The Practical Guide To Picking And Profit, by Kevin Reid

[Note: This book was provided free of charge by the author in exchange for an honest review.]

Just as this short guide (only eight pages on kindle or so) advises people to buy what they know, and to seek to gain specialized knowledge in a given subject that would allow one the chance to buy lower and sell higher, and thus earn more money, this book is itself an example of the analogous principal that it is best to write about what one knows, because it gives one a certain degree of competence and probably a fair amount of passion as well. Included in this guide is some commentary on the internet and also some advice on the best places to purchase items (along with the pluses and minuses of each), such as garage sales, thrift shops, rummage sales, estate sales, and auctions. Additionally, there is some thoughtful advice on becoming well-read, using the internet as an aid and not as a crutch and some advice on being able to walk away.

Among the most touching aspects of this short guide, and one that ought to please many readers, is the way that this book begins with praise of the author’s father in helping him get started as a picker, and in providing him with early encouragement. Additionally, the book itself deals with at least the most fundamental aspect of picking, and that is taking advantage of the knowledge gap between the buyer and the seller to buy lower, and then taking advantage of one’s information and labor premium to gain a high price from a buyer who values convenience, and doing a large enough volume of such good deals to make enough money for profit or even for a living. Although I am not very experienced at picking myself [1], I have enjoyed the experience myself at least as enjoyment, and no doubt there are others who will find in this short guide much encouragement and thoughtful advice for future reading and research. Perhaps a future edition of this guide will include some useful reading references for a would-be picker to provide further knowledge about where to go to gain even more practical knowledge about picking based upon what items one would want to learn how to resell for fun and profit, whether one buys antiques, guns, jewelry, or slide rules.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2012/10/20/picking-and-grinning/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/nose-picker/