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. Fromantique washboards to brand new wedding gowns, everythingunder the sun can be found within the many categories inone of the web's most popular websites. Many entrepreneurshave used the website's popularity to their advantage andsell things on ebay. With little start-up costs, using eBayas your marketplace instead of a traditional storefront,selling items on eBay is an excellent means for anyentrepreneur to develop a successful business.

There are many e-books and websites devoted on how to startan ebay business, so resources abound on the World Wide Web.You may want to seek out individuals who have started asuccessful eBay business for their stories and helpful tips.You can find these individuals by directly contacting themthrough their eBay sites or through business-relatedwebsites. Additionally, you should check out the websitesof other eBay sellers, especially those selling thingssimilar to your goods. Finally, access the eBay websiteand find the specifics on how to go about setting up youreBay business. You will find some auctions will be moresuccessful than others. Many sellers choose to set theirauctions to end on a weekend instead of a week day. Thesesellers have determined their auctions tend to elicit morebids during that time since more potential buyers areonline.

Regardless what you choose to sell on eBay, keep in mindthe size and shape. You will be shipping all auction itemsto their buyers, who will cover the cost of shipping intheir payment. For this reason, many buyers may behesitant to bid on items that will be expensive to ship.Additionally, you will want to choose items that willeasily fit into a standard-size box, since oversized items(even though they may be lightweight) will be expensive toship. You will want to be knowledgeable of the shippingpolicies of the United States Postal Service in additionto other shipping companies. Furthermore, if you plan ofshipping a large volume of items, you should consider whereyou are going to get your shipping supplies. Many sellersadd in a slight handling fee to cover the cost of thesesupplies.

Just as with starting any business, carefully consider whattype of eBay business you wish to start. Deciding whatitems to sell will be a huge part of the start-up of youreBay business, as you must figure out where you are going toget your stock. Many sellers choose to sell their handmadeor craft items instead of purchased goods. Other individualschoose to sell antiques on eBay instead of renting space inan antique mall or setting up a traditional storefront shop.If you currently participate in an "at-home" business such asMary Kay, Pampered Chef, or Creative Memories, eBay is anexcellent way to expand your clientele. Many buyers arelooking for these items but do not know a representative ordo not wish to wait the traditional order time to receivetheir products.

Whatever you choose to sell on eBay, the appearance andwording of your auction will make all the different when itcomes to selling your products. Perhaps the most importantfeature of your auction website will be the photographs ofthe products. Investing in a digital camera will pay offquite well in the end, as most eBay users do not look atauctions unless they have images of the product attached.Your description should compliment your image and describethe product to the utmost detail. If there are any flawsin the item, be sure to note this and even take a picture.You will find sellers would rather bid on items they knowis slightly damaged instead of thinking they have beenduped when they receive your auction in less than mintcondition. The buyer feedback that makes up your sellerrating will be quite important, since you are sellingitems based on your good faith.

John Evans runs http://www.SuccessAlert.com, and has written the book Success Alert - Conversations with Successful Internet Entrepreneurs which has been widely acclaimed in a variety of online and print media. If you want to learn to sell things on eBay this book is an absolute must-read!

