How do eBay DVD sellers make money??

pennyuk

I've spent months researching the potential of selling DVD's either via eBay or creating a website (it's been hard work, and I'm still in need of an answer please!).

Having managed to source the 4 top genuine UK DVD wholesalers (of which, most won't even talk to me!!!) I'm at a loss as to how peops manage to sell their DVD's so cheaply. If any of you Power sellers are reading this, please, please, could you tell me if you make money on the following or just accept some losses? (I'm not after your DVD suppliers, just curious)

Any volume of Will & Grace: Under £5.00
Frasier Full Season Box Set: £15.00
24 Full Season (1 or 2) : £27.00
Coupling (1, 2 or 3) : Under £9.00

Is it a risk you take? Bearing in mind you have eBay fees to pay, potentially PayPal fees and advertising etc. I don't know how you do it?

Very much appreciate your responses

Penny

wirm

By selling on ebay you take the good with the bad! Sometimes you will make money, other times you won't. I would suggest you first go onto ebay and do some research and see how much the items you stated are selling for, then work out will it be worth your while selling them.

With ebay fees, I don't really worry about them, dvds etc won't give you a huge fee. But try selling a couple of items to start with, to see if its worth your while selling more.

And if you have any other questions please feel free to pm me!

Wirm!

PinMan

Penny

I've been down this route myself or have at least started to go down it

Having spoken to a few Ebayers who have been kind enough to divulge some of the key things to make it a success - and the biggest tip most of them could offer was buying in bulk

The wholesalers - who as you rightly say are hard to get on with (unless you deal in the £1,000's) look favourably on customers who buy stock in large quantity's (100's + at a time) and thus give them a knock down price due to the volume of units purchased.

The bulk buying is usually done on advance sales or pre-releasestuff, so the Ebayer knows beforehand how many units they are likely to require.

The price fixing aspect comes with analysing the competition beforehand and obviously past experience (some good and bad I'm sure).

Hope this helps ;D

pennyuk

Hi, thanks you two for the responses/help.

I must confess that for the last week I've been walking around with my chin dragging along the floor, humming the Death March tune to myself.... 'brilliant' business idea is dying a slow and painful death!!!

Oh well, maybe I'll find another 'not to be missed opportunity' or better still - marry into a DVD Wholesaler family!!! Lol

Thanks again though
Penny

beachbeth

Penny
Having spoken to a few Ebayers who have been kind enough to divulge some of the key things to make it a success - and the biggest tip most of them could offer was buying in bulk  :)

Can you suggest any decent wholesalers? Or is it a secret?

soolin

Wholesalers are not the answer, ebay prices are often less than wholesale. If people do have a source of saleable but cheap DVDs they are unlikely to let that secret out as the last thing they want is competition.

Ebay is about finding that niche market that no one else has thought of, if you go in selling something that is already available on ebay you will have to start undercutting the competition and eat into any profits you might make.

I sell certain items in small 'runs' I have two or three competitors who know my source and as soon as I list something new I can guarantee than within the week they are selling the same item for less than me. Whichever of us holds our nerve can sell a good few items before the market collapses and we move on.

Soo

beachbeth

Do you find you have a list of sites that you visit regularly, Soolin? Or are you spending hours looking for bargains? (sorry about all the questions!)

beachbeth

Also, how long is it reasonable to wait for someone to pay for something before you do something about it and report it to Ebay?

pennyuk

I've been searching for something to sell (and make money on... obviously!) for a long, long time - I've searched this country (wholesale/pallets) and abroad. If only it were easy to judge what is going to be the latest craze/what isn't fake!

Let's face it - most of us want to sell via eBay and no-one is going to give you their supplier's name for fear of competition (totally understandable!).

I spent months researching DVD's - and now offer my vast list for free! I only hope it will offer someone some benefit!

I wish you luck in your venture and hope that someone else may have researched something that they don't wish to pursue to help me/you out!

Best wishes
Penny

soolin

Hi Beachbeth,

None of my sources are online as that would give me too much competition, they are all local to me. I have more than one place I buy from as well. It is time consuming watching for that one item you think will sell well.

I don't do vast quantaties of anything as it is just a hobby and I also couldn't afford to lay out lots of money on stock in case it doesn't sell, but it is nice to make a little extra each week.

As for how long to wait for someone to pay, I usually send a reminder on day 7 and a stronger one on about day 10 and then file a non paying bidder warning after about day 14. If you do want to start the non paying bidder process you have 30 days only from the date of the sale, so just make sure you don't let that date slip past.

Soo

Geoggy

Hi Beachbeth,

None of my sources are online as that would give me too much competition, they are all local to me.

Poundland?