Ebay

It can be a very competitive and tough place to sell if you don't research your particular product market first. The best thing you can do is to go on Ebay and look at your product - and check out the competition.

You can check out the "Completed items" to see what auctions have sold for. Check out the number of current listings and look at the number of sold auctions vs the number of auctions that went without a single bid. There's no point in trying to sell an item that just isn't moving. You end up paying more in fees that it's worth in that case.

Ebay has 2 options to sell - they have the "generic" listing and the Ebay Stores. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Both have set fees - with the Store carrying a monthly fee. Generic auctions carry a listing fee - and a final value fee if the item is sold. If the item isn't sold you can relist for free. But if it's not sold the 2nd time around you still have to pay the listing fee.

There are ways to maximize your auctions - you can choose from 3, 5, 7, or 10 day listings. Just because you choose a 10 day listing doesn't necessarily mean you'll sell it or make more money. Most folks will only look at the "ending soonest" auctions and bid when auctions are close to closing. This is a way for buyers to try to get a better bargain and save money by bidding at the last minute. You'd be lucky if people got into a bidding war for your auction.

Bidding wars happen occasionally and the item usually ends up being sold for a lot more than the seller anticipated. Some believe that listing auctions on certain days and at certain times will bring in higher bids and more sales. The only way to check this out is to look at the completed items and see how the sold auctions did. Make a list of the days and the times and amounts and try to find out if your particular item has a trend with this.

Where to get items to sell? Many folks start out by cleaning our their attics, storage rooms and garages. Some will find bargains at yard sales and then sell them for a profit (remember to research your items before you buy them to sell... no sense in investing in a product that won't move!)

If you are interested in trying out retail - then Ebay.com is an excellent way to get your feet wet and give it a go.