21 Reseller Business Ideas for Beginner Entrepreneurs

Becoming a reseller is an excellent startup choice for beginning entrepreneurs. These reselling business ideas are ideal for first-time entrepreneurs because you can start your resale businesses with low startup costs, less risk, and potentially higher profit margins.

Keep reading this article to learn about the most profitable reselling business ideas, plus learn the benefits of becoming a reseller and how to get started in the reselling business.

List of Reselling Business Ideas

Idea #1: Amazon reseller business opportunity

One of the lowest cost startups, which you could grow to replace your full-time income, is to become an Amazon reseller. You know Amazon is the largest online retailer in the world and offers beginner entrepreneurs a piece of the action.

The concept is that you buy products and sell them to Amazon who then resells them to other consumers for their online store. Here’s more information on how to profit from being an Amazon reseller.

Check out my list of the best places to buy wholesale merchandise

Idea #2: Dropshipping Reselling

This reselling business model is one where you sell products through your online store or website – but do not have to carry inventory nor pack and ship orders to your customers. Your drop-ship vendor (the product manufacturer) will ship directly to your customer. Then you will receive the profit margin between the wholesale cost of the product and the retail that your customer pays.

This is a proven business model of which many online entrepreneurs have made healthy profits and more than full-time salaries. Some trending items include; food products such as coffee and baking items. Automotive tools parts, Sporting Goods, and beauty products.

Idea #3: Clothing Reseller

This proven business model is where you purchase wholesale clothing from vendors, fashion designers and clothing apparel manufacturers then add markup profit margin resell them in your boutique, online store or flea market, etc.  Standard profit margins are 50%+ of the retail price depending upon the item and designer.

Idea #4: Antique Dealer

If you love old items such as furniture, china, glassware and jewelry consider becoming an antiques dealer. You can buy antiques to resale at flea markets, thrift shops or estate sales and then resell them online or in an antiques mart.

Idea #5: Art Resale Dealer

If you love art consider becoming an art dealer or opening an art gallery for reselling art. You will display the artist’s work and resell their art to collectors,  and make money with commissions and gallery fees.

Idea #6: Resale Designer Clothing

A hot and trending business idea is reselling gently used luxury designer clothing. You can obtain items from internet shops, at garage sales then resell them at a profit on popular websites such as eBay and Poshmark.

Idea#7: Estate Sales

This business idea is a combination of product resale business and service fees. Start an estate sale company that arranges to sell off the possessions of the deceased. In this business model, you will charge service fees to set up garage sales, arrange for appraisals and place advertisements.  Additionally, you can sell some of the more valuable items for higher profit margins.

Idea #8: Luxury Handbags Reselling

Luxury handbags have become a multibillion-dollar business on which you can profit handsomely. Reselling handbags is easy because there is no sizing involved and there is a very standardized pricing structure.

Idea #9: Jewelry Reseller

There are many ways to become a jewelry entrepreneur. One easy way to get started is to join a direct sales company which is a form of reselling. Another is to purchase used jewelry, either costume, vintage or fine jewelry,  from estate sales and thrift shops then resell for profit.

Idea #10: Distributor Reseller

Becoming a distributor for a product line of merchandise is a form of reselling. You work directly with manufacturers and resell their products in a specific region or market.

Idea #11: Broker Resale Business

Broker a broker is similar to a distributor but they often do not take possession of any products. Here they are selling large lots of items, sometimes salvage or odd lots comprised of retail store returns and overstocks.

Idea #12: Business Broker

Reselling can be done with other valuable items besides physical products, such as a money-making small business. Becoming a business broker can be a highly lucrative endeavor.

This business model is to match business owners who want to sell their business with entrepreneurs who want to purchase businesses. Business brokers negotiate the sale deal, help lawyers and accountants file the appropriate paperwork. They make money from consulting fees, listing charges, and commissions.

Idea #13: Import Export Sales

Becoming an importer or exporter is reselling because you are transferring by selling goods from one country.  Successful import-export firms specialize either in a; type of product such as food, clothing or raw materials or in selling to a particular country.

Idea #14: Online Boutique

This reseller business idea is to create your own e-commerce site and sell products. Your product line could be dropshipping items, handmade crafts or merchandise purchased for resale at wholesale prices. Online resale business is an excellent way to earn money part or full time from home.

Idea #15: Resell Services

You can resell the services of others and profit nicely in the transaction. An example is are becoming a booking agent for musicians, entertainers or models. Here you are reselling their services and making money for yourself.  Check out more entertainment business ideas on my list.

Idea #16: Ticket Reselling

This reselling concept is similar to the ultra-successful site StubHub. They are reselling tickets for various entertainment events and profiting nicely.

