Hi jandm1971,
It's great to have you on board!
Generally, it's best to start selling something you are interested in. That was what I did and it worked for me. I am pretty sure other members would agree that you can never go wrong with selling something you are into. Most likely, there are plenty of other people who also share your interest.
I'm sure you want to sell products that will sell well and have good profit margins. If this is the case, then, find a niche market (and the best way to do this is by selling stuff from your home). The ideas that you have are great because toys and collectibles target hobbyists and collectors and one of the top reasons why people use eBay is to find unique items that they cannot find elsewhere.
Here are some products we have found to have good profit margins:
- Clothing
- Skin care (e.g. anti-ageing & acne treatment)
- Vacation-related items (swimsuits, crocs, sunblock)
- Homewares (towels, sheets)
- Accessories for electronics
- Crafts & hobby items
- Sporting goods
- Computers & computer parts
- Auto & motorbike
- Unique items/collectibles
It is also a great idea to check out the popular searches and most popular products on eBay:
Popular searches:
Link hidden: Login to view
Best selling products:
Link hidden: Login to view
eBay pulse:
Link hidden: Login to view
I know the above links are more useful for you if you are looking at selling on eBay but even if you plan to sell on another auction site, the info you will get will still be useful to you. Remember, eBay still gets the most traffic among other auction sites.
When deciding what to sell (especially if you're looking at selling hot/popular items), it is always wise to consider the factors that impact your ability to sell these products. Take into account the business basic: Demand vs Supply. For ex. there is a great demand for electronic products which is so true but the supply is also great which doesn't make it a good market to start with. You might want to sell accessories instead. Other factors that you also have to consider to sell hot items are 1. some wholesalers require that you meet certain criteria (e.g. you must be a licensed retailer); 2. some wholesalers will not work with small, independent retailers but you don't need to worry about that at this stage.
Other places to find hot items:
Link hidden: Login to view
Link hidden: Login to view
Link hidden: Login to view
Link hidden: Login to view
Once you have decided what to sell, then, you can search for suppliers. A small tip for you: it's a good idea to contact the supplier directly and build a good relationship with them. That way, it will be easier to negotiate and get great discounts. Suppliers often tailor their prices with your order so say, you buy 20+ units at a time, you should be able to negotiate a better deal. You may also contact more than 1 supplier before you start buying to compare prices.
I hope that helps! I know our other members out there also have great ideas to share :)
