Niche Item – Vintage Personal Care Items

I have often spoken of the popularity of vintage items. I have talked about vintage cookbooks, dinnerware, even telephones. Who knew that level of popularity would carry over into personal care items, as well!

An eBay Seller recently sold vintage StayFree Maxi and Mini pads. The set of three, unopened boxes from 1985 and 1990 of various types sold for a rather high profit. A screenshot of the closed auction is below:

No, your eyes do not deceive you. After 36 bids, the set sold for a whopping $199.51. Included in the sale was:

10 Unscented Mini Pads (1990)

12 Super Maxi Pads (1985)

12 Deodorant Maxi Pads (1985)

It goes to show you that vintage items (no matter the category) can be great sellers! Now, what do you have laying around in your basement/attic/closet that you can list?

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You Can Sell On Etsy Even If You Are Not Into Crafting

Image courtesy of the DaniKfashion Etsy Shop

As the Christmas shipping season starts to reach its peak, it is time to start thinking about next year. What plans are you making to build your business? If you are looking for a new place to sell the items you source at thrift stores or if you make items to sell, Etsy is a site you should consider if you are not already using it.

The Etsy marketplace is growing in leaps and bounds. Sellers have reported a large increase in sales. Those that have been around for a year or more have reported that sales have more than doubled.

Etsy is a fantastic community of buyers and sellers. At first glance, the website looks more like an online store than a community made up of many sellers. This more familiar feel is appealing to online shoppers. Maneuvering around Etsy is straightforward; sellers can showcase their items and are sure to attract the right buyers. The set up of Etsy seems to be more conducive to ensuring that sales are accurate. What is meant by this is buyers get a true picture and description of what they are purchasing. Sometimes other online sales communities do not give as clear a picture.

As a seller, you might wonder if Etsy will draw enough buyers. The proof is in the statistics and the news is great! Small businesses and individuals who sell on Etsy are boasting about their sales. With the holiday season upon us, Etsy is ready and has distinct holiday showcases in place. Buyers are sure to get original, in many cases handmade, gift items for the holidays.

As you review how you sell and where you sell, remember Etsy. Even if you do not make handmade items to sell on Etsy, remember that those crafters need supplies as well. From old sweaters to torn jeans or toilet paper rolls to old books, crafters often use uncommon items for their creations. Take a look around Etsy to see what other items could be sold to this creative bunch.

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Amazon Pours Itself Into a New Marketplace

Amazon has decided to begin selling wines online again. In 1999, it owned 45% of the internet site Wineshopper.com. That site closed in 2009 when it did not meet projected expectations. This time, it is starting out in much small way. This time it will sell directly to customers in the Napa Valley area of California. The wines may begin shipping in as little as a few weeks. This is perfect timing considering the upcoming holiday/gift-giving season.

Once that market successfully launched, Amazon could look into expanding into other wines from all over the world and customers from any area Amazon ships to. At a recent workshop in Napa that discussed Amazon’s plans, about 100 wineries were represented.

While nothing concrete has been announced by Amazon in regard to the terms of the new marketplace, there have been a few rumors. One set of terms that was mentioned (again NOT stated by Amazon) was $40 to join the wine marketplace and 15% of sales. (That $40 fee is probably on a monthly basis just like the Amazon FBA Pro Seller account.) If this is true, the cost is pretty much in line with most existing categories on Amazon. In this case, it is believed that the wineries will be handling the packaging and shipping side of the sales (using Amazon’s discounted shipping rates), while Amazon provides access to its large customer base and order processing.

Once this marketplace is online, it will be interesting to see if FBA sellers will be allowed to sell in that category as well. Or will Amazon leave it as a restricted marketplace. Either way, this could be a very successful partnership between Amazon and the wineries at the least. It could result in increased revenues, increased sales tax revenues, creation of more jobs, and much more. As with many of Amazon’s ventures, the possibilities appear to be endless.


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Niche Products - Back to School Items

Recently, you may have seen a few articles that talk about the items that appeal to buyers this time of year. The niche that is popular right now is back to school. There are many items that are big sellers right now. Hold on to your hats because this is a rather lengthy list (courtesy of eBay)! Remember many of those items are great sellers all year long.

