eBay Selling Coach

eBay Seller Success Story – One Seller, One Auction, Many Successes

2012-01-31T06:25:00.000-08:00

I recently received this set of eBay seller success stories from Joyce West:

I am a member of the Treasure Hunters Cove with Carolyn. She has been after me to send you these scores.

I went to an auction this fall that was just loaded with goodies. These are just a few of the items I found. There are many more items, both Jadeite and other items, from this sale listed in my store.

For $75, I purchased the Jadeite Coffee Jar and the pair of Jadeite Shakers. The coffee jar sold at auction for $175 and the Shakers went for $65 at the auction. The screenshots below are for the coffee jar listing and the shakers.

I also purchased the Jadeite Measuring cups for $30 and they went for $150, from my store. The shakers and measuring cups both went to the same buyer in Japan. The next screenshot shows the closed listing for the measuring cups.

With just these three items, I turned $105 into $390. I could not have done it before I learned from the Treasure Hunters Cove not to under price my items. Carolyn and Mel are great motivators.

You can click here to visit Joyce’s store, By Gone Oldies.

Do you have a great sale or an interesting eBay item to share? Send your find to eBaycoach@yahoo.com for consideration.

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Don't Miss Sale Event This Saturday At Big Lots

2012-01-27T16:47:00.001-08:00

If you are looking for a great way to buy inventory to sell on eBay, then get ready to search this Saturday. On Saturday, January 28, Big Lots is having a big savings event for its Buzz Reward cardholders. Just find your deals, check out and show your Buzz Reward card to receive an automatic 20% off your entire purchase. For more information, click here.

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Hot Items to Sell For Valentine’s Day 2012

2012-01-24T06:52:00.000-08:00

Valentine’s Day is less than a month away but it is not too late to stock your eBay store with the things your buyers want! Look at a list of the current hot items buyers are looking to purchase for their sweethearts.

For women, the hot gift items seem to be accessories. Designer handbags and sunglasses top the list. Brands like Michael Kors and Prada are popular gift items. Also, silk scarves and nighties are on the list. Sunglasses are popular for men, too. Rayban and Oakley are the brands that buyers are looking for. Ralph Lauren, Hilfiger and Perry Ellis wallets are on the gift lists, as well. As always, cologne is popular. Buyers are looking for Dolce & Gabanna Light Blue for Women and 212 for Men, just to name a couple of brands. Of course, Paco Rabanne 1 Million and Marc Jacobs Daisy are on the list, too.

Electronics like iPads, eReaders, and headphones are making the list. Buyers are grabbing cameras like the Nikon J1 and home theater systems like the Panasonic 3D Blu-ray system. Apple products like the Macbook Air, the iPod Nano, and the iPod Touch are on the list again this year.

And old standards like candles, jewelry and vases are hot items. Plus, tickets to Broadway plays, sports events, and concerts are being given, too.

Other popular items include:

Men’s scarves
Tablets
Camcorders
Smartphones
Expresso Maker
Rings
Bracelets
Earrings
MLB Spring Training Tickets

While being able to sell these hot items will boost your sales, there are other tips that may help, as well. Offering gift-wrapping services will help you increase sales as well. Make sure your listings are clearly marked to show the additional services you are offering. Increase your sales by offering expedited shipping. This will help make your listings even more appealing to the last minute buyer.

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eBay Seller Success Story – Santa Claus Ashtray

2012-01-23T07:15:00.000-08:00

Carolyn Pritchett recently sent in this eBay success story:

During an estate sale, Carolyn found a beautiful 22 carat gold trimmed, Christmas Santa Claus Ashtray by Dixon Art Studios. The vintage piece was that had no damage measured 5½” x 5 3/8”. The ashtray appeared to have never been used before. Carolyn paid $1.00 for the ashtray and then sold it on eBay for $24.99.

The screenshot below shows the closed listing.

You can visit Carolyn’s Country Kitchen eBay store here, and her membership website, Treasure Hunter’s Cove here.

Do you have a great sale or an interesting eBay item to share? Send your find to eBaycoach@yahoo.com for consideration.

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Free Shipping Supplies

Free Kindle eBook - Barcode Booty

2012-01-19T11:51:00.002-08:00

Today (January 19, 2012) this eBook is free for Kindle users. Learn how find bargain inventory anywhere including garage sales, grocery stores, Walmart, Target, drug stores, warehouse clubs, home improvement stores - anywhere you can buy merchandise. Learn about free apps and strategies for determining the potential selling price of an item. I read this book last year and it is very informative.

Click here to get your free download, today only!

Happy Selling!

Hot Item to Sell on eBay and Amazon – Baby Monitors

2012-01-11T08:16:00.000-08:00

Image Courtesy of NewParent.com

Pay attention to your feedback comments on eBay and Amazon. You can glean valuable information about why consumers are buying your products, and learn how products are being used for other than their intended purposes. This information can help you market your products better, and discover product niches that you may not have thought of.

I learned this a few years ago when selling on eBay UK. One buyer clued me in that Preparation H ointment as a wrinkle treatment. (People keep it in the refrigerator and dab it around their eyes in the morning to reduce swelling.) Another buyer left a comment about using Swiffer Sweeper refills as anti-static packing material for computer parts. And yet another buyer informed me that Kool-Aid powder is used as a non-toxic hair dye, or for art projects. Finally, one customer left a feedback that said, “Can’t get this in UK because of health care system.” The product was toothpaste with peroxide – it was not available for purchase in the UK. After reading that comment, I listed almost every brand of toothpaste with peroxide for sale in my UK store, and toothpaste became one of my best sellers.

I recently received this comment after selling a baby monitor, “Great product- does just what I wanted without static. I use it with an elderly parent since I sleep upstairs.” Aha. I had purchased quite a few baby monitors and surveillance systems on clearance from Babies R Us last summer. They all sold well at at least $20 profit. Later I learned that people also use baby monitors to monitor their pets kept in another part of the house or basement.

The point I want to make here is to pay attention to the feedback comments your buyers leave. Listen to your customers so you can provide the products they want.

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Amazon FAQ – What if an Item Has No Sales Rank?

2012-01-10T06:04:00.000-08:00

Here is another common question I have received from my clients and see on message boards. Part of the decision making process when determining whether or not an item is a good fit for Amazon is sales rank. But what if an item does not have a rank, or the rank is zero?

No sales rank. We (experienced Amazon sellers) believe this means that the item has sold at least once in the past but a long time period has passed. It could have been months or even years since a sale.

Zero rank. The item has recently been listed and no sales has occurred yet.

So, your next question is, what do I do if there is not a rank, or the rank is zero?

Here is how I approach a zero rank situation. If I have a gut feeling about a product, based on my own experience with a brand name or type of product, I will watch the item and see what happens. Eventually a ranking will appear when some are sold. My feeling is that someone obviously knows enough to have taken the time to list the product and do all the work. If I don’t have enough experience to make the call, I can take advantage of another seller’s initiative and pay attention to the situation.

I also pay attention to the seller who listed the item. I look at these factors:

Does the seller have a lot of feedback – meaning are they experienced?

Does the seller have a large product offering?

Does the seller specialize in a certain category, such as toys or health and beauty?

Does the seller have a lot of products with a zero ranking, which would indicate that they experiment regularly?

If you don’t have the experience or knowledge to understand whether a zero ranked product is worth listing, watch other more experienced sellers.

Also, a note about zero ranks. I have experimented with products with a zero rank and sold maybe 25-30 of the product before a ranking showed up on the listing or FBA Scout. So, although the rank may show as zero, and it APPEARS that no sales have occurred, you can’t always make that assumption.

My best advice on zero ranked products is to go with your gut. If your inner voice is telling you that the item will sell, you know the brand name is a good seller, or you yourself use the product and like it, follow that instinct. Buy a couple and see what happens. You may discover a situation where the item sells and the ranking stays a zero for a few months. Competitors will look at the item thinking none have sold yet. And you will be laughing all the way to the bank!

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What Should I Sell on Amazon, and Where do I find It?

2012-01-08T08:05:00.000-08:00

I receive this question daily from both readers and clients. There are infinite answers to this question depending on many different factors. I wanted to share a few items that I was successful selling on Amazon this holiday season, just to show how diverse your product line can be. Also keep in mind that I am a real person out there selling, just like you, every day.

K-Y Touch Massage Variety Pack. I found this on clearance at grocery stores last summer. My cost was between $5 and $9. This item sold on Amazon for between $29 and $32. I sold 50 of these between August 1 and December 31:

Here is the info on my last sale, so you can see the selling price:

I was also able to find this item online and bought out the seller. (Not on Amazon, another site.) This product is now discontinued. I was the only seller for most of the 4 months I offered this item for sale. Profit on this item averaged $13. Total profit $13 x 50 = $650. You can click here to see that this item is currently unavailable on Amazon.

Sonic Scrubber Power Cleaning Tool. I found these on clearance at grocery stores, hardware stores, and home improvement stores for between $6 and $13. Selling price was up to $44.95. I sold 45 of them between August 1 and October 31:

Here is the info on my last sale, so you can see the selling price:

My average profit on this item was $24. Total profit was $24 x 45 = $1,080. You can click here to see that this item is currently unavailable on Amazon. This product has been discontinued which explains the exorbitant price buyers paid.

Black and Decker Rechargeable Spotlight. I found these last fall at Tuesday Morning for $14.99. These were in the "boring automotive section," but because the brand is Black and Decker, I took a chance. Selling price was between $42 and $46. I sold 13 of them between September 1 and December 31:

Here is the info on my last sale, so you can see the selling price:

Average profit per item was $24. Total profit $24 x 13 = $312. This product has not been discontinued and you can find it on Amazon here.

So as you can see, selling on Amazon FBA is much more than just selling books or selling items from Big Lots and competing against other sellers for a few dollars profit. My profit on these 3 items alone was $2,042 over a 4 month period - and this is just 3 items! In fact, these 3 products paid my mortgage for 2 months. That is how exciting selling on Amazon can be!

Open your mind, experiment, and take some risks in 2012 - Amazon is waiting for you!

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Taking Your Business Into 2012

2012-01-06T05:31:00.000-08:00

The 2011 Holiday Season is now over. 2012 has the potential for being a successful year for eBay and Amazon businesses. Is it too late to start preparing for this year? Of course not! To help you get started, here is a list of a few resources you can use:

Business Setup
This is the perfect time to plan how you will move forward this year. Maybe you want to find a better way to track your sales or inventory. This part of the list features a few tools and resources that I use in my business:

Free and Confidential Mentoring for Your Small Business

eBay and Amazon Sales Tracking Spreadsheet

Update on eBay Outright Accounting Software

Does Your Home-Based Business Need a License?

