Over the last years, the job scene and workplace have drastically changed and shifted. The shift started with the pandemic, which was quickly followed by the evolution of the gig economy and the rise of inflation in most countries.
The traditional 9-to-5 job, for the most part, has changed, especially for millennials who grabbed the opportunity to explore new income streams.
Young adults are welcoming digital side hustles to supplement income, autonomy, and flexibility. Online reselling is counted among the most popular ventures and is a relatively easy way to make money.
This modern-day entrepreneurial path of online reselling includes vintage clothing, rare collectibles, home décor, refurbished tech, and much more. This is no longer simply a way to clear out your closet; this has become many successful traders’ main source of income.
Why Reselling Appeals to Millennials
There are a few reasons why millennials are naturally drawn to reselling; let’s have a quick look at some of them.
Eco-Conscious Culture:
Millennials are eco-conscious and for sustainability.
Because of their mindset, they promote the reuse of items that would have ended up in a landfill by reselling them.
The environmentally friendly and fashionable thing to do is thrift fashion and vintage décor and upcycle electronics.
Desire for Flexibility:
For millennials, freedom and autonomy are high on their list of priorities.
They are able to work from anywhere by reselling items online; they can be the boss of their day and hours and decide to do it full-time or as a side hustle.
Easy to Start:
Online reselling doesn’t need a big budget or even a business degree; you can just get started.
The items don’t have to be special at first; it could simply be old phones, books you have lying around, or even unused clothes.
What an incredible way to become an entrepreneur; it’s a low-risk way to get started.
The Multi-Platform Marketplace
The heart of successful reselling lies in reaching buyers where they are, and that means joining more than one platform.
The top platforms to look out for:
eBay:
This platform has been going for quite some time and can be used to sell everything from electronics to collectibles.
Etsy:
This platform is more ideal for vintage goods and handmade items.
Poshmark:
This platform is perfect for accessories and fashion.
Mercari:
This platform offers a broad marketplace with simple mobile listing tools.
Facebook Marketplace:
This platform is great for local sales and quick turnover.
Relying on just one of these platforms limits a seller’s exposure and potential profits.
And now, a drumroll for cross-listing, the practice of listing the same product across multiple platforms to increase visibility and speed up sales.
The Efficiency Problem: Time vs. Reach
It can be absolutely overwhelming to do cross-listing manually, even though cross-listing is the smart way to operate.
Constantly uploading, tracking, and editing twenty to thirty items, for example, on three or four platforms can be quite tricky.
That would also include keeping track of all sold items and removing them when needed.
The result would probably be burnout, mistakes, and wasted time.
Efficiency is needed without having to sacrifice all the time for manual updates.
You guessed it, automation is needed for millennials so they can use their time more wisely—and scale their income streams without burning out.
Embracing Cross-Listing Tools
It has become essential for online sellers to make use of the best cross listing apps.
From one dashboard these apps automatically streamline the process of updating, managing inventory, and posting across multiple marketplaces.
What These Tools Offer:
Automation:
Post once and list everywhere.
Inventory Sync:
Automatically remove sold items from other platforms.
Batch Editing:
Make updates to multiple listings in seconds.
Analytics:
Track performance, profits, and best-selling platforms.
Popular Cross-Listing Tools:
- List Perfectly
- Vendoo
- PrimeLister
Sellers can focus on sourcing fabulous products and providing great customer service, while the automation tools save you from having to do repetitive tasks.
Case Study: A Sustainable Seller’s Journey
During the pandemic, while stuck at home, Jasmine, a 29-year-old millennial, started selling thrifted fashion.
She began selling her own clothes on Poshmark, firstly because of her passion for sustainability and secondly because she had a background in marketing.
She wanted to reach more buyers because her business was quickly expanding; however, it was an exhausting process to list manually on Mercari and eBay.
She was able to triple her reach and cut her listing time because she started using a cross-listing tool.
This opened up multiple income streams and enabled her to travel full-time while simply using her laptop to manage her reselling business.
It’s all about freedom and a great lifestyle, not just about the income.
Side Hustle to Small Business: What’s Next?
Very often reselling starts off as a weekend hobby and organically grows into a legitimate small business for many millennials.
Here are some monetization strategies:
Niche Specialization:
To build a recognizable brand, it’s important to focus on a specific category, for example, designer handbags.
Virtual Assistants:
To scale your operation, ideally make use of virtual assistance for customer service, shipping, or listing.
Profit Tracking:
Monitor margins, costs, and reinvestment strategies by using tools or spreadsheets.
For many sellers there is a deeper meaning to their online operations; it’s not only about profit.
For millennials, their businesses reflect their values of sustainability and social impact, be it through charities or reducing fashion waste.
Income Streams with Intention: Millennials Redefining Online Selling
The focus starts with innovation and intention; online selling is not all about the extra cash.
Millennials are creating income that is fulfilling their commitment for creativity, sustainability, conscious consumerism, and autonomy with the help from powerful cross-listing tools.
These tools are ready to support your dream of building a resale empire or perhaps just clearing out your closets.
Follow the road map by starting small and growing your concern as you please.
This is the millennial Milky Way of making a living.
