Lori Sifuentes’ Resale Journey
Lori Sifuentes, a stay-at-home mom who became a master couponer, had no plans to build a thriving resale business. Now, as a reseller based with her headquarters in Nevada, Lori contributes to her household finances, maintains her Posh Ambassador status on Poshmark, and becomes her top eBay seller. And while Laurie is grateful to her husband for contributing to her sewing and mending, she is proud to say that she is a one-woman show.
What’s most impressive is that Lori shares genuine excitement about what she lists. It’s not hard to see why. Her Poshmark has a ton of trendy women’s and men’s clothing sold at affordable prices. But clothing aside, Lori isn’t afraid to expand her business. From Metamucil to dolls, “I’ll buy anything I can afford!”
Every reseller’s journey begins somewhere. In this edition of the Reseller Community Spotlight, we take a look at Lori’s start in business and what she learned along the way.
Q&A with Lori: From the beginning of the business to now
Q. When did you start reselling?
It was probably about 10 years ago. I was a stay-at-home mom and just trying to make some extra money. I also had coupons so I always had a lot in stock and wanted to see if I could sell this on eBay. So I started listing razors and small items on eBay, and that’s how I got started. Then I started buying Amazon returns and going to thrift stores. It started from there.
Q: Do you do this full time or part time?
I think part time. I have two children and work from home. I’ll list 10-15 items a day, prepare the items, and mail out other items. I went to the gym this morning, did some shopping, sat down for work 30 minutes ago and will probably be done by 2pm.
Q: Is reselling a good way to generate additional revenue?
My husband has a good job, so this is just the icing on the cake. This year I expect to probably gross over 100. Last year I made about $75,000, of which about $40,000 was earned. So that’s $40,000. It’s pretty great for a part-time job outside the home!
Q. What is your favorite part of the business?
There is also a brand you don’t see often, the “BOLO” (be-on-the-lookout) brand. What happens when you receive a new shipment, rummage through the pallets, and come across that brand? That’s really exciting. Or sometimes I’m looking through it and if I don’t know the brand, I put it back and then go back and buy it later and realize it’s a $400 dress.
You never know. I guess what goes into my palette is a mystery. Even if it did manifest, when it arrived is still a mystery. ‘What’s in there? How is the quality? Oh, this is a new product with tags. There’s no problem.’ Just the mystery of it – I love that part.
Lessons learned along the way
There is no ‘one size fits all’ way to run a successful resale business, but there are certainly experiences and tips you can learn. Lori shares some of her own most valuable lessons below.
Choose a sales platform based on your audience
With Revolve’s inventory, which included clothing and shoes, Lori realized her customers weren’t on eBay and turned to Poshmark. Now she makes three times what she did on eBay. “Our customers 100% use Poshmark,” says Lori.
“Poshmark’s customers are different. There is a younger generation looking for the very popular style brands that Revolve sells. Many of the items I have in stock from Revolve are still sold on the website. People (on Poshmark) are looking for cheaper products than what they buy on revolve.com.”
Get familiar with the brand
The more familiar you are with the category, the more successful you will be in sourcing. In Laurie’s experience, learning about popular clothing brands was essential.
“I started following a ton of different resellers and looking at all the labels and brands they posted. If something looked unique or made me happy (at a thrift store), I would put it in my shopping cart and look for it. There is so much free information on Google, Instagram and Facebook.”
Find out what seller support is available.
Lori talked about her experience listing on various platforms. She said very clearly, “I take great pride in what I list.” This is why seasoned resellers know to highlight minor defects in their products (not uncommon when sourcing customer returns). This includes noting any defects in the product description and including photos of those defects.
But even with all that information, there’s still the risk that someone will try to take advantage of the generous return policies of marketplace sites that primarily serve buyers over sellers.
“Poshmark can read your listing. If someone returns something and you point out a defect but the buyer didn’t read it, you can talk to them and tell them. Then Poshmark won’t accept returns.”
Whether it’s a $10 top item or a big-ticket item, proper seller support and a thorough listing can reduce the likelihood of incorrect returns and lost shipping costs.
Community as a Resource
Lori recommends that resellers utilize all available resources, from Google and Instagram to dedicated Facebook groups. Sometimes the best tools are in your pocket. And in some cases, simply asking for help may be the best option.
“When I first started with eBay, I literally had no idea how to get started and couldn’t follow the videos. “I asked local people and they came and literally showed me how to make a list, and that’s how I learned.”
Looking to the future
When asked about his long-term plans for the business, Laurie said he has no intention of stopping now.
“I dream a lot about retiring, my husband retiring, my kids going to college, and traveling a little more. But I will never have a boss or go to work again.”
We can’t wait to see what success Lori has in the future! You can shop her Poshmark Closet and check out her active listings on eBay.
Do you want to start a resale business like Lori?
Become a B-Stock buyer and start bidding on stock lots for resale!
B-Stock’s Reseller Community Spotlight is an ongoing series that aims to highlight unique buyers in the B-Stock network.
Are you a B-Stock buyer who would like to tell us more about your resale business? Let us know and we may feature you in the next edition of B-Stock’s Reseller Community Spotlight series.
To start a reselling business, you first need to choose your specialty and raw materials. Some buyers may choose to source inventory directly or bid on and resell inventory lots on websites such as B-Stock. Create an online account on a marketplace site like Poshmark or eBay and start listing your items.
It is important to have a stable customer base. Promote your products through social media and SEO and adjust these tactics to get as much exposure as possible.
Successful reselling requires a variety of abilities, including a keen sense of what to sell, knowledge of market trends, and a basic understanding of business administration.
Properly selling your listings requires digital marketing, inventory management, customer service, and negotiation skills. It can also be quite helpful to become familiar with online sales platforms and resources for analyzing product demand and pricing.
Becoming proficient at photography and product presentation will greatly improve the appeal of your listing.
B-Stock operates on a bidding model, so the initial investment amount varies. For example, minimum bids can range from hundreds of dollars to thousands of dollars depending on lot size and product type. Always consider additional costs such as shipping and handling, which may affect your overall investment.
Growing your resale business requires increased inventory turnover and expanded processes.
To attract more customers, consider expanding the types of products you offer and researching new markets. Strengthen your brand’s web presence, streamline your selling process, and leverage automation to make it easier to manage larger numbers of listings.
Additionally, connecting with other resellers and using community resources like the ones Lori used can provide you with insightful information and helpful hints.
Ultimately, your resale business can be as large as you want it to be. It makes for a great side hustle, work from home, or full-time business. Reinvesting profits in improved infrastructure, including larger inventory or transportation and storage facilities, is essential to maintaining progress as your business expands.
