Students using ebay

Georgiasaurus2012

Hey! I'm new here and i've also just started up an ebay account (same username as it is on here if you're interested ).

Do any students here use ebay? If you do, do you bulk buy from wholesalers (for example, 'wholesaleclearanceuk' sells liquidation and liquidated stock when businesses go bankrupt).

I'm very interested in bulk buying and then reselling items as a way of earning a bit of cash, especially as when I start college I will not be getting my ema of £30 a month as my sister did. :eek:

I'm just slightly concerned about investing too much money in bulk buying and then being unable to sell what I've bought.. :eek: Does anyone know what sort of produce/items sell the best in this day and age, particularly on ebay as that's where I intend to sell the items.

Thanks, Georgia! x :j

agrinnall

If you are using ebay as a business, which it sounds like what you are proposing, you need to register as self employed with HMRC, and if you make enough money you'll have to pay tax on the profit. Don't think you'll be able to get away with just because many people have done so far, HMRC are putting a lot of effort into this are now. While it's worth asking other students for their experience, if you decide to go ahead it would be a good idea to ask questions on one of the Cutting Tax, Employment or Ebay boards.

mountainofdebt

Ok I'll bite

Firstly how you propose financing the purchase of the stock in the first place?

To be honest if you're going to be buying from warehouses then you're going to be buying 500+ units of the same thing.....can you envisage selling that quantity of the same item? If you have no idea of what sells well - and again that sounds like a 'how long is a piece of sting question' - then I would steer clear.

That's the negative bit out of the way here's the positive.

Are you arty in any way? Can you make stuff that you can sell locally ? What about getting a 'proper' job such as waitressing, supermarkets or even baby sitting?

smiffy8

Hi,

I am a student too!
I think it's one of those things where you think it's a good idea until you do it. I know someone who did it and found it incredibly hard to get rid of such a huge quantity.

If you want to make money it's much easier looking for a job - I'm working part-time through my course and I am also working as an Ambassador for my uni!

If you like the idea of eBay, try selling anything you don't want