Showing posts with label eBay inventory. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eBay inventory. Show all posts

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Can you believe we are already four months into 2013? How are things going so far for you? Hopefully sales are going well. Now would be a good time to start increase inventory or with the Spring season upon us (even if it does not look like it). Take advantage of spring cleaning to find new items for eBay or Amazon. If you are not sure where to start, let’s take a look at this month’s “Ramping Up” tips.
Sign up for coachingI have been sharing tips from my blogs for many years. There is a lot of information here to consider. If you are at a point where you do not know where to start or where to turn, consider asking for help. I have coached many sellers. Many were just starting out, some were looking for direction for their established business, some were very experienced. No matter where you are on your path to a successful business, I can help. If you would like to schedule a free coaching consultation, click .

Get ready for Mother’s DayMother’s Day is one of the busiest seasons of the year. Not only can you sell the items Moms want, also consider offering gift-wrapping as well. Make sure this is something you do well. Your customers will not be happy with less-than perfectly wrapped gifts. If your talents lie outside wrapping gifts, you may consider using gift boxes or bags for the gift just make sure your listings details your services. If you would like a few suggestions on what items may sell well, here is a list:

  • Handbags
  • Watches
  • Jewelry
  • Cell Phones and Accessories
  • Fragrances
  • Consider selling in a new categoryEven if it is sometime temporary, you could increase your earnings through a new niche product line. April is when people start thinking about their upcoming vacations. You could start selling things like shorts, short-sleeved shirts, or bathing suits as people build their summer wardrobes. Don’t forget things like beach towels, lunch bags (for the car rides), swim shoes, and flip flops. If you are crafty, you may even consider making uniquely decorated flip flops and selling them on Etsy.

    Related post:

    What Should I Sell on Amazon and Where Do I Find It?

    eBay Listing Types – Fixed Price or Auction?

    Private Personal Coaching

    Thursday, December 27, 2012

    If you are thinking of expanding the inventory you offer, you may not have to look far. You may have sourced inventory in the past but there is an alternative. Maybe making your own inventory is the way to go.

    This could be a great option if you are in a remote location from the stores where you usually source your items. Maybe the weather is keeping you close to home or creating items is a way for you to wind down. Either way the outcome could help you increase your inventory.

    If you are thinking this is a good idea but do not know what to make or how to make it, you should take a look at Craftsy.com. Crafty is a directory of crafting classes you can attend online. The site offers classes on everything from knitting and crocheting to cake decorating and weaving. For the experienced, crafter the site offers projects and patterns to help you find new items to make.

    Once you have your items, you could use them as gifts or sell them on sites like Etsy.com, Goodsmiths.com, or TopHatter.com. Craftsy is currently offering free mini-workshops. Click here to see a list of the free classes.

    Related posts:

    Pure Cashmere - Sell It on eBay Even If Damaged

    Make Money On eBay Without a Product

    eBay Not Working For You? List of eBay Alternatives

    Tuesday, October 30, 2012

    Image courtesy of DeMoss Designs

    As we find ways to build our inventory, we can often find ourselves moving along with the pack. Sometimes we find what we sell is being sold by many other sellers as well. It can be a waiting game. That is okay. But there are other items you could consider.

    Marketplace sites like Etsy, Goodsmith, and Bonanza give crafters and other creative artists the opportunity to offer their wares to a large community of shoppers who are looking for something original. This is also an opportunity for you as a seller to find an original product to offer. Many Etsy sellers are offering wholesale pricing on the products when they are sold in lots. You may find woodcrafted items or sewn items that may be great to offer during the holiday season.

    For the Etsy sellers who are looking for a little help in getting started selling wholesale, Etsy is creating a wholesale marketplace. While the site has not launched yet, Etsy is accepting sign-up for both wholesale vendors and buyers. Once the site is launched, this will allow you to connect to many sellers in the Etsy community who are looking to connect with sellers. For the crafter, it gives them an opportunity to concentrate on the actual art and not finding the individual customer. For the seller, it is a chance to find unique and uncommon items to offer your buyers. To sign-up, visit this link.

