There are resellers: guys who buy lots (large grouped items) and then split it up to make a profit. No guarantee, though

Hobby/Book Store Owners: have access to OOP stuff; buy it from customers, etc. Then use ebay to resell.

Collectors: People who are on the lookout for certain items. Buy a "lot" to get at a specific item then resell the leftovers. Also, upgrading items then selling the duplicates. (I'm in this group). Since I don't play but maybe once a year and/or at Gen Con, this keeps me "in" the hobby. Don't really make money (or a little). Be sure to figure in all the overhead: time, misc. postage, mailing materials, paypal charges, ebay listing charges, even the local phone useage for internet, gas to drive to post office, etc.

Though I have always loved RPG's, comics & wargames - I am currently an exclusive reseller.  Current circumstances require that I spend nothing on myself and earn as much as possible (our first child is due May 12th!) I started "dabbling" in November of 2003 and devote as much time as I can to it now.  

Besides searching every book store, comic store and gaming store in my area I buy large lots on eBay.  I keep excrutiatingly accurate records in Microsoft Excel that calculate all my fees, shipping/handling, etc.    I make over 100% net profit on at least half of the lots I purchase.   i.e.  If I purchase a lot for $50.00 I take in $110  ($60.00 net.)  I am making this almost exclusively through RPG's & Minatures Wargames (Battletech) with the occasional War Game I might find in the local area.  

This is not easy - I devote incredible time and effort and believe I have found several selling tactics that enable me to sell at higher profit margins.  I ship 6 days a week and it takes me upward of 10 minutes to half an hour to package each item to my standards.  

Darkseraphim mentioned that reselling is somewhat taboo - that may be the case and though I frequent the Acaeum forums I do feel a bit of an outsider.  In any case, I have always been a collector at heart and feel that there can be a certain honor in reselling - it is most important to make the customer happy & profits will come as a result. If you let greed get in the way everything will fall to shit. . . could you imagine deceiving someone in your group about a book's condition so you could make an extra $3.00?  Neither could I. . .

... and I have a problem with reselling for 1.5x or 2x market price and fishing for uninformed new ebayers.

... and I also have a problem with resellers who need 4-6 weeks for a delivery.

... and I also have a problem with resellers listing illegal copies outside of eBay.

Now you can guess their names.

That is not reselling, Cernunnos. That is collecting.
Take a look at morgansurname on eBay. He buys EVERY merp item that he can, and overpays for a few. Then, he lists them at outrageous prices (he may be related to Cougarretard). His opinion is that if he is in control of every copy of Umbar, for example, then people will have to pay his prices. Classic example of an unwiped asshole. THAT is a reseller. Not someone who buys a lot, takes a few items for the collection, and sells the extras. We all do that.

Deadlord36 wrote:That is not reselling, Cernunnos. That is collecting.
Someone who buys a lot, takes a few items for the collection, and sells the extras. We all do that.

I agree 100%, buying items you want and seliing other pieces or some from a "set" is smart buying, not reselling.  I feel that people evolve and as you evolve you may want a newer copy, older copy, etc...so selling the other copy is good business for someone like me who works hard for his money and only has XX to spend on fun stuff like this.  Hobby that can make me money---woo hoo I say!

I work in the RPG industry (second job) and one of the perks is the "cool" stuff you sometimes can find, it is not a huge money making industry.

Thanks for all the many and varied responses. I have to say that most dont come as any surprise. As it goes I (or would be) quite happy to resell stuff that I had recently brought - though I am, unfortunately, by nature an honest and nice person, so my chances of making any money like this are slim! I would certainly buy a whole bunch of modules just to get one or two I want - then if I make a little on the rest so much the better. This is not to say anyone would be ripped off - as I say I am honest and want to get good feedback, and a good reputation as time goes by - as I said when I started this - I am skint - third baby on the way so this is very much a hobby for me. (I also would generally read everything I buy before I resell it as well, so it is definitely MINE to sell!! - Thanks for all the input guys - I appreciate it and will start posting on other threads soon (I have lots to say!!).
(I am still checking charity shops and car boot sales for boxes full of stuff for £1.50 - I'll definitely be reselling that mother-lode!!!)

Fuck apologies, he still sucks.

Cernunnos wrote:Yeah, but I sometimes feel a bit guilty, esp. when I buy a lot for $300, keep half of it, then make $400 selling the half I DIDN'T keep.
Frankly, I feel full-time reselling isn't worth my time.  Consider just how long it takes to list stuff, ship it off, write correspondence, etc.  In the time it takes me to do all that, I can probably just work some overtime (when my office isn't out of money, that is), and end up making more with ALOT less headache (like after I sold 2 dozen items, only to have my cable connection go completely down).
Now, a passive shop, given enough inventory, might not be too bad in addition to the day job.  The sales come to you, but I imagine it takes just as much time (if not more).

