SaleHoo

[BeadArtDesign]

I have just spent days going through many of the suppliers on this site both here and overseas. I then compared the wholesale prices being offered on a range of categories in ebay (US & AUS) completed listings and I can't seem to find an Australian supplier really offering prices where resellers can make a profit.

Are there any out there or am I just wasting my time??

[Haydee]

Hi Melissa,

Australian manufacturing is in record decline and this is why it is quite difficult to find Australian suppliers. Here is a similar post:

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May I ask what products you are interested in selling on eBay? We will do our best to find you the best leads.

Have you also thought of importing? There are a lot of suppliers that you can find outside Australia that can offer you great deals. For example, you can source unbranded goods from China at very low prices and there are some great liquidators in the US that would be a great partner for your business. Freight/shipping costs may be a bit high when importing so be sure to get all the details clear and that you make the most out of your every transaction. Here's an excellent article with a rundown on importing to Australia.

** Link Removed: Only Available to Registered Members**

Take care and talk to you again soon.

[ozgunner]

Hey, great article Haydee - thanks for the heads up

[BeadArtDesign]

Thanks Haydee for your tips....I work in jewellery design and can actually make goods to sell as I am able to buy wholesale components from Australia and the US etc. However, the problem is that there are so many Chinese sellers on ebay.com.au that even if I make the goods I still can't compete with them.My profit margins are minimal after weighing up the pros & cons. At this stage (like most others no doubt) I'm essentially looking for products that I can make a 30%+ margin on.

I'm not opposed to importing from China but would prefer to promote and sell goods designed and made Australia...just need to keep searching I guess.

Is there anywhere on the forum that covers "success stories"...need a few to keep the motivation up!!

Thanks for the article links...very informative.

[fudjj]

Thanks Haydee for your tips....I work in jewellery design and can actually make goods to sell as I am able to buy wholesale components from Australia and the US etc. However, the problem is that there are so many Chinese sellers on ebay.com.au that even if I make the goods I still can't compete with them.My profit margins are minimal after weighing up the pros & cons. At this stage (like most others no doubt) I'm essentially looking for products that I can make a 30%+ margin on.

I'm not opposed to importing from China but would prefer to promote and sell goods designed and made Australia...just need to keep searching I guess.

Is there anywhere on the forum that covers "success stories"...need a few to keep the motivation up!!

Thanks for the article links...very informative.

30% margins selling on Ebay are fast becoming a rare animal simply because of the competition. I would still be tempted to try the jewellery if I were you, yes you will have the Asian competition, but you have the Australian made marketing card to play, and quick shipping!

Don't just compare prices when looking at a competitor, sure they play a key role, but you need to look for holes that they have left open for you to exploit through a creative marketing strategy, and that can make all the difference in the world.

If you want 30% margins, I would suggest the second market. You need to buy smart, and you need to be able to talk a good deal on occasions, but second products can make HUGE margins, in fact I would not even consider buying a second hand item that I thought would only make me 30%, unless of course it was a big ticket item.

Most second hand items I have ever sold are always based on me getting back around 100%, if not more.

You have some expertise in the jewellery market so perhaps you could try looking at deceased auctions for some seriously undervalued little gems. If you are located in a major centre you should find several auction houses selling these types of items.

My tip, the smaller the auction house the better, you don't want one with a stack of competition bidding against you, that's why online auctions are useless for the most part, quite simply too much competition.

Good luck with it.

[BeadArtDesign]

Thanks so much fugjj...you have certainly given me some great tips and I will trial some of my own products on ebay for a while. I also like the idea of looking for quality undervalued second hand stuff - I may even be able to set up some sort of consigning business with local dealers that never seem to turn over their stock which is often just sitting on dusty shelves for years.
Cheers, Melissa

[fudjj]

Cheers Melissa, and I like your thinking regarding getting in amongst some liquidated stock. Plenty of retailers and suppliers have stock gathering dust that they could convert into cash flow, so one well worth going after as well.

Good luck