Posey Gait Belt... re-selling medical equipment, knee braces, etc.

I found this gait belt sitting on a table, unused in the original box.  I had never even heard of a gait belt, much less did I know what it was for, but what got me was that it was new in the box, it had the original price tag of $25 on it, and they were only asking a dollar.  I figured it was worth at least $10, and at worst I would get my $1 education on whatever the heck it was.  

one of my pictures for ebay

Well, although the model hasn't changed,  this belt that was $25 a few years ago is now selling for $35.


A gait belt is used by nurses and care assistants to help move people who may need help walking or may not be able to walk at all.  See there?  I just shared my $1 education with you for free!

As with most any product, there were several factors that allowed me to sell this for $35 and turn a great profit:

• It was in brand new condition still in the original box.  Never discount the importance of this, even with something as mundane as a gait belt.
• I was able to get in a lot of key words in the title describing the belt, and I started it well below market value at $9.99, which was still a 1000% markup.  
• Little did I know when I bought it, this is a very common item and is often used to care for patients at home.  This means that people are paying for them out of their own pocket instead of getting them from hospitals and charging insurance. 

This is the second time I had a good medical score at a garage sale, the first was a knee brace and a recirculating ice cooler.  I paid $10 for the lot and kind of figured that I would end up eating it, but I had to find out so I bought it.  The knee brace ended up selling for close to $100, as it was a very nice brace with steel hinges and whatnot.  I would not have spent $10 on a simple neoprene knee brace.  The cooler had a pump and hoses so that it could circulate cold water from the cooler through the hoses.  I believe it sold for about $30.  I'm not sure that it was as nice as the one on the right, but it was the same idea.  That ended up being a heck of a find for something I figured would be a $10 education. 

Another medical item you see a lot is the standard walker.  You know, the kind that you would pick up and scoot forward then take a step to catch up and repeat.  Well, most of the ones you see at garage sales look like they are 20 years old while the plastic and rubber on them is yellowed and cracking.  I'm sure I don;t need to tell you, but stay away from these.  


There are however, good walkers to buy and resell.  The latest thing with walkers is the knee walker.  
Typically they have handlebars to steer as well.  Most knee walkers in good used condition will sell for at least $100.  The nicer ones in new condition will go for upwards of $300.  You can see the one on the left, these things have steering wheels, brakes, big rubber wheels.  I'd imagine there have been more than a few instances of the grand-kids taking granny's walker out for a spin.

As with anything, just be sure to check the condition and price it accordingly.  

Another item you see a lot are crutches.  Don't buy them, you'll have trouble giving them away. 


I'm sure there are a bunch more good quality medical items that are good for resale.  Do you flip medical items?  Tell us about it!