Coupons don’t just save you money—they can also make you money!
Whether it’s electronics, clothes, online promo codes, or grocery coupons, we all use them to save money.
But today, you’re going to learn how to make money by selling coupons on eBay.
At the time of writing, I counted 38,957 coupon listings on eBay for auction, and some of these bids look fantastic!
But isn’t selling coupons on eBay illegal?
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It’s not illegal, but it’s more of a “not allowed” situation.
Most coupons are designed in a way that prohibits resale. eBay also insists that you include wording to that effect, or you risk having your listing deleted.
But if you’re clever enough, you can make it work!
To get around this issue, eBay sellers phrase their listings to make it clear that the winning price is merely compensation for their time spent collecting, clipping, and shipping the coupons—not the actual face value of the coupons.
Table of Contents
Can You Really Make Money Selling Coupons on eBay? (My Test Results)
Before writing this post, I decided to try it myself to see if it actually works.
I listed three different items:
- A pack of 50 Marlboro coupons with savings worth over $150 for $15.
This was a “Buy It Now” listing and sold after just two days for $15. - A pack of 8 Lowe’s 10% Off Coupons.
This was a “Bid Now” listing and sold for $25 after 8 bids. - A pack of 13 “Save $1.00 on Cottonelle” toilet paper coupons.
This was also a “Bid Now” listing and sold for $7 after 6 bids.
Sure, I had a few dollars in listing expenses, but the coupons themselves were free (I’ll show you later how and where to get them).
It probably took me less than 15 minutes to list them.
After subtracting a few dollars for expenses, I was left with around $40 in pure profit. Not bad for 15 minutes of work!
This experiment showed me that selling coupons on eBay really works—people do buy them. So, I did some research to learn as much as I could about it.
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The most important thing I learned is that to make real money selling coupons on eBay, you need to sell “high-value” coupons (more on that later).
Sure, it takes discipline to gather enough coupons to make a decent income, especially if you’re after those rare, one-of-a-kind coupons. But your time and effort can be well compensated when you find in-demand coupons that fetch significant bids.
Best Places to Find Coupons to Sell on eBay
There are lots of places you can get coupons for anything—groceries, clothes, tools, prescriptions, and more.
Here are some of the best places to look:
- Coupon Books
One of the best places to find high-value coupons is the famous Entertainment Coupon Book from entertainment.com. It costs about $20, but you get coupons worth thousands of dollars. - Newspapers
Despite predictions about the decline of print media, newspapers remain a top source for coupon inserts. Even if you don’t need all the coupons, you’ll likely have extras to sell. - Magazines
Many magazines include manufacturer coupons. Check out Woman’s Day, Redbook, Family Circle, and Good Housekeeping. - In the Store
Some stores place coupons directly on shelves for customers to grab. Many also print coupons for you at checkout. - Friends & Family
Another great source is friends and family. Just ask if they have any unused coupons they’d be happy to give away. - Online
There are tons of websites dedicated to providing coupons. Coupons.com and SmartSource are two of the biggest. - Junk Mail
Sure, junk mail can be annoying, but I’ve noticed more and more high-value coupons appearing in those mailers. - Direct from the Manufacturer
Most manufacturers have a coupon section on their websites where you can print deals. Some even send coupons by mail. - On Products
Many products now come with coupons attached to the packaging or hidden inside. It’s a strategy manufacturers use to encourage repeat purchases.
Step-by-Step Guide to Selling Coupons on eBay
Selling coupons on eBay is just like listing any other item, but with a few key differences that helps you make more money.
Most eBay sellers sell their coupons, usually of the same type, in bundles of 20 or so, but you don’t necessarily have to stick to that number.
Over time, I’ve noticed that buyers don’t really care if the coupons come in lots of 20. In fact, I have seen several transactions occur at the same price as the 20-lot listings, even when the bundles contained as few as 15 pieces.
However, if gathering 12-15 copies of the same coupon feels like too much hassle, you might consider listing your coupons as a mixed collection. In this case, you could pitch your coupons as a value-for-money offering, perhaps in lots of 100 or more.
Tips for a successful listing:
- Take advantage of Free Listings: eBay offers 5 free auction listings per month, so use them to test the market without upfront costs.
- Bundle smartly: While 20-lot bundles are common, many sellers successfully sell smaller bundles (as few as 15) at the same price.
- Provide clear details: Be upfront about key coupon details, including expiration dates, exclusions, and whether they can be doubled.
- Offer variety: If collecting multiple copies of the same coupon is too time-consuming, consider selling mixed coupon packs with a range of discounts.
How to list your coupons on eBay (quick steps)
Before starting, obviously you’ll need to log in to your account. If you don’t already have one, sign up. It’s free!
- Click on “Sell” in your eBay account (top of eBay’s homepage)
- Choose “Create a Listing” and pick “Coupons” as the product category.
- Write an SEO-Optimized Title. For example: “20 Grocery Coupons – Save Up to $100 – Free Shipping!”
- Upload clear pics. Make sure your photos show the front and back of a few coupons to build trust.
- Describe your listing. Mention the type of coupons, expiration dates, and any restrictions.
- Set pricing & format. Choose “Buy It Now” for quick sales or “Auction” to let buyers bid.
- Select shipping options. Some sellers offer free shipping by mailing the coupons in a regular envelope.
- Publish your listing. Double-check details and click “List It” to go live.
By following these steps, you can start making money from coupons with minimal effort. Whether you sell in small bundles or bulk packs, the key is to keep your listings clear, competitive, and enticing.
