📱 Best Platforms
Discogs, eBay, Etsy
📖 The Hustle
Buy vinyl records for $1-3 each at thrift stores, garage sales, and flea markets. Use the Discogs app to scan barcodes and check market value. Focus on classic rock (Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Beatles), jazz (Miles Davis, Coltrane), and 80s-90s hip-hop. Check the vinyl for scratches by holding it under a light. Clean records with a microfiber brush before listing. Even common classic rock LPs sell for $10-25.
🚀 First Step
Download the Discogs app, visit a thrift store, and scan 20 records in the bins. Buy any that scan at $10+ market value and are priced $3 or less.
🔑 Keys to Success
- Scratches you can feel with your fingertip kill value — hold every record under a bright light
- Original pressings (not reissues) of classic rock albums command premium prices
- Jazz records on the Blue Note, Prestige, and Impulse labels are nearly always worth grabbing
🛠 Tools & Resources: Discogs app (barcode scanner), eBay app, carbon fiber record brush, vinyl cleaning solution, cardboard record mailers, microfiber cloth