How to Sell on Ebay

September 17th 2005

Ebay has become one of the most popular internet destinations.  This could be a testament to America’s love for shopping.  Shopping has become one of our favorite pastimes.

Vendors have set up their own permanent stores, making eBay much more than a big online swap meet.  Companies like Home Depot, Sharper Image and IBM have jumped into the fray. 

The marketplace has an abundance of unscrupulous sellers, and there are even more unscrupulous buyers.  Some sellers require a minimum feedback rating before they will allow a member to buy from them.  This helps minimize the risk of fraud.

Why is eBay so appealing?  I think most people appreciate the fact that they can also sell their used items on eBay.  If you buy a new video on eBay you can turn around and sell it to someone else.  If you kids outgrow a toy or clothes, you have an avenue of recouping some of your cost.  You can even accept credit card payments with Paypal. Try doing that at the swapmeet without a merchant account.

Let’s examine how some of the professional sellers make it on eBay.  It is incredibly easy to open a business and it has become a cut throat industry.  Everyone is competing for that sale.

There are a couple ways to approach the selling business.  Many sellers have found sources for “open box” or store return items.  This is why you may see a DVD recorder sell for $39 that would normally sell for $200 in the stores. 

It is an appealing way to beat the competition, but selling returned items will lead to a lower feedback rating and more returns to you.  Also, the items may all be a little different.  Some may include the instructions, others may not.  This could increase the amount of time required due to product inspection.

If you are willing to deal with the competition, there is an easier approach: Sell new first quality items.  The number one question people ask me is “where do you buy you stuff?”  The best way to find vendors is through trade shows and trade magazines.  After a decade or two you will pretty much know everyone in your niche.

There is no honest get-rich scheme out there.  If you want to succeed in any business, there is lots of work involved.  There will be many Friday nights sitting in front of your computer.  Forget the weekend; that is a wonderful time to take pictures and create ads.

In future articles I will describe the tools you will need to operate a successful eBay business.  You will need a digital camera, scanner and a little seed money.  I will compare the various eBay marketing companies.  We will also discuss what items sell better than others. 

There are other markets channels to sell on besides eBay.  We have tried a few including Yahoo, Amazon and Overstock.  These other sites are appealing and usually cheaper, but they don’t get the traffic.  Stick to eBay.

By Dan Wilson
Best Syndication Staff Writer

  Ebay Selling Books

Keywords and misspellings:  eBay ebay Ebay selling seling