Reselling Business Plan Template (Free Download)
Most resellers never write a business plan. They just start buying stuff and listing it. And for a while, that works. But if you want to go from casual flipping to a real, scalable business — one that consistently generates $5K, $10K, or $20K+ per month — you need a plan.
This isn't a stuffy MBA-style document. It's a practical, fill-in-the-blanks template designed specifically for resellers. Whether you're selling on eBay, Whatnot, Poshmark, or all of them, this plan helps you get clear on your numbers, strategy, and growth path.
Why Resellers Need a Business Plan
A business plan forces you to answer the questions that separate profitable resellers from those who burn out after six months:
- What am I selling? (Niche focus vs. everything approach)
- Where am I sourcing? (Consistent supply is the #1 challenge)
- What are my actual margins? (After fees, shipping, COGS, time)
- How much do I need to sell to hit my income goal?
- What's my growth plan? (More inventory? Higher ASP? New platforms?)
You don't need 50 pages. You need 2-3 pages of clarity. Let's build it.
Section 1: Business Overview
Start with the basics. Fill in the blanks:
Business name: ____________________
Owner: ____________________
Business structure: ☐ Sole proprietor ☐ LLC ☐ Other: ________
Start date: ____________________
Primary platforms: ☐ eBay ☐ Whatnot ☐ Poshmark ☐ Mercari ☐ Facebook MP ☐ Other: ________
Business model: ☐ Side hustle (<20 hrs/week) ☐ Part-time (20-35 hrs/week) ☐ Full-time (35+ hrs/week)
Mission Statement (One Sentence)
What do you sell, to whom, and why are you the best at it?
Example: "I resell authenticated vintage streetwear to collectors aged 18-35 through eBay and Whatnot, specializing in 90s band tees and vintage Nike."
Section 2: Niche and Product Strategy
Primary Categories
List your top 1-3 categories. Specializing beats generalizing for most resellers.
| Category | Avg. Sale Price | Avg. COGS | Avg. Margin | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example: Vintage tees | $65 | $8 | 72% | eBay |
| 1. ___________ | $_____ | $_____ | ____% | _________ |
| 2. ___________ | $_____ | $_____ | ____% | _________ |
| 3. ___________ | $_____ | $_____ | ____% | _________ |
Why These Categories?
Good categories for reselling share these traits:
- Consistent demand: People search for them year-round
- Sourceable locally: You can find inventory without relying on one supplier
- Knowledge advantage: You know what's valuable and what's not
- Good margins: 50%+ after all costs
- Not too heavy/fragile: Shipping costs and damage risk matter
Section 3: Sourcing Strategy
Where will you find inventory? Rate each source by reliability, cost, and time investment.
| Source | Frequency | Avg. Cost/Item | Items/Trip | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thrift stores | 3x/week | $5 | 8-15 | Mixed |
| Garage sales | Saturdays | $3 | 5-20 | Variable |
| Estate sales | 1-2x/month | $10 | 10-30 | Good |
| Wholesale | Monthly | $8 | 50-200 | Consistent |
| Liquidation | Monthly | $4 | 50-100 | Mixed |
| Online arbitrage | Daily | Varies | Varies | Good |
Your sourcing plan:
- Primary source: ____________________
- Secondary source: ____________________
- Sourcing budget: $________/week
- Target items per week: ________
Section 4: Platform Strategy
Not every platform works for every niche. Choose based on your categories.
| Platform | Best For | Fees | Your Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBay | Everything, especially electronics, collectibles | ~13.25% | ☐ Primary ☐ Secondary ☐ Skip |
| Whatnot | Collectibles, cards, coins, vintage | ~8% | ☐ Primary ☐ Secondary ☐ Skip |
| Poshmark | Women's fashion, shoes, accessories | 20% | ☐ Primary ☐ Secondary ☐ Skip |
| Mercari | General items, electronics, games | 10% | ☐ Primary ☐ Secondary ☐ Skip |
| Facebook MP | Furniture, local pickup items | 0-5% | ☐ Primary ☐ Secondary ☐ Skip |
| Depop | Trendy fashion, streetwear (Gen Z) | 10% | ☐ Primary ☐ Secondary ☐ Skip |
📊 Compare Fees Across Every Platform
BundleLive's free fee calculator shows your exact take-home on 9 platforms. Pick the right platform for every item.
