eBay Workshop March 3rd - "What to Sell on eBay, Keep or Give Away when Spring Cleaning"

Workshop: What to Sell on eBay, Keep or Give Away when Spring Cleaning

Host: Lynn Dralle, The Queen of Auctions

Date: March 3rd, Wednesday

Time: 11AM - Noon PST

Location: eBay Workshop Board

Description: It’s the time of year for Spring Cleaning. Why not learn how you can make money on eBay by turning your household items into cash when cleaning out your closet, house or garage.

Please join Lynn Dralle, The Queen of Auctions and published author of the "100 Best Things I've Sold on eBay" book series, as she shares her tips, success and insight for new eBay sellers, part-time sellers and even experienced sellers seeking additional advice.

Visit http://certifiedprovider.ebay.com/ to learn more about eBay Certified Providers and the services and solutions they offer to help an eBay seller grow their business.

How to Manage Your Suppliers Information within eBay - by Worldwide Brands

Article by Worldwide Brands - this is a series of 14 blog posts providing information on how to find inventory and products to sell on eBay from wholesalers with Worldwide Brands and their Product Sourcing Tool for eBay.


Article #6 - Managing Your Supplier Information within eBay


How do you get information about genuine wholesale suppliers (not middlemen) who will directly support an online retailer and allow you to sell their products on eBay? How do you keep track of all your product searches and each Supplier's details?


eBay sellers can now subscribe to the Worldwide Brands Product Sourcing Tool for eBay as part of the Selling Manager Applications, also known as eBay's App Store. Everything you need to know about a Supplier before you call them is provided in one easy-to-use location, accessed from within your Selling Manager account.

In order to subscribe/add various selling applications to your eBay account, you will need sign-up for Selling Manager or Selling Manager Pro. Selling Manager is now free! Sign up here.


What Do You Need to Know about a Supplier?
Apart from the Supplier’s name, address, website and contact details, you need to know if they allow the sale of their products on eBay. You need to know what method they will use to ship orders to your customers and you need to understand their fees - especially their drop ship fee if you are going to rely on drop shipping to start eBay selling. You certainly want to have a clear understanding of the wholesale products they carry.


In the video below, you will see an extract of the kind of information now available to eBay Sellers through the Worldwide Brands application in eBay’s Selling Manager.

In addition to what you see in the extract, the eBay Seller can view more details about brand names and the full range of product types carried by each wholesale supplier. To accelerate the process of opening an account, Worldwide Brands provides automated account setup form. The system auto fills the form with the information from your own setup file allowing you to complete the form rapidly and email it from within Selling Manager and get it to the wholesaler before you make that all important first call.

At the press of a button, the system allows you to save each of your preferred wholesalers in the “Suppliers” section of you system so that you can recall their information without repeated searching. There is also a quick reference alphabetic listing of brands and products to help you locate specific items rapidly.

eBay’s focus is to help eBay Sellers reduce the amount of time it takes to find the right products for eBay selling. View this short video to see how it works.

Check out Worldwide Brands Product Sourcing Tool today! 7 Day Free Trial is available.

Worldwide Brands is an eBay Certified Solution Provider, providing product sourcing access and information for eBay sellers. They are the publishers of an extensive directory of legitimate, fully-verified ecommerce wholesalers and manufacturers.

How Researching the “Popularity Factor” can Help You Determine What to Buy in Bulk and Sell on eBay by Vendio

Post provided by Vendio

Many sellers purchasing from wholesales get quantity discounts. While we have thousands and thousands of sellers who use our award winning Vendio Research to determine how to sell a product in hand, Research is also great for determining how to purchase in quantity. In other words, you can use Vendio Research to help you determine what to buy and in what quantities. This is even true of products that are NOT on eBay at all yet. It is possible to bring a new product to the eBay market, and still use Research to help you determine your purchase quantities.

Here’s an example: Let’s say you want to purchase Birthstone Pens and no one else is currently selling them on eBay. Your supplier offers a quantity discount when you purchase 300 pens. Now, typically you might think, I’ll divide 12 months into 300 pens which equals 25 of each month. Simple, right? No, the smarter way to buy in bulk is to first realize that not all birthstones sell the same.