How $5 Can Help Your eBay Business

eBay and Home Business Tax Deductions

Business Development
Maybe you would like to build your business by changing what items you sell or maybe you would like to add new types of products to your inventory. If you have not tried Amazon or Amazon FBA, maybe now is the time. These posts will guide you:

Start a Business Journal

Amazon 90-day Experiment Nets $80 Per Hour

Building Passive Income Streams - Anyone Can Do It

Strategy For Using Grocery Stores As a Source for Inventory

Is There Money Lying Around In Your Barn?

What opportunities Are Available To You?

5 Ways To Get Free Inventory To Sell On eBay

Marketing
Marketing is crucial to the successful business of any size. There are many methods you can use (many free or low costing) that can help get the word out about your business:

Free Marketing: 101 Low and No Cost Ways to Grow Your Business Online

How to Use Facebook Ads to Grow Your eBay Business

Free Promotion For Your eBay Products

Free Publicity for Your eBay Business

Learn From Others
Learning from others who have “been there and done that” is a great way to build your business. Many of us who have learned the ins and outs of eBay, Amazon, and other sites gladly share our knowledge with others. Here are a few of those resources:

Amazon Fulfillment Course - Automate and Grow Your Business with FBA

New eBook - Amazon FBA Recipe for Success

Small Business Networking - What It Means and How To Do It

This list is just a link to a few of my blog posts that I thought would help you get started in growing your business. Take the time to look through the entire blog to find other posts that may help you to have a profitable and successful 2012!

New Year Coaching Special

2012-01-03T08:27:00.000-08:00

Congratulations, we have made it through the holiday selling season! I am thrilled with the outcome of my first (non-media) selling season on Amazon. This holiday season was another one of my "experiments" - just to see how the process works and what is possible. I was blown away! The only limitations are time, and money to buy inventory. The more time you spend finding products to sell and shipping them to Amazon FBA, the more money you will make. The money component can be overcome pretty easily with store credit cards and Kabbage. I am happy to say that all credit used to purchase inventory was paid in full by December 26.

Here is a screen shot of my Amazon payouts from Black Friday through December 30:

Breakdown:

Total sales November 23 - December 30 = $15,560
Consignment sales = $1,500
My profit = $6,102

Not bad for a first time! I am very pleased with the results and learned a lot that will help me make even more money next year! (Many sellers on my Facebook group did much better than I did, and I am so happy to have been able to learn from them.) I am also surprised at what people are still buying after Christmas that would be considered seasonal.

If you have not yet jumped on the FBA bandwagon, now is the time. I am offering a coaching special right now, $175 for 4 sessions and a copy of my book, Amazon Recipe for Success. Coaching sessions are tailored to fit your needs and we discuss what YOU want to learn about. Sessions last 45 minutes. Some topics include:

Learning to navigate the Amazon FBA system

Local sourcing with or without a scouting tool

Online sourcing - overlooked sources

Expanding inventory into overlooked categories - expand your mind and the way you think about inventory!

Creative ways to beat your competitors - it isn't just about price

How to outsource inventory sourcing - multiplying yourself!

Creating listings for unique or bundled items

Consignment selling for Amazon - how to find clients

This training special also applies to eBay selling, not just Amazon! Some areas where you can expand your business:

Starting or improving your consignment business

Hiring help and outsourcing parts of the business

Refining your current business - work smarter, not harder!

Fulfilling eBay orders via Amazon's FBA program

If you are interested in taking advantage of this limited time offer, contact me at ebaycoach@yahoo.com for more information on payment and booking your appointment. Now is the time to regroup and get ready for a prosperous 2012!

Happy Selling,

eBay Seller Success Story - Caroling Bells Set

2011-12-29T08:06:00.000-08:00

Recently, I received this eBay seller success story from Mandi Kennett:

I am a member of Treasure Hunters Cove and love that forum!

I held out for a long time to find the right seller for this item, but it paid off!

Dept 56 "Caroling Bells" figurine set, bisque porcelain, found for $5 at a garage sale summer of 2010 & listed since Sept/10. I have had many less than spectacular best offers but held out for the "right" buyer who arrived today during my 15% off pre-Christmas Sale!

I sold Caroling Bells for $84.96!

Below is a screenshot of the closed listing on eBay:

You can visit Mandi's eBay store, Mandicrafts Bears and Collectibles, here.

Do you have a great sale or an interesting eBay item to share? Send your find to eBaycoach@yahoo.com for consideration.

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eBay Seller Success Story - Sega Saturn

2011-12-28T11:45:00.000-08:00

Alan Schaeffer recently submitted this eBay seller success story:

Hi, I first want to thank you for your great site and e-mails, it truly helps. I just wanted to send you my success story. My brother-in-law had bought this Sega Saturn brand new from a big box store on clearance. I think he said he paid around $50.00 for it. This was probably over ten years ago. He brought it home, and it literally sat in his basement, unopened for all these years. He knew I started selling on eBay, and suggested I try selling this. I figured it would sell, but I never thought it would go this high! It ended up selling for $350.00 to a guy in Australia, who was very excited to receive it. He even paid the extra money to have it shipped over-night. It just goes to show you, anything is possible on eBay.

Good luck everyone, and happy selling!!

Here is a screenshot of the closed listing on eBay:

You can visit Alan's eBay store, AJ's Variety Store, here.

Do you have a great sale or an interesting eBay item to share? Send your find to eBaycoach@yahoo.com for consideration.

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eBay Seller Success Story - Lynn Haney Santa

2011-12-26T07:26:00.000-08:00

Image is courtesy of LynnHaney.com

Here is an eBay seller success story from Carolyn Pritchett:

Carolyn found a 19" tall, signed, discontinued Santa by Lynn Haney circa 1998. Haney is a former Junior High School art teacher who began creating Santa Claus collectibles with faces that he hand-sculpts and hand-paints in 1987. The Santa Carolyn found wore a large chef's hat, red silk like shirt, an Apron that featured various Christmas treats, red velvet pants, and black leather boots.

Carolyn paid $5.00 for the Santa at an estate sale and it sold on eBay for $295.00. A screenshot of the closed listing is below.

You can visit Carolyn’s Country Kitchen eBay store here, and her membership website, Treasure Hunter’s Cove here.

Do you have a great sale or an interesting eBay item to share? Send your find to eBaycoach@yahoo.com for consideration.

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eBay Seller Success Story – From Craigslist Find to eBay Success!

2011-12-23T06:43:00.000-08:00

eBay Powerseller Alyson sent in this success story:

As a Powerseller eBay mommy, I follow and love your blog! You gave me the idea of picking up freebies from Craigslist for resale, and I have had a handful of successes, but wanted to share this one.

I picked up a vintage 1930’s Radio someone said was headed for the landfill, and it sold for $249.00 in an auction! I am now on the lookout for vintage electronics as I had so many watchers on this one. Thanks so much for your advice, Craigslist is an amazing product source for sure.

A screenshot of the listing is shown below.

You can visit Alyson’s eBay store, Aly’s Alcove here.

Do you have a great sale or an interesting eBay item to share? Send your find to eBaycoach@yahoo.com for consideration.

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eBay Seller Success Story – Scrimshaw Oval Resin Framed Miniature “The Foudroyant”

2011-12-21T07:17:00.000-08:00

Carolyn Pritchett recently sent in this success story:

The picture is of the Foudroyant was an 80-gun third rate of the Royal Navy. She was built at Plymouth Dockyard and launched on 31 March 1798. Foudroyant served Nelson as his flagship from 6 June 1799 until the end of June 1801.

The Foudroyant had a long and successful career, and although she was not involved in any major fleet action, she did provide invaluable service to numerous admirals throughout her 17 years on active service. In her last years she helped train boys in the ways of the sea.

Carolyn bought the oval-framed picture at an open air flea market for $1.00. As the screenshot below shows, the listing closed at $74.99.

Carolyn has shared some great yard sale and thrift store flips with more to come. You can visit Carolyn’s Country Kitchen eBay store here, and her membership website, Treasure Hunter’s Cove here.

Do you have a great sale or an interesting eBay item to share? Send your find to eBaycoach@yahoo.com for consideration.

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eBay Seller Success Story – Hard Rock Cafe Cologne Hurricane Glass

2011-12-16T07:08:00.000-08:00

Genia Geddings submitted today’s eBay Seller Success Story:

Carolyn (Pritchett) with Treasure Hunters Cove has asked that we share our scores with you. I have been with eBay for several years only have a store for the last two.

I purchased a Hard Rock Cafe Cologne Hurricane Glass at the local Goodwill. I usually try to not pay more than $1.00 for the glasses, but since this one had a place I had never heard of Cologne, I decided to indulge and pay the whole $1.81. I only had it listed for one day with a buy it now when it sold for $29.99. As a member of the Treasure Hunters Cove, I have found that I have gained more and more knowledge on finding and pricing items for eBay.

Above is a screenshot of the closed listing. Thanks to Genia for sharing her eBay Seller Success Story. You can visit Genia’s store, Two Ladies and a Dog, here.

Do you have a great sale or an interesting eBay item to share? Send your find to eBaycoach@yahoo.com for consideration.

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eBay Seller Success Story – 1970 Tony the Tiger Promotional Plush

2011-12-14T06:24:00.000-08:00

(image courtesy of VintageDollCollector.com)

Guest Contributor Carolyn Pritchett of the Treasure Hunter’s Cove submitted today’s eBay Seller Success Story:

This is the first version of Tony the Tiger, offered by Kellogg's Sugar Frosted Flakes in 1970. He is 14" tall with a fabric head and furry body.

He has some yellow age spots on his face - I used a baby wipe and have erased many of them, I believe that what is left can be removed, I will defer to the collector to properly clean his face to remove the rest - I did this to see if in fact he would clean up and yes he will. I just gave him a lick and a promise that someone more knowledgeable than me would take care of him. I paid 50 cents for him and he sold to a buyer in Japan for $49.99!

Carolyn has a family history in the antiques business and has some great yard sale and thrift store flips to share. You can visit Carolyn’s Country Kitchen eBay store here, and her membership website, Treasure Hunter’s Cove here.

Do you have a great sale or an interesting eBay item to share? Send your find to eBaycoach@yahoo.com for consideration.

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How to Shrink Wrap Products for Online Selling

2011-12-12T10:56:00.000-08:00

Charlie, a member of my Facebook group, was kind enough to share his process for shrink wrapping items. Many of you sell health and beauty, food, baby, or other items that require sealing, bundling, or plastic wrap for shipping or storage. This technique is especially useful if you sell on Amazon FBA and bundle items or sell liquid items that could leak. Charlie showed us a way to make our products look really professional and the tools for this process. Here is Charlie’s demo video:

Here are the supplies you will need:

Easyway 16 inch heat sealer

Shrink wrap film

Wagner power heat gun

This sure beats using packaging tape and Saran wrap! What a time saver. I can see this process working for:

Health and beauty products

Food products sold in bundles

Plush toys

Toys in open-faced boxes

Clothing items (get them small enough to fit in Flat Rate envelopes!)

