Instead of starting with $100 and scoping out the garage sales, you could always start with your daughter's closet. This is actually very tempting, and most people end up selling off half of their belongings when they catch the eBay bug. It's a great way to clean out your stuff!

Selling used clothes is very similar to selling new with a few important exceptions. You still need to have crisp pictures, good ad copy (That's your description; remember that your eBay business is a business and you are selling something. Your written description is essentially your ad so make it good!), the line name in the title, an appropriate starting bid, and low decent shipping charges.

What you also need to have with your used clothing auctions is either clothing in perfect condition or exacting honesty about the flaws.

One of the main components of eBay safety in trading system is your feedback rating. That is what people see about you before they buy, and if you have lots of complaints against you, your buyers will vanish. Used clothing can be a big liability if you aren't careful, but can also be a huge plus if you pay close attention to what you sell.

EXPOSE THE FLAWS

Although I know many people who recommend selling only items in perfect condition, I have sold used clothing in varying conditions and have had a very positive response. If you are going to sell less than perfect items though, you must be very careful to list exactly what the flaws are, preferably written in big type and shown in close-up pictures so the buyer can decide if they can live with the stated flaws.

This makes it a lot more difficult for the buyer to complain that they got something that was in poor condition, since you have already told them exactly what the condition is, and it also seems to give buyers a sense of trust since you have been so honest in your description.

The feedback I've gotten when I have done this has been very enthusiastic. Now before you go get out all your crummy clothes to sell, the ending sales prices are often lower than when you sell top quality items; but if you have really popular pieces, you might be surprised anyway at what you get. If your pieces are basic leggings or tops, then you might want to just skip it. Those can be an uphill battle even in perfect condition unless you know what you're doing.

This strategy works best if you are selling items from the last year or two that have minor flaws on them (pinhead sized stains, thread pulls). If you are trying to sell five year old jeans that have been washed a hundred times and have holes in the knees, you are just going to be out your listing fee.

AFTER THE SALE

Good post-sale service becomes incredibly important when selling used clothing as well. If you list something as perfect and then notice a flaw when you go to ship it, email the buyer and tell them exactly what happened.

At this point, I usually offer them a full refund if they no longer want it or a percent off discount if they would like to take the item anyway (I usually offer around 15% off or whatever seems fair). I've had this happen a few times as well and the buyer almost always has been very thankful for the honesty and has left positive feedback (none have left negative feedback).

If you end up with someone contacting you after the sale to say that the item they received wasn't as described (you said it was perfect and they say it isn't), politely tell them that if they mail it back to you, you will send them a full refund including shipping both ways.

Sometimes it is really difficult to tell if someone is just trying to get a discount from you or if there was actually a problem. This way if they really are dissatisfied, they can get it taken care of; and if they are just hunting for a sucker, you won't be it! So there you go. Now you know what to do with your kids' clothes after they are done with them. Have fun!