When it comes to reselling, buying in bulk is a great way to save time and scale profits. Sourcing items in large quantities cuts your costs, boosts your margins, and saves you significant time in sourcing and listing. Clothing, fitness gear, office supplies, and electronic accessories are just a few examples of items to buy in bulk and resell for profit. Bulk buying allows you to stock consistently and sell efficiently, fueling faster growth.
In this guide, we’ll look at the top products you can purchase in bulk and resell for a profit, tips for getting started, and how to streamline your workflow using tools like Vendoo.
Buying in bulk offers several key benefits for resellers:
That said, there are challenges associated with bulk orders as well. Bulk buying requires upfront investment, adequate storage space, and diligent inventory management. Poor purchases in bulk can lead to an overwhelming volume of undesirable inventory.
Manage your bulk inventory and multi-quantity listings with ease with Vendoo!
Before you start bulk reselling, it’s important to evaluate several foundational factors to ensure success.
Consider beginning with a modest investment before scaling to larger quantities. This ensures that you don’t overspend and that you can comfortably sell through larger quantities efficiently and profitably.
This is another critical factor; make sure you have a clean, dry, and organized space to hold larger quantities safely. It’s not just about having the room, but also having an organized and efficient system for storing large quantities.
When you’re investing in bulk, you have to be extra careful that you're investing wisely. Use eBay and Shopify Product Research to gauge demand and resale value for the types of items you’re considering.
In addition to your cost of goods, be sure to account for additional expenses, marketplace fees, advertising costs, and more.
Reselling also demands time. While bulk buying can reduce processing time, it can increase intake and administrative tasks. Plan to dedicate adequate time for sourcing, processing, photographing, and listing your products.
Staying on top of current trends is crucial; in 2025, popular categories include Y2K fashion, tech accessories, and sustainable goods.
To maximize your efficiency and sales potential, use a tool to crosslist like Vendoo to list items across multiple marketplaces quickly.
Ready to source? Here are 15 profitable categories to buy in bulk and resell for a strong return! 💰
Clothing is a top seller on every resale marketplace, including Poshmark, eBay, Depop, Etsy, Shopify, Mercari, and more!
Clothing remains one of the top items to buy in wholesale and resell, and platforms like Poshmark, eBay, and Depop often rank among the best places to sell clothes online.
Handbags are top sellers across all online marketplaces, from handmade styles to designer labels to trendy and affordable pieces, as every type of handbag sells online.
💡Tip: To maximize reach, be sure to use relevant terms like “Shoulder Bag,” “Crossbody,” “Clutch,” “Hobo Bag,” and “Messenger Bag,” in your listings rather than calling everything a “handbag” or “purse.”
Children’s and baby items, including toys, games, and gear, are top sellers across resale marketplaces, as kids grow so quickly that parents are always looking for secondhand deals — making selling kids clothes on Poshmark, for example, a smart opportunity
Seasonal items and décor are consistent top-sellers, especially around holidays and special occasions when shoppers are eager to decorate their homes or host themed events.
💡Tip: Stocking Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah seasonal items early means big Q4 profits!
Phone accessories, like cases, chargers, stickers, and carriers are popular!
💡Tip: Be sure to list the phone carrier and model(s) that the accessory is compatible with in your title and description.
Pokémon, Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh! cards, sports cards like baseball and basketball, Disney Lorcana cards, Digimon cards, and more are popular resale pieces!
Collectible cards are highly profitable. We have a full guide on How to Sell Pokemon Cards, in case you're interested.
Beauty products like makeup, skincare, haircare, and fragrances are always in demand.
💡Tip: Before selling beauty products, be sure to check the marketplaces’ terms of service. For example, most marketplaces do not allow the sale of “swatched,” used, or opened beauty products, and some might require special shipping for aerosols and liquids.
Selling household essentials is extremely lucrative, especially if you can offer competitive pricing on items people use and need regularly.
If you’re a couponer, this one is for you!