    You should never feel bad about making money in a legitimate enterprise, particularly if it's something you like doing or are good at, or when it involves a fun hobby like RPGs.
   My full time job is now selling on Ebay and the internet as of the last year.  I started selling extras in the early 90's because I never threw anything away or sold anything, and often bought nicer copies of modules when the older ones got too used.  I got hooked on it...It's a bit like modern treasure hunting.  Walking into a used bookstore and stumbling onto a Dragon #1 or RPGA1 is a rush like nothing else.  It slowly took up a larger and larger chunk of my free time as I would buy large collections to get the 2-3 items I wanted and sold off the rest.  I think that's how 99% of the guys selling this stuff online started out.
    A few years ago I noticed I was making a pretty good amount of "pocket change" and thought about doing it full time, but I had always worked a traditional 9-5 type job and was frankly worried I wouldn't be able to pay my share of the bills (my wife is quite successful but we split everything 50/50 when it comes to bills, house payments, etc) or worse yet just scrape by.
 The tradeoff for me was health related.  First, my "real" job was killing me...after 14 years as a service rep/sales exec I was overweight, had high blood pressure, migraine headaches, occassional chest pains, and was stressed out night and day.  It had really gotten bad in the last few years when my company was bought out by no-nothing ass wipes that fired half the sales force and kept the "lucky" ones around to work twice as hard at the same pay.  It has been the best decision I ever made (besides marrying my wife that is)...not only did my health improve 100%, but I get to spend all day every day surrounded by the items I enjoy and bring joy to many others by selling the items to them!  The best part is that I am home all day so I get to take care of the house, run all my errands, cook meals, etc; I don't have a boss and don't have to punch a clock (and guys, telling my old job and bosses I was giving them my 2-week notice and watching them run around pulling their hair out and begging me to stay for the entire two weeks was a true joy!), and I work the hours I want to and realize I get all the profits when I decide to work hard (because like any job you have to work hard to make your deadlines and profits).  The downside was losing a company car (after ten years I finally realized gas prices sucked) and losing a bit of money, but when it is your health then is extra cash really that important?  
  Like Darkseraphim, in recent years I've had to diversify due to the RPG business getting thin and now also sell paperbacks and CDs, which is good because you shouldn't have all your eggs in one basket, and it helps you find out how other collectible markets are going.  I also was forced to move into other game systems like Shadowrun, Star Wars, Star Trek, Call of Cthulhu, etc, which is cool because I was mostly a D&D junkie and never knew that much about other systems, now I feel like I'm well versed in quite a few RPGs and I've actually gamed in a couple that a few years ago I knew nothing about.
  I get most of my stock from used bookstores or local gamestores selling used books or games; rarely now do I buy a collection and piecemeal it out, it is just too much work with guys like Courgaretard bidding up everything on Ebay.  Like any job, it is work, which means that you really have to get out and hit the used bookstores and look for the bargains both in town and while out of town on vacation.  I have a regular schedule where I hit the used bookstores in town once a month and the ones nearby in the state every couple of months or so.  Luckily you can write off most travel expenses and the sort, plus it's actually pretty fun because I used to drive a lot at my work but now when I drive it's on my own schedule.
    I work within a 100% profit margin generally; that is, if I spend $100 buying a bunch of books and games I must make $200 selling it to justify the purchase.  Sometimes it doesn't work out like that but it's a lesson learned (like the time I bought all that Spelljammer stuff really, really cheap....but not cheap enough.)  I've found there's quite a bit of money to be made without price gouging as long as you aquire the stuff cheap enough...I pass up a lot of stuff because I would have to charge too high a minimum to get my money back.  
    One of the hardest aspects of the business is shipping, and I finally have a really nice system down.  I find that's the aspect of any online business that gives newbies (and sometimes pros) the most trouble, because it is very, very easy to get behind.   It can quickly overwhelm you, look at Gamesvomitorium and their shipping problems.  
    Another upside is that you sometimes really make someone's day.  I have a collection of really nice emails I've gotten through the years from buyers who finally got that module/book they had been looking for through the years and were very grateful.  I like to get that file out and read it on days when nothing is going right.....!

Mike B.

Mike,

Glad to hear things are going well.

You truly are one of the more courteous and professional individuals I have dealt with on Ebay.  I respect your comments and appreciate them in full.  In fact, I can empathize with you in many regards.  Your scenario reflects many of the issues/dilemnas I have recently debated internally.  

Best of luck.