Posted on September 19th, 2022

This can be a great way to make some extra money (Can you become a million-dollar seller? Absolutely, but making an additional $1,000 to pay bills or go on a nice vacation is lovely), especially if you are good at finding deals. Here are a few reasons why you should consider doing retail arbitrage:

1. It’s a great way to start a business with little investment. You could start with as little as $100
2. There is no limit to how much money you can make. The more you invest, the more you'll make.
3. You can do it from home and on your own time, so it’s perfect for busy people or stay-at-home parents.
4. Get a bargain on items you would buy anyway. Often when I am in a discount store like Big Lots or Ollie's, I'll find things I would typically buy at a discount.
5. Chance to score big profits on rare finds.  There are products out in the wild that you'll be able to purchase inexpensively and sell on Amazon at a price that may seem too good to be true.  As long as you follow the data available, some of these products are not too good to be true and sell at a price multiple times more than what you paid.
6. Products are easily accessible.  The money is out there sitting on shelves right now.  Go fill your cart up with dollars.
7. The hunt!  It feels great when you find an item on a shelf that you can make double, triple, quadruple, and higher profits for what you paid for something.
8. Finding products to buy while you're doing your usual shopping. Many times, I will see something on sale while shopping and scan it to see if it's profitable, and often they are. I've paid for my groceries with the profit I'll make while shopping for my groceries.

Bonus

One of the benefits of doing retail arbitrage for me is that it helps me to be more active.  I'll log miles walking while I'm going through stores, which I might not get in regularly.

Another benefit is the social aspect.  You'll likely see some of the same faces when you become a regular shopping for products, and it can be beneficial to be friendly with the staff as they may give you some added benefit ( Calling you when something gets discounted, holding products for you, showing you products that might benefit you, etc.)

Conclusion

Retail arbitrage is a fun, easy way to make extra money. You can get great bargains on items you would buy anyway, and sometimes you can score big profits on rare finds. The products are easily accessible, so it's an excellent option for anyone looking for a side hustle.