Office supplies

Books, DVDs, and CDs

Anything you need to re-bundle

Thanks, Charlie for this great demo!

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eBay Seller Success Story: Enesco Kewpie Doll on a Sled

2011-12-09T13:40:00.000-08:00

Jill Jablonski recently sent in this eBay Seller Success Story:

I have been taking the advice of Carolyn and Mel from The Treasure Hunters Cove forum about “respecting my items and pricing them higher”. Bidding wars are not that common anymore and often the price you set as a starting bid is what it sells for. I was pricing most everything $9.99 - $24.99 and that is what my items usually sold for. So, when I saw this cute Kewpie figurine, I took their sage advice and started him at $99.99 with free shipping. I had only paid $1.97 at Goodwill, so when it sold for my asking price (yup, no bidding war!), I was ecstatic! And since the buyer was from Japan, I don’t even have to pay for shipping! I have been applying this advice to all of my new listings and it is definitely paying off!!

Here is a screenshot of the listing on eBay is below:

Thank you, Jill, for sharing this eBay Seller Success Story! Click here to visit Jill’s Corner Shop, her eBay store.

Do you have a great sale or an interesting eBay item to share? Send your find to eBaycoach@yahoo.com for consideration.

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eBay Seller Success Story: 1924 Uncle Wiggily Child’s Mug and Saucer

2011-12-08T19:18:00.001-08:00

With the holiday season in full swing, I have been very busy making sure my eBay and Amazon listings are running smoothly. I have decided to take this time to share the eBay selling successes of my readers. Over the next few weeks, I will be spotlighting stories I have received that show the successes achieved by other eBay sellers.

Today, I am sharing a success story from guest contributor Carolyn Pritchett. Carolyn recently purchased a circa 1924 Uncle Wiggily Child’s Mug and Saucer Set. he mug featured “Uncle Wiggily” and “Grandpa Goosey Gander”. The characters from a popular series of children’s stories that began in 1910 are seen walking from “Ovaltine House”. The artwork is signed by Lang Campbell and was licensed to the Sebring Pottery Company.

Carolyn purchased this piece for 25 cents. She sold it on eBay for $65.00! Above is a picture of the item. The listing closed back in October 2011. A screenshot of the listing on eBay is below:

Look for more posts from Carolyn as she will be a regular contributor to the eBay Coach blog. Carolyn has a family history in the antiques business and has some great yard sale and thrift store flips to share. You can visit Carolyn’s Country Kitchen eBay store here, and her membership website, Treasure Hunter’s Cove here.

Do you have a great sale or an interesting eBay item to share? Send your find to eBaycoach@yahoo.com for consideration.

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2011-12-05T13:58:00.000-08:00

Mandy Kennett sent in a success story:

I am a member of Treasure Hunter’s Cove forum & Carolyn suggested I send you my SCORE for a Christmas game sold out of my eBay store! I picked it up earlier this year at a local garage sale here in Oakville, Ontario Canada, where I bought a whole pile of items & the home owner looked at my giant pile & said, “How about $10 for everything?” So it cost me about .46 cents!!!! It sold out of my store during my US Thanksgiving/Black Friday Sale for $79.96USD to ship to the UK and they had to pay the shipping via Canada Post International Airmail Small Packet of $50.85USD. The shipping did cost me $50.26USD. I did not add shipping & handling since I feel so badly that Canada Post overseas postal rates are so high (no such thing as 1st class international post here!)!

The game is WHO-VILLE OPOLY a special issue of the popular Monopoly board game starring The Grinch Who Stole Christmas a limited issue from 2005 only. The game was in good, well-cared for condition with all game pieces including the little pewter men in the shapes of characters from the movie/story, houses (which are Christmas trees & presents instead of houses!), property cards (things like Who-Hash, Who-Dump), game cards, play money, game board, dice and the instruction flyer.

Above are photos of the game. Below is a screenshot of the closed listing.

Look for more posts from eBay sellers who wish to share their eBay success stories. Visit Mandy’s eBay store Mandi Craft, Bears and Collectibles here.

Do you have a great sale or an interesting eBay item to share? Send your find to eBaycoach@yahoo.com for consideration.

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eBay Seller Success Story – Nymphenberg Retired Mouse

eBay Seller Success Story – Lenox Christmas Plate

2011-12-01T10:59:00.001-08:00

Carolyn Pritchett sent in a success story:

It was at the end of a Yard Sale day and we were driving home and saw a yard sale close to our house. I was tired and didn't feel like another dead end yard sale, we stopped anyway. As I was searching through what was left, I opened a box marked Lenox and there it was a 1992 Lenox Limited Edition Christmas Plate-I checked it over for damage because for $4.00 it must have something wrong with it? I couldn't find anything. I asked my husband to check it over-he couldn't find anything wrong? So I asked the lady if she would take $2.00, she said yes and I had to really control myself not to show any emotion. I paid her immediately! I came home looked it up on Replacements and it showed that this plate France-Boxed 1992 $449.95 - I checked Ebay and some had sold for less than $200.00. I decided not to chance an auction even with a reserve, because I find people do not bid when there is a reserve? I decided to put it in my store and wait for the right buyer. So I am so glad I did.

Above are photos of the item. This listing closed back in October 2009, so we can’t access the actual listing and show a screen shot, but Carolyn saved the email from eBay:

Look for more posts from Carolyn as she will be a regular contributor to the eBay Coach blog. Carolyn has a family history in the antiques business and has some great yard sale and thrift store flips to share. You can visit Carolyn’s Country Kitchen eBay store here, and her membership website, Treasure Hunter’s Cove here.

Do you have a great sale or an interesting eBay item to share? Send your find to eBaycoach@yahoo.com for consideration.

Related posts:

Tom’s eBay Success Story

eBay Seller Success Story: Starbucks Bearista Bear

Dolce and Gabbana Jacket – eBay Seller Success Story

Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest 2011

2011-11-23T06:45:00.000-08:00

It’s Ugly Christmas Sweater time again! These are hot sellers on eBay this time of year. Here’s why – hosts have a Christmas party and invite guests - but everyone must wear an ugly Christmas or holiday sweater. The winner gets a prize. Some of these parties are done as charity benefits, held at a public location, to raise money for needy families during the holidays. Some are just for fun. These sweaters are nauseatingly festive and disturbing.

You can find these gaudy sweaters in thrift stores for less than $5. In past years, ugly Christmas sweaters have sold for up to $100. America seems to have vast reserves of these in thrift stores. If you can’t find one in a thrift store, create one yourself. Here is a video to show how easy it is to make that perfect ugly sweater:

Head on over to my eBay Seller's Facebook group to participate in this year’s virtual ugly sweater contest. Here is how it will work:

To be eligible, sweaters must be listed before December 5.

The sweater selling for the highest price wins!

You can post links to your ugly sweaters on the Ugly Sweater Contest thread in the group if you like.
(We can all use a daily laugh during the stressful holiday selling season!) Just search the box in the top right corner to find the Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest.

Winner will be announced on December 20 and will receive a $25 Amazon gift card via email.

Feel free to repost this contest anywhere - your Facebook page, Twitter, or your own blog. Let's have some fun with ugly sweaters!

Related Articles:

Selling Toys on Amazon This Holiday Season

An Ugly Christmas Miracle!

Preparing for Holiday 2011 Selling – Podcast

Great News for Children’s Book Sellers!

2011-11-21T08:14:00.000-08:00

I read an interesting article yesterday on the New York Times titled, “For Their Children, Many eBook Fans Insist on Paper.” I have agreed with the points in this article since the beginning of eBooks – that electronic readers are not a threat to all types of printed books. (Refer to my blog post from September 2010, “Amazon Kindle Will Not Make Printed Books Obsolete.”)

This article should provide comfort and encouragement for those of you who sell children’s books on both eBay and Amazon. The author states that although parents are technologically savvy and may have an e-reader, electronic reading devices are not such a good fit for little children. Any parent knows how messy little kids are and that accidents happen. Printed books won’t necessarily be ruined if a sippy cup turns over on them, or if they are dropped in the bath tub. (Been there, done that.)

Printed books are also more interactive than e-readers. Scientific research shows that there is a direct connection between learning and brain stimulation when holding a physical printed book while reading – whether a child is reading (or just looking at the book) alone or an adult is holding the child and reading the book to her. Not every learning experience is going to translate to an electronic device. (I had a math teacher tell me one time not to try to do problems in my head. There is a direct connection between the brain and the pencil in your hand that helps you work through the problems and arrive at the answer. Same concept with physical old fashioned books – the tactile experience.)

So keep those children’s books coming to eBay and Amazon. If you are not yet selling on Amazon, now is definitely the time to get started. Check out my free report about selling books on Amazon.

Related articles:

Amazon 90 Day Experiment Nets $80 per Hour

How to Sell Vintage Cook Books

Selling Vintage Children’s Books on eBay

eBay Seller Success Story - Tracy Reese New York Dress

2011-11-19T10:00:00.000-08:00

Melanie sent in her success story. She paid $12 for this dress at a Neiman Marcus Rack store. It sold for $274.95! Here is her listing:

Visit Melanie's eBay store - I'm Your Personal Shopper, where she has all sorts of good finds from high-end department stores.

Don't forget stores like Nordstrom Rack and Neiman Marcus Rack for sourcing inventory. You may uncover some real deals!

If you are not already a member, come join us on Facebook where over 2,600 online sellers network and share their great finds!

Related articles:

Hot Item to Sell on eBay - Women's Capes

Tom's eBay Success Story

eBay Niche Product - Plus Sized Women's Clothing

I Can Do It Conference Recap

2011-11-17T06:45:00.000-08:00

I'm finally back in the swing of things after my trip to Tampa last weekend for the I Can Do It conference by Hay House. Wow, what an experience! I was able to attend lectures and workshops by authors, spiritual leaders, life coaches, and medical intuitives. The best news is that the conference is coming to Atlanta in April 2012, so I can go again very soon.

Some of the best "take aways" from this experience:

Dr. Wayne Dyer's lecture was amazing. Dr. Dyer is an internationally known author and speaker in the field of self development. He is 71 years old and shared his recent journey winning the battle against leukemia with self-healing techniques. He has a cool (free) iPhone app called "Excuses Be Gone" - I love this. Whenever you feel like you are talking yourself out of something or coming up with an excuse not to reach your true potential, you can use this app to give you encouragement to move on. Also check out this powerfully moving music CD, "Cecelia the Healing Voice." Listen to samples here. Turn up your volume LOUD.

Louise Hay and Cheryl Richardson did a lovely presentation on Saturday morning with excerpts from their new book, "You Can Create an Exceptional Life." The book is filled with empowering conversations between two wise and inspiring women. What an honor to be in the room with these two women. And is Louise Hay really 85?