Using Vendio Research, we quickly looked up the eBay data on birthstone sales in the last 90 days. As the chart below illustrates, December birthstones have a 13% success rate, while April has 29%!! What this implies is that you’ll sell more of your April Birthstone Pens. Therefore, if you had purchased a quantity of 25 of each month, you’d be left with more unpopular pens and will need to fix-forward when reordering. Vendio Research can help you determine the “popularity factor” when it comes to purchase choices.

This can apply to virtually any type of merchandise where there is a selection to choose from. For example:

• What color is more popular for T-shirts, iPods, or even cars?
• What sports team or Disney actor is the most popular (on eBay)?
• What sizes are popular sizes for shoes, rings, jeans?

There is an old saying that the profit is made when an item is purchased, so going into a purchase armed with data can help profits. Many sellers will go ahead and research an item in hand, but apply guesswork when it comes to purchasing. With all the data at your fingertips from Vendio Research, there is no reason for you not to quickly gain an advantage with purchase decisions and ensure greater profits.

As an exclusive for the readers of the eBay Certified Provider Blog, Vendio is giving away Vendio Research Free for 60 days! Click here http://bit.ly/eBayCPBlog to learn more.

An eBay Certified Solutions Provider since 2004, Vendio provides an ecommerce solution for eBay sellers of all sizes. Vendio offers a series of applications which can be installed on a standalone basis or used to extend the functionality of the Vendio's eBay listing and inventory management solution.

Learn How to Build Credit and Purchasing History with Wholesalers by Worldwide Brands

By Chris Malta, Founder & CEO of Worldwide Brands

Wholesale Tips Series - How to find wholesalers, doing business with a wholesaler, what to expect when purchasing from wholesalers and more.

Tip #16

“Net 30” is a term used in association with payments. It specifies the credit terms your wholesaler allows you. When Net 30 appears on your order and invoice, you have been extended 30 days of credit from the date of the invoice before you have to pay for the goods listed on the invoice. There’s an advantage to having terms of payment. The payment terms allow you time to sell the invoiced products, and receive the cash from your customers, before you must PAY the wholesale supplier for the goods.

New eBay Sellers cannot expect to get Net 30 terms from the wholesale supplier from the start. Wholesale suppliers credit departments determine credit terms based on your business credit HISTORY. Your personal credit history might help you secure an account but it’s your buying performance that secures you terms. Online retailers must typically start by paying cash up front for all purchases or by using a credit card. Once you have developed a good purchase and payment history, your wholesale supplier will consider your request for credit terms. The volume you buy will determine if you can get Net 30 or better.

You begin building your business credit history from the point you first order and pay for goods from the wholesale supplier.

Worldwide Brands is an eBay Certified Solution Provider, providing product sourcing access and information for eBay sellers. They are the publishers of an extensive directory of legitimate, fully-verified ecommerce wholesalers and manufacturers.

5 Tips for Turning Closet Clutter into Cash on eBay by WhatDoISell

By Lisa Suttora, Founder and CEO of WhatDoISell.com

Is the money for your next vacation or that long standing home improvement project as close as your overflowing closets? It can be when you get into the habit of turning your closet clutter into cash! Most of us have at least one closet in our home bulging with items we never use. And many people have multiple closets filled to the brim!

If you have never thought of transforming your unused items into money in the bank, consider this…

No matter how tired you may be of certain items, there is always someone else who will find value in them and be willing to pay for them!

Additionally, the market for pre-owned goods has grown dramatically over the past few years! Shoppers looking to “go green” are buying used goods where they once bought new. Other people are revisiting the way they spend their money, resulting in fueled demand for used goods.

So how can you get started turning your closet clutter into cash?

