What are some good retail options?

emjay-funk

HI,

I'm just starting out in my business and would like some advice on what is the best method to retail my goods purchased at wholesale prices? My initial idea was to sell on ebay, but as discovered here and through trial and error the margin is way too small and ebay is a wholesaler of sorts anyway. So i'm asking, what are some good ways to sell my goods online but not use ebay.

Thank you for your help.

wholesalejoe

The best success is to build a website

and do PPC advertising. It works with the right formulas.

haus1028

I have tried alot of other auction sites with no luck. I agree, a website is the best way. I have just designed my website and am in the process setting up checkout. Look at ebay to advertising your site. Run auctions and try to put a link to your website. I say try because ebay sometimes removes listings because of links.

bayericlowe

Hi,

Yes I would suggest that profusely.

And also get familiar with your area.

Right around town here for instance, the local store is getting rid of all their stock.

I'm going to run right in there and see if I can buy it all up....

After all, they are getting rid of all their games/movies and this is a chance to get a whole bushel.

mvm

Hi There

I can suggest the following, for maximum sales results...

Take time to create a user friendly website. You do not need to know how to code, there are plenty of drag and drop site creation websites available. You will need to setup a merchant account to accept credit cards. You can even do this via PayPal.

Be sure to purchase a website marketing book to help you with the best ways to market your new website. (ie. Internet Marketing 101 : Strategies from a Yound Web Marketing Guru by Neil Mirchandani ) There are millions of websites out there, you have to work hard to make yours visible amongst the rest. At first it seems daunting, but the hard work will surely payoff in the end, this i know first hand and can attest to.

You should also use Ebay as a marketing tool. Pay the $20 for the featured plus listing for your product. This will bring a ton of exposure to your ad, around 10 X more ppl will visit over a regular ebay ad (probably more). In your ebay ad, have a catchy phrase to entice the buyer to click on a link which will take them to your MYEBAY page (only legal link allowed in any ebay ad - can not directly link to your website). Then, at the TOP of your MYEBAY page, have a clear link to your webiste. This is a great way to advertise your website, along with the other methods explained in any website marketing book.

After about 6 months, you should really see higher sales, a better page ranking for your website and more profit.

Realize, any business will take time, research, dedication and patience above all. Take it slow and you will succeed. Rush, and you can invest too much, too soon - and lose it all.

Hope this helps.

Tiffany

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haus1028

Also try using free auction sites to sell on and advertise. You will not get many sales but it's still exposure and it's free.

I currently sell on

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bayericlowe

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And if you know the secret, the real secret to generating massive amounts of traffic well you don't need hardly any of what mountain view movies just listed....

You can be up having high sales in less than a month, bar none.

All you have to have, what you really need, is strong relationships with your suppliers aka distributors that you work with.

Make sure they are always worked out and strong in advance, you can then triple your profits in mere weeks, that is the true secret to get to lasting success.....

Always build hard-carved relationships with your suppliers.

mana2006

A website will help. You can also use sources like craigs list. Maybe an add in your local paper.

jimmy_huber

You can also find out a surprising amount of sales can still come from classified ads. Still only a small percentage of buyers have computers and Ebay.

mana2006

I will agree with you Jimmy. Most people think America is highly advanced but most people are still on dial up or have no service at all. A bit weird for a highly advanced nation. lol .

jess5ash

Thats all good that you are referring to the US... but the original poster is from Australia...

I think the only way you will really make money with your items... is to:

1. Make a website

2. Get a market stall at your local craft markets

3. Party Plan parties (are pretty big here atm...)

Hope this helps... I am currently looking at getting into markets- however alot of them require your goods to be HANDMADE so, they arent easy to get into!

tomaingeroy

Just something that I havent seen suggested yet...

WORD OF MOUTH.

I sold my products only on internet auction websites, but then all of a sudden one person asked me if I sold so and so and I did.

From there I have made 5 sales just from people I know.

Super easy and no hassle.

Cheers,

Tom

jess5ash

Totally! I actually made a sale from posting an item I had sold! The lady in the post office was extremely interested in what I was sending and asked for my web address to see what else I had for sale!

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