Need advice on what type of products to sell

  • avatar

    by: catherine
    SaleHoo Junior Member
    23 posts

    Need advice on what type of products to sell

    Posted 7 Dec 09 1:13 am.

    l have been searching for something to sell but can't find anything. I've been doing my research with eBay and have not come up with anything to sell. Can anyone give me some ideas please, it would be very helpful. When l think l found something, either a lot of people are already selling it or it does not sell at all. So can someone please give me some ideas.
  • avatar

    by: Satya
    SaleHoo Master Member
    1778 posts

    Re: Need advice on what type of products to sell

    Posted 7 Dec 09 1:37 am.

    Hi Catherine,

    Here are some products we have found to have good profit margins:

    Clothing: accessories, plus sizes, maternity, night wear
    Beauty: sunscreen, insect repellent, cosmetic & toiletry bags, men's grooming
    Vacation-related items: swimsuits, sunblock
    Homewares: towels, sheets, rugs, throws, cushions, vases, mirrors
    Special occasion: wedding supplies, party supplies, mother-of-the bride outfits, bridal shoes, birthday cards
    Accessories for electronics
    Crafts & hobby items
    Sporting goods
    Computers & computer parts
    Auto & motorbike
    Unique items

    Finding a product with a high profit margin usually means finding a niche market. One of the best ways of doing this is just by selling some stuff from around the house that you no longer need any more. In the process, you will often stumble across items that sell really well that you would never have otherwise picked. Everyone makes mistakes when they start out and it’s best to get some practice – to find out what sells best – before you start investing in inventory and selling seriously.

    After some practice with goods from around the home, then you can start buying small wholesale lots of products. One idea is to sell very ordinary, everyday items, products that most people use on a daily basis. Many of these are excellent sellers, plus they are fairly easy to get hold of.

    At first, sales may be slower as you get to know your market, but in the long term, you’ll be able to target your market much more precisely and reduce the chance of having stock on your hands that you can’t shift.

    It's also a good idea to keep tabs on what is happening in the news if you want to pick up on new trends. The trick is to analyze what you hear and read for product opportunities. For example, is global warming causing water restrictions in your area? Good products to sell might include garden hose timers, low-pressure shower heads, water purifiers and so on.

    If you haven't yet, check out our blog and free education area for other ideas on what to sell.

    Satya
    Customer Support
    SaleHoo Group Limited
    Skyrocket your way to success with your own SaleHoo Store!

  • avatar

    by: catherine
    SaleHoo Junior Member
    23 posts

    Re: Need advice on what type of products to sell

    Posted 8 Dec 09 11:30 pm.

    sayta how are u thanks for ur help. l had a look and done more research the only thing l came up with is pet products what do u think about that still not sure so want to get more advise
  • avatar

    by: richellemonfort
    SaleHoo Staff
    3739 posts

    Re: Need advice on what type of products to sell

    Posted 9 Dec 09 12:17 am.

    Hi Catherine,

    This is actually one of the hardest stages to get by - deciding what to sell, but I'm sure you'll find the right product!

    Are you familiar with niche products? Here are blog posts I came across which may help you with your search of products.

    link hidden

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    All the best! Cheers :)

    Richelle

    Customer Support
    SaleHoo Group Limited
    Sell more with your own professionally designed and search optimized e-commerce website. Check out SaleHoo Stores now!

  • avatar

    by: ezbargins
    SaleHoo Senior Member
    65 posts

    Re: Need advice on what type of products to sell

    Posted 9 Dec 09 12:46 am.

    They say to sell what you like or love. But a way to see if something sells is to do a Completed listings check on ebay. Also if you look at something you love doing you can branch off that. Example is computers. You can branch off in to software or hardware etc. Then from there you branch off like in to kids software like music or branch off in to computer memory for hardware. You can use this in really anything you want to sell. The more percise you get the better chance someone will buy and not just look. I hope i help you.
  • avatar

    by: haydee
    SaleHoo Master Member
    361 posts

    Re: Need advice on what type of products to sell

    Posted 9 Dec 09 5:38 am.

    Hi Catherine,

    Ezbargins has given you some great tips and the links provided above should keep you busy! :) There is definitely a wealth of information here in the forum and if you find yourself still with a lot of questions, there's the staff and other members who are always willing to help out.

    Pet products is a good market but I would also recommend doing a Completed Listings Search for a specific pet product that you are interested in selling to check your competition and to see how well it sells on eBay.

    To do a Completed Listings Search, just click on the Advanced Search link beside the Search button. Green means sold and red, unsold. Note the sell-through rate and the average selling price. This is important because the wholesale price needs to be at least 20% lower than the retail price in order for you to make money.

    Below are some of our verified and highly recommended suppliers of pet products.

    http://www.salehoo.com/members/supplier/pet-supplies-5-4660.html
    http://www.salehoo.com/members/supplier/pet-supplies-5-864.html
    http://www.salehoo.com/members/supplier/pet-supplies-5-2020.html
    http://www.salehoo.com/members/supplier/pet-supplies-2-682.html
    http://www.salehoo.com/members/supplier/pet-supplies-2-758.html

    Hope that helps! Good luck!
  • avatar

    by: sassybags101
    New SaleHoo Member
    1 posts

    Re: Need advice on what type of products to sell

    Posted 11 Dec 09 12:00 pm.

    Heys guys, I am in the same boat. I am a full time student and a stay at home mom so I want to do this as a second income. Until I become established and gain more feedback and also sales I will have to really consider dropshipping. And I have found mixed feelings about dropshipping an it makes me so hesitant about using anyone. I have found a couple of suppliers so I think I am going to try and start with samll popular itmes then work my way up to bigger items. And I thought about it and one good way to build up feedback the quickest would be to clean out my closets and sell things lying around my home then start with other sources. Good Luck everyone!