How to Start Your Own Online Kid's Consignment Store With $0 Investment

Starting an online kid's consignment store is one of the rare businesses you can launch with $0 upfront, real demand, and built-in inventory. Even better? It scales as your kids grow.

This guide will walk you through – step by step – how to start reselling kids' items online, why children's consignment works so well, and how to turn unused stuff into real income.

Why Kids' Stuff Is the Perfect Resale Business

Children's items have a built-in resale cycle:

• Kids outgrow clothing, shoes, toys, and baby gear quickly
• Most items are used for a fraction of their useful life
• Every size outgrown creates demand from another family

For every family whose child just outgrew size 5 shoes, there's another family actively searching for size 5 shoes. That's not a trend — it's math.

Your business simply helps stuff meet the people who need it.

That's exactly what a children's consignment store does.

Where to Sell: Online Marketplaces for Kids' Consignment

Thanks to the internet, you no longer need a physical storefront. You can list your inventory across multiple online marketplaces to find buyers fast.

Here are the main ones to know:

• Recess – The only marketplace focused specifically on baby gear and kids' items, which means buyers are already parents shopping for this category.
• Poshmark – Has the most buyers overall, but competition is high and reach is harder than it used to be, especially after some recent changes to the marketplace.
• eBay – The widest range of products and buyers; best known for rare, branded, or unique items.
• Mercari – Simple listing process and good for everyday items.

(Kidizen – Previously popular for kids' resale but no longer in operation.)

👉 Key takeaway: List widely, but prioritize platforms that match your product category. For kids and baby gear, a kids-focused marketplace like Recess gives you a built-in audience.

Step 1: Get Inventory Without Spending a Dime

The goal is $0 investment, so we start with what you already own.

Start at Home

If you have kids, this is your unfair advantage.

Go through:

• Clothes they no longer fit
• Shoes worn only a few times
• Toys they've outgrown
• Baby gear (swings, carriers, bouncers, etc.)

You'll likely free up space and create inventory in one pass.

Ask Friends & Family

Next, ask around. Other parents almost always have piles of things they meant to sell.

You have two options:

Option 1: Free Inventory

Some people just want the space back and don't think the items are worth selling.

Option 2: Sell on Consignment

Offer to sell items and split the proceeds.

Typical consignment splits:

• Owner gets 60–70%
• Seller (you) keep 30–40%

Percentages vary based on:

• Brand and resale value
• Condition
• Likelihood of selling
• Storage or prep effort required

This is the classic kids consignment model, just online instead of in a store. Note that if you're doing Step 2 correctly, your friends and family will often find that they are making just as much if not more working with you than if they were to try to casually sell things themselves.

Step 2: List Your Inventory

This is where you add value and earn your commission.

Photography Is Everything

Great photos can double (or triple) sell-through.

Best practices:

• Use a clean, solid background (floor, sheet, wall)
• Make sure the item is fully visible
• Take close-ups of:
  • Tags (especially NWT)
  • Fabric details
  • Brand labels
  • Any wear or flaws

If possible:

• Wash clothing
• Wipe down baby gear
• Do minor repairs (buttons, lint, wrinkles, etc.)

Write Clear, Honest Listings

Include:

• Size
• Brand
• Condition
• Material
• Any imperfections

Transparency builds trust and reduces returns.

Choose Where to List

You can list everywhere, but each platform takes time.

Since we're starting with $0:

• Skip paid cross-listing tools for now
• Prioritize platforms based on fit

Examples:

• Baby gear → Recess
• Kids clothing → Recess, Mercari
• Higher-end brands → Poshmark
• Unique or hard-to-find items → eBay

Step 3: Sell & Fulfill Orders Correctly

Once an item sells, execution matters.

Shipping Pitfalls to Avoid

• Always confirm shipping costs before listing
• Measure large items accurately
• Use buyer-paid shipping when available

Many marketplaces (including Recess) provide prepaid shipping labels, so you don't have to front the cost.

Keep Listings Updated

After shipping:

• Mark the item as shipped
• Remove or deactivate the listing on other platforms

⚠️ Some marketplaces penalize sellers who cancel after a sale because the item was sold elsewhere.

Step 4: Get Paid & Reinvest

Each marketplace handles payouts differently (bank transfer, balance withdrawal, etc.), but the principle is the same:

Once you're paid, you now have capital.

Smart Ways to Reinvest

• Seller tools (like cross-listing software once you're profitable)
• Thrifted inventory
• Local stores like Goodwill or Kid-to-Kid
• Garage sales
• Marketplace arbitrage
  • Buy low on one platform
  • Sell higher on another
• Direct sales
  • Social media
  • Local parent groups

The internet creates massive price inefficiencies — and that's opportunity.

Why This Business Is Especially Great for Moms

• Flexible hours
• Work from home
• Built around stuff you already manage
• Naturally aligns with parenting life stages
• Can start as a side hustle and scale

And unlike many businesses, you can start today, with no money, using items already in your home.

Final Thoughts

An online children's consignment store isn't about convincing people to buy — parents are already looking.

Your job is to:

• Source unused items
• Present them well
• Put them in front of the right buyers

With the rise of online marketplaces — especially kids-focused ones like Recess — starting a kids consignment business has never been more accessible.

There's gold all over your house.

You just need to list it.