How to Sell Used Items on Amazon

In the Amazon seller community, we talk a lot about creating private label brands and reselling products through wholesale or retail arbitrage. We could stand to give more attention to the fact that you can actually sell used products on Amazon, too.

That’s not to say you can list any old item that you find lying around your house, like you could on eBay or Facebook Marketplace, but Amazon does allow you to sell used products in certain categories. 

Listing used products on Amazon is a great way to start selling for free and building up the cash flow you need to eventually invest in a private label product. 

Let’s go over the process for selling used items on Amazon, including: 

What categories are eligible to be sold as used on Amazon?

Amazon only allows certain categories of products to be listed as “used,” and it’s for good reason. Amazon wants to be sure that the products being sold on its website — whether new or used — are safe, authentic, and meet customer expectations. 

Amazon isn’t a flea market — you can’t sell anything that is used or preowned. 

Amazon categories that allow used items are bolded in the chart below. 

As you can see,  you can list used items in plenty of categories on Amazon. Keep in mind that the items you want to sell still have to meet Amazon’s used condition guidelines. 

According to Amazon, the following conditions are unacceptable to be listed on Amazon:

• The item is dirty with mold, heavy staining, corrosion, or other signs of uncleanliness
• The item has damage that impacts the ability to use it
• The item is missing parts or accessories that are essential to use it (excludes instructions)
• The product needs repairs 
• The item is a copy, counterfeit, replica, or imitation of an original product 
• The item was created for promotional purposes, such as a product sample or advance reading copy 
• The item is expired or close to expiring, per its expiration date (including “best by” and “sell by” dates), or the expiration date has been altered or removed 
• The item was designated unsellable by its manufacturer 

When listing a used product for sale, you must designate the condition in order to ensure a positive customer experience. That last thing you want is an unhappy customer because you listed something as “Used-Like New” but sent an item that would in fact fall under “Used-Acceptable.”

Typically, it is a good idea to list something as a condition below what you believe the item to be. For example, if you believe the item is “Like New”, list it as “Very Good.” That way, the customers’ expectations may be exceeded rather than unfulfilled. 

Where to find used products to sell on Amazon

If you’ve been following Jungle Scout for a while, you know we often refer to selling books on Amazon as one of the best ways to get started in ecommerce with little to no money. 

In 2022, books still comprise one of the most popular categories on Amazon. Selling used books is easy — many people have them lying around their homes, collecting dust. 

Interested in learning more about how to sell used books on Amazon? Check out our YouTube video on how to do it!

Check Thrift Stores and Garage Sales

You can also find an abundance of used books for very cheap — as low as $0.25 apiece — at thrift stores, book sales, library sales, and estate sales. You’d be surprised at how much some used books are worth. A book that you purchase for cents on the dollar can sell for $25, $50, even upwards of $100 on Amazon.

Other used items to look out for when you’re thrift shopping include consumer electronics like VCRs, DVD players, and corded phones. Many consumers love these old machines and are still willing to pay for them. 

Just make sure the items you purchase are in good, working condition. Thrift stores often sell items that wouldn’t be acceptable to sell as used on Amazon. If the item is missing parts or doesn’t work correctly, do not list it on Amazon. 

Follow our detailed retail arbitrage guide and our How to Sell on eBay guide to learn more about valuing items you find at retail stores to resell on Amazon.

READ MORE | Amazon Retail Arbitrage 2023 Guide

How to sell certified pre-owned and refurbished products

Amazon offers a program called Amazon Renewed, through which sellers can list pre-owned and refurbished items that have met Amazon’s performance and inspection criteria. 

Not every seller will be eligible to sell in the Amazon Renewed program. The strict requirements will typically only be met experienced sellers. Amazon does this to be sure the businesses selling like-new and refurbished items are legitimate and high-quality.

How to list used items for sale on Amazon

This process is pretty much the exact same thing as listing a new item for sale. The only difference is that you need to make sure you enter in the correct product condition. 

I will show you a real-life example using a product from the tool category. Keep in mind that when listing a used product on Amazon, you probably won’t be creating an entirely new listing for it — rather, you’ll add your offer under an existing product listing in a “used” condition. You cannot create a listing for your used product if the same product is already being sold on Amazon — even if the existing listing only offers the item in “new” condition. 

For this example, I am going to list a used cordless drill. 

As you can see, the top offer is in “New” condition, which is also the offer that is currently in the Buy Box. 

Below that, you will see multiple “Used” offers customers can choose from. You will also see condition notes that explain any imperfections or issues with the product. 

In Seller Central, I’ll go to “Manage Inventory,” then “Add a product.”

In “Add a product” I’ll paste the ASIN of the cordless drill above.

Once I search for the product’s ASIN, it will appear on the next page with the option to set the product’s overall condition — new or used. I’ve selected “Used.” 

Next, I’m going to click on “Sell this product.”

On the Offer page, I’ll enter the information about the item I’m selling, such as price, condition, and fulfillment method. 

“Condition” is what you want to pay attention to. Here, you’ll select the option that best describes the condition of the used item you’re selling, per the condition guidelines I discussed earlier.

After choosing the correct used condition, you can add in a condition note if you choose. This section is optional but recommended. 

You also have the option to fulfill the used item via FBA or FBM. 

Ready to sell used items on Amazon?

I hope this answered your questions about selling used products on Amazon! I personally recommend starting with used books, as they are very cheap to source and easy to find. 

While Amazon allows sellers to offer items as used in certain categories, please be careful with what you list. The items still need to be in a good enough, working condition in order to be sold. For anything you are unsure of, I recommend listing on eBay or Facebook Marketplace.

Do you have more questions about selling used products on Amazon? Let us know below!

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