...and...hey what is this thing? You pick it up, and identify it as one of those credit card things you use at almost every store you shop at.
The first thing you do is look at the price. It is $3.99. Okay, so it's not too expensive. But what is it worth? This is the turning point in your search for inconspicuous electronics. You must must must pull out your smart phone and do a "sold listings" search on eBay. eBay sold listings never lies. If it is worth anything, show yourself proof. Sometimes the electronic will be so off the wall, that you won't find anything. But for this specific item, you're in luck.
Click the link below to see the sold listings search with the used search filter for this Hypercom T4220 Credit Card Terminal:
hypercom t4220 | eBay
Does the picture look familiar? This is an item I just sold a few days ago. I paid $3.99 at Goodwill. Why was it listed at only $3.99? Because it flies under the radar of most people as something of value. Letting an auction style format play out for 3 days, I was able to profit $86.68 after eBay fees, PayPal fees, and shipping cost.
ALWAYS TEST YOUR ELECTRONICS BEFORE SELLING!
I will end this post with a small list of other home run deals that I personally have found. If you have another item to contribute to this list, feel free to post it here or message me and I will add it for the benefit of us all.
List of Inconspicuous Electronics:
- Credit Card Terminals
- Media streaming tv devices (Apple TV, Roku, etc.)
- DVD HDR (records and plays DVD's and also records them to an internal or external hard drive)
- Logitech Programmable Remotes (usually have an LCD display)
- Designer Essential Oil Diffusers (Mainly doTerra/puhzen brand)
- High end humidifiers (Air-O-Swiss brand)
- HD DVR's
- Old tube radios (Thanks to user insontis)
Member contributions:
- Check for battery corrosion, bring screwdriver (Thanks to user mjlalt)
- Test item in front of seller, if not working, get the seller to give you a deep discount (Thanks to user jerseyben)
Please post any tips you want to add specific to this topic, or any questions you have!
Last edited:
