We live in a society where consumer goods are constantly repackaged, renamed, or reinvented. You’ve seen the commercials for “new and improved” items such as toothpaste, sunscreen, hand lotion, or hair products. But what about the old and trusted versions? Many consumers do not want the new and improved version. They may have been using a product for decades and don’t want to change. In other cases, a manufacturer stops making a product all together and consumers can no longer purchase it at their local drug store. These consumers are turning to eBay to find their favorite products that they have been using for years.
eBay sellers can cash in on this supply and demand phenomenon. Once an item becomes unavailable, the price will skyrocket on eBay. Buyers tend to panic when they cannot find their favorite shampoo or toothpaste anymore. For example, back in 2008, Johnson and Johnson discontinued Pacquin hand cream. This cream had been around since the 1950’s and had quite a following. Once the cream was no longer available in stores, consumers looked to eBay. The regular retail price for this cream is about $5 for an eight ounce container. Prices on eBay for the same size jar are around $45.
This is a situation where knowledge is power. If you know what products have been discontinued, you can check eBay for the current selling price and determine if these products are worth searching for and selling. Many discontinued consumer products such as health and beauty products end up at stores like Big Lots and at flea markets. Savvy eBay sellers are making nice profits doing their homework and finding profitable discontinued products to resell on eBay.
To find out what consumer goods have been discontinued, you must do your research. Check eBay’s completed listings in the categories of health and beauty, cosmetics, food products, and household cleaning. Search on Google for the keyword “discontinued.” Visit major manufacturer’s websites such as Procter and Gamble, Johnson and Johnson, and Neutrogena and read press releases. When you can no longer find one of your favorite products, email the company and ask it if it has been discontinued. You may stumble into a profitable seller completely by accident.