When you first read the title of this article you're probably very tempted to just say, "another on line scam ad" and I wouldn't blame. Goodness knows that there are scores of sites telling you how to make money online by just clicking here and paying this or that..I even saw a man on late night television trying to get me to buy into his myriad of websites that will make soooooo much money for me - while I sleep and it seems that all one would have to do is take a wheel barrel and a rake and scoop up the millions.

My question is this: if they're making so muh money, why do they feel the need to impart such "valuable" business with me? Chances are if it's too good to be true it's probably neither good nor true. So buyer beware.

Nope dear reader, if you want me to sell you a scam to fill your pretty heads up with..well then look elsewhere because what I am going to tell you here is just pure hard work and smart thinking. I really just want to share with you how I make money online so that maybe in some way it can help you. Listen, I know how hard it is out there. I've lost jobs and been on that unemployment line far too many times this past decade to laugh off anything. And I know what it's like to need money for the rent or having to decide which bills to pay and which ones to let go and hope they don't come and repo your car in the middle of the night! So when I speak to you, it's from the heart! I truly want to help you.

That being said, and hopefully you are not thinking I'm totally off my gourd, let us proceed.

The first step is to do some online research. Visit the sites you like that sell merchandise online. Now you may be tempted to sell Aunt Gladys's old draperies online because you think that people will buy just anything. Well this may at times be true. But the first thing to determine is, what is hot and what is selling. Yes, it takes work. But if you are going to be good at this and make those much needed dollars...you need to be on top of your game - and the way we do this is by finding out what's hot. I can tell you at the time of this writing that this year Flannel shirts, vests, Leather jackets that fit tightly, and acid rock concert t-shirts of certain bands are fetching enormous sums. The 1970s - certain jackets will fetch as much as 750. per jacket! I'm not kidding you. So do the work. Do searches on say, vintage shirts, or shoes, or Emelio Pucci is always good...and also look at what the kids are wearing. I remeber a time when I was selling Izod Lacostes from the 1980s for as much as 80.00 per shirt! NO kidding! This was because there were subvergent groups of high school and college age teens who wore these polos to thumb their noses at wealth and the establishment. What happened after that is this, Lacoste started putting the crocodile shirts BACK into production..and so went the sales of lacostes. They are back on the market because the emo/indie hipster crowd made it so.

Now they are heavy on the 1970s scene. It isn't everything mind you. But certain fads catch on and thrift stores are busier than ever. If you can find out what's hot..there is money to be made my friends...tons of money!

Second: Now that you've determined what's hot..the next part is a little harder. You need to find what's hot. Maybe have this great stuff hanging out in your garage. But eventually you'll run out of inventory. So where do you go to get more? Well the obvious choices are the well known thrift stores. But beware...they are on to the scene and now a Wrangler's flannel which you could've bought for 2.00 last  month is 10. because online I just saw one sell for $750. I'm not kidding!!!! So if you can't go to the local S.A. or G.W. where do you go?

Flea Markets. Church Sales. Rummage sales. Free clothing shops. You go anywhere. Wear dark sun glasses if you're afraid that your neighbors or friends will see you. My gosh, this is about survival kids. This is about putting little jimmy through college or braces on janie's teeth. This is no time care about the jones - even if you're buying their old crap. Let me tell you that an Iron Maiden t-shirt from the 80's just sold for 400! You could easily have picked that up at a garage sale for 25 cents! Now how many banks will give you that kind of a return.

Go out there and "fish" or "hunt" or whatever, but keep you eyes peeled on what the next big thing is (and it changes all the time) and get out there and find it!!!!! Go everywhere and carry cash. And buy buy buy.

THIRD

Now that you've assembled about ten or fifty items, the next step is to learn the online site, what the fees are and establish an account where you can receive the money online. It's easier because although they charge fees - those impulse buyers like using credit cards. You can take checks or money orders. I strongly advise against cash.

Once you've learned the sites and how they work

FOUR

Market.

You need to be able to photobgraph the item. If you don't have a good digital camera, I suggest buying one - hey maybe even second hand that has a memory card in it. This makes it so much easier. And then photograph the items like you see in catalogs. The better the shot, the better chance of a sale.

COPY: So you don't know how to market those western boots, or polyester shirt? Look at other ads. Find old ads..and take a little from everybody and come up with something original. And if you can't, then just put what's on the label. Also be sure to measure the shirts and pants because XL and L and S all have different meanings depending on the era from which they come. Let's face it, we all got larger over the years and so did the sizes. in the 80s everyone wore things larger..but not so in the sexy disco dancing 70s. So a small is really small and tight fitting, and unless you want complaints down the road, it is essential that you post the measurements. IN this way...two tub tony (which is me by the way) doesn't end up squeezing himself into a "large" and looking like an italian sausage! It's funny here, but not so at a family dinner! LOL!

Once you've written the copy and taken the photographs, post and put it up on your site and watch. If you've done these steps correctly, then you shouldn't have any trouble at all reeling in the cash.

Ship promptly. I never let anything sit around. The minute I get the cash, then it goes. I do not offer refunds. When you sell used merchandise - very often people get caught up in a bidding war and will pay 750. for a shirt you bought for 2 dollars. It's  part of the thrill and the fun. But I find that if you offer refunds..they will buy it and then return it because it's old...hey..that's what vintage is. If I sell a shirt from the 70s, then it's from the 1970s...not new. So in order to avoid this..don't. I'd give a return only if I sent the wrong item -which I do not do.

Pack the items nicely. Repeat customers are the best customers. You'll find that the online world is a small one, so always be professional and polite. I like to put tissue paper inside the shirts I sell and fold them nicely and package them like they might find in a store. These are little touches. You can develop your own as you go along.

Kindness friendliness and the "golden rule.." will get you very far in online marketing. I wish you the best of luck, and please, let me know about your successes and pitfalls. I love to hear my readers comments!