The weather's turning, and so are buyers. If you've been meaning to get serious about listing, the next few months are when it pays off most, and coats are a good place to start.
The Find
Some of the most recognizable coat brands are the ones I walk past.
Moncler and Canada Goose are two of the most counterfeited outerwear brands out there, and both are known for protecting their brands aggressively. Buying one secondhand means betting that you can authenticate it, and that the brand won't flag your listing even if you're right. Unless you know exactly what you're looking at, that's a bet I'd skip.
For everything else, I do a quick once-over: check the stitching quality, look for filling poking through the seams, make sure the logos and tags look legitimate, and note the insulation type.
Hunting gear is worth a second look, too. Scent-control and water-resistant pieces can sell well. One caution: some words you might use casually are actually trademarks. Gore-Tex and Velcro are two common ones. Even if the item is authentic, using those names can still get your listing flagged, so describe the feature instead, like "waterproof membrane" or "hook-and-loop closure."
Outerwear sells year-round, but the holiday rush, and the tax refund season that follows, are great times for sales overall. If a coat passes the checklist, get it listed now.
The Prompt
I was eyeing a Terry Lewis leather jacket for $10 and wasn't sure shipping would leave room for profit.
I uploaded photos of the jacket and tag to Claude (ChatGPT or Gemini should work too) and asked:
I'm thinking of purchasing this jacket but am unsure if shipping really cuts into my margins. I'd like to make at least $20 profit from listing. If I'm shipping within the US from Vegas, do you think shipping costs will put off buyers?
Here's what came back, trimmed for length:
Short answer: shipping probably won't put buyers off this jacket. The purchase price and the resale price matter much more.
A leather jacket like this is light compared with a puffer or wool coat. Folded, it should come to about 2 to 3 lbs packed and fit in a large poly mailer. Expect roughly $8 to $12 to ship anywhere in the US.
To make $20 profit at a $10 purchase price, list around $47 with free shipping, or around $37 if the buyer pays shipping.
The catch: those prices come from active listings, not sold ones. Before you buy, filter eBay to sold listings. If most sold prices land under $40, you'll only hit $20 profit if you pay very little.
That last point is the one beginners tend to skip. Active listings only show what sellers are asking. Sold listings show what buyers actually paid, and that's the number that matters. On eBay, search the item and filter by "Sold Items." That's my next step before handing over the $10.
One More Thing
I offer free returns on my listings but charge for shipping. Here's why.
When returns are free, buyers have less reason to claim an item was "not as described" just to skip paying for return shipping. Free returns also build trust, and in my experience, returns stay rare.
If a buyer does file a false claim and you're a Top Rated Seller offering 30-day returns, eBay may credit up to $6 toward the return label after you report it.
Your best defense is still a ruler. Put it in frame for your measurement photos, and make sure the numbers are easy to read. I've used the Reseller Ruler for a couple of years now (not an affiliate link).
Need a second set of eyes?
I'm now offering Reselling Coffee Chats: a 30-minute 1:1 call for $30. Bring a listing that isn't moving, an item you're thinking about buying, or a question you can't shake, and we'll work through it together before the holiday rush.