eBay - The Basics

I began selling on eBay in 1999 and have found it to be an enjoyable and profitable experience. I had owned a retail computer store for a few years and decided to close it. I still had a lot of computer inventory and soon discovered eBay was a good resource for selling the parts.

This turned into an ideal situation as selling this way became a home-based business and the overhead was very low. This was a plus to my income opportunity. A spare bedroom in the basement soon became my eBay selling room.

As time passed, more people began selling computer parts and the margins were getting thin. I needed to come up with a new idea that would keep my profit margins at an acceptable level. Instead of selling the computer parts, I would compile a list of my resources and then sell the list as a wholesale resource. The computer wholesale list became an overnight success on eBay. The list has cost me nothing except time, and I was able to sell the list several hundred times. I compiled the list in Excel and also in a text file. Another option was to have it burned to a CD and then mailed to the customer. I charged an extra fee for the CD, and sold quite a few that way too.

After selling the wholesale list for a few months, eBay changed the rules and would no longer allow cross-posting the same item, and also limited the number of times the same item could be listed at the same time. This change caused sales to drop, and I eventually stopped selling the list.

I still had the eBay bug, and was looking for other (http://www.auctionmanger.biz) eBay resources to sell. I started going to garage sales and looking for unique and inexpensive items. This was also another successful resource and lasted for about a year until more people started realizing this technique, and it was getting more difficult to find the bargains.

The next resource I started using was going to auctions and putting the items I purchased on eBay. So far, this has been another good resource and one that I still use. My best buys are when I can buy a quantity of an item for a very low price.

One example was several boxes of HO scale train cars, engines and accessories. There were over 300 items and I ended up paying $150. That came out to 50 cents for each item. There was a lot of work photographing and writing a description for each item. The worked paid off as each item sold anywhere from $3.00 to $12.00 each, making a very nice profit margin.

Selling on eBay is still a resource for additional income, and I am always on the lookout for the next big sale.

James Hendrix has been putting people in business on the Internet since 1996. He has experience with web hosting, development, marketing and search engine optimization.

More Resources

Use Auction Templates For eBay Success!
Auction templates are simply a must for successful online auction selling. One day I spent approximately 45 minutes writing a listing for an item that would make me about $5 in profit! I suddenly realized the stupidity of what I was doing.
The Benefits of Buying and Selling Locally
Shop at a flea market in Oaxaca, Mexico. Trade with a vendor in London, England.
EBay Income Possibilities
If you've ever read an article about eBay, you will have seen the kinds of incomes people make - it isn't unusual to hear of people making thousands of dollars per month on eBay.Next time you're on eBay, take a look at how many PowerSellers there are: you'll find quite a few.
Top 10 Free Online Wholesale Resources
By the time that a product has made it to your local retail store, it's probably changed at least three people's hands, possibly even more than that. And each one of those people had to mark up the cost of the item to cover their investment and make a profit.
Your eBay Username - What Does It Say About You?
Have you tried to register a decent eBay username and been frustrated at the poor names left available? With over 125 million people using eBay in 2004 it is understandable that a lot of the good ones have gone.How important is registering a good eBay username (User ID) anyway? Well that depends - you may be wanting to register a username for business use so getting the right one would be important.
Selling Effectively on Ebay Motors
Remember back when selling online was a new experience? Dealers tried everything to sell their vehicles online. Today's market has expanded to include several hot online marketplaces but there is the largest online marketplace, Ebay.
How Professional Ebay Auction Templates Can Boost Your Ebay Sales
Do you like to sell on eBay ? It's easy and fun, isn't it ? In fact, it's one of the easiest online business you can start almost overnight, without any major investments. That's the best thing about it.
Used Cars For Sale On EBay
There are thousands of used cars for sale on eBay everysingle day. In fact, eBay Motors is the most profitablesales division on eBay and naturally there are manyentrepreneurs who are interested in jumping into thismarket.
Multiple Income Streams on eBay within 30 Minutes!
POWERSELL Status, the secrets revealed.If like thousands of people you have been using eBay and wondering how to gain a regular income, and work from home, this article will help you.
5 Sure-Fire Ways to Make More Money on EBay
Have you ever dealt with a salesperson or a waiter who gave you unbelievably good service? How about someone who didn't seem to care about you one bit?Which of those people would you go back to the next time you needed to make another purchase or eat another meal?I'm willing to bet you would go back to the business or person who gave you great service. Have you ever considered that this same principle applies to your eBay sales?One of the easiest ways to get more sales on eBay is to make every buyer think "Wow, I've never had such a good experience buying on eBay!"Once someone has bought from you and had a good experience, they're much more likely to buy from you again.
Finding Products to Sell on eBay
Do you know how many people in US are earning their livelihood with the help of eBay? According to a new survey conducted on July 2005 by ACNielsen, a leading research firm, an astounding 724 thousand Americans respond that they rely on eBay for their main or supplemental income. Apart from these professional sellers, another 1.
The Drop Shipping Business
You have suddenly found the perfect business and you are all geared up to make lots of money. You have see the ads about Drop shipping and it sounds great.
Police Auctions & Government Auctions Professional Resource Information
Police Auctions Information:No, a police auction is not where you go to buy a policeman. Most people do not realize that police agencies, including local police departments, county sheriff departments, as well as state and federal law enforcement agencies end up with a lot of confiscated, lost, or abandoned property.
eBay Motors : Buy or Sell a Car on eBay
Are you having trouble finding a great deal on a car in your local area? Well, join the club. Using Online Bidding at eBay Motors can be the perfect answer you've been looking for.
Profitable Paper Piecing on eBay -- Part 2
Basic Paper Piecing TipsHere are some tips that will help you create paper piecings that will sell!Save some time by eliminating the "tracing" of patterns. Take your pattern, lay it over your cardstock and use your stylus to "trace" it onto your cardstock.
The Top Ten Tips For Auction Success!
If you were to look through eBay, or any other online auction site for that matter, you would find that many people make some very basic mistakes. And, they repeat these mistakes over and over again.
6 Reasons Why an eBay Business is the Easiest and Safest Home Business to Start
Calling internet auctions an "Entrepreneur's Dream" isn't poetic license or part of the get-rich-quick rhetoric. Net auctions are the simplest, easiest way on this planet for the little guy to make money.
eBays Latest Fee Increases--Is this the beginning of the end?
On January 13, eBay sellers received an unwelcome announcement from eBay. Fees were going up.
Join the Home-Based Business Revolution
Greetings, Friend. So you've decided to go into business.
Auction and Its Benefits
An auction is basically a public sale wherein any object issold to the highest bidder. It can be defined as a process of purchasing and selling things by offering them up for bid, taking bids and selling the things out to the highest bidder.

