A Simple Scorecard for Retail Arbitrage Buys
Use a repeatable checklist for sell-through, return risk, competition, and prep time before taking a cart to checkout.
A simple scorecard keeps sourcing trips from becoming guesswork. Grade each possible buy on sell-through, competition, prep time, return risk, and margin after fees.
Score each item
Use a 1 to 5 score for each factor:
| Factor | What to check |
|---|---|
| Sell-through | Recent sold listings and velocity |
| Competition | Number of sellers and price trend |
| Prep time | Cleaning, photos, testing, bundling |
| Return risk | Sizing, defects, fragile packaging |
| Margin | Net profit after fees and shipping |
The best buys usually look boring on paper: clear demand, clean comps, predictable shipping, and a margin that survives a price drop.
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