Gregg Braden, a former geologist and current best selling author, gave a fascinating talk about his area of expertise - bridging science and spirituality. Gregg has studied for decades all over the world with spiritual leaders of all faiths in remote villages and monasteries. If you are looking for some "meaty" thought-provoking topics, check out his site and his new book, "Deep Truths." (Waiting for mine to arrive from Amazon.)

Sunday morning, Caroline Myss entertained us with her no-nonsense personality and great wisdom. Caroline is a medical intuitive, best selling author, holds a BA in journalism and a Masters degree in theology. She is a regular on Hay House Radio. She created her own center for spiritual education which offers a diverse array of programs devoted to personal development.

The speaker I most anticipated at the conference was medium John Holland. (I've read all of his books and have some of his audio CDs.) John demonstrated his unique gifts in a room filled with 800 people. What an experience to see this man work. He brought messages of healing, peace, and closure to many audience members who had lost loved ones. John has a weekly show on Hay House Radio - check him out sometime. His work is absolutely fascinating and he is the real deal.

You can find out about all of these inspirational people, and many more by listening to Hay House Radio. It is free! You can listen while you work at your computer or on your iPhone using their free app. It really is "radio for your soul."

Now I am energized and ready to handle the holiday madness!

Preparing for Holiday 2011 Selling - Podcast

2011-11-06T08:18:00.000-08:00

My colleague and co-author of The Amazon FBA Recipe for Success book, Kim Tarrant and I will discuss how to prepare for holiday selling. Some topics we will cover include:

* How to determine what and how much to buy - even without a scouting tool

* Getting the most for your money - how to determine whether to sell items on eBay, Amazon, or both!

* Holiday selling isn't just about toys - other popular categories to consider

* Getting the most out of your mobile device when shopping (some cool tricks!)

* For Amazon sellers, why you should be prepared to merchant fill as well as use FBA

* What you can do now to prepare for a successful holiday selling season - make your battle plan

* How to make money buying items at full retail, and resell them for a nice markup

*Q&A session for questions from listeners

During the podcast, we will also give away 2 copies of our book, Amazon Recipe for Success, and 2 1 year memberships to my membership site, Online Selling Coach.

The live podcast will air on Tuesday, November 8 at 10 AM Eastern time. The recorded version will be available for download shortly after the broadcast ends.

Click here to join us!

Hot Item to Sell on eBay - Women's Capes Winter 2011

2011-11-04T04:02:00.000-07:00

A recent article by AllVoices.com, explains that capes are the new coats for Winter 2011. Capes can be considered an accessory worn with casual wear, every day wear, or evening wear.

Many fashion conscious women are wearing capes as a substitute for a jacket or sweater. Capes work with skirts, pants, jeans, dresses, or leggings. This winter accessory item is showing up in all the major department stores such as Nordstrom, Macys, and Saks. A member of my Facebook group (shout out to Melinda S.!) recently mentioned that she found a gorgeous wool Coloratura cape at a thrift store for $10, and completeds where showing over $300 for the same cape. Wow, what a find!

Here are some recently completed listings on eBay for used capes, that you may be able to find at thrift stores:

Keep your eyes open for capes, wraps, shawls, and cloaks as you are out thrifting!

Related articles:

Burberry Jacket - eBay Flip

North Face Coat - eBay Seller Success Story

Camel Hair Coat - eBay Seller Success Story

Do you have a success story to share? If so, email it to me at ebaycoach @ yahoo for consideration. We can all learn more (and make more money) by sharing this information.

eBay and Amazon Sales Tracking Spreadsheet

2011-10-31T05:36:00.000-07:00

It is finally here! My colleague Vickie has created what so many of you have asked for - an easy, user friendly book keeping spreadsheet to track your ecommerce sales and organize your inventory and expense information. I have been working with Vickie over the last few weeks to help her launch this fantastic product - now it is ready!

So, what does it do? Pretty much everything you need if you are selling online.

The workbook is set-up for eBay and Amazon sales yet could be easily adapted for any sales channel. This bookkeeping solution features separate pages for:

- Inventory (FBA & On-Site)
- Monthly Sales Tabs
- Year-End Sales Totals - Both eBay/Amazon Tabs
- Combined Year-End Sales Tab
- Expenses Tab
- Profit Loss Tab
- Sales Goal Tracker
- Mileage Log

Vickie also has included 45 minutes of tutorial videos, so even an Excel novice can use this tool. Here is a short demo video showing how the spreadsheet works, and more importantly, how it looks and how EASY it is to use!

Vickie's tutorials are included when you purchase the product and each step or feature has its own 5 minute video, so if you get lost, you can easily find the instructions you need. It's like having your own Excel tutor right on your computer.

What's also great about this tool is that you only buy it once - this is not a monthly subscription. Once you have purchased the spreadsheet, you will also receive yearly updates as Vickie continues to fine-tune the product. The price is $29.97 - a huge bargain if you compare this product to other electronic accounting or book keeping systems. If you are a member of Online Selling Coach, check the site for a discount code for 25% off. (If you are having trouble finding the discount code, feel free to email me at ebaycoach @ yahoo or msg me on Facebook.)

Now is the perfect time to get organized - before the holiday selling season slams us and before the next tax season. This product comes with at 100% satisfaction guarantee. (I don't endorse anything that isn't guaranteed!) If you aren't happy, simply request a refund, no questions asked.

Click here to get the eSales spreadsheet now!

Understanding the Amazon Prime Customer - Become One!

2011-10-27T03:45:00.000-07:00

Fulfillment by Amazon is the hot thing in ecommerce right now. Many people don't understand why sellers go to the extra "trouble" to pack up their items, ship them to Amazon, and pay Amazon to store and ship their items to the final customer. FBA is much more than just shipping and storage. In a conversation on my Facebook group yesterday, a member asked this very question, "I just don't understand FBA. Is it really an advantage to pack up your stuff & send it to them to sell? Not easier to list yourself? Seems like a lot of additional fees."

What most sellers not doing FBA don't understand is the Amazon Prime customer - these customers are the lucrative part of FBA and an FBA seller's best friend. A special group of Amazon customers, called Prime Customers, pay an $80 a year membership fee and anything they purchase with the “Prime” logo is shipped free, within 2 business days. The only way to sell to these customers, and to the ones who choose free super saver shipping with an order of $25 or more with the SSS logo, is to do FBA and have your items in an Amazon warehouse. In other words,

YOU CANNOT REACH THE CORE GROUP OF BUYERS ON AMAZON UNLESS YOUR ITEMS ARE IN AN AMAZON WAREHOUSE AND AMAZON TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR SHIPPING THESE ITEMS.

If you are only doing merchant filled, you can not reach these people and you are missing a huge % of the Amazon customer base. Also, Prime and SSS customers are not as price sensitive, they will pay more than for MF items, and buy more at a time. Point #2:

IF YOU SELL ON AMAZON, AND ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE AMAZON FBA PROGRAM, YOU MISS OUT ON SELLING TO CUSTOMERS WHO ARE NOT PRICE SENSITIVE. YOU ARE LEAVING MONEY ON THE TABLE. LOTS OF MONEY.

When you switch to FBA, some magical things happen:

1) Your competitors drastically decrease. You are no longer competing against every other seller with the same product, only other FBA sellers and Amazon.

2) Your customer base increases because you now get to sell to Prime and SSS customers, whom you could not reach before.

3) Prime and SSS customers use a filter, "Show prime offers only." So many do not even see the MF offers. They don't care if they pay $5, $10 or even more for an item because they aren't looking at the MF items. This is a case of "what they don't know won't hurt them."

4) Your orders ship 24/7 (media goes intl), and you can spend your time sourcing and shipping box loads of items to FBA rather than shipping items. Once you get your inventory built up, you can spend your time at the gym, going on vacation, or goofing off, and you will still make money because Amazon is shipping your items for you!

5) AZ handles all post transactional activities like returns, customer inquiries, etc. Again, a time saver.

6) This is an economy of scale. Maybe now you are selling 100 items a month at an average of $8 profit per item. With FBA, you can sell 400 items a month at maybe $6 profit, with less effort and less time invested. Yes, there are fees, but the increase in sales offsets that. So you can go from making $800 a month to $2400 a month with very little extra effort.

So, yes, there are tremendous advantages to packing up your items and sending to FBA.

Thought for the day:

THE ONLY WAY TO FULLY UNDERSTAND YOUR CUSTOMERS IS TO BECOME ONE.

If you are new to FBA, or interested in seeing how it works from a customer's perspective, why not become an Amazon Prime customer? Amazon offers a 30-day free Prime trial. I highly recommend that you sign up for the free trial just to see what our customers experience. (Holiday time is a great time to try it out for your own benefit!) You start to think differently abut how you shop and how you can utilize your Prime membership - the other day I needed an item that Target carries. (For personal use, not to sell.) It was a rather large item. I was thinking that I may have to go to multiple Targets to find one in stock. Then I remembered my Amazon Prime account - found the item, it was offered on Prime, for only a few dollars more than the Target price. So I ordered it online, it was at my door in less than 48 hours, and I did not lose any time going on a wild goose chase trying to find it. I did not have to hassle with a large item, wheeling it out to the car, putting it in the car, unloading it from the car. I was able to use my time for other tasks while Amazon handled the problem for me - for only $4 more than I would have paid at the store (if it was even in stock).

The Prime trial requires a credit card, but it will not be billed until the free trial is over, so as long as you cancel by the 30th day, you are not charged anything. (I did the free trial last year, was not charged, and then converted to the paid Prime membership earlier this year.) This is not an affiliate program, I do not make any money or receive any perks if you sign up. This is an easy and free way to get inside your customers' heads and start to understand why Prime customers will pay more for items on Amazon. And once you understand this convenience and enjoy it yourself, you can better serve your customers as a seller and make more money in the future. Knowledge is power.

Click here to sign up for the Amazon Prime Free Trial.

Amazon FBA Resources:

My eBook - Amazon FBA Recipe for Success

Proven Amazon Course

Join my Facebook Group

Strategy for Using Grocery Stores as a Source for Inventory

2011-10-22T07:14:00.000-07:00

Grocery stores can be a gold mine for sourcing both eBay and Amazon inventory. And its not just about hitting the clearance section - there are other creative ways to find inventory that work for selling online. Grocery stores are a great way to find products that you can sell consistently with very little (or no) competition. It just takes some searching to find products that work.

When you use your regular grocery store to source products, you don't feel the pressure to over-buy like you might at Big Lots or a closeout store. These products will be available to you any time you need to restock. A grocery store can be like your own personal warehouse with thousands of items to choose from any time you want.

Did you realize that some stores flag items on the regular shelves with special closeout tags before moving them to the clearance area? If you are only checking the designated clearance aisle or kiosk, you won't find these deals - you are leaving many opportunities behind. Closeout products are offered at a reduced price because they may not be moving well at that particular store, the manufacturer may be doing a packaging change, the store may be resetting the shelves for a new season, or a number of other reasons. These markdowns happen every single week.

