I am trying to start an on line business and I have had very poor luck getting anything to sell. any pointers

[kaj_09.aus]

Anyone have any pointers to be a successful seller on ebay?

[rainbow71113]

basically try to sell things you know something about.  For instance if you like comic books and know about conditions etc you might try old book stores, thrift shops etc...you want to buy things at a good low price so that you can turn around and pay the fees, make a profit etc.  Every type of item is going to have it's pros and cons.  Large heavy items are very expensive to ship so you will have a lot of problems if you want to sell internationally.  Books can be tricky because even though you get them cheap at a garage sale, you go onto ebay and see hundreds listed for $1.00...no point in listing something that cheap when you factor in the listing fee, final sale fee and paypal fee.  Electronics can be problematic because of possible damage during shipping so you have to be prepared for a lot of claims for damaged goods.  Perfumes and brand name items can be restricted to how many you will be allowed to list.  Paper products are the easiest to sell but you might have them listed for years before they do sell so be prepared to pay a lot of listing fees if you put them into a store and let them sit- they will roll over every 30 days (if you chose that option) but will also charge you each month.   If you have a hobby and lots of extra stuff around the house start there.  If you are listing clothes make sure they are cleaned or drycleaned.   Hope this helps, good luck!!

[scifan57]

You also want to sell items that not every second seller on eBay is also trying to sell at the same time. Your listings will get lost in the crowd. Ideally you want to find a niche product that has a good demand and has a reasonable profit margin.

[reallynicestamps]

Buy low, sell high.

Sell what you know, know what you sell.

Find a niche product. The most popular items to buy have heavy competition.

Realize that the market will change and you could be stuck with unsaleable merchandise.

If you are selling clothing, give the measurements.

Describe as if you have no pictures. Picture as if you have no words.

Pay attention to shipping and packaging costs. Bubblewrap ain't free. Buy a digital scale and a measuring tape.

For shipping use metric measurements.

Your title is 80 of the most important keystrokes you can use. And they are FREE!.

Sub titles are not searchable.

Watch your fees. Most options are useless.

Always help a bidder cancel a bid. Some sales are not worth having.

Set your Seller Preferences to Block bidders with Strikes for non-payment and without active Paypal accounts.

List in US dollars.

[femmefan1946]

Once you decide what you are going to sell, finding it is at your fingertips.

Let your fingers do the walking.

The Yellow Pages.

Yep, the old paper phone directory.

Because it takes a long time for ads to appear in the phone book, companies that advertise there can be relied on to have been in business for more than six months.

Unlike online businesses which may have uploaded their website 20 minutes ago.

And they are local, which means you can inspect the goods you are considering.

You are looking for wholesalers, liquidators, jobbers, manufacturers, and importers.  Any business with those descriptions are useful.

Also on the "sell what you know". If there are salesmen coming round where you work, ask them about end of line, deadstock and odd lots of products that you understand. (If you are a plumber, you already know about plumbing parts: if you are a hairdresser, you understand salon brands and perhaps hair ornaments and bridal veils) .

At first,you may have to pay up front for these. A dedicated credit card may help keep your books straight. As time goes on, your suppliers will give you more time to pay.