What to Sell on eBay - 7 REAL Tips for Finding Successful Products

This question has become one for the ages. There are many answers to it, few of which will actually help you. Today we will give you 7 tips you must keep in mind when you search for items to sell on eBay.

The problem with asking the question "What can I sell on eBay" is that you're likely to get one of a small group of boilerplate answers. These answers get repackaged and dispensed as brand new answers, however they are still the same, reworked, difficult advice.

The most common answers you will find are:

  • Look for items at garage sales, flea markets and estate sales.
  • Speak to manufacturing corporations and ask them if you can sell their products on ebay for them.
  • Buy from wholesalers.
  • Buy cheap items from retail stores.
  • Negotiate with stores to sell their overstocked items.
The problem with all of these things is they just don't work, they are too complicated, or they are just overdone.

How to Settle on a Product

There are 7 necessary tips to keep in mind when searching for a product that will sell well. To find the best product it must meet a number of guidelines.

  • Keep it small. Larger items bring with them a host of issues, from storage to shipping and everything in between. Unless storage is not a problem for you, keeping more than a few large items around can cramp up your extra rooms, basement and garage. The problem is that you need to be able to keep a large supply of items that you're selling to make any real money. Making $100 on a sofa is great, but it hardly pays the bills. If you have any ideas about quitting your job or supplementing your income, you will need to be selling a lot more of these. Heck, 3 or 4 sofas in a room should fill it up. So where are you going to put 10 of them? Keep your items small, and you can use shelves, drawers and closets for storage.
  • Can it ship easily? I know we covered the size issue in the previous paragraph, but it comes up again here. Even if you find the perfect product, you must be able to ship it easily and cheaply. You may find a great deal on rocking chairs, but how are you going to get a box around them? Not to mention, the shipping costs on large, heavy and bulky items can be in the hundreds of dollars. Look for products that can ship for a minimum amount of money. Anything from toothpicks to books fit the bill nicely.
  • Find a niche! If you try to sell everything to everyone, you will end up selling nothing to anyone. The more specialized you become, the better your chances of being able to offer unique items. For example, there are thousands of people on eBay selling DVD's. Prices have been cut down to nothing, and profits along with them. The only way to make money as a DVD seller on eBay is to be one of the few sellers who have huge volumes. Starting out that way is very tough indeed. On the other hand, if you sell a specific type of DVD, like old horror movies or cartoon sets, you will likely have better profit margins. The large DVD warehouses just can't move enough of them to make it worth their while. Come up with a few niches, and you should do pretty well.
  • Beware of seasonal items. Christmas decorations may sell well from October until December, but no one will be buying them in April. If you will be selling seasonal items, make sure you know when their season ends, and don't get stuck with a lot of leftover products.
  • Fads can be great money-makers for short periods of time, but after that, good luck getting rid of them. Think of Beanie Babies, Tickle Me Elmo and Cabbage Patch Kids. All of these fads enjoyed phenomenal sales due to their intense popularity. After the boom, however, sales (and prices) dropped immediately. Ride the waves of popular items, but beware of their life-cycle. Prepare for the end of the fad, even as you are beginning the selling.
  • Bring something unique to the marketplace. This seems difficult - and it can be. If you have access to something unique, such as a specialized book, health product or computer program that other sellers don't have license for, your products will be in demand. This tip is worth putting some time into. Think of ways to obtain such products, or modify existing ones (But be sure of your rights to do so!).
  • Sell what is in demand. Coins, stamps and other collectibles are always in demand. They are easy to buy and easy to sell and ship. If you spend time researching the ones that sell the best, for the most profit, you can do very well in this area. Try to come up with unique ways of presenting these items as well.
    • Hopefully these tips will get you started. Always keep in mind that uniqueness seems to be the key to eBay success. Even if you're selling existing and plentiful items, come up with a unique way of selling or packaging them, and you may just find the next winner.

    Good luck, and happy selling!

    ©2005 Matt Blasses

    Matt Blasses is the author of the groundbreaking ebook "How to Get Rich Buying and Selling Stamps on eBay - Even if you don't know anything about stamps."
    This ebook is available for immediate download at http://www.stampebook.com