If you know what to look for, and use a scouting tool or have internet access on your phone, you can find these items (and check the online selling prices) as you do your regular grocery shopping. The photo above shows a closeout item on the regular cosmetics aisle at a local grocery store in my area - look at the price cut and look at how many items are available to purchase. Score!

You may not think selling groceries is very glamorous or profitable, but consider these points:

Not everyone has access to what you have in your stores or geographic area. This is the #1 assumption that causes sellers to walk right by profitable opportunities.

Groceries are consumables and buyers will purchase multiples - consumables are where you get those wonderful quantity buyers!

Grocery items are easy to find and abundant - grocery stores stock thousands of different items and are constantly adding new products.

More and more consumers are buying online - they like the convenience of having merchandise delivered to their door, they save time and gas by avoiding having to drive around, and Prime customers on Amazon get free shipping, so they utilize their membership whenever possible.

Baby Boomers are loving the convenience of online shopping, especially in the winter months - trips to the grocery store can be physically demanding.

Online shopping can be less expensive and is definitely less hassle than regular shopping.

Knowing what the shelf tags mean and how the store positions the items is crucial to finding these opportunities. I've written an in-depth article on how to source using grocery stores for my memberships site Online Selling Coach:

Other kinds of shelf tags to look for when sourcing (what you are overlooking!)

It's not about clearance and discontinued items - how items at regular retail can bring big profits

How to use store sales to buy inventory on a regular basis

I've done the "grocery store " lesson with many clients and their response is usually, "I never thought of that."

And don't forget to enter our $450 Amazon gift card giveaway - only a week left to enter!

Related articles:

Canned Pumpkin Shortage - Big Money on Amazon and eBay

What to Sell on eBay - Burt's Bees Brand

Source for Inventory - Walgreens

eBay Seller Success Story – Ghost Rider

2011-10-19T07:13:00.000-07:00

Carolyn Pritchett sent in her eBay success story, which is also timely as we are in the Halloween season:

I went to a garage sale and there was so much stuff it was hard to pick through. There were tons of people, everybody digging in boxes; you could barely get close enough to examine anything. I happen to look and there was a box with this Ghost Rider Motorcycle and I grabbed it. My husband said "What are you buying that for?" I said - I'll explain when we leave. I paid $4.00. The item sold for $125.65.

Above is a photo of the item. This listing closed back in December 2009, so we can’t access the actual listing and show a screen shot, but Carolyn saved the email from eBay:

Look for more posts from Carolyn as she will be a regular contributor to the eBay Coach blog. Carolyn has a family history in the antiques business and has some great yard sale and thrift store flips to share. You can visit Carolyn’s Country Kitchen eBay store here, and her membership website, Treasure Hunter’s Cove here.

Do you have an great sale or an interesting eBay item to share? Send your find to eBaycoach@yahoo.com for consideration.

Related posts:

Hot Niche on eBay – Vampire Themed Items

Fall Gourds Sell as Craft Supplies on eBay

Canned Pumpkin Shortage - Big Money on eBay and Amazon!

2011-10-18T06:46:00.000-07:00

The Northeast has had unfavorable weather conditions this year - flooding from Hurricane Irene, a wetter than normal spring, and fungus problems. The South has suffered record heat and drought. This combination of a tough growing season has caused a pumpkin shortage, which in turn, has caused a canned pumpkin shortage and rising prices.

Contrary to a press release by Libby's (the major supplier of canned pumpkin), shelves are bare in many grocery stores across the country. Back in August, Libby's stated,

“While much of the country has been suffering from unusually high temperatures this summer, the weather seems to be perfect for growing pumpkin! That’s right, thanks to Mother Nature and the hard work of the dedicated pumpkin farmers in Morton, Illinois – the pumpkin capital of the world! – Libby’s Pumpkin is happy to report that consumers will be able to find a bountiful supply of their beloved pumpkin on grocer’s shelves in plenty of time for the 2011 holiday season.”

So, you be the judge. I've checked the grocery stores in my area around Atlanta, GA. There are a few straggler cans of pumpkin, but it is far from plentiful. Retail price for a small can of pumpkin is $1.39 and for a large 29 oz can $3.69 at the stores I checked. Here are some completed listings on eBay:

Overall, there are not so many completed listings with sales on eBay.

Amazon prices are even higher and grocery items sell better on Amazon. Check out this listing:

Stats on some Amazon listings:

12 can case of 29 oz cans: SR = 37K in grocery, 9 sellers, 1 FBA, AZ does not have it

24 can case of 15 oz cans: SR= 41K in grocery, 6 sellers, no FBA, AZ does not have it

4 pack of 29 oz cans: SR= 11K in grocery, 6 sellers, no FBA, AZ does not have it

(Please note that prices may vary in different areas of the country.) Whether there is a shortage or not, people are sure paying a premium for canned pumpkin online right now. If they are buying online, the prices are steep. Seasonal products can be very lucrative - timing is everything. Check your stores and see what you can find! Be sure to do your own research on this product before stocking up to sell and understand that market conditions can change quickly.

Related posts:

The Early Bird Gets the Niche Product on eBay

Understanding Niche Market s

Join the Discussion on my Facebook Group

New Ecommerce Meet Up Group in Atlanta

2011-10-17T09:29:00.000-07:00

Sending a shout out to all eBay, Amazon, and ecommerce sellers in the metro Atlanta area! Our first Meet Up will be held on Tuesday, November 1 at the Cracker Barrel restaurant at Chastain Road and I-75. For this first Meet Up, we just took a stab at finding a place near a well-traveled major highway and chose a restaurant with a casual atmosphere that could accommodate a party of 20. If we have more than 20 RSVP, we will move the meet up to a larger facility in the same area. This meeting will be a “meet and greet” to see how many people attend and what kind of interest there is in our city for such a group.

We will continue to fine tune the specifics of meetings, dates, times, and locations to best accommodate members. Nothing is written in stone at this point – we have to start somewhere! If anyone would like to volunteer to be an organizer for future meetings (or maybe you have access to a facility), please leave a note on the Meet Up page under the “suggested” tab. We are completely open for suggestions and volunteers who wish to help organize, book speakers, create presentations, or contribute in any way! Click here to join the Meet Up group so that you can be notified of future events.

Feel free to spread the news on your Facebook page, discussion groups, forums, or your blog. Hope to see you there!

I Can Do It Conference November 11

2011-10-12T07:29:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled to finally be attending the Hayhouse Radio "I Can Do It" conference in Tampa on November 11 - 13. I have been an avid Hayhouse Radio listener for many years. If you are not familiar with Hayhouse Radio, also known as "Radio for Your Soul," it is definitely worth checking out. Hayhouse offers free online listening to the world's most motivating and positive life coaches, self-help authors, spiritual teachers, healers, and other inspirational personalities. This conference is a "fill yourself up" kind of weekend!

Some keynote speakers include:

Louise Hay
Dr. Wayne Dyer
Marianne Williamson
Cheryl Richardson
John Holland
Christiane Northrup

I would love to meet any of my readers and other online sellers who may be attending this conference. Send me an email at ebaycoach @ yahoo and let's connect!

If you can't make the conference, turn on Hayhouse Radio while you work on your listings or while you are shipping packages. You'll love the positive energy, inspiration, and motivation from the programs.

Happy Selling!

Related Posts:

Become a Self-Builder

Time Management Tip

eBay Seller Success Story – Nymphenberg Retired Mouse

2011-10-07T08:37:00.000-07:00

Carolyn Pritchett sent in her eBay success story:

This is the story of a little mouse. This little mouse was sitting on a table at a yard sale with all kinds of knick knacks! When I pulled up to the yard sale, I start looking immediately to see what direction I am going in when I get out of my truck. This particular table drew me, as I was walking towards it -I saw the most amazing little mouse. I walked straight to him and picked him up without even looking around me. I placed him in my pocket, because I had not looked around yet. I ended up buying over $100.00 in items-Toy Story Dolls in original boxes etc..... Anyway, I am very, very honest and as he was adding up my total, I said "Oh, I have this little Mouse". The man said oh I'll throw that in, I said no, let me pay for it. He said "Is .50 okay" I said no problem.

To shorten this story of the little mouse, I bought him home and washed him, holding my breath while I did it, hoping that there wasn't any damage. Whew-No Damage. Because I knew what I had, I listed him in what was my store for $450.00. I knew it was one of those items that I needed just the right buyer for. I did not mind waiting. I was offered $375.00 and the "Little Mouse" went to England, were he is living happily ever after. This manufacturer is rare to find here in the United States, this mouse is retired - the current mouse listed by the manufacturer is $1,200.00.

Look for more posts from Carolyn as she will be a regular contributor to the eBay Coach blog. Carolyn has a family history in the antiques business and has some great yard sale and thrift store flips to share. You can visit Carolyn’s Country Kitchen eBay store here, and her membership website, Treasure Hunter’s Cove here.

Do you have an great sale or an interesting eBay item to share? Send your find to eBaycoach@yahoo.com for consideration.

Related posts:

Tom’s eBay Success Story

eBay Success Story – Dolce and Gabbana Jacket

eBay Success Story – Ferragamo Shoes

Invent Your Own Product to Sell Online

2011-10-05T08:25:00.000-07:00

Today’s post is contributed by Beth Sprague Maus, a regular contributor of my Facebook Group. Beth and a partner have recently developed a board game which they have successfully marketed and sell both locally and on Amazon. Here is Beth’s story:

“Necessity is the mother of invention.” Three years ago my husband and I both lost our jobs. We then spent 2.5 years unemployed or underemployed. Last year, as we were praying about how to increase our income, my husband got an idea for a monopoly type game based on our favorite vacation place, the Mackinac area of Michigan. It is a great tourist destination with hundreds of thousands of people going there every year.

We wanted it to incorporate all the wonderful things about that area. Discouraging thoughts came to us immediately: “Surely someone else has produced this game”, “How would we, who have no idea how to manufacture anything, figure out what to do”… But that necessity – taking care of our 5 kids – spurred us on. We did our research and teamed up with a friend who had made the Toledo version through her company.

We then spent 6 months working hard putting all the pieces together. Every aspect of the game, from tokens to money to spaces on the board, all center around the Mackinac Straits area. The game was released on June 30, 2011. Several of the businesses sold out of their stock in just a couple months. Since these businesses are seasonal, we also personally sell the games on Amazon through our FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) account so they are available year-round. The nice thing for us is that it will be residual income - the businesses will re-order each year and we will continue to sell through Amazon. I hope this encourages the ones who are reading to pursue their dreams with hard work and dedication. You can do it!

You can check out Beth’s game on Amazon here.