    Related posts:

    FREE Wholesale Sources for eBay Inventory

    Point/Counterpoint: Can eBay Sellers Make Money Without a Wholesale Supplier?

    Working with Wholesalers to Obtain eBay Inventory

    Friday, September 7, 2012

     

    It is finally here! My first book on Kindle. Originally written in 2008, I have recently updated my best selling ebook, "What to Buy at Thrift Stores to Sell on eBay for Profit." Throughout my eBay career which began in 2003, the most frequently asked question I hear is, “What do I buy to resell?” This ebook contains a list and short description of items I have found in thrift stores that sold for good profit on eBay. There are countless “What to Sell on eBay” lists for sale out on the internet. Many of these lists contain rare items that sell for insane prices. Most of us will never find these rare items such as an authentic autographed baseball card, rare coffee mugs selling for hundreds of dollars, or one-of-a-kind authentic Star Wars collectibles.

    This eBook is a practical list of items commonly found in thrift stores that sellers can find repeatedly and sell for at least $10 or more profit. This eBook is about using the resources available in your community, rather than the rare score that will result in several hundred dollars profit. It’s my personal list of best sellers. These are items that I have found in thrift stores regularly that have sold within a few months, and produced a 50% or higher profit margin. From 2003-2009, eBay was my full-time job and I learned to sell thrift store items as a way to support my family. $10 per item profit may not sound like much, but when you learn to source and sell 300-400 items a month, the pennies and dollars add up.

    With some effort and persistence, the average person can find and sell these items repeatedly. Making money on eBay as a business is about consistency, repetition, and perseverance, not so much the huge occasional scores you see on the news. This list does not include everything I’ve ever sold or every possible item you could find to resell for profit on eBay as the possibilities are endless. Remember, eBay is constantly evolving and trends will change. Continue to do your own research to stay in touch with the latest “hot” items on eBay. These are my personal best selling items since I started selling on eBay in 2003. Consider this list a starting point that you can then add to as your knowledge and experience grows.

     If you do not have a Kindle reader, you may still be able to read the book using one of several kindle apps. Click here to see a list of Kindle apps , including the Kindle reader that can be installed on your desktop computer. I am thrilled and honored to be a part of the Kindle community. Check out my eBook here, and find out what good sellers you might be leaving behind in your local thrift stores!

    Thursday, August 16, 2012



    I am sure you have seen the stories about the rare finds that fetch millions on eBay. There was the video game collection that sold for more than $1 Million. There was the painting found at Goodwill that fetched more than $15, 000. While these sales may have been motivation for you to get started or come back to eBay, those opportunities are few and far between. The fact that they are not common occurrences does not mean that money cannot not be made on eBay. To be profitable on eBay is a process. Starting on eBay doesn’t not take a lot of money either. You do not have to invest thousands or even hundreds to begin your eBay businesses. The video below helps to explain.




    As the video shows, it does take work to be profitable on eBay but it is possible. The trick is learning what to buy for resale. Check out by book on Kindle, "What to Buy at Thrift Stores to Sell on eBay." This book showcases 40 items that I commonly find in thrift stores and sell on a regular basis.


    Related posts:

     #1 Way to Increase eBay Sales with No Extra Work


    Online Seller Success Story - From Unemployed to Living the Dream

    What Opportunities Are Available To You?


    Monday, July 30, 2012




    I have been finding and selling discontinued products for 6 years online now. People seem to think there is a magic list, or a site you can go to that lists all these things. Don't know where that idea came from, but that isn't how it has worked for me. Here are a few ways I have found out about these things in the past.


    1. PAY ATTENTION. Look at store shelves in regular stores (grocery, Wal-Mart, Target, drug stores), especially health and beauty aisles. Look for empty spaces on the shelves where a product should be but it not. Read the tag and research the product. You may be able to find it somewhere else.


