Is It Profitable To Sell Sports Equipment?

There are many places where people can buy used or refurbished sports equipment. As such, selling second-hand sports equipment is not as profitable as it may have been in the past. This is particularly true when consumers buy new treadmills, rowing machines, and stationary bikes for their homes.

That being said, if you are looking to buy and sell sports equipment for a living, there are numerous ways to make a tidy profit, grow your business, and enjoy a career in the fitness industry.

We’ve put together this article to help you decide whether or not you can make a profit selling sporting goods, home gym equipment, and other fitness products online. Read on for all the info you need to make an informed decision.

Current Fitness Trends

Nowadays, fitness trends have moved away from bulky exercise machines. Instead, people are using apps, streaming services, DVDs, and even video games to meet their fitness goals. Many fitness apps and DVD workouts feature high-intensity, fat-burning routines that are more effective than steady-state sessions on sports gym equipment. As such, customers don’t need to buy a machine because they are getting a more effective, guided workout for less money.

However, that does not mean there isn’t a market for sports equipment.

Who Buys Sports Equipment?

Fitness centers and gyms are some of the top buyers of sports equipment. Gym owners will always need sports equipment like treadmills and elliptical trainers. However, gym owners may be more inclined to lease their equipment rather than buy their machines outright. They can upgrade those machines every few years. Plus, leasing is much cheaper than buying brand new equipment. However, if you intend to sell to gym owners, you stand to make the most profit per sale.

Some condos or apartment complexes also have their own gyms and will need new equipment. If you can strike a deal with certain buildings, you stand to make a handsome profit with one contract.

How To Sell Sports Equipment

If you are thinking about selling sports equipment, there are numerous things you need to consider.

What Type Of Equipment Will You Sell?

There are so many different types of equipment. If you want to make your business successful, you should focus on a particular niche and specialize in that area. For instance, you could choose any of the following types of sports equipment.

• Water sports equipment
• Gym sports equipment
• Outdoor sports equipment
• Schools sports equipment
• Kids sports equipment

You should also consider whether you are going to sell large or expensive items like treadmills or smaller products like resistance bands, dumbbells, yoga mats, etc. More on that in a moment.

How Are You Going To Ship The Items?

Shipping costs are going to eat into your profits considerably, especially if you are dealing with gym machines and other heavy items. Generally speaking, heavier items are more expensive to ship across the country. While UPS and FedEx will deliver your items for you, you’ll have to pay a premium. For example, an exercise bike could cost anywhere between $50-$250 depending on your delivery service, shipping time, and distance. If you are selling used sports equipment online, you should strike a balance between a good deal for the customer and enough profit to make the sale worth your while.

Smaller items will be much easier (and cheaper) to shift. If you are setting up a sports equipment business, you may prefer to start small and work your way up to machines. However, the choice is entirely up to you.

More information about shipping:

• Shipping Management and Customer Marketing
• E-commerce Shipping and Order Management Strategies

Where Are You Going To Source Your Sports Equipment?

When it comes to selling sports equipment online, make sure you know where you will acquire your supply. Generally, you have two options: wholesale sports equipment suppliers or dropshipping.

Wholesale suppliers will let you purchase a set number of items that you then sell to your customers. Typically, you will have to provide your own warehouse space and take care of your own shipping (which can be expensive). However, you’ll be able to sign off on product quality and assume responsibility for all your sales. If you are a meticulous entrepreneur, this may be your preferred option.

Alternatively, dropshipping is a cost-effective method for growing your business, perfect for sporting goods companies that are just starting out. You will have to supply the online store and do all your own marketing, but you never actually own your inventory. Instead, when a customer buys one of your products, you purchase that product from a dropshipping supplier, who then takes care of shipping. This will help you avoid shipping costs, but you’ll also lose the majority of the sale to the supplier. In addition, you won’t have any say over quality control, which reflects badly on you rather than the supplier — in the eyes of the customer at least.

Where Are You Going To Sell Your Sports Equipment?

Consider whether you will sell your products through social media, online marketplaces, or your own online store.

Some businesses only sell sports equipment over social media sites, like Facebook or Instagram. If you use these platforms regularly, you’ll already understand how to navigate your page and interact with potential customers. However, if you operate on social media alone, you run the risk of looking less professional. That being said, the only cost of selling via Facebook or Instagram is your marketing costs. As such, this is one of the cheapest ways to sell sports equipment.

More savvy sports equipment business owners may consider becoming sellers on various online marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, or eBay. These marketplaces put your products in front of huge numbers of page visitors every day. You’ll have to meet certain criteria to become a certified seller. These marketplaces all have fulfillment services to pick, pack, and ship your items following their company standards. Unfortunately, these marketplaces will take a commission, which means fewer profits for your business. However, you benefit from a ready-made customer base and a potentially massive influx in sales thanks to these marketplaces’ popularity.

Finally, you should consider setting up your own online store. Nowadays, there are many e-commerce website builders available. This is where Ecwid can help. We give you the tools to create your own sports equipment website, complete with all the features you need, complete with an easy-to-use control panel that lets you navigate every area of your site. We even sync your social media, online marketplace pages, and more, so your entire business can be managed with ease.

So, what are you waiting for? If you want to create your own sports equipment business or sell exercise products online, contact Ecwid today.

Sell sports equipment online with Ecwid. Set up is quick and easy.
Learn more