One of the most common traps I see marketplace sellers fall into is this:
If I buy more stuff, I’ll make more money.
It sounds logical. It feels like momentum. But it’s a lie.
Buying more doesn’t equal making more.
In fact, it usually equals more clutter, more stress, and more cash tied up in inventory that isn’t moving.
The real move?
Buy less. Make more.
The secret is raising your Average Sale Price (ASP).
Those three words are the foundation of every profitable resale business.
It often takes the same amount of time and effort to sell a $10 item as it does to sell a $100 item. So why are we working twice as hard for half the payoff?
Let’s flip the model.
What Changes When You Focus on ASP
You shift your mindset.
Buying is easier than selling.
So it’s tempting to keep sourcing more products instead of doing the harder work of listing, optimizing, and researching. Before you know it, you’re buried under a pile of unsold inventory, and your cash is locked up in bad decisions.
You stop chasing volume.
Thousands of listings are not required to run a successful resale business. You can generate far more profit with fewer listings if each item delivers a strong return. Focus on value, not volume.
You become a better researcher.
Product research. Supplier research. Market research. It all matters. The right connection or insight can transform your business. Don’t waste your energy competing for the same low-margin inventory everyone else is fighting for. Go deeper.
You cut your losses.
That item that’s been sitting for 12 months? Get rid of it. Track your inventory, know what’s moving, and take the write-off on what doesn’t. Dead inventory isn’t just unprofitable—it drags down everything else in your store.
You use data to make decisions.
If a certain brand or category consistently under-performs, stop buying it—even if it’s easy to find. Let your numbers guide your strategy. Guesswork is expensive.
You niche down
The most popular brands are often the most competitive—and the least profitable. Focus on niche products where you can carve out real margin and build expertise. That’s where long-term profitability lives.
You slow down and get intentional.
Finding higher-ASP inventory takes more effort, but so does constantly churning through low-dollar products. You’re already working hard—now it’s time to work smart. Put your energy into sourcing products that move the needle.
Here’s the reality:
It does take the same amount of time to make a $10 profit as it does to make a $100 profit.
So why keep grinding at the bottom?
If you want to grow—really grow—raise your ASP.
Build leaner. Build smarter. Build with intention.
You don’t need more stuff.
You need better stuff.
Come hang out with us in my Reseller Mastermind. It will be the best $5 you spend in your life – I guarantee it.
Have a profitable week!
~ Shannon