    2. Along the same lines, look at the signs stores display that say "temporarily unavailable" or "sorry out of stock." Research those. Sometimes the store doesn't know the situation - they just aren't getting any more of a popular product so they put up the sign.


    3. Listen to the people around you in the store. This is the best way to find out! This happens to me all the time. People are shopping, the product they want is not there, they either say something out loud to themselves or to the person they are with, or to a nearby stock clerk. I usually go like this, "Ugh! Why are they always out of ______? I am so sick of this! I can't ever find it anymore!" If they don't say the name of the product in their rant, ask them what it is. They will tell you even more about why the product is so great and their frustration finding it.


    4. Listen to the national news, or read trusted sites like USA Today, Huffington Post, New York Times. You will find lots of info on products being taken off the market, a plant being moved, an ingredient being investigated. I am not talking about recalls or product bans, but just news about product productions. Happens all the time. Case in point - the Today Sponge shortage was on the news.


    5. Pay attention to your own sales. Is something selling unusually fast, or are people buying in larger than normal quantities? Has a slow mover now become a fast mover? Last year I was selling some hard candy, and I noticed as soon as they hit FBA I sold out, and the buyer would buy all I sent. PAY ATTENTION!


    6. Talk to stock clerks and understand the store's markdown and tagging system. Ask questions about what the tags mean, DON'T ASSUME. For example, when Wal-Mart is not going to carry a product anymore, they put a red sticker on the shelf where the price is displayed. The sticker is not put on the product, and it is not always marked down. It is not always put in a clearance section. Just the red sticker on the shelf. The product may not be carried anymore because it isn't profitable, it isn't popular, they are making room for something else to go there, or the manufacturer is discontinuing it, there may be a packaging change and it is coming back later, etc.. Look for the red stickers and investigate on your own further. The stock clerk only knows that it is going away from the Wal-Mart shelf.


    I have several right now that are in short supply and I learned about them through the methods above. Keep your eyes and ears open!


    Related posts:


    Strategy for Using Grocery Stores as a Source for Inventory


    Source for eBay Inventory – Hallmark Stores


    5 Ways to Get Free Inventory to Sell on eBay





    Thursday, June 7, 2012


    Image courtesy of Macworld
     

    If you have been looking for a way to get the iPhone without the confines of a lengthy contract, June 22, 2012 may be your lucky day!

    Cricket Wireless has announced it will begin offering the iPhone with unlimited talk, text, and data for $55 a month. This is a very cost-effective opportunity for those who wish to use the iPhone as a scouting tool. Cricket Wireless will be the first pre-paid carrier to offer the iPhone.

    While monthly this may be a cheaper alternative to having a contract plan with one of the major carriers who already offer the iPhone, there is one point to consider. The major carriers usually offer a deal on getting the iPhone with a monthly contract. Cricket will be offering the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4S and the customer will have to purchase the phone upfront. The 8GB iPhone 4 will cost $399.99 and the 16GB iPhone 4S will cost $499.99.

    This may be a viable option for those who are weighing the total annual costs along with the time-savings the iPhone may bring to their business. To find out more about the iPhone and Cricket Wireless, you may register to receive information about the release by clicking here.


    Related posts:

    iPhone Terapeak App for eBay Research on the Go

    eBay Apps for the iPhone

    eBay and Home Business Tax Deductions


     

    Monday, June 4, 2012


    Some people may consider watching TV a waste of time. There is a new app that can help you earn gift cards and prizes to help your eBay or Amazon business.

    There is a new iPhone and iPad app that will give points when you watch tv shows at home. It is called Viggle. The app “listens” (at your request) to see what television show you are watching. Once it determines what show it is, it “checks you in”. Once the show is over, you will get points added to your account. You can also earn additional points by watching commercials on the app or by watching featured shows. Some shows, Saturday Night Live or recently aired MTV Movie Awards, even allow you to earn extra points by answering questions or polls during certain shows while you are checked-in as watching them. Your local newscast will also earn you points.