One thing about pet owners is that they love their fur babies. Selling anything and everything for pets is a great niche.
👀Did you know that, according to Business Research Insights, the global pet accessories market was valued at approximately USD 23.88 billion in 2024, and is projected to nearly double by 2033?
💡Tip: Be careful selling pet treats, food, and medicine as they are prohibited on many marketplaces for the safety of animals.
Jewelry is a top seller on all marketplaces. From costume pieces and luxury precious stones to handmade creations, there’s a market for jewelry of all kinds online, making reselling jewelry a profitable business idea.
Selling books in bulk is a very profitable endeavor. Thrift stores are filled with books!
👀 Did you know that anyone can sell books on Amazon? In fact, books are one of the only categories you can sell used on Amazon!
💡Tip: Books qualify for shipping via USPS Media Mail for reduced rates!
Office supplies of all kinds sell well online!
Office supplies are overlooked yet steady resale items.
💡Tip: Items in fun colors and patterns sell particularly well.
Weight loss is a booming global industry, and shoppers are constantly searching for fitness gear. Likewise, sporting equipment remains a top-selling category across all online marketplaces. These things are particularly expensive, and shoppers are always seeking a deal!
Fitness gear’s year-round demand makes it ideal for bulk resale.
Home decor is a top-selling category across all major resale marketplaces. People love decorating their spaces!
💡 Tip: When selling decor, it’s especially important to use relevant, trending style and aesthetic terms like “bohemian,” “western,” “retro,” and minimalist.
While profitable and efficient, bulk reselling comes with challenges, namely in terms of upfront investment. Buying in bulk requires a larger upfront investment than selling individual, inexpensive pieces. Large bulk orders, pallets, and gaylords can cost thousands of dollars.
Beyond the upfront investment, buying in bulk can be risky. Deals can be hard to find, and it is easy to end up sourcing oversaturated items or making impulse purchases of short-lived trends. If you buy hundreds of pieces that do not sell, you risk losing money.
Additional challenges are associated with storing and organizing items in bulk. One needs to be meticulously organized to maintain large inventory quantities and stock levels across marketplaces. One must also be very organized to be able to store and locate large quantities efficiently.
Running a reselling business doesn’t have to mean endless hours listing on multiple marketplaces. With Vendoo, you can crosslist your inventory to multiple marketplaces with just a few clicks, including eBay, Poshmark, Mercari, Depop, Etsy, Shopify, Whatnot, Vinted, Grailed, Vestiaire Collective, Facebook Marketplace, and more coming soon!
Save time, manage inventory, and sell faster with Vendoo’s crosslisting, bulk tools, automation, sales analytics, and automatic delisting to prevent over-selling!
Bulk buying opens doors to profitable resale opportunities across a wide range of categories. Whether you’re flipping clothes, phone cases, or pet products, there are so many things to sell quickly and in bulk.
Using tools like Vendoo can help you scale faster. Start small, research trends, and let your side hustle grow into a thriving business.
Popular items to buy in bulk and resell include clothing, handbags, seasonal decor, fitness gear, pet supplies, jewelry, phone accessories, and more. Focus on in-demand categories with consistent sales potential for best results.
Yes, if you source in-demand items. Buying in bulk lowers your per-unit costs, allowing you to resell for strong margins. Many categories offer profit margins between 40% and 75% when sourced wisely and priced competitively.
Sourcing options include wholesalers, liquidation companies, yard sales, thrift stores, online marketplaces like Alibaba and Temu, retail arbitrage at department stores, and off-season clearance sales. Research carefully to avoid oversaturated inventory or poor-quality products.
The sky is the limit! Average resale margins range from 42% to 90% depending on the category, sourcing method, and demand. Proper market research and using sales tools like Vendoo can help maximize your profits.
Top marketplaces include eBay, Poshmark, Mercari, Depop, Etsy, Shopify, Facebook Marketplace, and Whatnot. Each marketplace caters to different niches like fashion, electronics, or collectibles.