1. Quiz
  2. Your result
  3. Your plan
  4. Your guide

Step-by-step guide

Reseller: turn pre-loved stuff into cash, safely

Turn things you no longer use into cash, then learn to source and resell pre-loved items at a profit. All from your phone, with safe payments, safe meetups and couriers that reach anywhere in South Africa.

  • 21 lessons
  • 6 modules
  • About 2 hours
  • First lesson free

Is this guide for you?

Good fit if

  • You need some cash soon and have things you don't use
  • You have a smartphone, even without a laptop
  • You live anywhere in SA, including towns and rural areas
  • You have a few hours a week

Think twice if

  • You're looking for big, steady monthly income straight away
  • You don't want to deal with buyers' messages
  • You'd need to borrow money to buy stock

Honest expectations

  • Your own items can sell within days, but some sit for weeks and some never sell.
  • We can't predict what you'll earn. It depends on what you sell and how you price it.
  • Ongoing income only comes once you source stock you can sell at a margin. That takes practice and has risk.
  • Safety and payment scams are real risks. This guide drills you on both.

What is inside

  1. Module 1

    Is this path for you?

    How reselling works, honest numbers and where to sell.

    1. How reselling works (and why to start with your own stuff)Free · 4 min
    2. Honest expectations4 min (in the full guide)
    3. Where to sell: Yaga, Marketplace, Gumtree and Bob Shop6 min (in the full guide)
  2. Module 2

    Your first ten listings

    Choose, photograph, price and describe items so they sell.

    1. What sells (and what to skip)4 min (in the full guide)
    2. Phone photos that sell5 min (in the full guide)
    3. Pricing with real numbers5 min (in the full guide)
    4. Titles and descriptions that get found4 min (in the full guide)
  3. Module 3

    Selling safely

    Buyer messages, meetups and couriers.

    1. Buyer messages, haggling and no-shows4 min (in the full guide)
    2. Safe meetups: your non-negotiables5 min (in the full guide)
    3. Couriering with PAXI and Pargo5 min (in the full guide)
  4. Module 4

    Money and records

    Get paid safely and keep SARS-ready records.

    1. Getting paid without getting caught out5 min (in the full guide)
    2. Fees compared: what you keep from a R300 sale6 min (in the full guide)
    3. SARS basics: tax on your side income (an estimate, not advice)7 min (in the full guide)
  5. Module 5

    Level up: sourcing stock

    Only once your own items are selling: buy smart, check margins, build repeat buyers.

    1. Where to source pre-loved stock4 min (in the full guide)
    2. Margin maths: will this actually make money?5 min (in the full guide)
    3. Rules to know when it becomes a business4 min (in the full guide)
    4. Repeat buyers and growing slowly4 min (in the full guide)
    5. Eight mistakes new resellers make (and the fix)5 min (in the full guide)
  6. Module 6

    Protect yourself and plan

    Scams, power and data, and your 30-day plan.

    1. Spot scams before they spot you4 min (in the full guide)
    2. Load shedding, outages and your data budget4 min (in the full guide)
    3. Your 30-day action plan5 min (in the full guide)

What it costs to start

ItemCostNote
SmartphoneR0Use what you have.
Data for the first monthR50 to R200Upload photos on Wi-Fi where possible; compare current bundle prices.
Yaga, Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree accountsR0Free to list (Yaga: no selling fees; check other platforms' current fees).
Packaging (plastic bags, a few PAXI bags if you pay delivery) (optional)R0 to R120PAXI standard bag R59.95 (7 to 9 days). Usually the buyer pays.
Small first stock budget (Stage 2 only) (optional)R0 to R300Only from your clear-out profits. Never borrow for stock.

Try it before you buy

Lesson one is free. If it helps, the whole guide is R149 once-off.

Start the free lesson

Reviewed 26 October 2026 by the Earn Path team. Next review due 26 April 2027.