Everyday new users look into the possibility of establishing a home-based business centered around selling on eBay.
It is not as easy as it sounds.
To sell on eBay as a hobby is one thing. To organize it up as a full or part time business to generate income is something more serious and requires some prerequisites.
First you must prepare a business plan and a budget.
Like any mail order business, newcomers should have business (preferably retail) experience, with good marketing skills and adequate capital (money does not grow on trees).
They should be familiar with the basics of both consumption and income tax legislations affecting their business. GST and PST regulations can be tricky.
They should understand currency conversion, banking, international trade and methods of payment available to online buyers.
More importantly, they should sell what they know and know what they sell.
I am not a paid eBay employee and, as such, cannot offer direct business consultation and advice. For assistance, you should take a look at the many threads of the last few weeks on this Board dealing with a vast variety of subjects. Start with the Selling 101 thread:
http://forums.ebay.ca/thread.jsp?forum=13&thread=100007162&modified=1109682709634
Then take a look at other Canadian Boards such as:
New to eBay: http://forums.ebay.ca/forum.jsp?forum=41
User to User Help: http://forums.ebay.ca/forum.jsp?forum=9
Then, one should invest some time on the PayPal Discussion Board (on eBay.com):
http://forums.ebay.com/db2/forum.jspa?forumID=97
and the eBay Stores Discussion Board (also on eBay.com):
http://forums.ebay.com/db2/forum.jspa?forumID=21
While you are on eBay.com, take a look at other Discussion Boards which may offer you good free advice:
http://pages.ebay.com/community/boards/index.html
If you target primarily the American and overseas markets you should list on eBay.com in US dollars; if you target the Canadian market list on eBay.ca in Canadian dollars.
Finally, before setting up your business, invest a few dollars and get some professional help for business and tax (GST and PST) registrations and bookkeeping (unless you already have the necessary expertize).
Good Luck.
It is not as easy as it sounds.
To sell on eBay as a hobby is one thing. To organize it up as a full or part time business to generate income is something more serious and requires some prerequisites.
First you must prepare a business plan and a budget.
Like any mail order business, newcomers should have business (preferably retail) experience, with good marketing skills and adequate capital (money does not grow on trees).
They should be familiar with the basics of both consumption and income tax legislations affecting their business. GST and PST regulations can be tricky.
They should understand currency conversion, banking, international trade and methods of payment available to online buyers.
More importantly, they should sell what they know and know what they sell.
I am not a paid eBay employee and, as such, cannot offer direct business consultation and advice. For assistance, you should take a look at the many threads of the last few weeks on this Board dealing with a vast variety of subjects. Start with the Selling 101 thread:
http://forums.ebay.ca/thread.jsp?forum=13&thread=100007162&modified=1109682709634
Then take a look at other Canadian Boards such as:
New to eBay: http://forums.ebay.ca/forum.jsp?forum=41
User to User Help: http://forums.ebay.ca/forum.jsp?forum=9
Then, one should invest some time on the PayPal Discussion Board (on eBay.com):
http://forums.ebay.com/db2/forum.jspa?forumID=97
and the eBay Stores Discussion Board (also on eBay.com):
http://forums.ebay.com/db2/forum.jspa?forumID=21
While you are on eBay.com, take a look at other Discussion Boards which may offer you good free advice:
http://pages.ebay.com/community/boards/index.html
If you target primarily the American and overseas markets you should list on eBay.com in US dollars; if you target the Canadian market list on eBay.ca in Canadian dollars.
Finally, before setting up your business, invest a few dollars and get some professional help for business and tax (GST and PST) registrations and bookkeeping (unless you already have the necessary expertize).
Good Luck.