    Once you have gathered points, you can redeem them for gift cards or prizes. Some items that are currently available are Amazon Kindles and iPods. Burger King, CVS, and Fandango are some of the e-gift cards that are available now. The e-gift cards can be used to buy inventory or to pick up lunch during scouting trips. (Remember: e-gift cards cannot be resold on eBay.)

    To download this free app, please click here.

    Related posts:

    How to Make Money With Your eBay About Me Page
     
    How eBay Helped me Pull $62 Out of Thin Air
     
    Did You Get Your Cash Back from Paypal?

    Friday, May 18, 2012



    Today, I am featuring a guest post by Jenn Cangelosi of Boutique Bargains:

    Summer is coming soon and this is the best time to sell vacation and summer season items on eBay. If you have been selling on eBay for a while, you already know that selling seasonally or timing your auctions with the seasonal supply and demand is a good idea. Summer is a peak time for travel. So this is the best time to sell those old travel and vacation items. No point in letting them take up valuable space or fall into disrepair. By selling those items on eBay you can make back some of the money you invested in the item while helping someone else enjoy their summer and vacation time.  

    Here is a list of some of the items that sell well for summer:  

    Consumer electronics - truthfully these sell well most of the year. Even many consumers buy the high-end still and video cameras only to realize they won't use them as much day-to-day as they did on that big vacation. Don't forget about portable DVD players for the kids during those long airplane flights or car rides. Also GPS systems, mp3 players, and other similar electronics.  

    Luggage and specialized bags/carriers - Unless you travel a lot, the bags you used for that last vacation or trip are likely gathering dust. Regular luggage items are not always a great seller, they are not particularly rare or valuable on eBay, but name-brand items do sell. However, your specialized luggage items can sell for near the same as their original purchase price. Specialized luggage can include; camera cases, computer cases, serious hiking or mountaineering packs, and purpose-made carriers of different kinds.

    Baby and kids items - There are many different kinds of special travel gear that is needed when traveling with infants and children. There are travel carriers, restraint systems, many kinds of harnesses, high-end and all-terrain strollers, portable bottle warmers, flotation devices, and even portable sleep furniture and aids. All these things can be sold on eBay. Since children are always growing and their needs changing it is safe to pass on the items from last year that may not get used again.  

    Recreation equipment - Skis, inflatable tubes, bicycles, snow and water boards of all kinds, even small watercrafts. These are all items that may have been purchased for a summer trip, and now sit in the garage or storage shed. Just be sure to carefully select your shipping terms as you list these larger items or mark as local pickup only if necessary.  

    International versions of common electrical items and appliances - Moved recently from another country? The summer is a great time to sell your non-demestic appliances that rely on alternative standards of power or other features. Selling these items can also help fund the purchase of similar domestic items.  

    Power conversion aids - Some travelers are able to get by with the small and inexpensive travel adapter kits when they travel the globe. However, the traveler with more typical needs often ends up with the large transformers or converter systems that can get quite expensive. If you have one of these and think it unlikely that you will you it again, then sell it on eBay for another traveler to use.

    Now is the time to clean out those old vacation items and make some cash doing so. Many vacation items have been used only the one time and still have lots of use left for a new owner to enjoy.

    Thanks, Jenn! These are great ideas for bringing in more summertime sales!


    Related posts:

    #1 Way to Increase Sales - Add International Shipping

    Sweaters Sell in the Summer, Too!

    Niche Products to Sell During Summer

    Friday, May 11, 2012

    Amazon FBA has been life-changing opportunity for so many of us in such a positive way. Many of use use the local libraries to build our inventory through library sales. Unfortunately, there are some “sellers” who are building their inventory with libraries in ways that are not so positively life-altering.

    There have been many cases over the years since Amazon FBA came into existence that have shown people the wrong way to become an Amazon FBA seller. In 2010, an Ohio State law student was accused of stealing books from the Moritz Law Library. At the time of the charges, the student had allegedly sold more than 230 books on Amazon for a total of almost $10,300 and had more than 1,350 books for sale. A Glen Ellyn, IL man was charged in 2011 for stealing thousands of books and DVDs from the Lisle Library and selling the items on Amazon.

