Issue #17

How a Veterinary Technician Got into the Designer Fashion Business

Did You Know?

More than 200 million US consumers will be shopping online by 2015

Member's Story

How long have you been a member of SaleHoo, and what do you like most about it?

Just a few weeks. The thing I like most about Salehoo is the forum. It's a great place to pick up advice and discuss topics that my friends and family have no idea where I'm coming from on.

What’s your favorite thing about making money from selling items online?

Aside of being able to sit around in my bathrobe all day and having no boss to answer to, I'd say that my favorite thing is being able to have time to do other things.

What was the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome in selling online?

The greatest obstacle I've had to overcome is product sourcing. Finding good suppliers is tough and keeping a steady stream of stuff coming in with a good profit margin is never the easiest thing.

What one piece of advice do you have for other sellers?

For new sellers I'd tell them to stay away from electronics and big brand name stuff. There's very little profit margin and high risk.

For those who have been selling for a while I'd tell them to set realistic goals and focus on carrying them out every day.

Toby Black (NZ)

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Hi, I'm Nancy Looney. I've been a member of SaleHoo for about a year. Before I joined SaleHoo, I barely managed to sell anything at all on eBay. But today, I run an eBay business as an eBay Top Rated Seller, with my own eBay Store called The Fashion Den.

http://stores.eba.com/The-Fashion-Den

How Did You Get Into Selling On eBay?

For the past 18 years, I have been working as a licensed Veterinary Technician, but I have always had a strong interest in becoming self-employed. A couple of years ago I began researching the viability of starting an eBay business and decided it was worth a try.

What Obstacles Did You Have To Overcome As An Online Seller?

A big challenge for me was trying to understand how eBay worked and learn how to actually make money - rather than listing things randomly and hoping they would sell! I decided that I needed to stick with a buyer base that I believed I had a good understanding of, and to sell things that would be the most fun for me, if I was going to make my business work.

Initially, I had a terrible time finding honest and reliable suppliers, and was ripped off by suppliers several times. After these bad experiences I found SaleHoo and wised up on how best to deal with suppliers. The great thing about SaleHoo, is that they have a vast number of well-screened suppliers, eliminating much of the guess work for sellers like me. I also found the SaleHoo forum a mine of information on eBay selling and wholesaler sourcing. I love meeting and talking to people who are working to achieve similar goals.

What Do You Love About Your Life As An Online Seller?

The greatest pleasure I take from being an eBay seller is the interaction I have with people worldwide, and providing excellent customer service to them. I have discovered that good customer service is appreciated enormously by buyers - especially those who've had a few bad experiences.

What Advice Do You Have To Share With Anyone Considering Their Own eBay Venture?

It is important to place customer satisfaction above all else, to continually evaluate your business, and most importantly, to not to give up when the going gets tough.

What Are Your Plans For The Future?

I will be continuing to expand my business as far as possible, with my ultimate goal to turn it into a full-time living.

About The Fashion Den:

The Fashion Den specializes in high quality women's clothing and accessories. Stock varies, but regular brands include Ralph Lauren, Liz Claiborne and Zalman Zaranio. You can take a peek and do some shopping here: http://stores.ebay.com/The-Fashion-Den. Nancy has even kindly offered to give SaleHoo members a 10% discount on any of her items worth $10 or more!

Fancy yourself competing with the professional eBay sellers? Then check out next week's newsletter on the big daddy of all suppliers - the manufacturer. Going directly to the manufacturer is the cheapest way to source the latest products, but there are 5 essential things you need to know first...

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How a Veterinary Technician Got into the Designer Fashion Business

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