We all use coupons at the grocery store as if they are second nature to us. It is true that coupons represent a great way to save money, but did it occur to you that you could earn even more money selling coupons?…
At the time of writing, I counted there were 38,957
coupon listings on eBay for auction and some of these bids really look fantastic!
But I thought you couldn’t sell coupons!?…
That is correct, most coupons are described in such a way that they are not to be resold. eBay also insist that you use words to that effect, or risk having your listing deleted at their site. So, if you are cleaver enough, you can make it work.
To contravene that restriction, eBay sellers word the ad explaining that the winning price is nothing more than a compensation for their time to collect, clip, and ship the coupon. So, it is not the face value of the coupon at stake here.
My Test
Before I wrote this post, I gave it a shot myself to see if it actually does work. I listed 3 different items:
- A pack of 50 Marlboro coupons with savings worth over $150 for $15
This was Buy it Now and sold just after 2 days for $15. - A pack of 8 Lowes 10% Off Coupons
This was Bid Now, and sold for $25 after 8 bids. - A pack of 13 Save $1.00 on Cottonelle toilet paper coupons
This was also Bid Now and sold for $7 after 6 bids.
Sure, I had a few dollars in listing expenses, but the coupons themselves were free (I show you later how and where to get them). It probably took me less than 15 minutes to get them listed.
So, taking few dollars out for expenses, leaves me with around $40 pure profit. Not bad for 15 minutes of work.
So, the experiment showed me that it really works and people do buy coupons. So, I did some research to learn as much as I could about this. The most important thing I learned is that to make it worth your while, you need to sell “high value” coupons (more on that later).
Sure, it takes a good deal of discipline to gather enough coupons to make a decent earning, if you are after those one of a kind coupons… But your time and effort could be better compensated when you lay your hands on those on-demand coupons that fetch significant dollars.
Where to Look for Coupons
There are lots of ways you can get coupons for anything – grocery, clothes, tools, prescription, etc. – Here are some of the best places to look:
- Coupon Books
The best place to find high value coupons is in that famous Coupon Saving book by entertainment.com. You pay about 20 bucks, but you get coupons worth thousands of dollars. - Newspapers
Regardless of the doom saying on the starting of the demise of newspapers, they remain the primary target to search for coupon inserts. Even discounting your actual need for specific coupons, you should have some to spare. - Magazines
There are tons of magazines that have manufacturer coupons. Take a look at Woman’s Day, Red Book, Family Circle and Good Housekeeping. - In store
Sometimes stores have coupons on the shelves that you can grab. Also, many stores will print coupons for you when checking you out. - Friends & Family
Another good source is among friends and family. Just ask candidly if there is any unused coupon that they are happy to give. - Online
Tons of websites that specialize on getting you coupons. Coupons.com and SmartSource are two of the big ones. - Junk mail
Sure, junk mails are annoying, but I notice more and more of those “high value” coupons appear in those junk mails. - Direct from the manufacturer
Most manufacturers have a coupon section on their website where you can print them out. - On products
These days almost any product you buy has a coupon attached to it (or inside of it in some cases). It’s a way for manufacturers to keep you coming back.
How to Sell Coupons?
Listing your coupons for sale is the same as listing any other item on eBay. Most eBay sellers sell their coupons, usually of the same type, in bundles (20 or so).
Tip:
If you just want to test the waters without paying any fees, takes advantage of the 5 free auction listing that eBay gives you each month.
Over time, it has occurred to me that people (buyers) don’t really care if they come in lots of 20. In fact I have noticed a number of transactions going at the same price as the 20 lot even if the bundle has no more than 15 pieces.
One thing expected of you is to spell out in clear the corresponding specifications in your eBay listing (i.e. whether the coupon can be doubled, expiration date, exclusions, etc).
But if you feel that there is too much hassle to gather 12-15 copies of the same coupon, you may want to consider listing your coupons as a mixed collection. In this case, you may want to pitch your coupons as something sort of value for money offering, I would say maybe do these in lots of 100 and above.
How Much Money Can I Make Selling Coupons on eBay?
It’s hard to give you an exact number. It’ll depend on many things, like what kind of coupons you sell, how you package them, whether you list them as Buy it Now or Bid Now, etc.
During my research, I found people who seem to be making a few hundred dollars a month, I also talked (online) with a seller who claims he makes around $1000 a month selling coupons on eBay and Craigslist.
But one thing is for sure, I don’t think the majority of us can count on selling coupons on eBay as a way to make a living, but
making some extra money is doable.
Wrapping Up
I would love to hear from you if you have any experience. Are you currently a coupon seller, or have you ever sold coupons on eBay and did you make a good profit?…