I just made my first sale of the month.
I sold a handbag that had been sitting in my home for the past six months, patiently waiting to be chosen. The grand profit was four euros. Absolutely wow.
At this point, I could very reasonably conclude that reselling is not worth my time. Case closed. Spreadsheet slammed shut. But of course, that is not what happens. Instead, there is this tiny, annoying spark of hope.
Most of the things I’ve been selling are handbags, especially tote handbags. Big, practical, everyday bags. Not collector pieces. The kind of bags people actually use & abuse.
Over time, I’ve noticed a very clear pain threshold. People seem comfortable somewhere between 35 and 60 euros. To go beyond that, the handbag has to be absolutely spectacular. Not just nice. Not just good quality. Spectacular. Otherwise, it will not move.
So I started thinking about what I can actually do in this situation.
One option is to turn my attention to tote bags sitting stubbornly in the 20 to 30 euro range. And the reason those bags are there is often surprisingly simple. Dirt. Just dirt. Leather collects grime over time, especially if it’s never cleaned properly. And yet, many people look at that surface dirt and assume the bag is damaged, ruined, low value.
I’ve been avoiding those listings because photos can't tell everything. It’s hard to tell whether it’s just dirt on the surface or something deeper and structural that no amount of cleaning will fix. Buying one of those bags always comes with the risk that it will end up joining the long-term residents of my apartment.
But if I want to keep reselling, I don’t really have a choice. I will have to take the risk. One bag at a time. Hope that it’s just dirt and not a problem that will haunt me for months.
Realistically, what kind of profit can I expect from these dirty-turned-sparkly deals? Somewhere between 15 and 20 euros. It’s not much. But it is one bag of groceries. And at this point, I will happily take it.
Why am I willing to do this?
Because any money is welcome. And because I’m absolutely addicted to reselling.
It’s basically gambling. You throw money at something without knowing whether it will come back to you or not. And when it does come back, when something finally sells, the rush is unreal. Completely disproportionate to the actual profit involved.
So yes, I’m addicted. I’m hopeless. And I will continue gambling one handbag at a time.
At least this one tote is going to a new home. And I’ll use these 60 euros as seed money for the next purchase, which I’ve already found. So something good does come out of bad situations.
Are they leather bags, @pauliinasoilu!
!DIY
Yes! I buy only leather bags as they are durable and more valuable
Do you ship internationally?
Yes I do
I'll keep that in mind. I need to buy some gifts. Do you have a wesite?
I have most things listed on Vinted, I am not sure if you are able to browse this. I have lots of natural pearl jewelry that I still need to list
https://www.vinted.es/member/63203169-pauliinasoiliu
Oye, pero si ambos hablamos español, ¿por qué estamos escribiendo en inglés? 🤣
Si, ya vi tu página. La voy a guardar para tenerla a la mano.
Leather bags certainly last a long time. Quality always comes at a price, but it's worth it. I hope everything goes well with your sales,
!LADY
!PIZZA
View or trade
LOHtokens.@cautiva-30, you successfully shared 0.1000 LOH with @pauliinasoilu and you earned 0.1000 LOH as tips. (8/16 calls)
Use !LADY command to share LOH! More details available in this post.
Thank you so much! I just pressed purchase button on a Furla, let's see how it's when I have it and how long it takes to sell
$PIZZA slices delivered:
@cautiva-30(9/10) tipped @pauliinasoilu
Please vote for pizza.witness!
View or trade
LOHtokens.@ladiesofhive, you successfully shared 0.1000 LOH with @pauliinasoilu and you earned 0.1000 LOH as tips. (4/50 calls)
Use !LADY command to share LOH! More details available in this post.