    Most recently, a southern California woman stole thousands of books from libraries in Carlsbad, Oceanside, and San Diego, California. The woman checked out the books about cooking, crafts, and animals. Yes, she actually checked the books out. The librarians from Carlsbad called the police once they noticed the large number of books that were missing. The books, valued at about $5,400, were found at the woman’s home with the barcodes ripped off and many were already wrapped for shipping.

    The offender plead guilty to felony burglary. She has been ordered to pay $7,600 in restitution and was sentenced to three years of probation. She also will not be allowed to have accounts on eBay, Amazon, or Craigslist and will not be allowed anywhere near a library.
    Building inventory is necessary for growing a successful Amazon FBA or eBay business. Breaking the law to do it is no necessary. Visit the links below and other posts throughout this blog for ways to find inventory for little or no cost.

    Related posts:

    Amazon FBA Scouting Tips – Things I’ve Learned Along the Way
     
    What Should I Sell on Amazon, and Where Do I Find It?

    5 Ways to Get Free Inventory to Sell on eBay



    Wednesday, February 15, 2012



    eBay Seller Pam Greenman recently shared shared this information:

    The Ponte Verda, Florida area has a new Goodwill store but it is not a typical one. Two Goodwill executives have opened Bluetique, a Goodwill retail location for higher end items. The store has a department store feel that Goodwill stores usually do not have. Amber Russo, vice president of retail sales for Goodwill, and Amy Koebrick, the Marketing Manager for Goodwill’s Northeast Florida region, modeled the project after a similar store in Rochester, NY.

    The store is designed to look like a regular department store from the layout to the displays. Its design rivals a Stein Mart or Marshalls. The store’s inventory is about 75% items that have been donated through a local Goodwill donation center while the other items are from brand new items from closeout stores. The donated items are being pulled from the nearby Ponte Verda Goodwill donation center and that location has been setting aside about 600 items a day for this Bluetique location.

    The store layout and higher end items are not the only differences in this store. Unlike a typical Goodwill, the pricing structure is not a set one. Instead of finding a one-size-fits-all price for items, there is no price ceiling for items at the Bluetique. An item is priced to reflect more of its market value. Even with the slightly higher prices, the items will still be priced at 50-90% off retail.

    With the difference in pricing, is the Bluetique a good source for resale items like its Goodwill predecessors? Yes it is. Right after the store opened in November 2011, its inventory included a Chanel handbag that was priced at $799. At that time a similar bag was selling on eBay for $1325.

    As with other Goodwill stores, the money collected goes into the Goodwill’s GCF job training program.

    Related posts:

    Amazon FBA Scouting Tips – Things I’ve Learned Along the Way

    Brand to Sell on eBay – Joseph and Feiss

    Don’t Have a Goodwill Store Near You – Try Goodwill Online!

    Friday, January 27, 2012




    If you are looking for a great way to buy inventory to sell on eBay, then get ready to search this Saturday. On Saturday, January 28, Big Lots is having a big savings event for its Buzz Reward cardholders. Just find your deals, check out and show your Buzz Reward card to receive an automatic 20% off your entire purchase. For more information, click here.

    Related posts:

    What to Sell on eBay – Items from Big Lots

    Local Sourcing for eBay Using Salvage Stores

    Source for eBay Inventory – Big Lots!


    Thursday, January 19, 2012



    Today (January 19, 2012) this eBook is free for Kindle users. Learn how find bargain inventory anywhere including garage sales, grocery stores, Walmart, Target, drug stores, warehouse clubs, home improvement stores - anywhere you can buy merchandise. Learn about free apps and strategies for determining the potential selling price of an item. I read this book last year and it is very informative.

    Click here to get your free download, today only!

    Happy Selling!