Happy Scouting!

Women's Clothing

• Denim: True Religion (printed, color, skinny, slim, bootcut)
• Denim: Jeans, Seven for All Mankind (printed, color, skinny, slim, bootcut)
• Denim: Jeans, J Brand (printed, color, skinny, slim, bootcut)
• Denim: Jeans, Miss me (printed, color, skinny, slim, bootcut)
• Denim: Hollister (printed, color, skinny, slim, bootcut)
• Denim: Levi's (printed color, skinny, slim, bootcut)
• Tops: J Crew (tees, knits, sweaters)
• Tops: Anthropology (tees, knits, sweaters)
• Tops: Gap (tees, knits, sweaters)
• Outerwear: Northface, Denali, Nuptse (denim, peacoat, cropped motorcycle, military)
• Outerwear: BB Dakota (denim, peacoat, cropped, motorcycle, military)
• Outerwear: Michael Kors (denim, peacoat, cropped motorcycle, military)
• Outerwear: Free People (denim, peacoat, cropped motorcycle, military)

Men's Clothing

• Denim: Hollister (straight, bootcut, slim, loose)
• Denim: Quicksilver (straight, bootcut, slim, loose)
• Denim: Levi's (straight, bootcut, slim, loose)
• Tops: Abercrombie & Fitch (graphic/logo tees, Polos, Rugbys, Henlys)
• Tops: Hollister (graphic/logo tees (short and long sleeve), Polos, Rugbys, Henlys)
• Tops: American Eagle (graphic/logo tees (short and long sleeve), Polos, Rugbys, Henlys)
• Tops: Aeropostale (graphic/logo tees (short and long sleeve), Polos, Rugbys, Henlys)
• Tops: Ralph Lauren (graphic/logo tees (short and long sleeve), Polos, Rugbys, Henlys)
• Outerwear: Northface, Denali, Nuptse (walking coat, peacoat, distressed leather, moto jacket, military)
• Outerwear: Patagonia (down sweater, walking coat, peacoat, distressed leather, moto jacket, military)
• Outerwear: Kenneth Cole (walking coat, peacoat, distressed leather, moto jacket, military)
• Outerwear: Marc New York (walking coat, peacoat, distressed leather, moto jacket, military)

Women's Footwear

• Women's Uggs, Classic, Tall/Short
• Steve Madden Wedge Sandals
• Steve Madden Boots
• Jeffrey Campbell Wedge Sneakers
• Nike Air/Shox

Men's Footwear

• Vans, Classic Skate
• Converse, Chuck taylor (Hi & Low tops)
• Reef flip flops
• Sperry Top Sider
• Nike Air Jordan

Accessories

• MICHAEL by Michael Kors handbag/totes (top handle)
• Jansport (backpack, messenger bag, bookbag)
• American Rag (backpack, messenger bag, bookbag)
• Kipling (backpack, messenger bag, bookbag)
• Le Sport Sac (backpack, messenger bag, bookbag)
• Northface (backpack, messenger bag, bookbag)
• Kenneth Cole (backpack, messenger bag, bookbag)
• Fossil (backpack, messenger bag, bookbag)
• Oakley Sunglasses (Aviator, Wayfarer, Wrap)
• Rayban Sunglasses (Aviator, Wayfarer, Wrap)
• Northface (scarves, gloves, hats)
• J Crew (scarves, gloves, hats)
• Gap (scarves, gloves, hats)
• Patagonia (scarves, gloves, hats)
• Tommy Hilfiger (scarves, gloves, hats)

Home & Garden

• Samsonite luggage (carry-on, luggage sets)
• American Tourister luggage
• Coleman luggage
• Toaster ovens
• Toasters
• Microwaves
• Hotplates
• Coffee Maker (4-cup, single serve)
• Mini Fridge
• Blender
• Sheet Sets (Twin, Twin XL sheet sets, Queen sheet sets)
• Down comforter (Twin, Twin XL, Queen)
• Duvet (Twin, Twin XL, Queen)
• Bath Towel & Towel Sets
• Desk lamps
• Floor lamps
• Desk organizer
• Mirror
• Prints/Wall Art
• Shower Caddie
• Bathroom Scale
• Electric shaver
• Electric Toothbrush
• Straightening/Curling iron
• Hair dryer

