ebay business

[amex]

Hi, i would like to get in to the ebay auction business. Does anybody know where can i find a step by step system (book,cassett,video or anything) that help me to start making extra money in my free time?...Please reply ASAP...Thanks.

Amex

[philipwhite]

Unless you own a small business and are thinking of doing online sales of your merchandise, Ebay isnt the best business to get into. The people who seem to do well with ebay are the one who own their own business. Like a video game store or cd store.

Its like the internet bubble. the people that came out at the top were usually the brick and mortar stores.

[chiquito]

Well amex, you really don't need to own any business to start making money on ebay. Here is a link to a web site that i found and is very very powerfull and easy to learn because it shows you step by step how to buy and sell on ebay, and the best part is that you don't have to read anything because is on video. You can start making money in no time. check it out:
www.auctionsecrets.com/moneytime

[Peter T Davis]

I'm assuming that you mean you want to find a product to sell on Ebay, not that you want to start up an auction site to compete with Ebay. Ask yourself what you know. You should start a business in something that you know well. Do you have a hobby that you spend a lot of time with? Could be a business opportunity there. Keep in mind, Ebay works best for small, easy to ship items, that are unique or at least not mass-marketed, and have a high value (not nickel and dime items).

[Toni]

I do a bit of shopping on ebay, mostly for items that I just wish to photograph. (clocks, old keys, piggy banks.)

I thought I would be able to find some clock parts (gears) pretty cheap...but I always get outbid.

Junk sells great on ebay.

Damn near everything is a collectable, and there are lots of collectors. I still haven't been able to pick up a analog pocket watch, even the broken ones sell for more than $20.

I think a motivated person could make a decent living going to garage and estate sales...picking up cheap lots of items...and then auctioning the stuff on ebay.

Oh, and no I don't know of any book that would help upi.

Take care,
Toni

[Peter T Davis]

Hmmm, if you like to take pictures of old stuff you find on Ebay, perhaps you should form a partnership with an Ebay seller in your area...you take photos and you get free access to the items.

[Toni]

Good idea, Peter.

My problem is that I always have at least one kid attached to me at all times...so it makes getting out and about difficult.

That's why ebay is conveinent...everything is shipped right to my door, I can work on my photography from 8pm-1am while my kids are sleeping.

I do have a local antique shop that lets me borrow and photograph just about anything I want, which is really nice. And, I talked to a clock restoration store in town that has some unwanted bits and peices waiting for me. (I just need to go and get them )

Take care,
Toni

[Peter T Davis]

Yea, I understand that. My boy is a year and nine months now, and I can take him on short, easy errands, but he gets a bit wiggly if we're not in constant motion.

[Toni]

Constant Motion:

Do you find yourself rocking things back and forth (shopping carts, empty strollers, etc.) even when your kid isn't around ?

Or is it just me ?

[Chris]

There is this service that provides statistics on ebay auctions. You can enter a product and they'll tell you what recent prices it sold at. This tool would be invaluable in planning your ebay business (or deciding to do it at all).

If only I could remember the name...

Its a pay service, I remember that much, and when I heard it mentioned in this regard I recognized the name so its not that small either (or atleast I'd already heard of them).

I think the things that do best on ebay are the one-of-a-kind type things. For instance I sell swords, and I could sell the swords on ebay, but since these are manufactured and have tons of retailers the price competition is so steep it isn't worth my time. In some cases they're sold for like $5 over wholesale. I've even seen them go for less than wholesale. In those cases the swords are probably cheap knockoffs -- which is another issue I'd have to contend with.

Another statistic to look at would be how many auctions for your product end without any bids, because if that happens it means the market is more than saturated.

For starting ecommerce in general I think it is easier to start with higher priced items since you have higher margins and need to keep less inventory on hand.