Selling on ebay

[jo90]

I'm about to be made redundant and I'm trying to set up a business selling on ebay. Anybody any ideas on the sort of product I could sell - preferably something small that doesn't incur huge postage costs?
Any suggestions gratefully received.

[Ethel]

You need to know your product inside out and have excellent suppliers.

You can't compete with the online sellers of new dvds and cds, so don't even think about that.

What job are you being made redundant from?

[factor-fiction]

If you get a few ideas I suggest you check them out on ebay to see what your competitors are offering. You may find it's a very competitive market and there is no room for another seller or there is no profit to be made.... or you might find you have little competition. But as Ethel says, it's best to start with a product and market you know well.

[alavahalf]

Do your research... it's all there at the click of a mouse.
Pick a category .....look in that category for power sellers...these are the people who sell day in day out on eBay....they know their market....look at what they list and more importantly how they list it....find your suppliers..easier said than done...and go for it..!
If you have'nt sold on eBay before...Have a trial run...go to a jumble or boot sale... buy a few items that seem of interest to you..haggle for the best price...they expect it.
Bring them home...take a nice photo...it is'nt hard with digital cameras being as cheap as chips these days...
Have a look at how other people list similar items....give your items a bit of credability... manufacturer, owner a bit of history etc...
Parcel your items up and weigh them... work out your
postal price..and list it....
You may be surprised at what people will pay for something which to you has no great value.
I bought something for �250 on eBay... and then sold it for �1075..
Just by being a bit creative with the listing..I had 1850 people watching this item...
Personally I have'nt got he enthusiasim to commit to full time selling....
There are plenty out there who will sell you the info on how to make �1000s per month from eBay....beware..
Dont forget to keep records etc...as Gordon Brown will be watching your progress..!
Good luck......got to go as I've just received an email saying '' I have received an instant payment from an eBay member'' ...�45 for something that cost me nothing...you can't beat it..!

[Rollo]

By the time you have paid ebay's listing and final value selling fees, and Paypal's fees, you are going to need a large mark-up on your items before you start to see any profit.

Don't forget to take that into account, plus all of your other overheads.

[zzxxee]

autographs can do quite well if you can prove authenticity

[Twenty20]

Despite one of two of the previous answers, you'd be very hard pushed to make enough money on Ebay to substitute for a full time job (I'm talking about profit from sales not what you sell for). It's a great sideline but dont get sucked in thinking youre going to be making loads of money. You'll either have to be selling literally thousands of low mark up goods (which is highly improbable) or a few very expensive high mark up items (which if they dont sell could end up being very costly).

If you treat it as a hobby its fine.

[Ethel]

Twenty20 - lots of people make a very good living on eBay, as I do.
You have to put a lot of hours in during the first year or two, exactly as when starting up any other business; and two of my closest friends also have full time eBay businesses which show a healthy profit.

[alavahalf]

I don't take eBay as serious as I might...but it can't be beaten for selling most things. It has the biggest shop window in the world.
Today I have bought goods from the USA and Hong Kong.
Without eBay how else would that have been possible....
Loads of people sell low priced items using the sales tools which are there for everyone to use...
The guy in Hong Kong sells the same item over and over again for �1.99.. he has a feedback score of over 6500. just by repeating his own sucessful method time and time again.He makes a full time living from eBay.
Another UK based example...My wife asked me to get her some GHD hair straightners...in the shops expect to pay �120... from the eBay shop �90 delivered....before I bought them I had a look at the suppliers feedback...
She had a feedback over ...29.000... and had turned over of over...�40,000 last month..!!!
With todays doom and gloom, I think we are all wondering whats going to happen in the future...I think we are all ready to grab a good deal...and where else will you have your choice of bargains....I think eBay will carry on from strength to strength...so why not be a part of it...
I think we are all well aware that it's not easy at the start...but you have to start somewhere.
If you let charges, fees, and cost's get in the way you wont do it...

Nothing ventured ...Nothing gained...

[obNOXious]

I closed two cars sales sites and now sell ( almost) exclusively on ebay ( well for anything over 5 years old), plus i have another account for another venture on there.
A really good living can be made on Ebay but as Ethel says you have to have the will to put in a lot of effort, like anything else.
Good luck with whatever you choose:)

[rnchugg]

alavahalf what sort of things do you sell, i trade regularly to whats your log in name on ebay?

[jo90]

Well, thanks to you all for your answers. In brief, I'm being made redundant from M&S - we're one of the Simply Food stores that are being closed. (Funnily enough I put a question on answerbank as to how to perform in an M&S interview in 2006 - fat lot of good that turned out to be!!) However, I only work part-time so I need to make about �600 per month. Surely I could do that on ebay? My husband has been a seller on ebay for a couple of years so he knows how it works and how important a good description/photograph is. He's mainly been selling antiques.
Any further comments would be appreciated.
Jo90