$200/Flip: Inside the Return Reselling Side Hustle

What if you could build a systematic reselling business that:

averages $200+ per item
gets inventory for free
has the potential to become a full-time income?

Matt and Hannah Lee have doing exactly that for the last eight years through Sharetown, a platform that connects return item pickup reps with direct-to-consumer brands.

Unlike the treasure hunt of liquidation pallets, this is a more systematic approach with lower transaction volume but higher profit per item. But these items are big — bulky furniture, mattresses, and exercise equipment — that require proper transportation and storage.

For the last three years, Matt and Hannah have turned this into a full-time income, flipping 40-60 items per month and averaging $200-250 profit per item.

Listen to Episode 687 of the Side Hustle Show to learn:

How Sharetown’s business model actually works
What it takes to earn $200+ per item consistently
Marketing strategies that build repeat customers

Table of Contents show

How Sharetown Works

The opportunity exists because of a logistics problem for direct-to-consumer brands.

Companies like mattress-in-a-box brands offer 100-night risk-free trials to remove purchase friction, but they can’t easily resell returned items.

Here’s the flow:

Customer returns a mattress (or furniture/exercise equipment) under the trial policy
Sharetown assigns a local rep to pick up the item
Rep cleans, photographs, and lists the item on Facebook Marketplace
After the sale, revenue gets split between the rep, Sharetown, and sometimes the original company

Getting Started: What You Actually Need

Transportation & Storage

Matt started with a Honda CRV, cramming mattresses into the small space.

After about a year, they upgraded to an F-150 truck to handle 4 mattresses per run, making the logistics much more efficient.

Storage evolved from their townhouse garage to multiple storage units. They currently rent four units at about $300 each, though new reps typically start in their garage and scale up as needed.

Helper Requirements

Sharetown requires a reliable helper for most pickups to protect customers’ homes and handle bulky items safely.

Matt uses high school or college-aged workers who want flexible hours and side income.

Marketing Strategies That Actually Work

Facebook Reviews

Hannah has built up over 700 five-star reviews on Facebook Marketplace, which serves as social proof that buying a “used” mattress from them is legitimate and safe.

Photography Standards

Professional staging and photography can make the difference between a quick sale and a mattress sitting in storage for months. They take individual photos of items but also reuse staged photos from the same models when appropriate.

Consistency Daily Posting

Hannah posts mattresses every single day and has for eight years straight. This consistency signals to Facebook’s algorithm that they’re legitimate sellers and helps maintain visibility.

Customer Education

When skeptical buyers ask why they shouldn’t be concerned about buying used mattresses, Matt and Hannah have refined their pitch around the sleep trial process and their professional cleaning standards.

Professional Materials

Quality mattress bags (not cheap plastic sheeting)
Professional-grade tape and tape guns
Hand trucks rated for heavy items
Cleaning supplies including Sterifab and Bissell upholstery cleaner
High-quality lint rollers

The materials cost a few dollars per item but make a significant difference in presentation and customer experience.

The Real Numbers: Costs and Earnings

Revenue per Item: $200-250 average profit after Sharetown’s cut
Monthly Volume: 40-60 items when running full-time
Storage Costs: $1,200/month for four units (though most start with one)
Materials: $5-10 per item for bags, cleaning supplies, etc.
Insurance: Higher coverage required for commercial vehicle use
Pricing Structure: Sharetown sets minimum advertised prices based on what they’ve found successful for each item. Reps can list higher but can’t advertise below the minimum (though they can accept lower offers privately).

Dealing with Competition and Market Saturation

When the couple started, they were often the only Sharetown reps in the Bay Area. (They’re now near Tacoma, WA.)

Now there’s significantly more competition, which has impacted their pricing power and customer reach.

“We used to have people who would drive all the way from Seattle to us,” Hannah explains. “Sometimes we get repeat buyers or referrals… but we are being impacted by that.”

But Sharetown continues expanding partnerships with more brands, creating new pickup opportunities to balance the increased number of reps.

What Items Don’t Sell (And What to Do About Them)

Not every item is a winner. Hannah mentions a California King organic latex mattress that sat in inventory for over a year— a niche size with a specialty material that appeals to a very small market.

If items sit too long, reps can request pricing adjustments. Sharetown may lower the minimum price and reduce their cut so reps can afford to sell at a discount and move inventory.

Sometimes returned items are damaged, dirty, or defective beyond repair. In these cases, reps mark them as “dump items” and dispose of them properly, though they try to avoid this when possible for environmental reasons.

Marketing Channels Beyond Facebook

Primary Platform: Facebook Marketplace (highest ROI for time invested)

Secondary Platforms:

OfferUp
Used to use Craigslist

Payment Methods:

Venmo and cash (preferred for speed and reliability)
Zelle
Square Tap to Pay (Sharetown covers fees if enabled within Sharetown app)

Sharetown has also recently rolled out a Tap to Pay option right in the app so a physical reader is not required! And fees are still fully covered.

The Transition to Full-Time Income

Three years ago, Matt and Hannah made the jump from side hustle to full-time business. The decision was driven by specific financial goals and Matt’s desire to pursue HR consulting while having more flexibility.

Key Factors in Their Success:

Willingness to do things others wouldn’t (driving to San Francisco in evenings, posting from vacation)
Treating it like a real business from day one
Building systems and consistency rather than relying on sporadic effort
Having specific financial targets rather than vague “extra money” goals

Insurance and Business Requirements

Sharetown requires reps to carry higher insurance coverage on vehicles used for pickups. Matt and Hannah don’t carry separate commercial insurance but have upgraded their personal vehicle coverage to meet requirements.

The business doesn’t require special licensing since they’re providing a service rather than selling food to the public.

Tools and Tech Stack

Payment Processing:

Venmo (preferred)
Cash
Zelle
Square Tap to Pay (backup option)

Listing Management:

Facebook Marketplace (primary)
OfferUp (secondary)
Professional camera/phone for staging photos

Reporting:

Sharetown app for marking items sold and reporting sale prices
Weekly payment cycles to Sharetown

Common Mistakes New Reps Make

Thinking Sharetown Will Send Clients

The biggest misconception is that Sharetown will provide customers. Reps must market themselves through photos, listings, and customer service.

Not Taking It Seriously

Successful reps treat this like a real business with systems, marketing, and customer service standards from day one.

Poor Materials and Presentation

Using cheap plastic sheeting instead of proper mattress bags, poor lighting in photos, or inadequate cleaning can significantly impact sales speed and prices.

What’s Next for Matt and Hannah?

Beyond Sharetown, Matt has launched Circle Consulting, providing fractional HR support and organizational effectiveness services to small and medium-sized companies.

The entrepreneurial principles learned through Sharetown — consistency, customer service, systems thinking — have informed his approach to building this additional income stream.

Their current goals include house renovation projects and continuing to build wealth through multiple income streams while maintaining the flexibility to spend time with their four young children.

Matt and Hannah’s #1 Tips for Side Hustle Nation

“Be consistent and be willing to work hard.”

Episode Links

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