How to Sell Used Items on Amazon?

Whenever you come across educational videos or articles about selling on Amazon, the most popular business models like private label or wholesale are advertised. But did you know selling used products on Amazon is also an option? Unlike Facebook Marketplace or eBay, Amazon doesn’t allow you to sell anything that’s lying around your house. However, there are certain categories that allow the listing of second-hand items, albeit with some conditions and regulations.

Keep reading this article to find out how you can sell used products on Amazon!

Does Amazon Allow Selling Used Products?

Yes! You can sell the second-hand items you find after decluttering your house or look for such items in garage sales or thrift shops. But as we all know, Amazon is a customer-centric company, and to ensure its customers’ satisfaction, it only allows some product categories to be sold as used.

As a general rule of thumb, remember that you can sell used items in any category except for Baby Products, Beauty, Grocery and Gourmet Foods, Health and Personal Care, Independent Design, Watches, and Toys & Games.

In Which Categories Can You Sell Used Items?

As we already established, you can’t sell used items in any category you want. Amazon does this to ensure the products listed on its platform are safe, authentic, and meet customer expectations.

Check out the table below to find out which categories allow selling used products on Amazon:

Here is a list of amazon categories and subcategories which can help you navigate sales.

How Are Used Items Classified on Amazon?

Amazon classifies used products into the four groups below. If your product checks out with any of these conditions, you can sell it on Amazon:

When selling used products on Amazon, remember that the following conditions are unacceptable:

The item has dirt, mold, heavy staining, corrosion, or other signs of uncleanliness.
The item has been damaged so that it cannot be used.
The item misses parts and accessories that are essential for using it.
The item needs repairing.
The item is not an original – it’s a counterfeit, copy, replica, or imitation.
The item was created for promotional purposes, such as a product sample.
The item is expired, close to expiring, or the expiration date has been removed or altered.
The manufacturer declared the item unsellable.

How Can You Find Used Items to Sell on Amazon?

The first idea that comes to mind when trying to source used products to sell on Amazon is the items that are lying around the house. This is a good option (if the items are acceptable by Amazon’s standards), but if you want to create a serious business and a long-lasting cash flow out of this, you’ll need more sources.

Thrift stores and garage sales are great opportunities for people who want to sell used products on Amazon. You can find gems like $0.25 used books at thrift stores, library, and estate sales. You’d be surprised at how profitable some used books can be. For example, you may buy a book for cents in a dollar store and sell it for $25, $50, or even more than $100 on Amazon.

You can find many other profitable used products, such as consumer electronics (VCRs, DVD players, corded phones, etc.). These may be old and outdated, but many consumers still love them and are willing to pay good money for them. Another place for sourcing and selling used products on Amazon is liquidation pallets. You can buy These wholesale units from any liquidator or big retailer such as Walmart. If you’re active on social media, look out for posts where people want to sell their items after decluttering or moving to a new place.

Amazon vs. eBay: Which One is Better for Selling Used Products?

Amazon and eBay are both great platforms for third-party sellers. However, unlike Amazon, eBay doesn’t put restrictions regarding a product’s quality. People can sell anything in any condition on eBay, from brand-new products to threadbare used items. In addition, most people prefer to shop on eBay for second-hand items so that it may provide a wider customer base for you.

That said, if you don’t have any problem with Amazon’s restrictions and your products are in good condition, Amazon may be a better choice because of the FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) program. With this program, Amazon will take care of logistics, returns, and customer services for you (for a fee, of course).

How to Sell Certified Pre-Owned & Refurbished Products on Amazon?

There is a program called amazon renewed, which allows sellers to list pre-owned and refurbished items on Amazon. These items must meet Amazon’s performance and inspection criteria before being listed on the platform.

It’s important to note that not every seller can enter this program. Amazon has imposed strict regulations and requirements usually met by experienced sellers. The reason for these restrictions is to ensure products are legitimate and of high quality.

If you want to qualify for Amazon Renewed and sell used products on Amazon, you must meet the following criteria:

Supply invoices showing a minimum total value of $50,000 worth of refurbished purchases in the previous 90 days from the date of the application. You may black out the unit purchase amount on the invoices.

If you want to sell products related to Home, Tools, or Lawn & Garden. The invoices must show a minimum total of $50,000 worth of refurbished purchases in the previous 180 days.

If you already have an Amazon seller account, you must provide an ODR of 0.8% or less in the past 90 days.
You must submit at least 8 images of a sample unit for product and packaging review if you want to sell factory refurbished items with no warranty. The images must show the box in which the product will ship, the inside packaging and padding, top, bottom, and four-sided view of the product.
Your company must back all your products with the Amazon Renewed Guarantee and take responsibility for all claims under the guarantee.
To list Apple products in Consumer Electronics, you must provide invoices dated from the past 90 days that total $2.5 million in Apple refurbished products.

How to List Used Items for Sale on Amazon?

Selling used products on Amazon and listing them is pretty easy. It’s similar to selling new products, except that you must set the condition as “Used” instead of “New”. Let’s see how it’s done:

Create an Amazon seller account: First, you need to have a seller account on Amazon. If you already do, you can skip this step.
Choose your fulfillment method: You can choose to have Amazon take care of logistics for you (FBA) or do it yourself (FBM).
Add your products to existing listings: Go to Inventory > Add a Product on your seller central account. Search for the product ASIN, EAN, ISBN (for books), or UPC. After finding the right listing, select “Used” and click “Apply to Sell.” Then, fill out the details.
Create a shipping plan: If you use the FBA program, you must create a shipping plan to send your product to Amazon warehouses.