Hi mcsc2010,
Another way to find niche markets and hot products to sell is by selling stuff on eBay from around your home that you no longer need anymore. In the process, you will often stumble across items that sell really well that you would never have otherwise picked. Everyone makes mistakes when they start out and it’s best to get some practice – to find out what sells best – before you start investing in inventory and selling seriously.
After some practice with goods from around the home, you can start buying small wholesale lots of products. One idea is to sell very ordinary, everyday items, products that most people use on a daily basis. Many of these are excellent sellers, plus they are fairly easy to get hold of.
Some examples:
Clothing: accessories, plus sizes, maternity, night wear
Kitchen: 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.
At first, sales may be slower as you get to know your market, but in the long term, you’ll be able to target your market much more precisely and reduce the chance of having stock on your hands that you can’t shift.
It's also a good idea to keep tabs on what is happening in the news if you want to pick up on new trends. The trick is to analyze what you hear and read for product opportunities. For example, is global warming causing water restrictions in your area? Good products to sell might include garden hose timers, low-pressure shower heads, water purifiers and so on.
All the best!