    Thursday, August 11, 2011





    Even though temperatures are still in the 90’s here in Atlanta, we are already seeing signs for Summer Clearance. You may be thinking summer clearance is only bathing suits and pool floats, but it can be much more. Don’t let the climate where you live limit your ability to think outside the box and consider selling summer clearance items all year. Remember that we live in a global economy and your target customer could live anywhere. Here are some ideas for items to look for, even though it may not make sense at first:



    Swim diapers. Don’t assume that babies and toddlers won’t need swim diapers at other times of the year. You may live up north and might be thinking that no one will be using swim diapers during cold weather, but plenty of children take indoor swimming lessons year round. Or maybe Grandma lives in Florida and has a heated pool and she keeps swim diapers on hand for the grandchildren when they visit. Or perhaps a family is planning a Disney cruise in January and needs to pack swim diapers and can’t find them locally. They will be looking online for them.



    Gardening supplies. Just yesterday in Big Lots I saw all sorts of gardening and lawn supplies marked down to 80% off the regular price. Examples include pesticides, weed killer, and yellow jacket traps. These items could be purchased by consumers living in warm climates year round.



    Canning supplies. I am starting to see these items in grocery stores. Here in Georgia, we still have another month or so of “canning season” as the vegetables are still coming in strong. The stores are making room for back to school and Halloween displays. Canning enthusiasts can use these items for another 6 weeks, maybe longer. Don’t assume that because an item is on clearance locally that it won’t sell nationally or even internationally.



    Look for opportunities, not obstacles!



    Related articles:



    Source for eBay Inventory – Hallmark Stores



    Source for eBay Inventory – Famous Footwear



    Local Sourcing for eBay Inventory – Salvage Stores





    Thursday, July 14, 2011



    Big Lots is celebrating Friends and Family this weekend, Saturday July 16 and Sunday July 17. On Saturday, 5pm-9pm, Buzz Club Rewards members will receive 20% off their purchase by scanning their Buzz Club Rewards Card. On Sunday, just present this printable coupon to receive 20% off your entire purchase.

    Now, if you really want to "work the deal," hit multiple Big Lots in your area. The coupon can be printed multiple times as it is not tied to your specific Buzz Club card, it is just a generic printable coupon. Here is how I make the most of these coupon deals:

    If you are unfamiliar with the locations of the Big Lots in your area, go to the website and enter your zip code to see the locations.

    Create your battle plan. Make a route using the store addresses and Yahoo or Google Maps. I usually design my route in a big circle and hit about 4 Big Lots in one day.

    If you go on Sunday, make sure you have printed multiple coupons so you have enough to use at each store you visit.

    This is a great opportunity to stock up on items for your eBay and Amazon stores. Many Amazon FBA sellers rely heavily on Big Lots for inventory. Remember that Big Lots will accept returns within 30 days with the original receipt, as long as the item is in original condition. So if you over-buy, you can return some of your items. Also remember that if you are selling on Amazon FBA, you don’t have to send in all of your inventory at once. You can send in a few items, see how they perform, and decide if you want to send in the rest or return them.

    Wednesday, July 13, 2011



    Here is an event that will be a great way to stock up on inventory for eBay and Amazon stores!

    During the summer, the “Back to School” sales are usually the ones to watch for. Target has decided to get a jump on the August/September sale season by adding a black Friday sale…in July! The “Back in Black Friday” is an online summer sale that will be held this week.

    Beginning at 12 am PST Friday, Target will be marking down more than 1,500 items with discounts ranging up to 50% off. The sale ends at 11:59 pm Friday night. The online sale will have limited quantities of each sale item just like a Black Friday sale at an actual store. Like the traditional Black Friday sale, the early shopper gets the deal! You can preview some of the items that will be on sale by visiting Target.com/BlackFriday.

    Since Target offers free shipping on more than 500,000 items with a $50 or more order, you can combine the great deals from the “Back in Black Friday” sale with the free shipping offer to save even more. For more details on this offer, visit the Target Free Shipping Offer page.


