The internet has become a place for people worldwide to purchase clothing, jewelry and other specialty items ⁠— especially in recent months due to COVID-19. Here are some ways you can take advantage of this new market and make a few bucks from home.

Sell your old clothes

There are several apps made to give people the chance to sell their used clothing. Some simple-to-use apps include Depop, Mercari and Letgo. Owners can create their own pages that feature their clothing.

Thrift shopping can be a sustainable way of adding new pieces to your closet. During COVID-19, I noticed that multiple thrifting accounts on Instagram have been more active.

These Instagram accounts would post different clothing pieces to their feed, then followers would bid for items they want. Sometimes the clothing is marked “BIN,” which means buy it now. 

Melissa Wax, recent high school graduate from Romeo, Michigan, said she created an online thrifting account on Instagram in August 2019. 

Wax said she always loved thrifting and found running the account enjoyable. She said she hopes to create her own clothes someday.

Selling homemade jewelry on social media also became a popular niche for online sellers. Interested buyers can customize pieces of jewelry they want. 

Etsy Shops

Jessica Nevins, Palouse local and WSU alumna, founded That Blasted Glass Company in Moscow. She said she uses Etsy to reach a broader audience of customers.

She can sell her products to people in places from California to Vermont as well as nationwide. Nevins said she likes not having to rely on people to stop in a shop in Pullman or Moscow.

Nevins blasts glass into different designs for pint and whiskey glasses. Most of the designs include skylines of cities, like Pullman, she said.

ThatBlastedGlassCo took a hit in sales due to not having opportunities to sell at events, such as Mom’s Weekend and the craft fair traditionally hosted at Beasley Coliseum, Nevins said.

Redeem money for grocery receipts

Fetch is an online app you can download on your iPhone or iPad to redeem points for your grocery receipts. When accumulating points, you can earn gift cards from large markets such as Amazon, Walmart, Target and more.

Online surveys

A common way to make additional money is to complete surveys online. There are websites where you can earn rewards for giving your opinion on certain topics, or if you leave reviews for stores. 

Swagbucks, an online survey website, has rewarded its members over $430 million in cash through PayPal or even gift cards to places like Amazon and Walmart, according to the website.