Guests: Rob & Melissa Stephenson — Founders of Flea Market Flipper, full-time eBay resellers and educators

Getting Started in Flipping:

Rob began flipping nearly 30 years ago, inspired by his parents selling yard sale finds in the newspaper classifieds—long before eBay existed.

Melissa joined the business 17 years ago after marrying Rob, initially unsure but quickly realizing the side hustle’s earning potential as Rob “always found a way to pay for everything.”

What began as a part-time venture became their full-time business in 2016, jumping from ~$42,000/year (part-time) to $133,000 in their first year full-time.

Making the Leap to Full-Time:

A turning point came when a change in Rob’s day job benefits forced them to decide whether to search for another job or go “all in” on flipping.

Committed to scaling, they switched from low-value, high-volume items to a high-profit, low-volume model—focusing on big-ticket items with $1,000–$2,000 profit per sale.

How They Source and Sell:

They look for high-retail-value used goods—commercial appliances, gym equipment, cooktops, and other hard-to-find, high-end items—that are undervalued in local markets but sell quickly on eBay to a national/global audience.

Classic finds include a $5,000 parking lot security tower bought at auction and flipped for $25,000, and a $500 bus wash resold for $14,500.

They source from Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp, local auctions, garage sales, and thrift stores, then leverage eBay (global reach) for sales.

Education & Flea Market Flipper:

In 2015, Rob & Melissa launched their blog and eventually the Flipper University course to teach others their system.

Their community has grown to over 1,500 students; many members have built part-time or even full-time incomes through flipping.

Top Advice for Beginners:

Start by flipping unused items around your house to get a feel for platforms and shipping without any risk.

Build 50+ positive feedbacks on eBay with smaller items before jumping into high-ticket sales.

The “secret weapon”: Learn to fix/repair items with YouTube or local help—often a simple repair makes an item much more valuable.

“The money is made in the buy”—always look for great deals, not just selling skills.

Industry & Business Model Insights:

COVID and Gary Vee’s embrace of flipping brought a surge in public interest, but the space is much more competitive and “noisier” now.

Rob & Melissa focus on high-touch, high-value flipping to keep their business defensible against both AI/digital disruption and cheaper/lower-value competitors.

Flipping teaches valuable life skills: negotiation, logistics, shipping, sales, research, and business management.

Connect with Rob & Melissa:

https://fleamarketflipper.com/

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