Computers and Tablets

• Sony/HP, S Series/F Series, Core i7, 15", 4GB, 500GB
• Sony/HP/Asus, Ultrabook, Core i5, 13", 4GB, SSD Drive
• Acer/Toshiba, Aspire/Satellite, Intel, 15", 3GB, 250GB
• Apple iPad 3, 16GB, Wifi
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, 16GB, WiFi
• Viewsonic/Samsung Open, 24" monitor
• Samsung/LG, Open, 24" monitor w/ TV Tuner
• HP/Dell, All in One Desktop, 22-24" Touchscreen
• Canon/Epson, Wifi Printer + Airprint for iPad/iPhone
• WD/Seagate, 2TB External HD
• WD/Seagate, 1TB External HD
• Laptop back up
• Logitech/Microsoft 2.4 Ghz Mouse
• Apple Magic Mouse, Bluetooth Mouse
• Acer/Toshiba/HP/Sony/Apple, Laptops/Desktops, Ultrabooks
• Acer/Toshiba/HP/Sony/Apple, 13-17" laptops, Touch screen desktops
• Acer/Toshiba/HP/Sony/Apple, 22" all in one desktops

Computer Accessories

• Laptop bags
• External hard drives
• Wi-fi printers
• Additional monitors
• iPad accessories
• iPhone accessories
• USB
• Barnes & Noble eReaders
• Electronic dictionaries
• Translators

Keyboards, Mice and Input

• Logitech/Microsoft Bluetooth Mice

Systems

• Xbox 260 4GB System
• PS3 Consoles
• Handhold consoles
• Media/Bluetooth remote (Xbox 360 media remote, PS3 blu-ray remote)
• PS3 3D monitor
• Logitech Bluetooth Keyboard
• Live Cards

Televisions

• Samsung UN46ES8000
• Samsung UN55ES7500
• Panasonic TCP50ST50
• Roku 2 XD

GPS Navigation

• Garmin GPS 1450LMT
• Garmin 1490LMT

iPod and MP3 Accessories

• Beats HD SOLO WHT headphones
• Klipsch IMAGE S4 headphones
• SOL Republic headphones (multicolor, fashion headphones
• Skullcandy headphones (multicolor, fashion headphones)

DVD and Home Theater

• Onkyo Dorm sound, sound bar explosion
• Polk Dorm sound, sound bar explosion

Digital Cameras

• Nikon D5100 16.2 MP Digital SLR Camera - Black (Body Only)
• Canon-EOS-Rebel-T3i-180-MP-Digital-SLR-Camera-Black-Kit-w-EFS-1855mm-IS-II-Lens
• Canon EOS Rebel T3 / 1100D 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera - Black (Kit w/ EF-S 18-55mm IS II Lens)
• Nikon J1 10.1 MP Digital Camera - White (Kit w/ VR 10-30mm Lens)
• Nikon D3100 14.2 MP Digital SLR Camera - Black (Kit w/ AF-S DX 18-55mm VR Lens)
• Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS / IXUS 220 12.1 MP Digital Camera - Red
• Canon PowerShot SX260 HS 12.1 MP Digital Camera - Black
• Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V 16.2 MP Digital Camera - Black
• GoPro HD Helmet HERO Camcorder - White
• Sony Handycam HDR-CX190 Camcorder - Black

Cell Phones & Smart Phones

• Apple iPhone 4S 16GB, Black (AT&T) Smartphone
• Apple 4 16GB
• Samsung Galaxy II, III, HTC, Evo
• Samsung One
• Free phones with plans

Photo - Camcorders

• GoPro Hero2 digital camera

Sporting Goods

• College Fan Apparel
• Mountain Bikes
• Camping & hiking backpacks
• Footballs and attire
• Basketballs and attire
• Volleyball
• Swimming and attire
• Gym, Workout & Yoga attire
• Pedometers, heart rate monitors
• Mountain bikes
• Road bikes
• Golf shoes, men
• Golf shafts

