Today I’m excited to share an interview that explains how to buy and sell items by flipping them for profit. I recently spoke with Melissa Stephenson of Flea Market Flipper, who outlines how anyone can get started.
In 2015, Melissa and her family earned $42,875 from buying and reselling items, working roughly 10–20 hours per week.
Yes, just 10–20 hours a week!
By the following year, their income grew to $133,000.
Since then, flipping has remained a reliable income source for the family.
Some of their most notable flips include:
- Buying an item for $10 and selling it for $200 six minutes later.
- Purchasing a security tower for $6,200 and selling it for $25,000 one month later.
- Finding a prosthetic leg at a flea market for $30 and selling it on eBay for $1,000 the next day.
Melissa also offers a webinar, Turn Your Passion For Visiting Thrift Stores, Yard Sales & Flea Markets Into A Profitable Reselling Business In As Little As 14 Days, to teach the basics of flipping and how to build a reselling side hustle or full-time business.
If you want a new job or a side hustle, flipping can be a practical option to explore.
Read the interview below to learn more about buying, selling, and building a profitable flipping business.
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How to buy and sell by flipping items
1. Tell us a bit about yourself, how you started flipping, and how the business is going now.
Hi Michelle! I’m Melissa Stephenson. My husband Rob and I buy used items and resell them online. Flipping started as a side income and gradually became our main source of earnings. Rob began selling at 16 and was one of eBay’s early users; I joined later after we married.
Rob’s exposure to reselling began in childhood—his mother regularly attended yard sales, resold baby items, and helped support a family of nine. That foundation showed how reselling can be done from home while caring for children. That flexibility appealed to us once we had three young kids (ages 4, 2, and 9 months at the time), letting us avoid daycare and control our schedule.
Related: How To Sell Your Stuff
2. What’s the best item you’ve ever flipped?
It’s hard to pick just one, so we break it into categories:
Fastest flip: a parachute harness found for $10 and sold on eBay for $200 within six minutes—an immediate 2,000% return, though probably priced low.
Most profitable flip: a parking lot security tower bought for $6,200 and resold for $25,000 within a month—an exceptional return on a larger investment.
Most unique flip: a titanium prosthetic leg with a knee joint found for $30 and sold for $1,000 the next day—both quick and highly profitable.
Related: How Thrift Store Reselling Is Good For The Environment And How To Do It
3. What exactly is a flipper? Can you explain buying and selling more?
A flipper buys items in one market at a lower price and sells them in another market at a higher price. Examples include antique pickers, house flippers, and anyone who finds undervalued goods to resell at a profit. We buy from flea markets, thrift stores, and yard sales and sell online through platforms like eBay, Craigslist, Facebook, or OfferUp to access a broader audience.
Flea market vendors often source inventory from auctions or thrift stores and sell at modest markups. Some vendors know the online value of items but prefer the simplicity of the flea market routine. Over time we’ve built strong relationships with local vendors, sometimes keeping tabs or returning non-working items, and they’ll even call us when they find items we’d be interested in.
4. How do you make a living through flipping?
Flipping was a side income for many years. Over the last four years, it has become a major part of our earnings. We also have small supplementary income streams—my health and nutrition business and Rob’s occasional home insurance inspections—but reselling is the bulk of our family income. We proved that a few hours a week could generate meaningful income, and scaling time and effort allowed us to replace traditional employment.
5. What do you like about flipping?
Flexibility is the top benefit. With young kids at home, we structure work around naps and evenings and can take weekday family outings without worrying about a boss. For example, we once visited Santa on a quiet weekday with no line. We also enjoy frequent family activities like weekly trips to a local water park during warmer months.
We appreciate not answering to management and the ability to take off when we choose. One two-week road trip still generated $5,600 in eBay sales while we were on the road.
Another perk is the ever-changing inventory—kids get to play with used toys until they’re sold, and each flea market visit brings surprises: sports cards, NASA-used searchlights, Powerwheels, and more. The work is varied and rarely dull.
6. How much have you earned flipping? What can others expect to make?
When flipping was a side hustle, we didn’t track numbers closely. Since improving our tracking, we reported $42,875 in 2015 working about 10–20 hours per week and $133,000 in 2016 averaging 15–30 hours per week. Results vary, but with effort someone can typically generate a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per month. When we were part-time, we averaged $2,000–$3,000 per month in 5–15 hours per week. We aim to help newcomers reach $500/month, then $1,000 and beyond.
7. How does someone start a flipping business and find items to sell?
This business is accessible—anyone with internet access and a smartphone can learn it. Modern phones streamline listing: snap photos and upload directly to selling apps. Start by visiting flea markets, thrift stores, yard sales, auctions, and scanning local marketplaces like OfferUp and Facebook Marketplace.
Melissa and Rob created Flipper University, a six-module course that compiles their 20 years of experience into a step-by-step guide for beginners and sellers looking to scale their income.
8. How much time does it take to start and maintain a flipping business?
Time commitment depends on income goals. New sellers can start with 5–10 hours per week and often earn $500–$1,000 a month early on. As experience grows, so can the weekly hours and monthly revenue.
9. Who does a flipper typically sell to?
Buyers depend on the niche. Melissa recommends starting in a niche based on personal interest—fashion, furniture, baby items, collectibles, or gadgets—because familiarity helps with sourcing and pricing. Most buyers discover items on platforms like eBay and are primarily identified by username and shipping address; the focus is meeting the demand for specific items.
10. How much does it cost to start and maintain a flipping business? Any tips for beginners?
Start-up costs can be minimal—even zero if you find free items. For others, a small budget of $20–$100 in the first month can jumpstart inventory. Melissa and Rob prefer spending $10–$50 per item, aiming to at least double their investment; frequently they see 3x–5x returns.
They suggest setting a budget, reinvesting profits, and gradually growing inventory. For example, starting with $50 and turning it into $150 allows you to reinvest a portion and bank some profit. Fees are part of the business—eBay charges roughly 10% and PayPal around 3%—but the platform’s reach often justifies the cost.
Occasionally larger purchases pay off: they once bought three bedbug-heating machines for $250 and sold them for $3,000 total. For beginners, examine local resources—flea markets, auctions, thrift stores, and online marketplaces—and most importantly, enjoy the process. Flipping can be fun, social, and rewarding.
They also offer a free webinar, Turn Your Passion For Visiting Thrift Stores, Yard Sales & Flea Markets Into A Profitable Reselling Business In As Little As 14 Days, for people who want a guided introduction.
Interested in learning how to buy and sell and becoming a flipper?