Related articles:

Become a Self-Builder

#1 Excuse for a Failed Business – “I Don’t Have Time”

Make Your Own Instructional DVD to Sell

$450 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

2011-10-04T04:30:00.000-07:00

My membership website, Online Selling Coach is hosting a fantastic giveaway – and you don’t even have to be a member to participate or win! In anticipation of the busy holiday season, and to celebrate our sixth month online, we are giving away $450 in Amazon gift cards! One lucky winner will receive a $250 gift card, and four (4) winners will receive $50 gift cards and (5) Winners will also get a 1 year Premium Membership To OnlineSellingCoach.com.

The giveaway will run for the entire month of October and winners will be announced on Tuesday November 1st.

Click here to enter the giveaway and find out how to earn multiple entries for more chances to win! Good luck!

How to Start an eBay or eCommerce Meet Up Group

2011-10-01T08:03:00.000-07:00

I recently recorded a podcast with Stephanie Inge, the founder of the oldest and largest eBay Meet Up Group, Dallas eBaybes and eMales. The Dallas group was established in 2002, meets once a month, and has over 350 members. Stephanie has been successful in starting, growing, and maintaining this group. During the podcast, Stephanie gives us the following tips:

Where to have a meeting
Best days and times to have a meeting
How to use the Meet Up site
How to invite guest speakers
Meeting format
Whether or not to charge guests a cover charge

Click here to download or listen to the podcast. You can also access the podcast on iTunes here for free.

Related posts:

Network With Other eBay Sellers on Facebook
Small Business Networking
List of eBay Resources
How to Overcome Isolation when Working at Home

Free Marketing: 101 Low and No Cost Ways to Grow Your Business Online

2011-09-29T06:26:00.000-07:00

My colleague, internet marketer, Jim Cockrum has just released his brand new book, “Free Marketing: 101 Low and No Cost Ways to Grow Your Business Online.” You may know Jim as the author of The Silent Sales Machine, one of the bestselling eBooks of all time, and as the creator of the membership site, My Silent Team. If you are involved in eCommerce or internent marketing, how can you not know Jim?

For the past 10 years, Jim has always on the cutting edge of out-of-the box strategies for using the internet to create multiple streams of income. This book is no different and includes several new strategies for growing an online business. 100% of the proceeds of this book will go to a charity that Jim and his family support, Hope Village. This ministry, located in Detroit, helps train inner-city entrepreneurs on the power of internet businesses. Jim is reaching out to this community to share his knowledge and expertise to help others learn to tap into the internet to earn supplemental income.

Free Marketing has been endorsed by Dave Ramsey, John Thornhill, Terry Gibbs, Skip McGrath, and many other icons in the internet marketing world. This book will teach you how to make money online and you’ll be helping a great cause at the same time.

Jim's book is available at your local bookstore and on Amazon. Order the hardback book on Amazon here, or order the electronic version for your Kindle at this link. This book is hot! As of this writing, it is ranked #87 in all books on Amazon, and #1 in Books > Business and Investing category, and was only released yesterday!

Selling Toys on Amazon this Holiday Season

2011-09-28T08:20:00.000-07:00

Today’s post is contributed by my colleague, Kim Tarrant, who co-wrote our book, Amazon FBA Recipe for Success. Kim has sold on Amazon for several holiday seasons.

If you’re selling on Amazon there’s no doubt you’ve received the “Holiday Selling in Toys and Games” email from Amazon. These guidelines are implemented to maintain buyer confidence in Amazon during the holiday season. If you do not meet the performance criteria you will not be eligible to sell in the toys and games category from November 15, 2011 through the first week in January 2012. These guidelines are only applicable for merchant fulfilled items, they do not apply to items fulfilled by Amazon as long as your account is in good standing.

In order to sell in the toys and games category from November 15, 2011 and the first week in January 2012 you will need to meet these guidelines:

- Seller’s first sale on Amazon.com must be prior to 09/19/2011 (sale does not need to be Toy-specific).

- Seller must have processed and shipped at least 25 orders (do not need to be Toy-specific) during the 60 consecutive days preceding 11/1/2011.

- No greater than 1% short term order defect rate as of 11/1/2011.

- No greater than 2.5% pre-fulfillment cancel rate for the trailing 30-days preceding 11/1/2011.

- No greater than 5% late shipment rate for the trailing 30-days preceding 11/1/2011.

This email can seem intimidating at first but it’s really quite simple to achieve all the requirements. Amazon will periodically send emails to let you know where you stand on meeting the criteria. On or around September 21, Amazon sent an email to all sellers letting them know where they stand on meeting the criteria for the holiday season. Amazon will send several more notices out before the deadline of November 1, 2011. In my experience, these notifications will come around the end of September, the middle of October, the end of October and a few days before November 15, 2011. If you haven’t met the guidelines yet, don’t panic as there is still time. The sales quota guidelines (first sale prior to September 19 and at least 25 orders during the 60 days preceding November 1, 2011) can be met through merchant fulfilled orders OR orders fulfilled by Amazon.

If you’ve sold during the holidays in the past, you know it can be a wild a crazy ride. If you haven’t, relax, don’t get overwhelmed and take it one sale at a time.

What’s Your eBay Worst Offer?

2011-09-22T12:58:00.000-07:00

I have a good time discussing eBay Best Offers (and worst offers) with other sellers. Sometimes the offer is so low it just makes you laugh. Here is the craziest eBay offer I have ever received. (This same seller offered me a Toyota car fender for the item last week.)

“Hello .... I am an inventor

I am doing marketing research on a paint by numbers related product.
I need some examples of pbn artword for this research.

My offer to buy your painting is based on the USEFULNESS of that
artwork in the R and D program NOT on art market value or quality.

I am an inventor involved in product development and marketing
NOT an art collector or speculator.

OFFER EXPLANATION .... My offer to buy is based on a shipping
allowance + artwork allowance = total offer. EXAMPLE ....
$8 shipping + $10 artwork = $18 total offer. I you decide to accept
my offer PLEASE remove the artwork from the frame if included
in order to MINIMIZE shipping costs and MAXIMIZE your profit.
PLEASE KEEP THE FRAME AS A THANK YOU BONUS.

PAYMENT WILL BE THRU PAYPAL.

At the conclusion of this project I intend to have a CLEARANCE
SALE on Ebay to make room for the next project .... Artwork will
be priced about what I paid for it for quick sale .... you may be able
to buy it back for the price you sold it or less.

PLEASE KEEP ME IN YOUR DATA BASE .... If you decline my
offer but can't sell your artwork PLEASE send me an Email at
.... boggild@zoomtown.com ....

THANK YOU for your time and consideration.”

All I can really say to this is, “Thank you for letting me keep my frame as a bonus!”

Related articles:

Beware of eBay Trading Assistant Scam

How to Cancel Unwelcome Bids on eBay

How to Avoid Scams by eBay Buyers

What to Sell on eBay – Burt’s Bees Brand

2011-09-21T07:30:00.000-07:00

Burt’s Bees started back in 1984 as a candle company operating out of Maine. Candles were made from beeswax as a spin-off of Burt’s honey business. The founders, Roxanne and Burt, attended local craft fairs to sell their products. Sales reached $20,000 at the end of their first year. The company continued to grow over the years, incorporated in 1991, moved its headquarters to North Carolina, and began focusing on natural personal care products more so than candles. Burt’s Bees products are known today as one of the most trusted companies offering natural personal care products and consumers can find Burt’s Bees products in a variety of retail stores including grocery stores, Wal-Mart, Target, Walgreens, Whole Foods, and Cracker Barrel restaurants.

If you keep your eyes open and your radar on, you can find Burt’s Bees items on clearance sometimes at any of the above locations. I often see them in Walgreens marked down to 75% off the regular retail price. For the highest profit when reselling, you will want to look for the more expensive items with the biggest discounts. (Make your money when you buy, not when you sell!) Here are a few examples of products to look for:

Burt's bees radiance eye crème. I found this at Walgreens on sale for $5.99 a jar. I sold both jars on Amazon (through FBA) within 3 weeks for $22.92 each, for a profit of $11 each. I found 2 jars of it at one store. Not a bad flip! Here is the current info on Amazon for this product:

Burt’s Bees Baby Bee products. When I was selling heavily on eBay UK, I sold quite a bit of the baby products including diaper rash ointment, bubble bath, shampoo, and dusting powder. Here is a listing on eBay for a lot of 12 buttermilk lotions with a free gift:

Burt’s Bees Sunscreen. I’ve been seeing this on clearance quite a bit lately since we are at the end of summer. Look for this in the grocery store, health and beauty aisle. There is usually a special section just for the Burt’s Bees products. You may be able to double your investment by selling on eBay, but you will definitely make more selling this product on Amazon. Be sure to check the expiration dates before purchasing!

For more ideas on what sells well on both eBay and Amazon, join my Facebook Group with over 2,500 online sellers networking and sharing ideas.

Related articles:

Make Money on eBay Selling Grocery Store Items

Source for eBay Inventory – Walgreens

Learn to Sell on Amazon – FBA Recipe for Success

Did you Miss the Missoni Mania?

2011-09-14T18:19:00.000-07:00

eBayers are scrambling and hitting Target like its Black Friday. Missoni, the famous Italian fashion house has partnered with Target department stores for a short-term offering of a few products. According to an article by seattle.cbslocal.com, the limited edition Missoni stock will only be available from September 13 - October 22.

Fashionistas and resellers have hit the stores hard and cleaned out everything Missoni including women's apparel, accessories, baby items, bedding, luggage, dinnerware, and even coffee mugs. This is huge! The demand was so out of control on Tuesday, Sept 13 that the Target website crashed and during that few hours, prices sky rocketed on eBay. Look at these completed listings:

Set of 4 Missoni Mugs sold for $137.50:

These mugs sold for $19.99 in the store. Out of stock online at Target.com:

This lingerie set sold for $85.81:

In the store and online, it sells for $29.99:

I went to a few Target stores today, and here is what I saw:

No shoes.

No handbags or tote bags.

No home goods, dinnerware, mugs, linen, or bedding.

I think these insane prices are a result of being in the right place, at the right time, with the right information. Will we continue to see such high profit margins on these products? Some things to consider:

1) Target.com is back up and running. People will try to pay regular retail before they will pay inflated prices on eBay. I think the insane prices yesterday were a result of the Target website crashing. (Although many of the items are out of stock on Target.com already!)

2) eBay sellers who purchased Missoni for resale (or maybe even over-bought) are going to undercut each other and this will become a race to the bottom. The examples above show what people will pay. Many eBay sellers are going to start to panic when they realize that they aren't getting 3 times the retail price for this stuff within 24 hours, and they have spent hundreds or thousands of dollars on Missoni merchandise. Impatience and inexperience will cause them to drop their prices quickly.

3) Supply with catch up with demand. Even though the word on the street is that Missoni for Target is a limited deal, it is getting people in the Target stores,and during this economy, Target must like that side effect. Nothing is written in stone between Missoni and Target - for all we know this could become a seasonal or even permanent arrangement.