More Resources

USP on eBay
If you have dabbled at all in the world of Internet marketing, you may have heard the term "unique selling proposition" or USP. USP is a technique that Internet marketers use to set themselves apart from the competition.
Selling through Auction Marketplaces
Consumers are increasingly feeling more comfortable in buying products through the Internet. According to a report released recently by the Department of Commerce first-quarter retail salesrose 23.
Auction Seller Guide To Success
When its time to clean-up around the house, some people havea hard time deciding what to keep and what to throw out.What they need is an incentive.
Buying Used Dell Laptops, PCs and Servers on eBay - How to be successful
Two years ago I needed a way to refresh more PC's and Laptops at my company without spending more. New Dell laptops were great but expensive and over the years we had accumulated many Latitude C series parts.
eBay Gold
Internet auctions are relatively new having been around since the mid 1990's. There are several Internet auctions including Yahoo Auctions and UBid.
Start an Easy Home Business: Become an Ebay Trading Assistant
EBay's online auctions have created business opportunities for thousands of people. Now the Trading Assistant program is making it easier than ever to start a business from home.
How To Sell Internationally On eBay Without Risk
Many people just getting started on eBay have reservations when it comes to selling to International buyers. Possibly they've heard a few second-hand horror stories, or they feel it's simply not worth the extra hassle.
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.
Ten Sure Fire Ways To Lose Bidders
The way some auction sellers approach their auctions, it's clear there are as many ways to lose bidders as there are to skin a cat. If you spend enough time in the auctions you'll see a lot of basic mistakes, but the question remains: why do so many people consistently make the same mistakes over and over again.
When is Wholesale Really Wholesale
You've finally found the wholesale source for the high demand widget that is selling like hotcakes on the Internet. Thoughts of watching the money pouring in and celebrating the new found success selling widgets has you so excited that you can't wait to buy 5 widgets at wholesale and double the investment.
5 Secrets To Make A Killing on EBay
Secret #1: Find a 'real' wholesale and drop ship companyDo you know what one of the biggest problem is to be successful on eBay? 'What should I sell"? I can tell you, I get many emails per day from eBay sellers, asking me what they can sell. Let me explain this more in detail.
How to Generate Extra Cash in an Instant
With so many out of work, laid off or staying in dead end jobs to make the ends meet, we need creative ways of generating extra income. Here are a few simple, innovative ideas to get the cash you need quickly.
Using Online Ebay Auctions to Promote Your Website - Confessions of a True Traffic Junkie
If you are looking for traffic to your e-commerce site, you should look no further than Ebay. The reason for this is Ebay is an online auction site that has a huge following and millions of hits on a daily basis.
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.
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.
An Introduction To eBay Consignment
After I started selling on eBay, I was approached by friends without computers who wanted me to sell their items for them. They had heard stories about the outrageous prices items some ebay auctions brought.
So What Are YOU Going To Do About eBays Fee Increases?
Unless you have been hiding under a rock, I am sure that by now you have heard that eBay is raising its fees. So what's a small merchant to do? Here are some suggestions.
Save on EBay Fees with Free Image Hosting
Experienced sellers at online auction sites such as EBay will tell you that the single most effective tool of persuasion is a good image. Multiple images are even better.
Top Internet Businesses
The internet is packed with web businesses jockeying forthe attention of regular users. Selling everything underthe sun and offering a substantial array of services, theinternet is quickly becoming the favorite of users,surpassing traditional catalog and store shopping.
The Number 1 Biggest Secret to Selling on Ebay
Ebay.com is a Tool.

More Auction Information:

