It
sounds like a great idea - after all,
everyone likes a bargain don't they? But items that sell for under $10
have one big problem: Shipping. It's quite likely that the shipping for
the item will cost more than the item itself and this can be very
off-putting to buyers. For example, if the item costs $4.50 and
shipping costs $6, the total cost for the item is $10.50. If the buyer
can purchase the item at their local store for $8, then this suddenly
becomes a much better deal. For small items and accessories, the way to
get around this problem is by grouping the items together, such as sets
of 6 golf-balls or 5 tea towels.
2.
Products everyone else are selling
Many
sellers think that the best way to get
started on eBay is to sell items that everyone else is selling. Surely
those super hot items such as ipods, cell phones, psps and so on will
be a quick route to riches? Well, no. The sellers who are already
selling these items are not only more established on eBay - and thus
familiar to and trusted by buyers - but they will be able to buy
wholesale stock in larger bulks lots than you will, so their prices
will always be better. Thus it will almost certainly be very difficult
for you to make a profit in a market that is already well supplied.
3.
Things you love...but no-one else does
Hobbies
can be a great way of making money,
but only if plenty of other people are interested in them too.
Another
scenario is when you find a product
that you think is absolutely wonderful and could be the next best
thing...but no-one seems interested in buying it. Oh well you think,
it's only short term, eventually they'll learn about my item and start
flocking to buy it. Ah, no they won't. It's lonely work trying to
educate people on the benefits of a product all on your own. As
fabulous as the product might be, it's nigh-on impossible to start a
trend on your own. To make money from a trend, you need magazines and
newspapers, word of mouth and television to do some of the work for you.
4.
Difficult items to ship - e.g. fragile
china and plants
Now I'm
not saying that these are bad items
to sell altogether. Many sellers do very well from these items. But I
don't suggest you sell such difficult items when you are first starting
out. Both these items have an above-average shipping risk, particularly
if not packed properly. As a new seller, any negative feedback you
receive at this early stage could be especially damaging to your career.
5. Very
large items
Thinking
of starting with furniture or
pianos? Unless you already have experience selling and shipping these
items, then it might be wise to start with something smaller. Shipping
such large items is a major operation. Not only that, these items will
sell less often than mid-priced items as they won't attract the same
number of impulse buyers.
About
the Author:
SaleHoo is one of the fastest growing product sourcing portals on the
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