What Sells Best on eBay in 2024 – Top Items You Can Profit From

eBay sold over $87 billion in merchandise last year across its 146 million active buyers. For sellers, that huge demand presents a major business opportunity if you know what sells best.

So if you want to turn a side hustle into a money-making eBay enterprise this year, focus your efforts on these proven top-selling categories and items.

Electronics and Tech – The Perennial eBay Bestsellers

Electronics consistently dominate the list of top sales on eBay year after year. In fact, electronics is the marketplace‘s largest category, generating over $4 billion in the last reported quarter alone!

Consumer tech items like laptops, tablets and printers perform well, while refurbished smartphones are hugely popular – 40,000 pre-owned phones are sold every day on eBay. Apple iPhones in particular command premium prices – a used 256GB iPhone 12 Pro can sell for $800.

Video game consoles like PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch systems are must-have electronics that buyers snap up quickly. Current generation consoles can sell for well over $500 brand new in-box. Retro gaming systems and games are also sought after by collectors – a Sega Genesis in box sold recently for $300. Extra controllers and accessories for popular consoles see strong demand too.

So why does tech sell so consistently well on eBay? It comes down to the high cost of buying brand new electronics – savvy shoppers turn to eBay for steep discounts up to 40% off retail prices. New tech also advances quickly so the latest gadgets are always hot. Refurbishing used electronics yourself can drive even higher returns.

Pro Tip: Bundle relevant extras like cases, chargers and memory cards to add value when selling devices. Factory reset electronics before shipping out.

Clothing and Shoes – A Fashionable Opportunity

Apparel is another top eBay category, generating over $2 billion in sales last year. The online thrift store vibe connects with buyers wanting name-brand style on a budget.

Women‘s clothing moves very well on eBay. Hot items include vintage Levi‘s jeans selling for $100+, leather jackets up to $300, branded athletic wear like Nike and Lululemon around $100, and formal dresses averaging $150.

Men‘s clothing also sells at high volumes, especially workwear brands like Carhartt fetching $75+, Levi‘s jeans around $60, Patagonia fleeces up to $125 and Nike Dri-FIT gear over $100.

Shoes do brisk business too. Collectible sneakers like Air Jordans and rare Nike Dunks command nosebleed prices – used Air Jordan 1 Retro High Chicago Bulls recently sold for $1999. High-end heels from designers like Manolo Blahnik and Christian Louboutin sell swiftly – used Louboutin heels average $250-500. And everyday brands like Converse Chuck Taylors ($50), Birkenstocks ($75) and Hunter rain boots ($100) attract steady interest.

eBay provides access to brand name items that are hard to find or sold out elsewhere. And buyers love finding rare vintage and retro apparel too.

Pro Tip: Use mannequins, natural lighting and solid backgrounds when photographing clothing to best showcase items.

Home Goods and Furnishings – Outfitting Households

With people spending far more time at home over the last couple years, it’s no wonder the home and garden category is booming on eBay. Total sales here come in around $2 billion annually. And that growth is expected to continue this year according to eBay quarterly sales data.

Furniture is wildly popular, especially sofas ($1,500+), kitchen tables ($500), desks ($300+) and storage solutions (Ikea Kallax sell for $175+). Small appliances like stand mixers ($250), air fryers ($100) and coffee gear sell swiftly too alongside mattresses ($350 avg) and area rugs ($500+ Turkish rugs common). MCM and vintage furniture attract heavy bidding from designers and decor lovers as well.

Outdoor living products are coveted by buyers too. Full patio sets can sell for $2500+ depending on materials. Name brand gas grills like Weber sell briskly, typically $500+ for mid-size models. Fire pits and outdoor lighting regularly sell out fast also. Lawn and garden tools, riding mowers plus live plants perform well as buyers lean into their green thumbs too.

eBay provides access to an enormous range of home and garden goods, often at significant discounts or resale value versus buying new retail. Speciality vintage items not found elsewhere also power sales.

Pro Tip: Focus on selling functional furniture and appliances in excellent used or refurbished condition. Small decor finds like wall art and lamps ship affordably too.

Toys and Collectibles – Adult Fun That Sells

Toys was eBay’s third largest category last year, driving over $2 billion in sales. Action figures, stuffed plush animals, building block sets and outdoor playsets from brands like Lego, Hot Wheels, Barbie and Fisher-Price remain wildly popular across kids and adult collectors.

Collectible figurines, vintage toys and trading cards also fetch top dollar from enthusiasts. Signed sports memorabilia is another niche. Autographed Tom Brady rookie cards sold for $5500 while signed Michael Jordan sneakers went for $25,000 recently!

Nostalgic adults shopping for a piece of their childhood or pursuing hobbies explains the success. Movies, TV shows and high profile celebrity collectible lines like Funko Pops also drive buyer awareness and demand further.

