11 YEARS ago, Zain Shah was working in a telecom company making a little over £7 an hour.

Now, he runs a small business with a team that made £500k last year – and it's all thanks to an easy side hustle he reckons anyone can do.

To find out how you can turn a cheap buy into a profitable scheme, Fabulous chatted to Zain, a former ''9 to 5iver'' who has since also launched a YouTube channel with over 26k subscribers.

Zain first realised he could make extra money after a customer asked for a specific kind of earphones with a zip that the store didn't have.

After going home, Zain, originally from Pakistan, had a look on AliExpress where the phone accessory was going for £2 – and he instantly saw an opportunity.

Without much thinking, he ordered around twenty pairs, all of which were then sold on eBay and Gumtree within 24 hours.

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But instead of making a small profit, he increased the price to £9.99 – almost five times the original.

Since then, he's ventured into charity shop buys and inexpensive bits and bobs from Poundland, as well as items from Argos.

''People might wonder – why those people can't go straight to Poundland?

''If somebody is living in a countryside, they don't have Poundland close to them. So people buy those items online,'' Zain explained.

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Zain's How To

The first thing Zain noted to anyone looking into reselling items online is taking a leap of faith.

''The rule of business is if you're not willing to take a risk you will always be working for someone who is willing to take a risk.

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''God forbid something happens when I go outside – but that doesn't mean I will stop going outside.''

Just as important, he added, is knowing what your priorities are – you can easily spend hundreds each month on takeaways… or you can invest the same money into a business.

You need to take action – it's completely worth it.''

Amazon vs eBay

''Once you buy something from China, let's say 200 pieces in the range of £500, you can send them directly from China to Amazon – and Amazon will do the storing and packing for you.''

However, whilst this is a great option for someone looking for a extra cash on the side of their regular job, there are regulations to be aware of, such as tax returns.

Although according to Zain, it's ''not that difficult'', new starters might find eBay easier to navigate – but this means you will be responsible for packing and shipping.

Most profitable products to sell – and what to avoid

In Zain's eyes, food supplements will do ''really, really well'' in the upcoming years, as there's been a shift in the health and well-being industry.

As well as offering work-from-home products, the whizz suggested looking into phone accessories, such as charging cable.

''If your cable breaks down, that for most people is literally end of their life,'' he chuckled.

Sharing his experience, Zain also listed the items to best steer clear of- and seasonal bits, such as decorations for Christmas or Halloween, are one of them.

''In my personal preference, I also stay away from selling clothing and shoes – […] because in the e-commerce world, we actually lose a lot of money from returns.''

Selling in two

According to the pro, it's also worth looking into selling bundle items.

This is because most of the times, the price for posting and shipping two items will be the same as when you send off just one.

''Shipping is very expensive when it comes to e-commerce. So if you're paying same shipping for two items, it makes sense to bundle them together.

''Bundle a charging cable with a plug, or bundle two or three cables together – one you can keep as a back-up as well.''

When it comes to setting up the price, Zain advised his fans to go for an increase of five times – and this is what most retailers do when you're shopping.

''Even the items in Poundland – most of the time they will buy them for less than 15p.''

However, if you end up making just 10p for one item, don't be disheartened – it's 10p that you didn't have yesterday, Zain reminded, adding that in e-commerce it's all about quanity.

It might be just 10p but if you're selling a 300 of these a day, you're making a bigger profit.

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''£500, £600 to start a business doesn't hurt anybody.

''You need to take action – it's completely worth it.''

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