How Much Can You Earn Selling Coupons on eBay? (Real Examples)
It’s hard to provide an exact number.
It depends on various factors, including the type of coupons you sell, how you package them, and whether you list them as “Buy It Now” or “Bid Now.”
During my research, I found individuals making a few hundred dollars a month. I also spoke online with a seller who claims to make around $1,000 a month selling coupons on eBay and Craigslist.
One thing is for sure: I don’t think the majority of us can rely on selling coupons on eBay as a full-time income. However, making some extra money is certainly doable.
Final Thoughts: Is Selling Coupons on eBay Worth It?
I would love to hear from you if you have any experience.
Are you currently a coupon seller, or have you ever sold coupons on eBay? Did you make a good profit?
I tried selling one coupon on ebay and got a message saying that my account was too new and I was not an establish trader, so I wasn’t allowed to sell coupons.
Hmm… I have never encountered that, nor have I heard of anyone else having this issue, David. Have you tried to contact eBay?…
I too have that problem… I get automatically denied listing anything related to coupons because I am not a proven, experienced seller.
I have read the coupon policy numerous times and, though I’m not a lawyer, I don’t believe I am in violation of their policies.
Other people are selling the EXACT same coupons! (I don’t know how to become an experienced seller if I’m not allowed to sell anything!)
That is weird. I really don’t know what would be causing this, Betty. Have you tried contacting eBay?…
How do you determine your sale price for the coupons??
Hi Myrissa,
Thanks for your question.
The easiest way is to look at the past “Sold” numbers. You can search on eBay and refine the search setting to show you only the items that have already sold. Looking at those numbers, you can get a good feeling for what people are willing to pay for the kind of coupon you are selling.
Hope that helps. Let me know if you need help.
I think they have updated their policies. It now says that you are NOT selling your time to collect the coupons and that you shouldn’t say that. Also that you cannot sell more than 25 coupons in a month.
“Under eBay rules, the coupons themselves are the items being sold.” -http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/manufacturers-coupons.html
Thanks for the heads up, Ambaa. eBay, like most other companies, do update their policies from time to time. Thanks for letting me know. I’ll check it out.
Yeah, this article says updated in 2015 but Ebay changed its coupon policies in 2013 and there is no mention of that. They have such strict rules that it’s impossible to make any money without breaking the rules and your competitors will report your listings to eliminate you as competition. It did not happen to me but I saw it done.
LF, that’s why we have the “But I thought you couldn’t sell coupons!?” section in the article.
ebay sent me a message that I can only sell 25 coupons per month and they even went as far as to freeze my account for 24 hours so how did you sell so many at one time?
Denise, this was before eBay implemented the new rules. Selling coupons on eBay was much easier and more profitable a few years ago. But since they have changed their rules things have changed a little.
Here is what Ebay allows:
Allowed
You may sell up to $100 or 25 valid, unexpired, original coupons per month. (See additional information below for more guidelines.)
Restricted
Multi-quantity listings: You can’t sell more than 25 coupons in a single listing. The allowed 25 coupons per month include multi-quantity listings.
Make sure you clearly state in your description how many coupons you’re selling. If we can’t tell how many coupons are offered, the listing violates our policy.
Not allowed
Coupons for “free” products: You can’t sell coupons for “free” products. This restriction includes coupons for free items, or coupons where the coupon holder buys a quantity of items at one price, and receives additional items for free.
Electronic “scanned” coupons: All coupons sold through eBay must be physical coupons printed on paper, not coupons that can be sent electronically to the buyer to be printed. Also, to reduce the potential for coupon fraud, don’t include unaltered scans of coupons in their listings that could be copied, printed, and redeemed in stores.
Note: The sale of scanned or photocopied coupons may violate federal copyright laws, and sellers of unlawful items like these could face prosecution under federal law. We don’t allow the sale of these kinds of coupons.
Coupons for recalled items: Coupons for items that have been recalled can’t be listed on eBay.
Recalled coupons: Coupons that have been recalled can’t be listed on eBay.
Coupon Inserts: Coupon inserts containing numerous coupons commonly found in Sunday papers or delivered with your mail or to your door.
Additional information
Coupon buyers should note that retailers might refuse to accept coupons that have been obtained in a way that violates the terms on the coupon.
Also, you can’t claim that the price of the coupon is based on the value of the labor involved in clipping the coupons instead of the coupons themselves. Under eBay rules, the coupons themselves are the items being sold.
Thank you so much for taking time to explain the details for us, Tamara. I am sure a lot of people reading this will benefit from it.
If you don’t mind me asking, do you sell (coupons) on eBay as well?
I see tons of Home Depot and Lowes coupons for 10% everywhere. They are selling 20+ every 24 hours. Where do they find these? They’re all coupons that they email to you when you buy so they aren’t even physical coupons.
I also read the Ebay policy today and it says you can’t sell more than 25 coupons in a month for some reason.
Thanks for sharing this information. I’ve collected tons of coupons fromg places like Bed Bath & Beyond, Skoal, Johnson & Johnson and other popular stores/brands and I never use them. I never considered sell them on eBay but after a quick Google search for best places to sell coupons, I ran across your site and have decided to give it a whirl. I will post a follow up after the coupon auctions I post end and let you know how well I’ve done with selling them and which ones sold.
Sounds good, Amber. I look forward to hearing about your experience. Good luck.
You can’t make any money selling coupons on ebay since they restricted sellers to 25 coupons a month.
I love coupons, these are how I me and my 5 kids get by.