How do you find products to sell on ebay?

Question

I have been selling used clothes and things on ebay, but I would like to start an ebay store. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get merchandise?

Answer 1

Well ebay themselves have wholesalers on their web site check that out otherwise there are millions of other wholesalers on the internet. Alot of them don't like to do business with small business owners especially from ebay so do some research and find out what works best for you and figure out how much you want to sell and how much profit you'll make. Say you only make a $2.00 profit on an item you have to sell a least 1,000 items a month to make a $2,000 dollar profit so figure out what to sell and how much it cost and how much of a profit you're going to be making. Also see if there is a market for on ebay by looking at the items that have been sold before you start buying from a wholesaler.

Answer 2

Tina,

Please do not use the link to alibaba!

It is a website full of Chinese counterfeiters.

Try buying items on deep discount in your local stores and selling those items.

Find something to sell that really excites you and interests you.

Start small. Get the hang of ebay before forging ahead with a store.

Answer 3

I wouldn’t suggest anyone to become a seller on eBay. The most important thing you need to know is: 1) eBay does a very poor job to enforce winning bidder to honor their bids. 2) you are always the last person who gets paid. First of all, you need to pay eBay insertion fee and final value fee. FVF only applies if your item is successfully sold. Second of all, you will be charge a PayPal transaction fee for payment processing service. Then you need to pay USPS, UPS, or DHL to deliver the item to the buyer. The left over amount, minus your cost and 15% of government tax, will be the actual amount that goes into your pocket.

Although eBay claim your item might be eligible for an insertion fee credit if your item didn’t sell or the winner didn’t honor the bid. However, you can only use it once. In order to be eligible for the insertion fee credit if your winner didn’t pay, you will need to first of all file an Unpaid Item dispute on the 8th day after the auction ended. Then you’ll have to wait another week for the winner to response. If the winner didn’t response, then you can relist your item and get your insertion fee credit when your item is sold the second time. However, if the Non Paying Bidder reply to eBay says they want to complete the transaction, then you’ll lose the eligibility EVEN THOUGH THEY STILL HAVEN’T PAY YOU.

Remember, never ever use the “Sell Similar” feature even you have like 100 identical items because once you list your item through “Sell Similar”, you’re consider relisting your item and you are automatically not eligible for insertion fee credit. Tricky huh?

The most stressful part is their feedback system. Sometimes, there are sick people out there, they bid on your item just to mess around. Some even leave you a negative feedback just for fun. eBay will not do anything to remove it. Even though you think you’re undeserved, eBay will not remove it unless they are presented with a valid court order stating that the comment is slanderous, libelous, defamatory or otherwise illegal. eBay doesn't remove Feedback without a court order, even if a member believes it is retaliatory, false, unfair, or harmful to his or her name, character, or reputation.

But these are nothing compares to their new feedback policy starting in May 2008. Sellers are no long able to leave negative feedback for bidder. Sellers can only leave positive feedback. Yup! Even the winner doesn’t pay; you still cannot leave negative feedback to him or her. The seller will have no way to find out the credibility of the bidder.

Sometimes if eBay thinks your shipping charge is unreasonable, your listing will be removed without prior notice.

My opinion is, don’t do it. It’s not worth the time since you don’t make much and it’s very stressful.

Answer 4

Check out wholesellers - or this website for free info http://FreeEbayTools.notlong.com

Cheers!

Answer 5

I sell on ebay and my best way is estate sales and yard sales...I got one connection in Palm Beach Fl and have sold thousands .It actually shocked me..I started selling what I loved which was antiques but alas they are not as valued as they once were..so I got a pair of Jimmy Choos used well they sold for over 300 dollars and it went on from there..then I found a 1950s robot from a yard sale and it sold for over 400 dollars..so then research on each treasure I found and after a while you begin to know what you are looking for...I paid 50 cents for the robot,,, now that's the fun way...of course you can buy lots on ebay and sell each one separately..I also go to places like big lots a wholesale store..whatever makes you happy..baby things of any kind..you can look at research on ebay and see what sells the best also,,auctions at local sources are also great because they will sell in lots at times ...

Hope this helps some

Answer 6

If your talking about new stuff there are plenty of places to buy wholesale. try here http://www.alibaba.com/ or http://www.wholesale411.com/

If your talking about used items,flea markets,brick and mortar auction houses, and of course the yard sales.

Good Luck

Answer 7

Yes a lot of scam on alibaba!