School & Art Supplies

• Notebooks
• Looseleaf paper
• Pens/pencils/highlighters
• Pencil cases
• Binders/folders
• Electric pencil sharpeners
• Backbacks
• Rulers
• Staplers, staple removers
• Crayons
• Markers
• Construction paper
• Glue
• Scissors
• Paint/brushes
• Dictionary
• Combination locks
• Musical instruments
• Calculators
• Removable locks
• Reusable water bottles

Gift Cards

• eBay gift cards and e-certificates
• Subway
• Red Robin
• Applebees
• Jack in the Box
• TGIF
• Pizza Hut
• Sephora
• American Eagle Outfitters
• Aeropostale
• Justice
• Boscovs

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Niche Products - School Supplies


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$1.2 Million for Video Game Collection

Image courtesy of Yahoo.com

When you were growing up, did your parents tell you that playing video games would amount to nothing? This story may just prove them wrong. If you have been considering video games for your next category on Amazon FBA, then keep reading because this may motivate you.


A young man in France has just auctioned off a huge video game collection on eBay. The 32 year old named Andre took the time to collect every game made for 22 different game consoles. This totaled approximately 7000 games for not only the popular Sega console, the various Nintendo systems up to the Gamecube, but even lesser known NEC systems.


This eBay seller actually collected the games just for the challenge of it. Each game in the collection was still factory sealed. Some of them are more than 25 years old.


By now, I am sure you are wondering if Andre’s auction had a winner and how much the winning bid was. The winner, who lives in Canada, offered one million Euros which equals about $1.23 million. Unfortunately, as of July 9th the winner had not paid for the auction. For those of you who dabble in international shipping, I am sure you are wondering just how much the shipping charges will be. It has been estimated that it will cost approximately $1000 to ship the games from France to Canada.


Andre is ready in case the buyer does not pay for the auction. He has plans to either re-list the games on Ebay or list them on a few Japanese auction sites. Will this be the end of Andre’s eBay selling days? Probably not. He says this is just a part of his collection and that he still has thousands of other games he could sell.



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Niche Products – School Supplies

It’s June! That means graduation, end of the school year, and the start of summer vacation. It also means the start of the school supplies buying season. Many parents and teachers are beginning to prepare for the next school year…yes, already. This is the perfect time for sellers to start doing the same.

Is it too early? Not at all. There are many school systems throughout the country that will begin the new school year as early as July 9th. What will the students need? Take a look at the websites of your local schools. That will give you an idea of where to start. Many teachers will post the supply list of the class online. Some items that will be needed are:

• Notebooks (consider selling in bundles) 
• Lunch boxes or bags 
• Backpack or book bags (Looks for unusual prints and patterns) 
• Matching Backpack and Lunch box Set 
• Calculators (Used ones in great condition will do well) 
• Kleenex 
• Tupperware-like containers 
• Hand sanitizers 
• Tennis balls (Many schools use them on the legs of chairs to protect the floors) 
• Lysol wipes 
• Pet supplies and toys (We can’t forget about the class pet!) 
• Pencils and pens 
• Clothes 
• Shoes 
• Computers
• Box tops 

For smaller items like pencils and pencil cases, consider selling them in bundles. And let’s not forget that August is the beginning of college life for many students. Look for items that a student will need as he or she moves into a dorm for the first time. Items like bedding, extra long twin sheets, pouches that allow you to carry an ID card and other cards on a key chain or lanyard, laptop cases, items with college or mascot images, MP3 players, and textbooks will be needed.

August is also the beginning of tailgating season for college football fans everywhere. Look for items that can help the college football fan show which team they love. Car flags, grill covers, apparel, and tailgating supplies are items to consider. Watch stores like as Staples, Office Depot, and Best Buy for deals as they get ready for the back to school season.

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What to Sell for Summer on eBay?

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!


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Looking for Inventory? Check Out a Black Friday Sale…in July!

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.

