SIGNING the delivery slip Lucy Mccarthy, 45, drags a half-pallet size box into her living room and begins opening it.
Unlike most people who buy items online Lucy barely has any idea what’s inside her huge delivery.
She bought her beauty box haul from an online auction house for £130.
She only knew it contained expensive Chanel no 5 moisturising creams and samples, Ted Baker perfumes and a mysterious selection of returned items, and unsold beauty products.
The one other thing the photographer from Coventry, West Midlands, knows for certain is the contents of the box will mean a boost to her bank account.
“I buy mystery pallets of beauty products from auction houses and sell them for hundreds. It’s my secret to boosting my bank balance but anyone can try,” Lucy said.
“I bid on the box lots at weekly online auctions run by specialist auction houses. I know what some of the products are. The rest is a mystery.
“It’s not a gamble, it’s a money-making game changer for me.
“I can’t believe more people aren’t using this secret side hustle.
“My mystery pallets have included Chanel and Kiel beauty products, Jo Malone soaps, Kylie Jenner creams, GHD hair straighteners, false eyelash kits, Brazilian Bum cream, expensive sex lubricants, and new electric razors.”
But she also gets wacky items.
“One box contained a massage device for a single finger,” she said. “It took me three days to work out what it was.
“I have also found beard bibs. Boxes including beard dye kits, wigs, random wet wipes and five bottles of flavoured sex lubricant.
“I sell the products separately or in bundles.
“They sell like hotcakes. I also give posh products to friends and family as gifts.
“I can turn an £80 auction win into a £300 profit. It’s free money that is a bundle of fun”.
Single Lucy discovered her secret mystery box money making method two years ago.
Here's where to buy the most popular return pallets:
“My mum loves Chanel face cream,” she said. “I was googling for outlets with the product available on sale she wanted.
“I came across an auction site that had a beauty pallet listed including the Chanel moisturiser my mum loves.”
The advertisement listed some of the ‘mystery pallets’ contents and included some pictures of what it was inside.
“I knew the Chanel items would make a great gift for mum. There were beauty products my sister wanted, and Christmas was coming up.
“I decided to give it a go and see what I received.”
Lucy won the auction and the final price of £136 included the auction house’s 20% fee and door to door shipping.
“When the box arrived, I was a little worried I’d been ripped off.
“Instead, I found a treasure trove of beauty products from samples to box gifts.”
But she issued a warning: “Every box you get will contain some items that have been opened or leaked.
“You might get products that have broken but the majority of each box’s contents is new.”
Buy your postage bags from shops like Poundland.
Find Auction houses selling pallets online – remember they add a handling fee and postage.
Bid on different auction house lots – don’t get not a bidding war.
Check out the auction house photos to know what the biggest sellers from pallets will be.
Keep a level head and be sensible!
Assess the box haul when it arrives and make a list of items.
Know the retail price of the items you get and price them at a discounted amounts.
Do bundles up with smaller items.
Offer mystery gifts to successful bidders – people like something for free.
Take clear photos of items and communicate properly
According to Lucy the items come from stores or businesses which have gone out of business, items returned to big companies, end-of-run products or items which were over-ordered.
Lucy, who used to work as a personal shopper in Harvey Nicholls used her beauty industry knowledge to turn her auction win into a profit.
“I selected the posh items or expensive products I knew could sell on their own,” she said.
“This included the Bum Bum cream, Chanel and boxes of Holly Fitzsimmons eyelashes which retail at £16 each.
These items Lucy sold individually on eBay.
“I then put together beauty bundles,” she said. “This is one of the best ways of selling products from mystery boxes.
“I put the wigs, wig combs and wig care kits into one bundle and it sold for £30.
“I sold bundles of beard dyes and included the beard bibs as well as some men’s beauty product samples.
“The sex lubricants and creams were a surprise when I discovered them in the box. They were all properly sealed. I put them up as a bundle and sold them for £30.
“I also popped in a free gift for some aroma samples that said it made men irresistible to women.”
Lucy also offers free mystery gifts with some of her listings on eBay and says it’s one of her top tips for ensuring successful on-selling.
“I listed the Kylie Jenner baby creams and included a gift of children’s hair bands I found in one of the auction boxes.
“Customers love it. They get something for free and it encourages them to buy your items.
“Initially my friends and family were worried I was getting ripped off.
“I was bidding on boxes having only seen a few of the items in the photograph listed by the auction company. Some reckoned I’d be scammed.
“But when they all started receiving birthday gifts of posh beauty products and I told them they’d come from my mystery auction bid they were thrilled.
“Like everyone I struggle to save with the cost-of-living crisis. I wanted to find a way I could still give amazing presents but at almost no cost. This is it.
“I get Chanel and other beauty products for almost nothing and my family and friends are gobsmacked.”
Lucy is always careful to not over price her items on eBay.
“I have worked in retail, and I know what the cost price and the retail price is of items,” she said. “I wanted to ensure my mystery box items sold and I had repeat customers.
“I keep my prices reasonable.
“I don’t buy pallets weekly. It’s only when I need some extra cash to pay a bill. I don’t have a big budget to buy lots of pallets.
“This method suits people with all different budgets to make a little extra money.”
“I offer ‘buy it now’ prices or auction options. The free gifts and bundle options are the best way to move your items quickly and at a profit.
Lucy always keeps a list of all the items each box contains when she unpacks it.
“I write the product down and research it. I can then price it properly or put it into a beauty bundle.
Lucy is also careful not to get into a bidding war on the auction house site for pallets of products.
“I keep my business head on,” she said. “I focus on what I know.
“But I’ve made around £500 and I’ve paid for a week away, the gas bill and dinner out with mum.”