Pro Tip: Note signatures or damage in listings. Grade collectible conditions like trading cards professionally if uncertain. This helps qualify items and avoid buyer disputes.

Luxury Fashion – Big Spenders Splurge on Labels

eBay drives over $1.5 billion in annual luxury fashion sales making it a prime channel for pre-owned designer wares. Top brands like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Christian Louboutin, Rolex and David Yurman attract aspirational buyers wanting the prestige of luxury markers without outrageous retail markups.

Secondhand sales of high end items are surging across retail too. The global used luxury market predicted to reach $82 billion by 2026 according to Thredup‘s 2022 Resale Report. Discount sites simply can’t compete with eBay’s enormous audience of fashion lovers.

eBay’s authentication programs like Authenticity Guarantee foster further trust when buying big ticket pre-owned Hermès Birkin bags or Rolex Datejusts that can fetch $15,000+. This added assurance pays dividends lowering buyer apprehension on large purchases.

Selling authentic luxury builds buyer goodwill but significant diligence is mandatory given the counterfeit trade. Reputation and proof of authenticity are make-or-break particularly for high-price designer merchandise.

Pro Tip: For items above $500+, consider using eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee service to have pieces professionally vetted before shipping to the buyer.

Strategic Sourcing – Where You Source Makes All the Difference

While this covers what sells best on eBay, simply sourcing any popular products isn’t enough to guarantee sales. Finding the right inventory at profitable margins makes all the difference.

Here are my top 4 tips for scoring great products to sell on eBay this year:

• Check estate and garage sales in wealthy neighborhoods – you can scoop luxury goods, jewelry, antiques, vintage collectibles for low bids unwanted by families. Get there early!
• Visit thrift stores in high-income areas to find barely-used brands like Lululemon, Theory, All-Clad that would rarely turn up at Goodwill.
• Wholesalers like The Closeout Group, Elite Deals and Bidless sell new customer returns and excess stock well below retail. Sign up for pod bidding access.
• Online liquidations via sites like Direct Liquidation, Bulq and Liquidation.com give huge product selection, often starting at just pennies on the dollar.

Leveraging these overlooked supply channels lets you acquire inventory at around 1/10th the prices items later sell for on eBay. That sizable profit spread means you pocket significant margins even after fees.

You can source from discount big box stores too but finding supply alternatives away from the herd uncovers hidden arbitrage gems with less competition. Don’t follow the herd when sourcing!

Pro Tip: Keep an eye out for smaller unusual items at liquidations too – video games, specialty kitchen gadgets, electronics accessories. Light, smalls offer big payouts.

Optimizing eBay Listings – Best Practices for Standing Out

Sourcing profitable products alone won’t yield sales. You need to competently list items on eBay to convert that inventory into profits. Many sellers make critical mistakes here that kills potential income.

Follow these 5 listing optimization tips:

• Photograph items against uncluttered white backgrounds under bright lighting
• Write SEO-optimized titles/descriptions highlighting keywords, specs, attributes
• Set prices 10-20% below similar completed item values
• Offer fast, tracked shipping options
• Cross-promote listings across platforms like Craigslist, Facebook

These best practices help your items surface prominently in search results so bidding buyers find you faster. And it builds buyer confidence through great presentation.

Pro Tip: Creating an eBay store enables further custom branding, showcasing your product range neatly.

Manage Customer Service After the Sale Too

Your job doesn’t end once orders start rolling in. Providing excellent customer service keeps buyers coming back while poor experiences lose you repeat business.

Here are 4 proven customer service tips for eBay selling success:

• Resolve order issues ASAP through clear communication
• Ship items out fast – 85%+ of shoppers expect 2-day handling max
• Follow up post-delivery asking if customers are satisfied
• Encourage positive reviews by providing 5-star experiences

Proactively managing the buyer journey builds loyalty and referrals. Your eBay profile serves like a sales resume for future customers so protect it!

Pro Tip: Address problems immediately and transparently. If neagtive reviews appear, reach out to the buyer to make it right.

Turn Your Side Hustle Into a Full-Time Home Business

As the numbers show, eBay remains a highly lucrative channel – especially for electronics, apparel, collectibles. This holds true for part-time sellers…or those with bigger ambitions.

Realistically you can net an extra $500 to $3000+ each month running an eBay side hustle from home just working nights and weekends. Software automation helps streamline product listings and order processing too.

But for sellers looking scale up sales more substantially, the income trajectory explodes into potential 6-figures and well beyond. We’re talking mid 6-figure annual revenue and higher from just eBay. And top sellers consistently generating these numbers all started small themselves just 3-5 years ago.

With grit for sourcing and listing daily along with smart reinvestment, this can turn into a meaningful business giving you control over your time, income and happiness. So why not start listing your first items today? The time is now!