An explanation behind all this... Loot

 People are highly curious about Sidequest Loot and what exactly we sell.  My response is typically "everything" and I mean to be sincere.  They universally just look back at me with confusion.

There are certainly things that I have learned to either refuse to sell or approach with a degree with caution.  Food items? Pretty much never - though I do have a large lot of Satin Isomelts but these don't expire and I personally classify them as more of a baking accessory.  I really want to believe that various "special edition" unopened cereal boxes are worth something but everything I have seen seems to indicate that if this ever turns out to be the case there are multiple sources where I can find them at a reasonable price (not a good sign).

Batteries? They are a higher risk if there's something wrong with them.  As in, they blow up and cause fires.  Chargers? On very rare occasions.  I will tend to stick with factory originals.  If you want the name brand charger associated with an original Nintendo Entertainment System, no one really wants those NEW.  Chances are taken.

Clothing? I am not at all aware of fashion trends, popular names or what a good deal might look like if I found one in the wild.  That is a whole other world.  My storage set-up does not at all lend itself, either.  I do shelves, not clothing racks.  But hey, I can find some of THOSE for pretty cheap if you're looking for one.  If I find a brand new pair of quality name workboots at an online auction for $10 - been there, done that.  As long as you're not fussy about the size, I could find you a pair - ah, the fickle nature of online auctions - you will find something you need, just probably not today.

I try to avoid a lot of the things that people are calling "knock offs" of items.  Typically Chinese mass-produced and they dominate the Amazon listings for the actual brand name of the item that you're seeking... usually for much less.  The quality of these items is actually improving but good luck finding the name of the company that produced it when you might want to try something else they produce.

I have had more success with car parts and accessories than I expected.  I am finding that a lot of the parts being used in repairs are in this "knock-off" category.  I advertise these items by the description and with the ACTUAL manufacturer - buyers don't seem to mind when you let them know the truth in advance.  A deal is a deal.  Proper identification of the piece is key.  Having an understanding of where to look for compatibility charts and a willingness to read through many car model enthusiast forums to be as absolutely certain that you've got it right.  It never hurts to read through the product reviews on big box sites just to make sure what you have found is reliable.  It is a whole lot of work but it has some great upside with a goods cost of around 10-20% when sold.

Solid items are fairly easy to move - models, games, toys, sealed boxes, statues, things that you can tell are broken by just looking at them.  Electronic, electrical or mechanical items are tricky.  Buyers usually want the same assurances, warranties and protections that they would get from buying these items from a big box retailer while getting it at 40% off or more.  I can provide all of the "stand by our products", "Ebay return policies" and Paypal Goods and Services Protection" all I want.  If the client would still like the peace of mind from buying mainstream retail, that's where they should be.  I have been fairly lucky that I have never has to put a claim in under warranty but I also know that your replacement is most likely going to be refurbished.  The option of swapping a lemon for another off the rack is becoming more and more rare.

CDs, DVDs and games that use this technology? I find that it is not really worth the effort.  By percentage, there is a lot of upside when you can easily find a box of hundreds for fifty bucks.  But how many are scratched, in the right cases, with cases that aren't broken and will get bought.  I can do the math "if I list these for $5 each"... But how long did it take to locate, acquire, review, catalogue, photograph and list each item?

For the same reason, I don't really deal in the business of single collectible cards.  Of any kind.  I deal with lots, complete sets and collections.  I will prepare and protect these items with great care but can't possibly do that with individual Magic The Gathering cards where someone is going to latch onto my neck with both teeth over a $3 card.  Seriously.  So, I deal with larger bundles and leave value within the collection.  If someone wants two or three of the cards, they can take the whole deal or move on.

I have left some space in the Sidequest Loot model for consignment sales to fill in some of the gaps.  This helps fill in some of those gaps for everything and it helps me to not have to even pretend to try to be an expert.  A purely online model that can appeal to hobby sellers, novice sellers, sellers who would love to see their donated item make the best outcome for their preferred cause, vendors who are seeking an extra platform to sell, potential vendors who want to try to see how new ideas might fly...

This is the other advantage of selling "pretty much anything".  It helps fill up the shopping cart more quickly with a variety of neat items to hit that next threshold for free or reduced shipping.

So if Sidequest Loot seems like a whole lot of randomness going on, this is a bit by design.  We feel that everything has a market and if the items are described carefully in a way that search engines like, someone will buy.  We want to appeal to the buyer who has their own tastes and their own habits, while doing everything we can to make their Loot easier to find.

Oh.  And no illegal shit.  Not gonna sell that.

We would love to share your Sidequest Story! If you have started a business or side hustle, if you're thinking of doing it or if you have no idea whatsoever of what you want to do, we would love to share your story.  We find that when the buyer knows you better, they are more likely to buy.  We don't mind if you mix in some advertisement, sales pitch (ugh!) or simply supportive thoughts for other Sidequesters going through the same thing.

Email: mysidequest@sidequester.ca and let us know what you want to do!  There is no charge for posting but we will give a final editorial review and might provide some suggestions.  You will be provided with a final draft before we publish.  All submissions will become the property of Sidequest Loot but will not be used without your consent.  We like to provide an author name but can limit this to first name or name of your business, if you wish.