How do you stay competitive on eBay? Looking for tips especially from Canadian members

im recently new to salehoo, but not new to the idea of trying to make some money thru the internet but just cant seem to find the right angle as of yet. Ive looked at many products and tried to price compare thru ebay or other sites and when comparing there just doesnt seem to be enough mark up at the end to compete with other prices, maybe its easier if u lived in the states and are doing this? And i noticed alot of these products dont seem to have lot of bids(or any) on ebay for them so maybe they are not selling anyway. I guess im getting a little frustrated and would appreciate some info/experiences/ideas etc what ever u have to offer,, preferbly from fellow canadian members
Thanks

Welcome to SaleHoo, kwb007 :)

I know I am not from Canada but I hardly think that you are the only one with this problem, there are many sellers with pretty much the same issue all over the world and even in the US too.

Since this is not your first time selling online you might want to start niche hunting, I know the process is a bit tedious and time consuming but when you find that one profitable niche it'll be all worth it!

It wouldn't be totally a good idea to compare prices to those that you see on eBay, please note that there are many wholesalers/dropshippers who are selling directly on eBay. See where you competition is coming from?

I would recommend trying out the Link hidden: Login to view to help you find the right product to sell. I use it personally to hunt down niches to feature in our Monday Market blog :)

Another thing you might consider also is to source your products locally, we now have several suppliers from Canada.

Hope this helps!

Hi kwb007 & Richelle,

I have the same issue. I am new to online selling, just posted my first item on e-bay today... Something I had lying around the house. Brand new, in the box, but I wanted to go through the motions of posting an item, and test the waters.

I too am a pretty frustrated and very confused. There is so much information out there which can be overwhelming, but not actual concrete help in finding THE products/s. I agree that sourcing products in Canada seems to be difficult, with the majority of liquidators who have cheap lots in the US... For us Canadians it poses a problem, since the products get taxed and excised at the border, not to mention the shipping and insurance costs, all making the whole exercise pointless because there is only so much you can mark up a product to be competitive.

Also, I have gone through the so called liquidators here in Canada, and they are all retailers with reduced pricing. There are no "liquidators" per say that I have found besides Canada Liquidation, but they have huge lots that have to be bought in its totality, expensive and not much in the way of the products I am looking for...

Please help me/us with suggestions on which niche market is hot right now, and how to source the products without losing our time and shirts :)

Thanks!

Hi and welcome to SaleHoo, fbcgirl :)

I can make a number of suggestions but I cannot guarantee that they will indeed sell as I am not based in Canada and I do not cater to the same market as you would be. The only person that can decide what to sell is you.

You shouldn’t limit yourself, try thinking or selling anything that you think will turn a profit. Or you may follow trends and sell what is hot at any given time, and when the market demand dwindles move onto the next big thing

But if you are willing to do extra research (market demand, ROI, Supplier information, market competition), it is best to do a niche focused business. Unfortunately at this time our Link hidden: Login to view is directed/focused at the US market only, so the data may not necessarily apply for Canada.

It's actually great that you have started out by selling something you found from your own home :) Nothing beats knowledge gained from experience and selling stuff from around the home is the best way to get it without any risk.

After some practice with goods from around the home, I recommend buying small wholesale lots of products that most people use on a daily basis.

Many of these products are excellent sellers, plus they are fairly easy to get hold of. A lot of new sellers make the mistake of trying to be all things to all people. In fact, it is far better to target a specific market, e.g. ‘back to school’.

Some ideas:

* Clothing: accessories, plus sizes, maternity, night wear.
* Kitchen: recipes, knife sets, toasters, microwaves
* Beauty: sunscreen, insect repellent, cosmetic & toiletry bags, men's grooming
* Homewares: towels, sheets, rugs, throws, cushions, vases, mirrors
* Special occasion: wedding supplies, party supplies, mother-of-the bride outfits, bridal shoes, birthday cards
* Garden : lawn mowers, gardening tool sets, composter

Hobbies and Interests

One of the big reasons why people use eBay is to find unique items that they cannot find elsewhere. Before online auctions, collectors were limited by geography. The internet has enabled hundreds of communities to form around shared interests and this provides tons of niches to target. A quick browse of eBay's community groups will give you some ideas. There are groups as diverse as knitting, stay-at-home moms, business, hiking, gluten-free support group, vegans, travel, children's theatre, dieting, parenting, re-enactors, crochet, stamp collecting, pet care - the list goes on.

Remember that many of these hobbyists will also need components. For example, you may decide to sell embroidery threads, tools and patterns and how-to books; car parts; fabrics and trimmings.

Other places to find hot items:

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Our Twitter feed! We regularly post hot new markets on our Twitter stream - follow us by going to Link hidden: Login to view

Hope that helps!