    You can reach Matt Blasses at: mblasses@comcast.net

    More Resources

    Drop Ship Your Way to eBay Profits
    One of the most difficult things to do when looking to start an online business is to find that elusive supplier that will supply you, put simply you need a source of real products to sell. Drop shipping is a perfect way to achieve this and lets you develop the perfect online business.
    Start Selling On eBay - Getting Started On The Right Foot
    You've started your own eBay business and, even though it's part time right now, you know it's going to become a huge success. You are able to see the day when you can set your own hours, set your own dress code and call your own shots.
    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 Auction Selling Secrets - Using Ebay to Launch Your Very Own Highly Successful Website
    Launching your very own successful website is the dream of many people worldwide because it is a new way to make money and be employed by oneself with little overhead. So, once you have your website you will need traffic to make it successful.
    Making Money On EBay Can Be So Simple, Just Let Somebody Else Do All The Hard Work For You
    OK, so you've been bitten by the eBay bug!You've ransacked the attic, the basement and every other room in your home to find things to sell on eBay.When friends and neighbors ask you where everything has gone, you tell them that you're going for the "Minimalist Look".
    Online Auctions: 10 Secrets You Should Know Before Bidding At An Online Auction
    You may have heard about ebay and other online auctions.You may have participated in some of the biddings.
    Effective Auction Listings - How To Create Them
    Once you've created the best possible title for your item, you will move on to writing your auction description. Here, you have more space to give a detailed description of the item you are selling in the body of your auction.
    The Effects of eBay on American Merchandising
    With one brilliantly simple idea, eBay was born just a few short years ago.From its humble beginnings in the Collectibles business, it went on to achieve the lofty heights it enjoys today.
    How To Sell Santa's Slip-Ups
    Shoppers spent more than $15.5 billion this Christmas on gifts on the Internet alone.
    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.
    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.
    Hurricane Katrina Donations Could be Many Millions More - EBay Sellers Try in Vain to Help
    Yesterday I saw a mention in someone's email ezine about a kind person who had an eBay auction with the proceeds going 100% to help victims of the horrible Hurricane Katrina.It struck a chord with me because I had wanted to set up something similar, but found that the "eBay Giving Works" charity program seems to be terribly flawed for us small sellers.
    The Webs Best Online Auction Sites
    The best online auction links for buyers and sellers are - not surprisingly - eBay, eBay and eBay. eBay began the entire wacky world of online auctions back on the Labor Day weekend of 1995.
    How To Compete With Amazon.com
    If you are selling online,here is the down side of our business..
    Affordable Online Car Auctions
    Still hunting for the car of your dreams? Public car auctions online are becoming a happy hunting ground for car aficionados for they bring you a huge selection of affordable cars in various models at unbelievable prices.With online car auctions you can buy a new car at prices, which are quite less than the manufacturer's price in the retail showroom.
    How to Survive the Jungles of Ebay Selling
    Come with me, we are going to take a safari into the jungles of eBay selling, sometimes wrought with danger but most often rewarded with treasure.Beware of non-paying bidders, beware of auction snipers waiting to try and steal your eBay auction at a very low bid, but welcome the loot you will receive selling outdated relics in your house for a small kings ransom.
    7 Great Reasons Why You Should Start an EBay Business Today
    EBay is a great part or full time business. An Ebay Business can be used as a way to promote your Online Home Based Business.
    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.
    Online Auction Sellers - Seize Control Of Your Business!
    As the online auction model of business continues to evolve toward a more commoditized, corporate marketplace, it is time for online auction sellers to seize control of their business, before it's too late.In this article we will highlight some effective steps you can take to shift control back to your own business.

    More Auction Information:

    Related Articles

    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.
    Auction Image Hosting for Ebay Auctions: Free Single Most Recommended Tip
    It is a well known fact that the more pictures taken of an item, the better it will sell. Not only will you get more bids, but you will make a superior final profit.
    The Webs Best Online Auction Sites
    The best online auction links for buyers and sellers are - not surprisingly - eBay, eBay and eBay. eBay began the entire wacky world of online auctions back on the Labor Day weekend of 1995.
    Smart Ways Your Business Can Benefit From Online Auctions
    It seems as if everyone is talking about online auctions. And why not.
    EBay Feedback, 5 Key Things All EBayers Should Know
    eBay's user feedback system is one of the site's most important components. Without the conscientious comments recorded by both buyers and sellers, there would be no way for anyone to build up a trustworthy reputation in the nearly anonymous realm of cyberspace.
    eBay and Dropshipping - A Perfect Fit!
    eBay and Dropshipping go together like a hand in a glove. As you read this article, right now, thousands of eBayers are running there own auction business.
    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.
    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.
    5 Secrets for Increasing Auction Profits
    1. Include your ebay seller name, store, and website information with all items you ship.
    eBays Hot Selling Books, Find Out Which Books Sell & How To Find Them
    Selling books on eBay can be a very lucrative business! There are eBayers who sell only books and make a nice little income doing it. Where do they get these books to sell? At thrift stores, estate sales, flea markets, book fairs, yard sales, library sales, grandmas attic, etc.
    Increase your eBay Profits the Easy Way
    Sometimes the simplest things can boost the number of visitors and bids to your auction listings and increase your eBay profits.Robert G.
    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.
    8 Collectible Dolls That Sell Well on eBay
    From the beginning, eBay's primary growth came from thecollectibles market. There are two basic models for eBaysales:1.
    Fed Up With eBay?
    For many people, their first experience of working online involves selling products on eBay. This was how I got started back in 1998 and I know countless other people that have done the same.
    Garage Sales, Flea Markets, and Special Events... Oh My!
    The activity chart is an ingenious way to find, in order, events happening in your community throughout the day. Plug in 'www.
    To eBay or NOT to eBay
    FACT: eBay's Gross Merchandise Sales (GMS) 2003 - GMS, the total value of items sold, was a record $24 billion, representing a 60% year-over-year increase from the $15 billion reported in the full year 2002FACT:Over 79 million times a day, eBay users find products and brands of their choice.FACT:In the final quarter of 2003, reported and increase of 41.
    What Ebay Can Teach Us About Success
    I flew back to New York from Atlanta a few weeks ago and picked up 'Business 2.0' magazine for the flight.
    How To Compete With Amazon.com
    If you are selling online,here is the down side of our business..
    Internet Auction Sites : Find Good Deals on Almost Anything
    You can find good deals on almost everything you need on internet auction sites. There is almost nothing that you can't find over the internet.
    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.