One of the most common questions from people considering reselling is about startup costs. The honest answer? It depends entirely on how you want to start.
You can literally begin with $0 by selling things you already own. Or you can invest a few hundred dollars to hit the ground running with inventory and proper supplies. Both approaches work—they just produce different results at different speeds.
Here's a realistic breakdown of what each level costs and what you get for it.
The Three Starting Points
The Closet Cleanout
$0 - $25
Start by selling things you already own. No inventory investment required—just time and whatever shipping supplies you can scrounge up.
What you need:
- Smartphone (you have this)
- Free platform account (eBay, Poshmark, Mercari)
- Basic packaging (reuse Amazon boxes, grocery bags work temporarily)
- Measuring tape ($5 if you don't have one)
Best for: Testing the waters, learning the process risk-free, making your first sales.
The Casual Start
$50 - $150
Enough to buy a small batch of inventory plus basic supplies. This lets you learn sourcing while still keeping risk low.
What you need:
- Everything from Tier 1
- $30-75 for initial inventory (5-15 items)
- Poly mailers, 50-pack ($12-15)
- Fabric shaver ($12)
- Lint roller ($5)
- Stain remover ($8)
Best for: Beginners ready to source but wanting to learn before scaling.
The Serious Launch
$300 - $500
Proper inventory investment plus all the supplies you need to operate efficiently. This is where you can start building real momentum.
What you need:
- Everything from Tiers 1 & 2
- $150-250 for inventory (25-50 items)
- Thermal label printer ($100-150) — optional but saves time
- Better lighting setup ($20-40)
- Garment steamer ($25-35)
- Variety of shipping supplies
Best for: People treating this as a real side hustle from day one.
What to Spend On First
If you're on a tight budget, prioritize in this order:
1. Inventory. You can't sell what you don't have. Most of your early budget should go toward items to flip. Start with things in your wheelhouse—brands you recognize, categories you understand.
2. Basic prep supplies. A fabric shaver and lint roller transform thrifted clothing. Stain remover saves items that would otherwise be unsellable. These tools pay for themselves quickly.
3. Shipping supplies. Poly mailers are cheap and work for most clothing. Buy a pack of 50-100. Boxes can be sourced free from grocery stores or recycled from your own online orders.
4. Everything else. Thermal printers, ring lights, steamers—these are nice to have but not essential. Add them once you're making sales and want to improve efficiency.
The ROI Mindset: Every dollar spent on tools should either save you significant time or increase your selling price. A $12 fabric shaver that makes a $15 sweater sellable for $35 pays for itself in one use. A $150 thermal printer that saves you 3 minutes per shipment needs 100+ sales to justify the cost. Prioritize accordingly.
What NOT to Spend On
Beginners often waste money on things that don't matter yet:
- Expensive camera equipment — Your iPhone is fine. Natural light beats any ring light.
- Paid software subscriptions — Free tools work until you're doing serious volume. See our free tools guide.
- Mannequins or fancy displays — Flat lays on a clean floor work great.
- Courses and coaching — Everything you need to know is free online (including this site).
- Bulk inventory before you know what sells — Buy small, learn, then scale.
The Reinvestment Cycle
Here's how smart resellers grow without continually dipping into personal funds:
Start with whatever budget you have. Sell your first batch of inventory. Take the profit and reinvest most of it into more inventory. Keep a portion for supplies and savings.
A common split: reinvest 60-70% of profits into inventory, 20% into supplies and tools, 10-20% as actual income. As your inventory base grows, these percentages shift toward more take-home money.
This is how people start with $50 and build to thousands in monthly sales without ever needing a big lump-sum investment.
The Honest Truth
You can start reselling with almost nothing. The barrier to entry is genuinely low—lower than almost any other business.
But there's a trade-off: less money invested means slower growth. Someone starting with $50 will take longer to build inventory than someone starting with $500. Neither approach is wrong—they just have different timelines.
The bigger investment isn't money. It's time: learning what sells, figuring out your local thrift stores, developing an eye for value. That education happens regardless of how much you spend upfront.
For a deeper look at realistic income expectations, read Is Thrift Flipping Actually Profitable?