Why Not Sell?

Hello and welcome back to another edition of my blog. This time, I'm wanting to bring up why it's worth looking at selling anything you don't need anymore or flipping anything for profit like I have done.

Selling anything is a good initiative to make money from what you've produced but it also is beneficial to offload anything you don't need anymore and it'll be a win win for both a buyer and a seller. The seller gets some money out of whatever they don't need anymore and the buyer gives whatever they've bought another lease on life and put it to good use.

And better still, it prevents anything to be thrown out especially that we live in a throw away society. Whatever item isn't needed but could be useful for someone else would be wasteful. Whether it's a piece of clothing that anyone else can wear but won't would be wasted along with the cotton that was grown to make clothes using tonnes of water gone. Dishes and cutlery which could go to someone who's not as financially fortunate would be chucked out. A piece of furniture that could be beneficial for a new renter even if it's in a useable condition would be taken from a hard waste truck and sent to oblivion. A television if it's good enough even a flat screen model can be used as opposed to old fashioned CRT televisions that use a chunk of energy would be nothing but e-waste. As well as a smartphone that's still in useable condition.

Even cars if they're cheap but still roadworthy that are beneficial for P platers who are after their first car or someone with little money needing one.

It's pleasing to say I have done and conquered saving items from ending up in landfill and it's doable.

But before I sold items I didn't need anymore, it first started when I was at high school. It happened in 2005 when I was doing year 9 and us students at the time were given the choice to choose 3 specialty subjects for each semester. I chose Movers & Shakers which was to do business and enterprising. I wasn't too sure on what I wanted to sell but I started off selling window stickers and titled my small business Window Art. I've made little stickers you can stick on windows to make them appealing. With window sticker kits, you have a sheet of clear vinyl along with bottles of black outliner to draw any shape and you use the colour bottles to fill and colour anything and once you allow them to dry, you have yourself a window sticker. With the case of running Window Art, I've packaged them and with a load, I go out to stalls and sell them.

Next in the early 2010s, I was part of the Baw Baw Arts Alliance which is West Gippsland's arts hub. I have participated in an arts stall throughout summer and have put my handful of artworks out for sale. The first 2 months I hadn't sold anything until December with Christmas coming up, I've offered a $10 AUD discount and with that sold one painting and then went on until March being the last month of the stall. With the fee paid, I have made a profit of $40 AUD.

Ever since then, I hadn't stopped selling. What I found inspiring is anything I've watched on 7mate intrigues me when anything can be worth money. I've watched Hardcore Pawn where there's the biggest pawn shop in Detroit at the time have any item on sale. It's worth mentioning that Detroit has fallen on hard times with the demise of the automotive industry that has made this American city flourish but nowadays a wasteland but pawn shops are handy for any Detroit residents needing furniture, appliances or anything can purchase whilst not having as much money. There's Pawn Stars which are a family run pawn shop in Las Vegas. It's incredible how anything that goes to the pawn shop have some story behind it.

And then, there's American Pickers where pickers Mike and Frank go to the backroads of America going to any houses where people can offload their unsuspecting treasures that have shaped America towards the 20th century. With all these shows, these have given me great inspiration and strangely enough for anyone who sees rubbish might be a worthwhile antique.

Another benefit of selling unwanted items is it'll save excess items going to op shops, of thrift stores if you're in America. These stores are usually run by charities that do good to local communities. I have volunteered at a few op shops before which'll be a good gateway for employment. But not only that, any items that aren't use anymore are donated and sold and given another lease of life. But what if they're too many donations?

I can tell you the volunteers would be hard at work processing all kinds of donations and having a stockpile to deal with. And it'll be a matter of when they'll clear up.

I've been fortunate to take up the initiative to sell anything. And at times, it's better than playing Tatts lotto which is sad when people have little money but then having to resort to gambling hoping to win a large sum of money but the big picture is how often would you win? I haven't gone down the path and never will. If you're willing to take up this initiative, I'll give you tips on making it a reality for you.

*    Do some research so you'll get an idea on how much you're willing to sell. And look for avenues such as eBay, the Facebook Marketplace, other market sites and local news venues.

*    Determine the condition of an item you're willing to sell. Is it in good condition? Is it still useable and if so, it can be good enough for someone else. If not, look at whether it's repairable or if not, dispose of it.

*    Once your item is good enough to sell, determine how much you want to sell for it. Condition determines how much you want out of it.

*    Next, you advertise your item. Make sure you give good details so that a potential buyer has a piece of mind knowing it'll be a satisfactory buy but minimalising any potential heartaches.

*    When you're item's on sale and you have one potential buyer, arrange to meet up so that the potential buyer can have a look and go from there. Another nifty strategy is to negotiate and that maintains a fair sale. Buyers would want to make a deal that's a little low than your asking price, but don't get discouraged. You can have an opportunity to finish up a sale and make it worthwhile. Once both parties agree and then the sale, congratulations.

But there are things to bear in mind. There are certain items that aren't ideal to sell like for instance, anything that would fail safety regulations with the likes of old electricals. Any worn out bits of insulation can spell trouble or any troubling electronics as well but if you're looking to sell any of this, look at getting it tested. If it passes, it'll be good to sell. If not, it wouldn't be a good idea.

With computers and smartphones, they should be given a factory reset. Otherwise, personal information would lurk into the devices and that wouldn't be ideal.

But the big thing with cars is it'll need to be reliable and carry a current roadworthy certificate. If not, a car could ask for trouble. Whenever I'll sell a car, I would get it in a roadworthy condition which enables a new buyer to have a reliable car. Any mechanical fault whether it's an engine or gearbox self destructing, electrical gremlins, suspension failure even having a wheel breaking off could spell big trouble and legally.

These are the things to consider when selling anything. I hope this page is useful and you enjoy the rest of the time.

And before I wrap this up, selling items you don't need can contribute to a circular economy which Australia should look at. Ever since I took up that initiative, it's pleasing that anything can be used again and again until it's broken and there'll be less clutter of donations at any op shop. And then, not having to use as many raw materials to produce new items and less in landfill to deal with. All these would be pleasing for anyone who has a little greenie inside them.

See you next time!