Got Tons of Empty Wine Bottles (Somehow)? How to Sell Them on Ebay
At my house two things pile up more quickly than I can deal with them: pizza boxes and wine bottles.
I used to dutifully march them down to the recycling center each week. But it turns out I’ve been throwing away an opportunity to earn money!
I haven’t yet found a way to make money off the pizza boxes, but I have discovered those wine corks and empty wine bottles can turn into big money.
We all know many states let you turn in glass bottles at the recycling center for a little bit of money. In fact, when I look at the back of recent yet-to-be-discarded bottle, I see Maine will pay 15 cents and Iowa will pay 5 cents per bottle.
Not bad. But I’ve figured how to get nearly 75 cents per bottle — and I live in Florida, which doesn’t have any bottle exchange program.
What to Do With Wine Corks and Bottles You’ve Got Piled Up
What’s my secret? Here’s how it works…
1. Collect and Clean the Bottles
Wine bottles will only sell if they’re clean, so scrub yours with hot water and soap.
You can leave the label on. A lot of people who buy empty wine bottles are crafters who may want to keep the label.
Save your clean bottles until you have at least a dozen before listing them for sale. If your family is anything like mine, that won’t take too long.
2. List the Wine Corks and Bottles Separately on Ebay
Ebay is a great place to sell your wine bottles and corks.
You want to split the corks and empty bottles into two separate auctions so you can make the most possible money. I’ve noticed wine bottles usually sell in lots of 10 or 12.
Auctions for wine corks sell in lots as small as 20 and as large as 500.
The wine bottles usually sell for about 50 cents per bottle, but fancier bottles can fetch near $5.00 each (hint: Cobalt blue bottles!). Wine corks, however, generally sell for about 10 cents each.
3. Send Your Bottles or Corks to Their New Happy Owner
Make sure you clearly list in your auction how much shipping will cost. Wine bottles are heavy. You don’t want to be stuck with a hefty shipping bill.
I recommend looking at other auctions to get an idea of what people charge for shipping.
Also, make sure you package the wine bottles to ship safely. Sellers are usually responsible for bottles that break because of poor packaging.
What Else Can You Sell on Ebay?
You might be surprised what you’ve got lying around your house that collectors and crafters are willing to buy for a pretty penny. Here are 25 things you might not expect you can sell on Ebay… from pine cones to dentures!