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Niche Product – Personal Care Wipes

One of the best ways to build an eBay business is to sell a consumable product. This helps keep your business consistent because the buyers will need to make regular purchases as their item runs out. There are many types of consumable products you can sell, but one slightly unusual one you should consider is personal care wipes.

There is a wide variety of personal care wipes available – baby wipes, of course, but there are also wipes designed to remove make up, wipes for bathing, sunscreen wipes, feminine wipes, and adult wipes. The market has expanded in an effort to make things easier for consumers – and it seems to have succeeded.

The success of personal care wipes has even led to new products. Manufacturers introduced children’s flushable wipes, which led to toiletries intended specifically for children. Existing products have also found new uses. Large pads that were designed to be used by medical professionals visiting patients at home are now being used by soldiers overseas who don’t have access to showers.

Personal care wipes are a growing field. Sales have grown around 6-7% in the US alone. Plus, personal care wipes have higher profit margins than many other products, including baby wipes. This makes them a great choice to sell online.

While selling personal care wipes may seem unusual, it is a field with healthy growth and frequent new additions. Because people are always looking for better ways to do things and ways to make their lives easier, the personal care wipes market is unlikely to go away.

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5 Types of Collectible Dolls to Sell on eBay

Collectibles sell well on eBay, and dolls are no exception. Here are five types of dolls that do especially well.

American Girl dolls are incredibly popular with children and adults. The wide variety of time periods and ethnicities available means that everyone can find a doll that’s just what they want. The dolls range from Josephina, who lives in New Mexico in the 1830s, to Addy, who is from the 1860s and just became free from slavery.

Madame Alexander dolls are also popular. They were created in 1923. The dolls are available in variety of ages and as a male or female. There are a multitude of costumes available as well, letting collectors dress them for any occasion. Madame Alexander also created dolls of famous individuals, such as Judy Garland.

Lifelike dolls do well on eBay too. They’re also known as living dolls, unliving dolls, and reborn babies. They are made by many different people and the process takes hours. Normal baby dolls have hair added, are given new eyes, have filling replaced to make them a realistic weight, and are painted to make them look as much like a real baby as possible.

Another type of doll that’s popular on eBay is the German doll. The best known creators are Simon and Halbig, Kestner, Kammer and Rienhart, Heubach, and Armand Marseille. Of these, J.D. Kestner is the most popular and is often referred to as the King of German Doll Makers. His company made dolls from 1820 to 1938. The dolls’ bodies were made from wood, leather, or composition. All German doll artists created dolls that were meant to look like their children. Because of that, most of the dolls had full cheeks and wore simple clothing. Some companies also specialized only in doll heads.

Last but not least, Barbie dolls are very popular on eBay – they are the bestselling doll e eBay, to be exact. Limited edition Barbies can be worth a great deal of money and be in high demand. There are collectors everywhere, so Barbies often sell internationally on eBay.

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eBay Strategy for Finding Niche Products from Suppliers Online

Identifying niche products to sell on eBay is an ongoing process that never ends. You must constantly be mining for new ideas all the time. Here is one way:


Here are the steps:

Go to pulse.ebay.com

Don’t research anything on the first page (those niches will be too saturated)

Choose other categories from drop down menu

Click on keywords to see listings using those words

Click on actual listings to see if the product is selling (or check seller’s feedback)

Enter product name into Google

Click SHOPPING on the left

Click on the product

Sort the suppliers by price

Determine if you can get the item at a low enough price to resell on eBay based on the current competition

Need more ideas on how to find niche products? Check these resources:

eBay Niche Product Finder

How to Find Your Niche on eBay

Niche Markets on eBay

List of 395 eBay Friendly Wholesale Suppliers

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eBay Niche Product Finder

A cool way to discover niche products to sell on eBay:




1. Go to Terapeak.
2. Select CATEGORY
3. Drill down to subcategories to find niche products
4. Look locally for these products - you may have access to something other people don't

Click here to get Terapeak

Click here to get "10 Niche Markets on eBay"

Click here for a list of 395 eBay friendly wholesalers along with 5 important facts for choosing profitable wholesale products to sell on eBay.

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