So you want to sell on eBay? You want to take advantage of the $60 billion dollar marketplace, grab your piece of the pie? That’s great, but where can you find product to sell?
That’s likely the most common question that comes up for new eBay sellers. You’ve gotta have something to sell. No products, no sales. No sales, no business, right?
A lot of people get stuck here, but it doesn’t have to be that difficult.
Once you figure out what you want to sell on eBay, you need to understand that are many manufacturers looking to sell those products. Let’s call it WidgetX.
Perhaps you can find WidgetX in online stores, retail stores, or catalogs. No matter where you can buy it today, you don’t want to start at the retail end of the supply chain. The higher up you are on the supply chain, the better prices you are going to get. If the top of the supply chain is the manufacturer, that is where the best prices are going to be.
This is why you should get a hold of the manufacturer and find their authorized wholesalers. Other than calling them directly, the best way to get in touch with the manufacturer is to go to a trade show. Trade shows are where retailers and manufacturers get together. Business deals have been made at trade shows for years, and is a great place for you and your eBay business.
Go online and find out which trade shows are relative to your industry. Selling electronics? Head over to the Consumer Electronics Show. Selling garden supplies? Look online for a gardening trade show in your area.
Getting into a trade show is a bit trickier. Make sure you have your eBay business registered and the appropriate paperwork filled out with your government. You must be able to prove that you’re a real business. If you can’t prove you’re a real business at the door, they might not let you in.
However, once you’re inside, you have access to plenty of suppliers. All around you there will be new product ideas. Network with people, get contact information and plenty of business cards. In order to have an endless supply of products to sell on eBay, all you need to do is develop some good supplier relationships.
