[1-more]

You've spent half of your highest salary on bags? Feels like a lot but I'm just some guy. What was the biggest bag balance you've had on the books? Or are you buying and flipping at most one or two at any time? When you make these trips, do you have a US buyer lined up beforehand or do you find them once you're in the US?

[nine_k]

With 20% ROI collected in a few months, after all duties, it's a good deal, even if you pay with a credit card. (You can certainly get a cheaper loan if you're the kind of person to be invited to a bag-dispensing event.)

[xhkkffbf]

Loan? I certainly hope no one is taking out a loan to do this.

Well, I guess if the resell is pretty certain, then a loan is a smart business move. But really no one should be going into debt for an item like this.

[nine_k]

Certainly, a loan was mentioned only for reselling, as a typical business loan to finance a surefire-looking deal.

[GaryNumanVevo]

1) My wife loves Paris

2) Credit card points + Travel miles

[hammyhavoc]

Are you actually Gary Numan?

[GaryNumanVevo]

I think the biggest balance I had was ~$65k at one time. I'm buying one, maybe two per trip depending on what kinds of bags collectors are looking for in the US. I don't have a buyer setup before hand, but I'm in a couple of private facebook groups that I can usually find one a few weeks before I fly to the US.

[1-more]

> a couple of private facebook groups

There's the secret sauce: you need a high trust trade network. Well this is pretty cool. I love to learn about weird informal economies, thanks!

[GaryNumanVevo]

Yep! It's very similar - albeit much smaller - market to watches, collectable vinyl records, trading cards, etc. Just easier to rely on trust and word of mouth sometimes.