Selling stuff on eBay is a great way of earning some extra cash. The great thing about it is that it takes very little effort. It is like having your own store. If people want your product or the item that you want to sell then you should be able to dispose of it real quick. The problem starts when you want to make a business out of selling stuff on eBay. Then you have to start looking for where to buy cheap products to sell on eBay.
If you know anyone who has been making money doing the same thing that you are planning, asking them would not be any help. If they are in their right mind, there is no reason why they should tell you about their own source. The reality is that you are going to be an additional competition to their business. If you want to start an online business then you need to start thinking like a businessman. You have to look for your own source of cheap items and once you have found a source, don’t go around blabbering about it to other people.
To help you out, here are some ideas on where you can get a source of cheap items that you can sell over eBay:
Your Home- If you are just starting out you can just stay close to your home. Look for the stuff that you don’t want which others might find interesting. This is a good way to start selling and once you have learned the ropes then you can start looking for a real supplier.
Thrift Stores- Thrift stores are great places for finding cheap clothes. Most of these are cast offs and donated by other people, but if you have a good eye and patience then you can spot some real gems there.
Estate and Garage Sales- The trusty neighbourhood garage sale is always a good place to pick up some interesting items that you can sell on eBay. An Estate sale is in the same league but it has nicer stuff since the owners didn’t want to part with them in the first place. These items only become available when there is a death and the heirs don’t want the items.
Business Auctions- These auctions are great for finding fixtures, office furniture and other stuff like that. You can also find some equipment there that you can use for your own business as it grows, like fax machines, printers, computers etc.
Flea Market- A flea market is a great place to shop when you just want to see what you can find. You have to be careful though, because not all the items that you can find there are authentic although they claim to be so. As with most of the ideas I’m offering on how to find cheap items to sell on eBay, you need to do your research and know what you are looking for. That is the first step!
Distributors and Manufacturers- The ideal way of getting suppliers for your eBay selling business is to find a manufacturer who will work with you. That way you can get genuine items at the lowest price possible. The same thing is true with distributors. In the real world however manufacturers and distributors won’t do business with you if you tell them you sell stuff over eBay, but if you are patient you might just get lucky. I suggest that you try small companies first. They are more open to doing business with someone like you, and pick those that are located close to where you are based so you can inspect the items but also so you can have recourse for any returns etc.
These are just a few ideas that I have used to sell cheap products on eBay and other auction sites. It’s a good start. If you’re new to this business then my best recommendation to selling on eBay is to find product that doesn’t cost you anything i.e. stuff you have lying around. Get comfortable on selling through online auction sites like eBay before you invest in products. Take your time to grow your online auction business and success is almost assured.