Ebay selling. What to buy and sell? Help please!!

rayrussell2000uk

Hi everyone.

I'm looking into the idea of setting up an ebay business. However I am unsure what to buy and sell and also where to buy it from.

Would anybody have any ideas on this?

Ideally I guess I need a good wholsaler with the right products.
I know ebay can be a bit of a hit and miss with selling so the more unique my items are the better chance they have but I am rather clueless.

Any input would be appreciated.

Thank you

ColinFishwick

Might be wise to ask in ebay forum. You might not get what best to sell by forum members who sell on there though as you could be competition, and some people are very protective

soolin

You need to find your own niche- as ColinFishwick says no one will give it to you on a plate in order to allow you to go into competition with them. Many of us have taken years to know the markets and research items.

However, start with what you know- do you have a hobby or an interest that you can build on. For instance if you say like to fish and know the cost of rods and lines and things you could start looking for wholesalers in that market. It does seem that once you find one item others will follow. I rarely stay in a market for too long and change my buying and selling pattern as each market dies and I find a new one.

System

no one is going to tell you the answer/suppliers or else they will lose income. You have to do it yourself.
My advise would be to sell what you are interested in or know about/like. Think small items rather than bulky to start off with as bulky items are hard to store and post. See if there are other sellers selling your idea on ebay, are they selling fast? can you offer a lower price and still make a profit after postage cost, envelope, 3.4%+20p paypal fees and 10% ebay fees.

Happi

Ebay is pretty much burned out for fashion. u need a niche market to survive on ebay.

soolin

Happi wrote: »

Ebay is pretty much burned out for fashion. u need a niche market to survive on ebay.

Not so much burned out by 'difficult' . I wouldn't sell clothes as a business any more far too risky. As OP will be a business they will of course have to accept returns and that costs money in postage.

rayrussell2000uk

Thank you for all the good replies

I'm currently a bit unsure on which suppliers to use as there seems to be some dodogy wholesale sites out there.

soolin

rayrussell2000uk wrote: »

Thank you for all the good replies

I'm currently a bit unsure on which suppliers to use as there seems to be some dodogy wholesale sites out there.

Yes there are some very dodgy sites and also if you can find a wholesale site, then be assured that others have got their first. Many wholesalers also sell direct on ebay themselves and will undercut you.

It is sometimes best to find other sources, unique ones where you don;t start off in competition with the person who is selling you the stock.

I sell a line that I buy easily from a foreign ebay site. I bring it into this country and i resell it with my own photo, a completely different title and with a new use and I can double my money each time. However when I buy these tiems I am always offered a wholesale price or even a drop ship price- it is usually higher than I am already paying .

I also buy from specialist places in the UK both by post and in person. I visited one place today, listed a new lot of stock and have already sold one - not huge amounts of profit, maybe a couple of pounds an item on a low cost item to start with, but for very little effort.