    Monday, June 13, 2011


    Summer can be slow for online (or offline) sales as consumers take a break from their normal routines or spend their disposable income on vacations and other seasonal items. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink – meaning you can’t make buyers do anything!. Here are a few ways to keep your inventory appealing to buyers during the notoriously slow summer months.

    Consider adding Best Offer to your older listings (over 90 days old). This is especially effective for buyers who want to use combined shipping or who have just bought a different product from you. Even if you choose not to accept many of the offers, adding Best Offer can make a positive impact on potential buyers.

    Markdown Manager can also be useful. It allows you to discount items by a percentage (10%, for example) or an amount (like $2). While the discounted price will appear as the normal Buy it Now price in the majority of eBay locations, it will show as a sale price in store search results, marketing emails that you send, your listing, other listings (where it is cross promoted), Watched Items, and in emails that buyers receive about their Watched Items. It will also be shown as a sale price in any promotional boxes in your store.

    Markdown Manager can’t be used on auctions. However, any listing is eligible for a free shipping discount. The discount only applies to the shipping option that you added to your listing first. It doesn’t apply to any additional shipping options.

    Reduce the fees you’ll be charged by taking advantage of Good Till Cancelled (GTC) listings. By using a longer listing, your items have the time they need to be indexed by search engines. 7 days isn’t long enough for this. Plus, your fees will add up quickly if you restart your unsold auctions every week.

    Related articles:

    Using eBay's Markdown Manager

    Process for Listing, Relisting, and Marking Down eBay Items


    Wednesday, April 27, 2011



    The tight economy makes it tough on eBay sellers who don't have the cash to put out for inventory. However, if you are just a little bit creative, you can collect free stuff and then sell it on eBay. Here are some ways to do that.

    FreeCycle is a great way to get free inventory to sell on eBay. You can get all kinds of things from home accessories to toys to furniture. Subscribe to the mailing list and when someone has something they want to get rid of, you will be notified. You don't have to tell anyone you want it to sell on eBay. Just make arrangements to pick it up and they'll be happy to get rid of it. Craigslist is another good place to find free inventory to sell on eBay. People post ads when they are putting their items on the curb and whoever gets there first to haul it away gets it for free. 

    (Side note about FreeCycle: It is an organization set up to help keep things out of the landfill. The FreeCycle organization has not issues with selling items obtained from the site. The FreeCycle website says, “Welcome! The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,936 groups with 8,376,006 members around the world. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by local volunteers (them's good people). Membership is free. To sign up, find your community by entering it into the search box above or by clicking on 'Browse Groups' above the search box. Have fun!” However, moderators and members might impose their own opinions here and punish those they feel are taking items away from the financially needy, even though that is not what FreeCycle is about. It is best to stay under the radar and not broadcast that you are an eBay seller or you might be removed from the group.)

    In fact, picking useful items up on the curb is a good way to find free stuff. It's best to drive through the more affluent neighborhoods, especially on trash pick up day or take it a step farther and go dumpster diving. You never know what you'll find.

    Garage sales are a great place for freebies when you get there late. By the end of the day, the people hosting the yard sale are usually worn out and the last thing they want to do is drag what didn't sell to Goodwill, so you can offer to haul it away for free.

    Start collecting free samples by joining coupon groups and forums. Some good sites are Money Saving Mom, Coupon Cravings, and The Krazy Koupon Lady. You'll be kept informed when manufacturers offer free samples so you can send for them. Before long you'll have quite a collection you can sell on eBay. . Or even tune into the new show on TLC called “Extreme Couponing.” This program profiles extreme couponers and how they obtain thousands of products for free.

    Another way to get free samples is to "like" manufacturers on Facebook. Sometimes you are rewarded with a coupon for a freebie, plus they will occasionally send free offers to their fans on Facebook. Some examples are General Mills, Clairol, and Neutrogena.

    Finding free inventory to sell on eBay can be an adventure in itself but is worth the effort since you'll be rewarded with pure profit.