More Auction Information:

Related Articles

Louis Vuitton -- Avoiding the Ebay Nightmare Fakes
Without a doubt, eBay was one of the cleverest on-line ideas that anyone has had so far. The idea of creating a site where you can bid on and buy items ranging from an eggcup through to a disused Boeing 747 or a Nuclear Missile Silo was pure genius.
Dont Sell Grandmas Jewelry at a Yard Sale...Get More Money
Have some vintage jewelry? There are several ways you can sell collectible or vintage costume jewelry. How much your vintage jewelry is worth depends on several things.
Start Your Own Business: Sell Things on eBay
The popularity of online auction site eBay has beenlegendary. With millions of transactions completed daily,it is no surprise why many individuals who do not usuallyshop online regularly purchase items through eBay.
How To Sell On Ebay: Pricing Strategy
Many new Ebay sellers make one of two mistakes: eitherthey overprice items to an unsellable extreme; or theylose money on every transaction by setting low startingprices with no restrictions.In this lesson, I am going to go over which pricing strategies to use and when if you are using a ten-dayauction setup.
Killer Tips To Succeed With eBay Auction
For just a moment, try to comprehend the power of the Internet. Every day, there are millions of people from around the globe "surfing the web.
Online Auctions Business
Online auction sites are a great way to find a bargain on almost anything and an excellent way of getting the best price for selling something of your own. Online auctions are different from their real-world counterparts.
Where To Find Items To Sell On eBay
One question that always seems to pop up is, "Where do I find products to sell on eBay?" Here are some ideas to get you started.Start at HomeWhen you first get started, it can be a little unnerving.
Royal Memorabilia -Smart Trading and Fake Dodging
This is my second article about trading royal memorabilia on eBay and other online auctions. We're going to explore just what items are really tradable, how and where to find your stock and mention some definite pitfalls to avoid.
Can You Really Make Money Selling New Release CDs & DVDs On eBay?
Being an active eBayer, I am often being asked about products to sell. A common question is "Where can I purchase products such as new release CD's DVD's and Video Games for Playstation and X box at a 75% to 100% discount.
Nine Simple eBay Selling Hints
Some of these eBay hints will save you money, others will result in higher prices. Either way, these will help you run more profitable eBay auctions.
eBay - Profiting With Books By Janette Oke
Janette Oke is a Christian writer whose books about life, love, values and faith have a huge following among women today. Each of her Christian books for adults falls into one of six different series she wrote.
How To Sell On Ebay: Using Store Policies To Cement Your Credibility
In your quest to build credibility as an Ebay seller, few things are more important than creating and following consistent store policies. Doing so will provide your customers with an attractive buyingatmosphere, where they will feel safe making any transaction.
How To Write a Traffic Pulling eBay Auction Title
Selling an item on eBay should be simple but it is surprising how many people make some very silly mistakes.As a buyer this is fantastic, you can pick up some absolute bargains by finding poorly listed items.
Easy Money on Ebay?
Ebay was only two years old when I discovered it.A friend I worked with was also starting to sell on Ebay at about the same time, and we exchanged ideas and experiences constantly.
5 Ways to Drive Traffic Away from Your EBay Auction
eBay is a one-stop solution to any one who wants to make money online. Whether you just selling a few unwanted items from around your house or your want to develop a work from home business, eBay removes many of the obstacles for you.
Dont Be A Victim Of Online Auction Fraud
The Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC) reported that last year 7.7 million dollars was lost through online auction scams.
Be Realistic When Selling on eBay
As some of you know, I spent many years buying and selling both on and offline and several of my products are based upon my own experience in this area. I know that the vast majority of my customers and subscribers have an interest in trading whether it be on eBay or at the local market but more and more I am seeing people with completely unrealistic expectations of what they will be able to do.
Authentic or Fake?
1. Admit It: Old business models are no longer working.
How To Profit Using eBays Saved Search Feature
Did you know that eBay will help you locate products you can buy cheap, then flip for a quick profit? No? Then listen up, because I am about to let you in on a little known feature of eBay that can literally stuff wads of cash in your wallet in less than 24 hours.This is an eBay tool that I use every day to locate products that I can buy and resell or buy cheap and keep for myself and my family.
eBay - The Basics
I began selling on eBay in 1999 and have found it to be an enjoyable and profitable experience. I had owned a retail computer store for a few years and decided to close it.