Podcast Summary: How Much Can I Make? – Thrift to Profit: Side Hustle Insights

Host: Mirav Ozeri
Guest: Zach Shaw (local news writer/editor & eBay store owner, “Over and Out Vintage”)
Release Date: October 14, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Mirav Ozeri sits down again with Zach Shaw, who previously discussed his career as a local news writer and editor. Today, Zach shares a deep dive into his thriving side hustle: turning thrift-store finds into profit via his eBay store, Over and Out Vintage. The conversation explores how anyone can start a resale side hustle, practical challenges, tricks of the trade, and future trends in reselling and creator culture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. How Over and Out Vintage Began

• Origins in Thrifting: Zach and his partner are lifelong thrifters, often sourcing most of their wardrobe from Goodwill or Salvation Army.
• Board Game Obsession: During the COVID lockdown, Zach's board game hobby led to an accumulation of vintage board games (1950s–90s), which eventually became a core selling category.
• Transition to Retail: Le Shag salon in Kingston offered him retail space for vintage and novelty tees, which proved very successful and still complements his eBay activity.

“The thrill of finding those objects, even if it's rare, is just incredible.” – Zach (00:04)

2. What’s the Niche and Key Lessons

• Niches: Focused niches include vintage board games and clothing.
• Learning Curve: Early missteps (e.g., undervaluing box condition for board games) gave Zach essential experience.

“You really have to know everything about the thing you're selling... box condition is way more of the value of a vintage board game than any other aspect.” – Zach (02:01)

3. Building Reputation and Trust on eBay

• Long-Term Account: As a long-term eBay user (initially with collectibles like Magic: The Gathering), Zach had a head start in building a positive seller rating.
• Starting Small: Newcomers need to start with small, prompt sales to build up positive feedback and trust.
• Scams and Risk: Seller scams are common, especially with expensive items; mitigating these risks requires vigilance and a willingness to block suspicious buyers.

“On ebay, reputation is everything... Trust is everything on ebay.” – Zach (03:17)

4. Logistical Challenges & Strategies

• Scams: Most scammers target high-ticket items; Zach avoids listing such products on eBay and prefers in-person pop-ups for those.
• Shipping Costs: Shipping large or heavy items (like board games) is expensive and cuts into profits.
• eBay Fees: eBay takes about 9% per sale.

“If you can sell it in person, it's just so much more profitable.” – Zach (05:09)

5. Sourcing Inventory & Market Changes

• Competitive Market: Thrifting for resale has grown more popular, making it harder to find valuable mispriced items.
• AI & Pricing: Advancements mean thrift stores often price items more accurately, lowering chances of big “finds.”
• Strategic Sourcing: Traveling to wealthier or less-picked-over areas (e.g., Connecticut) yields better finds.

6. Is Reselling a Good Side Hustle?

• Still Rewarding: Despite increased difficulty, the thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction of connecting someone with a treasured item remain.
• Profitability: Returns are rarely an issue; most challenges relate to logistics or scams.

“At the end of the day, it's arbitrage, right? It's just you're finding something at a lower price that someone will value at a higher price.” – Zach (06:53)

7. Driving Sales & Marketing

• Organic eBay Traffic: Primarily relies on eBay’s search engine; leverages digital marketing/SEO know-how for better listings.
• Social Media: Have used Instagram, but not much emphasis unless scaling up.

8. Comparing Side Hustles

• Fun vs. Profit: eBay is the “most fun,” but not the most lucrative compared to digital consulting or music gigs.
• TikTok Viral Moment: Zach also went viral with a TikTok channel (60M views, $1,500 in earnings), which briefly paid their rent.

“There was one day where I was like, we’ve reached more people than all cable news combined... This makes no sense.” – Zach (09:11)

9. Quality Control and Technology

• Board Game Piece Checks: Uses an AI assistant to verify completeness before shipping.

“I actually have an AI assistant that helps me count all the pieces...” – Zach (11:13)

10. Product Trends & Top Sellers

• Best Sellers: Vintage (and reproduction) band T-shirts were gold but the market is saturated by reproductions from official merch arms of bands.

“A Jimi Hendrix shirt from 1980 would go for like $150. That market has collapsed...” – Zach (11:34)

• Board Games: Harder to find buyers online for niche games—eyeing local pop-ups for better results.

11. The Future of the Hustle

• Long-Term Outlook: Zach plans to focus on vintage board games, likening their long-term collectability to vinyl records.
• AI as Disruptor: Sees creative AI tools radically democratizing innovation in coming years.

“The one thing I know I'm going to be doing in 10 years is whatever it is, it's going to be mediated by AI.” – Zach (13:53)

12. New Projects

• Game Design: Currently playtesting "The Last Game on Earth," a player-versus-disaster card game.

13. Why eBay?

• Audience Reach: Prefers eBay for its huge customer base. Other platforms may be preferable for niches like women's fashion.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The thrill of finding those objects, even if it's rare, is just incredible.” – Zach (00:04)
• “Reputation is everything... Trust is everything on ebay.” – Zach (03:17)
• “At the end of the day, it's arbitrage, right?” – Zach (06:53)
• “There was one day where I was like, we’ve reached more people than all cable news combined.” – Zach (09:11)
• “I actually have an AI assistant that helps me count all the pieces...” – Zach (11:13)
• “I’m a 10 year believer in vintage board games. I think they're going to be like vinyl records in the future.” – Zach (13:27)
• “The one thing I know I'm going to be doing in 10 years is whatever it is, it's going to be mediated by AI. Like what's coming over the next few years is going to be a complete creative revolution...” – Zach (13:53)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:50: Zach explains how the eBay store began with a vintage board game collecting habit.
• 02:01: Discusses the importance of knowing your niche and learning from mistakes.
• 03:17: Building reputation on eBay, handling scams.
• 05:09: Explains why selling in person is more profitable.
• 06:53: Describes the essence of the side hustle as “arbitrage.”
• 09:11: Shares TikTok viral experience and creator economy insight.
• 11:13: Talks about using AI for inventory control.
• 13:27: Elaborates on the future cult status of vintage board games.
• 13:53: Forecasts the coming creative revolution enabled by AI.

Conclusion

This episode offers an honest, practical look at the realities and rewards of thrifting as a side hustle: from learning the ropes, building trust, and tackling modern resale challenges, to leveraging technology and adapting to trends. Zach’s candid insights—punctuated by funny anecdotes and philosophical musings—paint a vivid picture of the joys, frustrations, and future possibilities in the world of reselling and creative entrepreneurship.