    Wednesday, February 23, 2011

    There has been a lot of advertising for penny bid auction sites in recent years. Almost everyone has seen advertising for these sites, but many people wonder if they're really as good as the advertisers lead you to believe. The ads claim you can get all kinds of amazing products (like iPads, etc.) for pennies on the dollar – up to 98% off of the retail price.

    Penny auction sites work by selling penny bids (for more than a penny). So while you do bid a penny at a time (in that the price of the item only goes up a penny at a time, except in the case of some international bids), you're really paying 30 cents to a dollar for each bid that you place. The majority of penny auction sites charge around 60 cents to 75 cents for each bid.

    Even with these charges, penny auction sites are still popular. Many people are able to get great deals on high ticket items. However, some people have complained that they spent a lot of money and didn't get anything to show for it, that they didn't ever receive the items that they purchased, or that the site led them to believe that they were a winner when they in fact were not. These sites make their money on the bids from people who don't win, so keep that in mind when you are paying for bids.

    Penny auctions can provide great deals, but it's very important that you understand exactly what you're doing and getting when you participate in them. You need to fully understand the rules of the site and develop a good strategy in order to be successful. Your best bet is to wait until items are at a price that similar items have sold for and then begin to bid. If you can place these bids at a time when fewer people are online, you'll increase your chances even more. Some of the best times are Tuesday nights and Monday and Saturday mornings. Most days at 2-3 am are also good. Most people are asleep or busy at these times, so you'll have less competition. The majority of sites will let you view closed auctions as well, which can help you get an idea of the average price items go for.

    Don't be afraid to try penny auction sites. Just do your research and develop a game plan, and you may be able to score some great deals for yourself or to sell on eBay!

    More strategies for getting eBay inventory online:

    Flipping eBay listings (finding misspellings)

    Daily Deal Sites

    Wholesale Sources

    Information - Selling Public Domain Info Products

    How to Create and Sell Information Products on eBay

    Sunday, December 26, 2010



    There are many benefits to sourcing locally as opposed to online or with wholesalers located some distance from you. Benefits include:

    1. No shipping cost
    2. No minimum purchase
    3. Opportunity to inspect merchandise in person before buying
    4. Buy what you want, when you want
    5. Safer than online buying – face to face relationship with supplier
    6. Networking opportunities
    7. More personalized service – local suppliers can learn your business and contact you when new shipments arrive

    You may be able to source eBay inventory using local salvage stores. Some salvage stores (not talking about auto salvage here) get their inventory from insurance claims. Let's say a business has a fire or a flood in their store or warehouse. Some of the merchandise will be completely ruined. Some of it won't. There are people out there who buy the "salvage" merchandise in large quantities and sell it. You don't want to be that person - because you may have to buy in large quantities and store the merchandise. You want to be the next person down the food chain that comes along.

    Salvage stores or companies may be all around you, but you may not realize it. I have one near me and didn't even know what it was for about 5 years. These two guys buy merchandise from insurance claims. I have found all kinds of light bulk items there including baby items, health and beauty items, clothing, pet items, yard and garden, household, etc. Here is how to find salvage stores in your area.

    Exhaust your personal network. Do you know someone in the insurance industry? Do you have a personal connection that can help you acquire these items? Do you know a truck driver who may deliver to one of these locations? Do you know anyone at the corporate level in retail?

    Look in the phone book and Yellow Pages under salvage, surplus, wholesale, liquidations, and closeouts. You will be surprised to find these sellers right under your nose. You just haven’t looked for them before.

    Pay attention to TV ads, newspaper ads, billboards, radio ads, etc. You may come across advertisements.

    Search Google using combinations of these buzz words along with the name of your city, town, county or surrounding areas:

    Closeout
    Liquidation
    Salvage
    Salvage store
    Salvage dealer
    Wholesale / wholesaler
    Military Surplus
    Army Surplus
    Navy Surplus
    Surplus Center
    Government surplus

    Seek and ye shall find!

    For more ideas like this about where to find inventory to sell, check out the eBay business system.

    The Complete eBay Marketing System


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