This will be a "wait and see" situation. I was able to find about 20 items and will be watching Target.com very closely and see how prices on eBay fluctuate as items become more scarce and show up as "out of stock online." We can't be sure that more Missoni isn't on the way to Target - could this be a ploy to cause a shopping frenzy and help Target's numbers during the 4th quarter? A pre-holiday selling blitz?

What is your Missoni Madness story? Did you hit Target stores, battle the crowds, or find anything at all?

eBay Coach Top 5 – Oral Care Products

2011-09-14T10:30:00.001-07:00

When sourcing for eBay, don’t forget to look at clearance items at regular retail stores. You may not think of eBay as a place to sell brand new items, but the eBay marketplace has evolved over the years and you can sell virtually anything! I have had great results selling dental products on both eBay and Amazon. Here are some ideas for products to source:

Battery operated toothbrushes. You can often find these marked down to 50% - 75% off regular retail. A few weeks ago, I found Oral B Spinbrush toothbrushes on sale at the grocery store for $3.31 and used $3 off coupons to get them for .31 each. I sold these on Amazon for $9 each. If you have the foresight to keep coupons on hand, you can really get these cheap, or even free. Look for these on sale at drug stores and grocery stores. Also check sale circulars for buy one get one free specials.

Electric toothbrushes. These sets are going to be more expensive but will yield a higher return. Back in July, I found Philips Sonic Care electric toothbrush sets marked down at Walgreen’s for $18.97. I sold these on Amazon for $48.95. Profit after fees was $19.72. I found 3 of them in one day.

Whitening kits. These can be a great find. In August, I found some Crest Whitening strips at Big Lots for $25 a box. I bought 2 boxes to test out the product and see how quickly they sold. I was kicking myself 2 weeks later when one buyer bought both of them! These sold for $69 a box. Profit on one sale was $45. I was hesitant to buy a $25 item to resell (I like cheap inventory) but lesson learned. I did not see these again at Big Lots. You may also be able to source whitening kits at members clubs on a regular basis. Just do your homework and check prices.

Probiotics. You may not even know what these are. Check the dental aisle of the grocery store and drug store for these products. Oral probiotics are living microorganisms (good bacteria) that protect the mouth, gums, teeth, and throat. Continued use of probiotics can help reduce the bad bacteria that cause bad breath, irritated gums, and other oral problems. Some of these products are quite pricey – like $20 a box. You can easily double your investment selling these on eBay. And because they are a consumable product, buyers will often purchase more than one box at a time.

Baby teething products. Don’t forget to check the baby aisle for teething accessories. Look for items like baby Orajel, freezer teething rings, antibacterial teething toys, and homeopathic teething remedies. Look for these types of items at Big Lots, drug stores, Babies R Us, and grocery stores. To get an idea of what products sell the best, check completed listings here.

Related articles:

Top 5 Baby Products to Sell on eBay

Aquafresh White Trays (Walmart)

Listerine Whitening Pen

Denturite Denture Adhesive

Brand to Sell on eBay - Joseph and Feiss

2011-09-10T10:30:00.000-07:00

You may not have heard of this brand, but it is a good one to look for at thrift stores. Joseph and Feiss. This brand is sold by Men's Wearhouse and they make dress shirts, polo shirts, blazers, slacks, and suits.

I often see these dress shirts in thrift stores in what look like donation "dumps" from dry cleaners. You may not realize that dry cleaners need to do something with their unclaimed clothing, and many will donate the items to a thrift store to take the tax deduction for a charitable donation.

I had a great sale this week on a lot of Joseph and Feiss shirts. Below is my listing:

Click here to see the completed listing. These shirts cost me $2 each and the lot of 3 sold for $32.97. After fees, I realized a profit of $21.50. (You can figure out your profit using this handy ebay fee calculator.)

On a side note, although I have moved into selling on Amazon, I am still an active seller on eBay. My eBay sales have definitely decreased over the past 2 years with much of my time spent on private coaching, learning to sell on Amazon, writing information products, and collaborating with other eCommerce experts to create trainings. I still have my finger on the pulse of eBay, although not to the extent it has been in the past.

Also, I had somewhat of an incident this week with another blogger who took the liberty of plagiarizing material from my blog, eBooks, and Examiner column and passing it off as his own original work. Although legal action for intellectual property theft was avoided in this case, because of the nature of the internet, it is disturbing that anyone can set up a blog and post information and advice about selling on eBay. For those of us who make eBay (or online) selling a source of income, we know how much work is involved in this business. It is offensive when someone with very little (or no) eBay experience poses as an eBay seller with the objective of making money by pirating someone else's experiences and presenting them as their own.

I want to caution you when reading eCommerce blogs and advice on the internet. Consider the source before following advice. Who is this person? What is their experience selling online, and can it be confirmed? I would be wary of anyone who claims to be an eBay seller who does not openly share his store or user ID with his reading audience on a blog, Facebook Group, or other venue. This seems to be a problem with people thinking they can sell information about eBay and not have the experience or knowledge required to create or disperse correct information.

Related articles:

Need Inventory to Sell on eBay? Ask Your Local Dry Cleaner

Brand to Sell on eBay - Façonnable Shirts

List of Thrift Store Items to Sell on eBay

Amazon Sellers Note - FBA Scout Update!

2011-09-05T10:06:00.000-07:00

I received an email from Chris Green last week regarding a fantastic update to FBA Scout, a scouting program that gives information on products listed on Amazon. FBA Scout is the ultimate scouting tool for your Amazon FBA business (in my opinion, anyway). Since I began using it in June, I have been able to ramp up my Amazon business, add non-media products, and shop more efficiently for consumer products to sell on Amazon.

The new upgrade includes a column to the right called "Net Payout." Users are able to see the payout for a product sold through FBA based on the prices shown. This is great for us "math challenged" scouters. Here is a screen shot of what the upgrade looks like:

So let's say you found this Dunkin Donuts coffee on clearance at the grocery store for $8 a bag. After scanning it, you can quickly determine that your net payout on this item (best case scenario) is $20.74. If you paid $8 for it, your profit will be $12.74.

To see the net payout column, you can either turn your phone to landscape mode, or slide your finger across the screen to the left to view the additional column. To upgrade the net payout feature on your iPhone or iPad, go to the App Store on your phone and look for the upgrade. Upgrade for the Droid is coming soon!

If you aren't already using FBA Scout, click here for a special deal and get a free month to see how it works for you. Remember, there are other tools out there but you need to be the judge of what works best for you.

Resources for selling on Amazon's FBA Program:

eBay Coach Facebook Group - Chris is a member and can answer your FBA Scout questions directly on the group page.

Proven Amazon Course

FBA Recipe for Success

eBay Coach Top 5 – Kitchen Items

2011-09-04T11:38:00.000-07:00

I am starting something new and different on my blog – Top 5 lists. These lists are my top 5 picks for items to sell in a category. Some of these items I have sold myself in the past, some items I have researched to help you save time and money when sourcing inventory. These items can be sourced at thrift stores, garage sales, flea markets, or estate sales, and are in used or vintage condition. Today we will start off with my top 5 picks for kitchen items.

Vintage Pyrex Bowls. I have talked about this one before, but they are still great sellers. The sets will be your best bet here, such as sets of mixing bowls, nesting bowls, and chip and dip sets. Complete sets can sell for $75 - $100. Patterned bowls are highly collectible. Some common patterns include Cinderella, Amish butter print, Autumn wheat, Sunflower, and Early American. (Check this book for a complete list and explanation of all vintage pyrex patterns.) Click here to see completed listings for vintage Pyrex bowls.

Dutch Ovens. Sometimes when selling cookware, bigger is better! You can often find Dutch ovens in great condition for around $5. Brands to look for include Calphalon, Le Creuset, Griswold cast iron, Lodge cast iron, Cutco, Saladmaster, and Revereware. You will get the highest price if the lids are included. Some of these Dutch ovens can sell for over $150. Tip – look on Craigslist for cookware sets. You can often find the entire set for a low price and sell the individual pots and pans separately for a very good profit. Click here to see completed listings on eBay.

Littonware Microwave Cookware. This item is often overlooked. I have sold this item myself and twice it shipped internationally. This type of cookware was introduced in the late 1970's – early 1980's when the popularity of the microwave oven was increasing. This product was created for use specifically in microwave ovens. The sets will sell for the most – but don’t pass up single units. Littonware made all sorts of different products including casserole dishes, cake pans (including a Bundt cake pan), muffin pans, and Dutch ovens. Click here to see completed listings.

Martha Stewart cookie cutters. Here is a product that has increased in value over the years. Some of these can sell for over $80 – for one cookie cutter!. If the item has been retired, it will definitely be worth more. If you have not sold these before, do your homework before hitting estate sales or thrift stores. These cookie cutters are usually made of copper or metal, are solid (closed) on one side, and have a little handle on the top. Used Martha Stewart cookie cutters have a very high sell through rate. Click here to see completed listings.

Fireking Mugs. These are the heavy milky-white mugs that were made in the 1950’s, 1960’s, and 1970s. Restaurants often used these mugs for advertising so you might find logos on them such as Dunkin Donuts, McDonald’s, Burger King, and Sambos. The famous and valuable Snoopy mugs were made by Fireking. Even if the mugs don’t have advertising on them, they are still good sellers on eBay. Fireking comes in a variety of colors other than white including green, blue, red, orange, and yellow. Click here to see completed listings on eBay.

Do you have a Top 5 kitchen item to share? If so, please leave a comment below and feel free to link to a listing in your eBay store if you like!

Vintage Pyrex Bowls

Vintage Measuring Cups

Squeezo Food Strainers

Selling Off-Season Items on eBay – Ice Skates

2011-09-01T11:11:00.000-07:00

I often see discussions on different eBay groups and forums about selling off season items on eBay. Remember, eBay is a global community and if you are open to shipping internationally, it is never really “off season” as someone is living in the right climate to use your product right now.

Just to prove this point, I checked on what seems like an off season product right now (in August) – figure skates. Here are a few completed eBay listings for ice skates and figure skates. All of these items are in used condition and could be found at garage sales, thrift stores, or maybe even in your own home.

Klingbeil Ice Women’s Ice Skates – sold for $120 ($15 shipping)

Riddell Women’s Ice Skates – sold for $90 ($20 shipping)

Jackson Artiste Women’s Ice Skates – Sold for $95 ($14.67 shipping)

My motto is, “If you have it, list it!” There is a buyer for everything on eBay. Don’t assume that everyone shops, thinks, or plans the same way you do. Although ice skating may be the furthest thing from your mind right now, there are people out there right now looking forward to winter sports and shopping for off season items. Why not be the seller who thinks ahead and provides these items for those buyers?

Related articles:

100% Cashmere Sweaters Sell in the Summer, Too!

Summer Clearance Items to Sell on eBay

Thrift Store Item to Sell on eBay – Alpaca Sweaters

5 Discontinued Items to Sell on eBay and Amazon

2011-08-27T10:29:00.000-07:00

It is time for a discontinued product update! I've been selling some goodies this summer and wanted to share them with you. Maybe you can find these in your area.

