Looking for a good side hustle this summer?
Once again I’ve accidentally stumbled upon another interesting one that I never would have expected. Flipping inflatable swimming pools!
Yes, those typically cheap plastic pools that usually are hard to sell at Wal-Mart and other department stores are almost impossible to find.
It took me a moment to figure out why this was happening, but soon made sense. Due to the current crisis (the one that is causing everyone to wear masks), many people are reluctant to go to public swimming pools. Sometimes they simply can’t go because their local public pool is closed.
If you have kids you will quickly put 2+2 together and see why plastic pools are in huge demand by parents around the country.
I remember last year buying one of these pools for around $20. I have seen the same pool selling for $1,000 on eBay!
Sometimes the extreme high selling prices on eBay are not accurate, but it is possible someone out there actually paid this amount. Perhaps desperate, rich people?
There are numerous other auctions that show pools have sold not quite as high, but still at the insane price of around $250.00. Check out this screenshot example below:
So, how can you make money reselling inflatable swimming pools? Simple. You find them at a local retail store near you and list on eBay. You can also try selling on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist, but eBay will probably bring you the biggest profits.
You may have to put a high reserve price on your auction and be patient before someone buys at a high price as some are not selling nearly as high. Be patient and wait for the not so savvy shopper so you can at least double your money.
The hard part is finding the pools at normal retail cost.
Where to Find Inflatable Swimming Pools Near Me
Just like with one of our earlier side hustle ideas (Selling Tik Tok Jelly Candy), this one will also require a lot of legwork and luck.
Look at it like a fun treasure hunt and spend a day hunting stores nearby. You could also stay at home and call around, but from my experience, that is not always accurate and reliable. One lazy employee may simply give you the wrong information because they don’t want to check or perhaps they want to buy them.
So your best bet is have fun, grab a friend or family member and go shopping.
The crown jewel of pools right now is the Play Day brand 10 foot family pool:
Here are some typical stores you might be able to find pools at:
Wal-Mart – Historically, Wal-Mart is usually packed to the gills with swimming pools and supplies. This year is much different. In my area they not only don’t have the cheaper ones, they also don’t have the gigantic above ground pools in stock either. The link to Wal-Mart goes to their store finder page. Put in your location and start your quest…
Target – Target may or may not have the good ones. Tough to tell. They seem to have ones that are slightly more expensive than Wal-Mart. If you find a store that has pools in stock, search for that specific pool on eBay using their official app or simply by going to their website at eBay.com.
eBay – Ironically it is possible that you may be able to buy on eBay and relist, holding out for a price that makes it worth your time and effort. Right now I see one auction that ended recently for the pool at $109.00. The same pool also has recently been sold by another seller for $20.
Other stores to check: Lowe’s, Home Depot, Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Sam’s Club, Big Lots, Costco etc.
If you luck and and find some to resell, be sure to factor in shipping costs. You won’t want to offer free shipping on one of these as they are usually fairly heavy.
If you can’t find the Play Day pool mentioned above, but see other pools for sale, they may be worth flipping. Simply do a quick price check while you are at the store on eBay. Filter by sold or completed listings to get an idea of what they are selling for.
Swimming Pool Side Hustles
Other than flipping pools, I believe the swimming pool industry is going to be huge for a long time, even after this mask wearing season is over. People will be wary of public swimming pools and will likely prefer having their own above or in ground pool.
Consider starting a pool cleaning service, or learn all the ropes on how to fix pool equipment such as pumps that help keep the water clear. Here’s a video by the Six Figure Pool Man on YouTube who explains how you can make $100/hour cleaning pools.
Other services to consider include painting, maintenance and repair.
Also consider flipping essential items such as chemicals, parts, skimmers and more.
Conclusion
Due to people being wary of going to public swimming pools (or pools being closed), the swimming pool industry will likely be solid for at least a few years.
Take some time to do some additional searching/research to see what services are currently offered or in demand near you. Call up a local pool company and ask them what services/products are most in demand. Search social media sites such as Facebook & Twitter and see what questions customers are asking existing companies.
Before I go here’s a quick screenshot from Google Trends to give you an idea of what people are searching for:
So anyone keep this on your radar if you are on the hunt for a side hustle or a full time business.
If you ever need help trying to find an idea for a side hustle that matches your passion and interests, feel free to contact me and I’ll do my best to help. Good luck!