Try the Free Fee Calculator →Section 5: Financial Projections
Monthly Revenue Goal
Work backwards from your income goal:
| Metric | Month 1 | Month 3 | Month 6 | Month 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Items listed | ____ | ____ | ____ | ____ |
| Items sold | ____ | ____ | ____ | ____ |
| Avg. sale price | $____ | $____ | $____ | $____ |
| Gross revenue | $____ | $____ | $____ | $____ |
| COGS | $____ | $____ | $____ | $____ |
| Platform fees | $____ | $____ | $____ | $____ |
| Shipping costs | $____ | $____ | $____ | $____ |
| Other expenses | $____ | $____ | $____ | $____ |
| Net profit | $____ | $____ | $____ | $____ |
Example: $5K/Month Side Hustle
| Metric | Target |
|---|---|
| Avg. sale price | $45 |
| Items sold/month | 111 |
| Gross revenue | $5,000 |
| COGS (30%) | -$1,500 |
| Platform fees (13%) | -$650 |
| Shipping (8%) | -$400 |
| Supplies & other | -$200 |
| Net profit | $2,250/month |
That's 111 items at $45 average. Or 56 items at $90 average. Higher ASP (average selling price) means fewer items to source, photograph, list, and ship. This is why niche specialization matters.
Section 6: Operations and Workflow
Weekly Schedule Template
| Day | Activity | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | List new items, photograph | 3 |
| Tuesday | Source (thrift stores) | 3 |
| Wednesday | List, relist stale items, ship | 3 |
| Thursday | Source (thrift/estate sales) | 3 |
| Friday | Ship, customer service, bookkeeping | 2 |
| Saturday | Garage sales, source | 4 |
| Sunday | Whatnot live show / batch list | 3 |
| Total | 21 hrs/week |
Systems and Tools
- Listing: ____________________
- Crosslisting: ____________________
- Shipping: ____________________
- Accounting: ____________________
- Inventory tracking: ____________________
- Analytics: ____________________
Section 7: Growth Strategy
How will you scale from your current level to 2x, 5x, 10x?
Phase 1: Foundation (Months 1-3)
- Establish sourcing routine (3+ trips/week)
- List 5-10 items per day consistently
- Build active inventory to 200+ items
- Master one primary platform
- Track every expense and sale
Phase 2: Optimization (Months 3-6)
- Add a second platform (cross-listing)
- Increase ASP by niching up
- Batch-process everything (photo days, listing days, ship days)
- Start a Whatnot show if selling collectibles
- Build active inventory to 500+ items
Phase 3: Scale (Months 6-12)
- Add wholesale sourcing for consistent inventory
- Consider hiring help (prep, shipping, photography)
- Automate with tools (crosslisting, shipping labels)
- Active inventory: 1,000+ items
- Explore additional revenue streams (Whatnot live, content creation)
⚡ Whatnot Sellers: Track Your Growth
BundleLive gives you real-time analytics on your Whatnot shows — viewers, sales, conversion rates, and revenue trends. Know your numbers as you scale.
Try BundleLive Free →Section 8: Risk Assessment
Every business has risks. Plan for them:
| Risk | Likelihood | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory doesn't sell | Medium | Start small, test niches, don't over-invest |
| Platform policy changes | Medium | Diversify across 2-3 platforms |
| Returns/scams | Low-Med | Clear photos, descriptions, insurance on high-value |
| Tax surprises | Medium | Track expenses from day 1, make quarterly payments |
| Sourcing dries up | Low | Multiple sourcing channels, build supplier relationships |
| Burnout | High | Set boundaries, batch work, take breaks, hire help early |
Section 9: Key Metrics to Track Monthly
- Gross revenue: Total sales before any deductions
- Net profit: What you actually keep
- Sell-through rate: % of inventory that sells each month (target: 20-30%)
- Average sale price: Revenue ÷ items sold
- Average COGS: What you pay per item
- ROI: (Profit ÷ COGS) × 100 (target: 100%+ = doubling your money)
- Active inventory count: How many items are listed
- Days to sell: Average time from listing to sale
- Cost per acquisition: COGS + mileage + time per item
Putting It All Together
Your reselling business plan doesn't need to be perfect. It needs to be written down and reviewed monthly. The act of filling in these blanks forces you to think strategically instead of reactively.
Print this out. Fill it in. Put it somewhere you'll see it. Review it on the first of every month and adjust based on what's working and what's not.
The resellers who build real businesses — $5K, $10K, $20K+ per month — aren't necessarily smarter or luckier. They're more intentional. A business plan is where intention starts.