Selling your unwanted items on eBay can be a quick, easy and profitable process when you follow these five “closet clutter into cash” tips:

1. The first thing we need to do is get all that clutter out of your closets and believe it or not, this is often the hardest step for people! The #1 deterrent of turning clutter into cash is thinking that you’re going to use the item again! Make your decisions quickly. The longer you ponder over whether or not you should sell an item, the more likely it is to end up back in the closet. Focus on what you’ll do with your new found cash and you’ll find yourself very motivated to part with your unused items.
   
2. Do some quick pricing & selling format research. The biggest mistake people make when selling closet clutter is misjudging the value of their unused items. Don’t let your personal biases undervalue what you sell. That long since used, hand painted longhorn lamp your husband bought for his den may be an eyesore in your mind, but there may be someone else across the country searching for a lamp just like it! Conversely, don’t let your personal attachments overvalue your clutter either. While you may have fond memories of that black patent leather handbag you splurged on in the ‘90’s, it may not hold the same cache’ for today’s shoppers. Keep in mind that every item you sell adds up to more money in the bank! And market demand plays the biggest role in the final selling price of your item. To get an idea of what items similar to yours are selling for and whether they’ll sell better in auction format or as a fixed price listing - do your market research by using eBay’s Completed Items search filter.
3. Gather your items all in one place and look for any logical or unusual ways you can group items together. Creative bundling can net you higher prices. For example, instead of selling your pre-schooler’s outgrown clothing one piece at a time, think about selling a “LOT” ( i.e., a group) of items. Sell all your matching “size 4 girl’s summer clothes” together and offer another mom a whole new summer wardrobe for her daughter! One savvy seller put together a set of eclectic brightly colored dishes and sold it as a “Fiesta Set”! Her lucky buyer was thrilled to purchase a fun and funky set of colorful dishes that dazzled guests at her next dinner gathering.
4. Take a good photo. Just because your item came from the closet, does not mean you should photograph it there! A clear, close-up, well-lit photo (using natural lighting from a window) with a clean white background will really showcase your items and can significantly increase your final sales price. Your item photo is the first thing buyers notice when scrolling through the eBay search results.
5. Give people a roadmap directly to your items. The majority of all online purchases begin with a keyword search. Yet a lot of people don’t think about the importance of keywords when selling items from around the home. When creating your eBay listing title, think about what keywords your buyers will use to find your products. Do some practice searches and see if the title keywords that you’re thinking of using bring up a list of sold items (use the Completed Items search filter again to find recent items sold on eBay). The right keywords will help to connect your item with the perfect buyer.

Finally, list simply and quickly. Once people get into selling their closet clutter and realize how much money they can make, their tendency is to want to create the perfect listing and squeeze every last dollar out of their unused items. This leads to over complicating the listing process which slows down your progress and your profits dramatically! Remember, any money you make on an item stored in your closet is a net positive cash flow. And time is money! So don’t prolong the process of listing, go for it! Get it listed quickly using eBay’s Sell Your Item Form or Turbo Lister (both free eBay listing tools). And enjoy the profits as they roll in!

When you resell your unused items on eBay you make money, other people save money and you recycle. It’s a win-win situation! Now that you know what to sell and how to sell it, there’s only one thing left to do…

Get started turning your closet clutter into cash today!

About the author: Lisa Suttora is an ecommerce expert, noted product trend authority and the Founder & CEO of eBay Certified Provider WhatDoISell.com. With 15 years of online & offline retail merchandising experience, Lisa brings a fresh approach to the topic of "what to sell and how to sell it."

Since 2004, WhatDoISell.com has provided thousands of online sellers with the skills, knowledge and support they need to build a unique, thriving business on eBay.

Earn $ in Your Spare Time on eBay - Education for New Sellers

Considering selling on eBay to make extra cash while cleaning out your garage? Where do you start? No matter if you want to get guided help or go it alone, Certified Providers can make the transition from buyer to seller quickly and easily.

