Sourcing: where to buy your second-hand stock (bales, clearance, consignment)

Sourcing makes 80% of the margin: a well-bought item is already half sold. Here are the main channels for building a second-hand stock, with their true costs and their traps.

1. Bales and bulk lots

Second-hand wholesalers sell bales sorted by category (vintage, sportswear, kids…) from 20 to 100 kg. Advantage: the lowest unit cost on the market. Drawback: the sorting is done by the wholesaler, not by you — expect 10 to 30% unsellable items depending on the supplier's quality.

2. Clearance and end-of-line stock

Shop unsolds, e-commerce returns, end-of-collection lots: new items with tags at 10-30% of the retail price. Unit margin is lower than thrift, but rotation is fast and photos are easy. A good channel to smooth cash flow between two bales.

3. Consignment for private individuals

You sell other people's clothes for a commission (often 30 to 50%). Zero capital tied up, zero stock risk — but real tracking logistics: every item has an owner, a commission and a payout to trace. Without proper tooling, this is the channel that generates the most accounting errors.

4. Local sources: flea markets, charity shops, auctions

Low-priced gems still exist in physical hunting: Sunday flea markets, reuse centres, textile auctions. Low acquisition cost but high time spent — factor it into your profitability, because a morning of hunting is a morning not spent listing.

5. Choosing your mix

• Beginner: start with a small clearance lot or a trial bale (20 kg max) to learn without tying up too much cash.
• Growing: combine bales (volume) + clearance (rotation) + consignment (no capital).
• The referee: real margin per source. Track the purchase price of every piece and compare what each channel really brings in — numbers settle it better than intuition.