Idea #17: Ebay Seller

Consider selling used items online at ebay.com  Thrift flips are where you find items in thrift stores clean them up and sell them at a profit by listing them on eBay. You are launching your own resale shop online.

Idea #18: Resell Time

Here you are selling the valuable asset of time. Selling time takes many forms, it could be the selling of time for vacations such as condo bookings or blocks of hotel reservations for conventions.

Idea #19: Reselling of Activities

This business idea is where you would be selling activities performed by others to make money. Examples would be selling flying lessons, helicopter rides or museum tours to tourists. A friend of mine made a fortune running her business from a tiny kiosk on a beach in Maui, Hawaii. She sold sightseeing tours to visitors.

Idea #20 – Subscription Boxes

Consider creating collections of items to resell on a recurring basis to customers. The most successful monthly subscription box services are snack foods, beauty products, books or dvd movies.

Idea #21: Refurbished Technology

Reselling used mobile devices, phones, and laptop computers is a thriving business model. Refurbished used items and sell at a healthy markup profit on either part-time or full-time basis.

Bonus reselling business idea

Book Reselling – Reselling books can be a profitable business either online or at flea markets, etc. Consider specializing in a type of books such as textbooks, foreign language, cookbooks or comics.

Reselling Business Tips

What is a reselling business?

To start a reselling business you purchase products (or services) from manufacturer suppliers and then resell them to people at a higher price.

You make money from the profit margin which is the difference between the wholesale cost and the retail price that charge your customers.

You are a middle man between the manufacturer and the customer.

It is not always necessary to purchase the items or services which you resell for profit. Some reseller business models such as drop shipping and being a broker do not require the upfront purchase of items or stocking inventory.

Reselling occurs in every industry including clothing, food, toys, printing, technology and automotive.

You can resell items online on your own website or on an e-commerce platform such as eBay Poshmark, Etsy, etc. Plus you can offer your resale items offline in retail stores, flea markets, farmers’ markets etc.

Keep in mind that reselling does not always include physical products. Millions of dollars have been made reselling intellectual properties such as small businesses, patent rights and services such as being an entertainment booker for musicians and actors.

What is a Distributor Reseller?

Technically distributors are a type of reselling. They buy products from manufacturers and resell them to retail stores who ultimately market them to the final customer/user.

Most distributors have a close relationship with the manufacturer and may distribute multiple lines of products within a category such as food distributors.

Most distributors physically stock inventory and thus are an extension of the manufacturer. Some distributors are responsible for product branding and marketing of these products.

10 Benefits of Becoming a Reselling Business

Here are 10 reasons why you should start a reselling business to make money part-time, as a side gig or to replace your salary so you can quit your job.

1. Low startup costs are one of the main benefits of a reselling business. You do not need to invest large amounts of capital because you are obtaining products that are already been manufactured and are ready for sale. In many cases, you will not even have to pay for products up front before you begin reselling to your customers.
2.  No need to stock inventory Many of these reselling business ideas do not require inventory or warehouses. In addition to dramatically reducing your start-up costs, you will not have to pay staff to manage inventory or pay rent for warehouse storage space.
3.  No packing or shipping Because you do not have physical inventory in a warehouse will not need to pack or ship products to your customers. Your vendor or supplier will manage the process which dramatically cuts down your labor and overhead costs.
4.  Higher profit margins Because you have reduced overhead costs your profit margins are higher. Also, you can increase your profit margins by raising retail prices.
5. Location-independent If you resell your products online you can live anywhere- such as a small town. Rural residents check out my list of great small town business ideas. You can even travel the world while making money.
6.  Manage from your phone – Using sophisticated apps and the internet, your business management, product fulfillment, and business communication both can be done on your mobile phone on the go.
7.  Flexible work schedule You choose the hours to work that are best for you – before work, after school, when the kids are sleeping or from 9 to 5. It is up to you because you are the boss of your reselling business.
8. Lower working hours Many resellers report that after the initial set up phases of their startup their daily work hours are reduced. This is because many sales processes can be automated.
9. Faster time to Launch Because you are reselling products that are currently available there is no lag time for equipment purchase and product production before you can begin selling and profiting in your business.
10. Easy expansion opportunities Once you have your business model set either with an online store or to retail channels you can easily expand your products to resell. If you sell clothing you can expand into accessories, handbags, jewelry and beauty products

As you can see reselling as a business model is an excellent choice for first-time entrepreneurs.

By using professionally-designed systems such as Shopify and sourcing products that are proven to sell you can get started right away.

Good luck fellow entrepreneurs.