The first thing to decide is what to sell. Find out which items in your house will turn the highest profit and eBay Market Research tools can do just that. Just type in what the item is and our market research tools will search millions of eBay listings (international sites included) and report back:

• Average sale price
• Sell-through percentage (success rate)
• How to list your item to maximize it’s potential for success

eBay research and listing is easy, but if you’d like to enlist the advice and help from experienced eBay sellers and consultants to guide you, then our Certified Providers can help. They can help you learn how to sell effectively on eBay and perhaps even increase your eBay selling to full-time and start an online business.

Benefits:

• Learn what items sell on eBay
• Avoid common selling mistakes
• Self-paced learning environment
• Find the products buyers want and locate suppliers
• Set up your business properly

eBay Market Research Tools:

Terapeak
Vendio

eBay Consulting:

The Queen of Auctions
WhatDoISell

6 Tips for Cleaning out Your Closets and Cupboards and Making Money on eBay!

By Lynn Dralle, The Queen of Auctions

1. Look for anything that still has the tags (NWT) or is mint in box (MIB). My daughter and I just cleaned out her closet and found that she had outgrown many of her clothes. We spotted a Mary Kate and Ashley green hoodie and skirt. She had worn the hoodie but the skirt was brand new with tags. We listed them both together on eBay for $9.99 and were very pleased when the outfit sold.

2. Check your kid’s rooms for costumes, toys, plush stuffed animals and used sporting goods. Costumes tend to sell year round. Many smaller children like to dress up all the time. I know mine did when they were little. Toys can be great but make sure you check eBay's Recalled Items Policy pages for updated information on recalled items. Plush toys are also a hot item on eBay. I sold a Vermont Teddy Bear recently for $41.05.

Also, used sporting equipment like worn in baseball gloves and used cleats can bring in big bucks. Many young athletes grow too quickly and they don’t have time to break in a glove or cleats. I sold 3 used catcher’s baseball gloves for charity last year and they brought in over $80.00 for the three! Just last month, I sold a pair of my son’s used baseball cleats for $9.99. Don’t throw anything away!

3. Look in your kitchen cupboards and drawers for dinnerware/flatware that you don’t use anymore. My grandmother had given me a set of vintage sterling silver flatware when I got married. I found it in a plastic bag wrapped up in the back of one of my utensil drawers. We never used it except for maybe once or twice for Christmas! I listed it on eBay and it sold at auction and out of my eBay store for about $1200.00. Who needs that in the back of their utensil drawer?

4. Don’t forget to look in your kitchen cupboards for coffee mugs. Yes, I said coffee mugs. I think every interesting coffee mug is worth at least $9.99. If it does not sell at auction, it will eventually sell out of your eBay store. I have sold some coffee mugs for over $30.00. Mugs to look for are Starbucks, Taylor & Ng, Advertising mugs and anything with cute subject matter.
Check out this Iams coffee mug that sold out of my eBay store and this Starbucks mug also sold from my eBay store for $9.99. The Starbucks mug was in my eBay store for less than 30 days!

5. Go through your bookcase. Books are easy to sell and even easier to ship. Recently I sold a book about predicting the stock market based on ancient Japanese charting techniques for $41.01. I had bought it at a garage sale for 25 cents. This one I did not find on my book shelf, but it just shows you that books can sell for big bucks!


6. Don’t throw away anything before trying it on eBay.
My mom was cleaning out my kitchen cupboards, and she put a salt and pepper shaker in the throw away pile, because the base of the pepper was broken off. I said “Are you crazy? Those are Quimper Faience”. I put them on eBay and got $27.52 for them.





The bottom line is that “stuff” you find around your house will sell. Before you throw anything away, look at the item and ask yourself, “Is this worth $10 to someone on eBay”? If the answer is yes, get it listed! In this economy, everyone is looking for a bargain, and eBay is where they are going for those bargains. More eyes than ever are looking for your household discards. Remember, your trash, is probably someone else’s treasure and that sometimes “worn in” can be better than new.

Lynn Dralle, The Queen of Auctions , is an eBay Certified Consultant, Certified Service Provider, eBay PowerSeller and published author of the "100 Best Things I've Sold on eBay" book series. Lynn assists new eBay sellers, part-time sellers and even experienced sellers seeking additional advice on how to grow their eBay business.