Related Articles

Four Huge Mistakes Ebay Sellers Make (Even Some Moderately Successful Ones)
No matter how many times I see it happening, I'mconstantly amazed at the number of people who areliterally throwing money away by making incrediblysimple mistakes when they sell items in an onlineauction. Over the last seven years, I've been making a greatliving buying and selling products on eBay and otheronline auction sites, and I've perfected a techniquethat pretty much guarantees anyone can start making aprofit right away.
Get Yourself A Piece of The eBay Pie
Ebay is without a doubt the greatest internet marketing phenomenon of all time. Millions of people log on every minute and every second there are hundreds of items listed, sold and bought, and of course money is made.
eBay The Mega Marketplace For Everyone
eBay is one of the world's largest market places with over 35 million visitors per day. That first sentence is worth repeating because I want you to realize that eBay gives you the ability to reach a customer base of millions and millions of people which is beneficial to you.
The Benefits of Buying and Selling Locally
Shop at a flea market in Oaxaca, Mexico. Trade with a vendor in London, England.
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.
eBay Online Auction Sniping Secrets
Since their introduction several years ago, online auctions, such as eBay, have been one of the hottest destinations on the World Wide Web. Auction sellers are attracted by the prospect of a broad venue for their products and the possibility of high profits resulting from emotion-driven bidding wars.
Drop-ship or U-ship: That is the Question
For small Internet retailers, drop-shipping is one of the best innovations since sliced bread. How else can a start-up offer a wide variety of products and convince customers that they have a fully-stocked warehouse-while investing virtually nothing in inventory or warehousing? Before you jump right onto the drop-shipping bandwagon, however, there are some pitfalls to avoid.
How To Use A WYSIWYG HTML Editor To Make Stunning Ebay Auction Listings
What kind of browser are you using for online surfing? Explorer, Netscape, Firefox, Opera?? Sure, all are good programs but I want to talk about an excellent program called Netscape. If you use Netscape, do you know that you also get an amazing WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) web design program called Netscape Composer for free? Basically you don't need expensive HTML editors anymore.
How to Make Money from Internet Auctions
If your business is not using eBay and other Internet auctions, you could be missing out. Here are just a few ways of generating additional income, profits and cashflow from online auctions.
Auctions Make Money!
An untapped online business resource--outside of your basic Yahoo and Ebay, among others--is setting up your own auction sales venue.Since most families have items in their home that have outlived their usefulness, they can get started at online auctions for mere pennies.
Photos on my eBay Auctions: How Do I Add Them?
On another forum I'm involved with, someone's asked a great question: I want to sell products on eBay, but I want to include photographs with my items. How do I do that? What kind of camera do I need, and what settings should I use?The first step is to buy a digital camera.
The Top Sellers On eBay & What We Can Learn From Them
A fascinating eBay case study is the number one seller on eBay, a little outfit called Marie's CDs, but is better known under its old name "1 Cent CD." Jay and Marie, current ID "jayandmarie", are an institution on eBay and are a big part of what makes eBay such an amazingly popular phenomenon.
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.
From Ebay Zero to Power-Selling Hero: Don't Be That Random Ebay Guy
If I could convey only one concept to someone who wasabout to start selling on Ebay, it would be this: no one has ever purchased anything on Ebay with this in mind--"I think I'll buy something on Ebay from some random guy and pay more than I would at the storedown the street."No one has ever said that.
Selling on Ebay-Get Started in 7 Easy Steps
Ebay auctions are definitely the easiest and fastest way to start earning money online. Ebay.
Profitable Paper Piecing on eBay--Part 1
Why sell paper piecings on eBay?eBay is a great way to make a steady part-time or full-time income from a hobby that you love! Selling paper piecings has its ups and downs, but overall it is a rewarding and lucrative venture.Getting and Understanding An eBay AccountTo get started selling paper piecings on eBay, you will need to set up an account.
The Powerful eBay Bidding Strategy That Claims A 99% Success Rate
Don't you just love it?You've found that special item on eBay that you've just got to have!No If's Ands or Buts, you've got to win that item.You've checked and double checked the "End Of Auction" time and date and you're at your computer, signed in and raring to go at least 30 minutes before the auction ends.
Buying Used Dell Laptops, PCs and Servers on eBay - How to be successful
Two years ago I needed a way to refresh more PC's and Laptops at my company without spending more. New Dell laptops were great but expensive and over the years we had accumulated many Latitude C series parts.
How Do You Find A Reliable Dropshipping Source?
A Dropshipper is someone who will anonymously send the goods you order to your customer! There are no markings on the box and no invoices enclosed! Finding a reliable dropshipper can prove to be a strenuous task. When selecting a Dropshipper you want to be sure to find someone that has a large inventory and quickly replenishes items that become sold out!You also want to find someone that is helpful and knowledgeable about the products they are selling! Make sure to contact them before you consider reselling their items, see how quickly you get a response and how helpful the response is! Remember this is the same service you can expect once you are in business with them! If it is less than your standards consider using someone else!How do you find a Dropshipper? There are several ways to find a Dropshipper perhaps the easiest is to purchase a list from an online auction! Thoroughly read the context of the ad and ask questions if need be.
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.