Product Sourcing For Ebay: How To Safeguard Your Paycheck When Everyone Around You Is Losing Theirs
Well, looking at the news, it's clear that we are now in a world-wide recession, even if governments are still not willing to admit to the "R" word. The last global recession was somewhere around 7 to 8 years ago, when we had the dot-com busts, the 2 Iraqi wars, bird flu and SARS. If you're in your 20s, this is probably your first recession as a working man or woman. Some of you will be over-optimistic, thinking that your job will be safe if you work extra hard. Others will be looking for a second or part-time job, just in case your current job tanks. The rest of you may want to consider setting up a low-cost home business. For this last group, there are several options - one of them is product sourcing for Ebay. If you have ever bought or sold anything on Ebay, then this will not sound strange to you.
Product sourcing for Ebay is actually one of several strategies for making money on Ebay. For someone just starting out, it is one of the safest Ebay selling strategies. You don't really need to spend any money upfront.
Overview of the Product Sourcing for Ebay Strategy
Find out what's hot on Ebay. Look for a wholesale dropship supply partner who stocks that product. Set up an auction or store to sell the product. Send order details and customer payment to the partner for fulfillment. Get paid.
Advantages
Don't need to produce your own products. Don't need to worry about gearing up your factory or workshop to produce the next hot product. Don't need to keep products in stock. No warehouse fees. Don't need to deal with shipping and handling. Don't need to pay for unsold products. No physical work involved. Don't need to meet customers face-to-face. Don't need to do cold calling or prospecting. In other words, you don't need to look for new customers. Don't need to ask your family and friends to buy products from you.
Disadvantages
Many wholesalers for Ebay sellers only stock one type of product, e.g. a music CDs dropshipper only stocks music CDs, a pet accessories dropshipper only stocks pet accessories. If you sell more than one type of product, you need to become partners with more than one wholesale dropship supply partner. To make the big bucks, you need to know best items to sell on Ebay. Since what's hot on Ebay changes from season to season, this means you need to keep on looking for new product sourcing for Ebay partners. Sometimes, you will only work with the vendor once. Other times, you may work with the same vendor again and again. Difficult to explain to other people. Your family, friends and neighbors most probably will never understand what you are doing. Relatively few people understand the concept of a home business or internet business. Some Ebay sellers give up on the cusp of success because of pressure from their peers. Just as they begin to break even, they crack under pressure from their significant others, parents, parents-in-law, etc. Depending on the commission structure of your product sourcing for Ebay partner, there may be a delay in payment. For example, some vendors only pay you when you meet a minimum sales threshold, and only make payments at the end of the month. They may also withhold 10% of your commission every month to cater for returned products, only releasing it the following month. Because you spend so little money up front, you may not be committed to follow through.
Is product sourcing for Ebay the perfect small business? Of course not. However, for many people who have never run their own business, it is ideal. This business is very low risk, with little physical work involved. This business model may not be the most profitable Ebay selling strategy, but it is fairly straightforward and easy to understand. If you keep your eyes open for the next opportunity, remain flexible in your actions, and work hard, you can go quite far using just this strategy.