1 of the items I found in grocery stores was marked down to $2! I sold this item on Amazon for $19.99. It was a consumable item. Buyers often purchased more than one at a time. I sold 44 bottles at a profit of $12 each between July 2 and July 26. Profit on this item was $528 in about 3 weeks just selling 1 product. This was one of those "embarrassing" products that sell well online because people may be embarrassed buying it in person, but have anonymity when buying online. On the other hand, I got some strange looks from cashiers when buying 10 of these at once.....

Here is a screen shot of my Amazon sales report for this item:

To get the list of items, visit Online Selling Coach and look for the update dated August 25.

Also, I am creating a video series for Online Selling Coach on how to create and market your own eBook. Everyone has an eBook inside them. With channels like eBay, Amazon, the Kindle, Clickbank, e-Junkie, and other sites, you can create and market your own information product and create a stream of income for years. I sell information products that were created 4 years ago so I know this strategy works. You may not think you have information that another person would pay for, but trust me, everyone does. Some possible topics for eBooks include:

Living with a chronic illness
Caring for a family member with a chronic illness
How to make money doing something
How to make a specific item at home
Researching a complicated system (such as VA benefits, disability, government benefits for yourself or a loved one)
Surviving a natural disaster - how to cope afterwards
Traveling to a foreign country
Living in a foreign country
Repairing a item
Getting something free
Surviving a personal tragedy (car accident, death of a loved one, a crime, etc.)
How to get money for college
How to fund raise for a charity

The list is endless. I will show you how to determine demand for a topic, how to write the book or hire someone to do it for you, and how to promote the book using free channels on the internet.

Have a great weekend, and if you are in Irene's path, stay safe!

How to Overcome Isolation when Working at Home

2011-08-26T15:23:00.000-07:00

There are immeasurable benefits when working from home including having a flexible schedule, making your own decisions, reduced stress, and increased productivity. If you ask home-based entrepreneurs, they will usually tell you that the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. But, one downside to working at home is isolation. You may start to miss the hustle and bustle of a busy office, having lunch with co-workers, social interactions during the day, and a structured workday. Here are a few suggestions to help you avoid the “home alone” syndrome as a home-based business owner.

Make Local Connections
We often get so caught up in what we are doing that we simply forget to reach out to our community for support. Even if your business doesn’t rely on local customers, you can still benefit from networking locally. Join small business networking groups, civic groups, the Chamber of Commerce, or if you are female, a women’s business group. Your objective is not necessarily to find clients but to make contacts. You may meet a banker who can help you with a small business loan, an accountant who can answer simple questions for you, or an insurance agent who can help you find more affordable health insurance. Once people in your community learn what you do for a living, they may ask you to sell things on consignment for them or to teach them how to sell on line. Many times, you can trade services with another local business and everybody wins.

Create a Daily Schedule
Having a daily schedule will help you be more productive as well as keep you focused. Granted, one advantage to working for yourself is the ability to have a flexible schedule. But if your day is too unstructured, you may find yourself drifting from one task to another and nothing is accomplished. Set aside certain times of the day for specific projects, or certain days for specific tasks. For example, some sellers do their shipping in the morning, listings in the afternoon, and set aside 2 days a week strictly for acquiring inventory. Do what works for you, but try to create a pattern and some continuity in your workdays.

Do Something Recreational
Just because you work at home doesn’t mean you have to work 18 hours a day and are not allowed to have a life! Join a gym or yoga studio, take Zumba classes, join a book club, or volunteer at the animal shelter. Get out and get away from your computer a few times a week. Not only will you relieve stress but you can do something personally fulfilling and meet new people at the same time. Who knows, you may even make some valuable business connections, too.

Be an Organizer
If you can’t find local functions or groups that you like, why not create them? Visit the website MeetUp.com and check out the types of groups others have created. You’ll find common interest groups including eCommerce, entrepreneurs, tennis lovers, networking mixers, single moms, home schoolers, green living, book discussion groups, and much more. You can create your own group and invite your friends (both local and online), post it on your Facebook page, or advertise your group in community publications.

Amazon Toy Selling Guidelines for Holiday 2011 Season

2011-08-24T11:59:00.000-07:00

Amazon recently announced its requirements for holiday toy sellers. If you plan to take advantage of the Amazon platform selling toys this holiday season, it is time to get it in gear! Orders fulfilled by Amazon will not be subject to the holiday season restrictions, provided your account is in good standing. So, these guidelines only apply if you are shipping the items yourself. (Keep in mind that as time runs short before Christmas, you may want to merchant fill some orders. There simply won’t be enough time to ship your items to FBA, and then have Amazon ship to the final customer. For last minute sales, you will want to ship items yourself.)

Effective November 15, 2011, only those sellers who meet the following performance criteria will be eligible to sell in Toys & Games from November 15, 2011, through the first week in January 2012:

Seller's first sale on Amazon.com must be prior to 09/19/11 (sale does not need to be Toy-specific)
Seller must have processed and shipped at least 25 orders (do not need to be Toy-specific) during the 60 consecutive days preceding 11/1/2011.
No greater than 1% short-term order defect rate as of 11/1/2011.
No greater than 2.5% pre-fulfillment cancel rate for the trailing 30 days preceding 11/1/2011.
No greater than 5% late shipment rate for the trailing 30 days preceding 11/1/2011.

Click here to check your metrics and verify these rates on your seller account.

Amazon will provide final notification about your eligibility to sell in the Toys & Games store by the middle of November. Effective September 19, 2011, no new sellers will be approved to sell in the Toys & Games store until the holiday restrictions have been lifted.

Amazon sets these guidelines because customers have higher expectations for delivery during the busy holiday season. Amazon wants to make sure that new sellers are performing up to their standards before allowing them to sell during the busy season.

These restrictions do not apply to FBA sellers since Amazon assumes the burden for proper shipping, delivery time, and post transactional customer service.

Click here to read the complete announcement.

If you have not yet ventured into Amazon or FBA, here are some resources:

Free Report – Amazon FBA 90 Day Experiment

Amazon FBA Tutorials

Amazon FBA Revenue Calculator

Amazon FBA Recipe for Success

Seeking eBay Sellers for eBay Reality Series

2011-08-18T15:30:00.000-07:00

I was recently contacted by Alex Tresniowski, a senior writer for People Magazine. Alex is working with eBay on a web reality series to profile certain eBay users who have sold common items they had in their homes and used the extra money to make a small but meaningful change or upgrade in their lives.

Specifically, he is looking for mothers and fathers between the ages of 20 and 40, and also single mothers and fathers roughly in that age range. Alex is seeking stories from people who have unearthed some hidden treasure in their home—a gift they never used, their kids' old clothes, other common stuff they initially thought had no value—and sold it on eBay, then used the extra money to pay for something they couldn't otherwise afford: ballet lessons for their daughter, a new Sony Gameboy for their son, painting the living room, etc.

To share your eBay story and find out more about the web series, please email Alex at alexandertres@aol.com and he will get right back to you. This is a great opportunity to show the world how great eBay can be!

Alex will keep us posted on the series as it develops and when it launches online.

Amazon Pending Orders – Red Flags to Watch for

2011-08-16T09:50:00.001-07:00

Many Amazon sellers are addicted to watching their pending sales. I have the pending screen bookmarked on my desktop computer, iPad, and iPhone. Checking pending orders is more than just being excited about what’s selling, it is a way to gauge the demand and popularity of an item and make more money because you are “in the know.”

When an item is in “pending,” it means that a buyer has committed to the purchase. If he purchased multiple items from different sellers, he may have checked the option to have his order sent in as few shipments as possible. If this is the case, your item is marked “pending” until the complete order ships. The buyer may also be waiting for other items to be included in his order and chooses to wait for it to ship. Items can be held in pending status for several weeks sometimes.

If you are not checking your pending sales, you are missing valuable information about Amazon buyer demand. Let’s say your FBA order hits the warehouse and you have some products in the box that you have never sold before. You want to pay close attention to how quickly those products are snapped up by buyers and how many each buyer wants. For example, a few weeks ago I sent in a seasonal food product. As soon as the order hit the warehouse, all 6 of them went into pending, 3 units going to 2 different buyers. By keeping an eye on my pending orders, I was able to determine that this product was hot, buyers wanted it, and I should go get more as quickly as possible. If I had waited until I received the “Amazon has shipped the item you sold” email, I could have missed the opportunity to purchase and resell some of this product, because the items didn’t actually ship out of FBA until a week later.

To check pending orders:

Click here for more information on using Amazon’s FBA program.

Summer Clearance Items to Sell on eBay

2011-08-11T08:37:00.001-07:00

Even though temperatures are still in the 90’s here in Atlanta, we are already seeing signs for Summer Clearance. You may be thinking summer clearance is only bathing suits and pool floats, but it can be much more. Don’t let the climate where you live limit your ability to think outside the box and consider selling summer clearance items all year. Remember that we live in a global economy and your target customer could live anywhere. Here are some ideas for items to look for, even though it may not make sense at first:

Swim diapers. Don’t assume that babies and toddlers won’t need swim diapers at other times of the year. You may live up north and might be thinking that no one will be using swim diapers during cold weather, but plenty of children take indoor swimming lessons year round. Or maybe Grandma lives in Florida and has a heated pool and she keeps swim diapers on hand for the grandchildren when they visit. Or perhaps a family is planning a Disney cruise in January and needs to pack swim diapers and can’t find them locally. They will be looking online for them.

Gardening supplies. Just yesterday in Big Lots I saw all sorts of gardening and lawn supplies marked down to 80% off the regular price. Examples include pesticides, weed killer, and yellow jacket traps. These items could be purchased by consumers living in warm climates year round.

Canning supplies. I am starting to see these items in grocery stores. Here in Georgia, we still have another month or so of “canning season” as the vegetables are still coming in strong. The stores are making room for back to school and Halloween displays. Canning enthusiasts can use these items for another 6 weeks, maybe longer. Don’t assume that because an item is on clearance locally that it won’t sell nationally or even internationally.

Look for opportunities, not obstacles!

Related articles:

Source for eBay Inventory – Hallmark Stores

Source for eBay Inventory – Famous Footwear

Local Sourcing for eBay Inventory – Salvage Stores

New eBook - Amazon FBA Recipe for Success

2011-08-07T09:26:00.000-07:00

It is finally finished! Kim and I have been working on our Amazon FBA program all summer, and here it is!

Amazon FBA Recipe for Success

Comprehensive 105 page eBook explaining how to sell products on Amazon using their fulfillment (FBA) program. Written by Suzanne Wells and Kim Tarrant, two experienced Amazon FBA sellers who earn their living selling online.

eBook Highlights:

Understanding the Amazon Customer – When you know why they pay more, you can charge more for your products.

Sourcing – Not just where to go, but how to maximize your time and use technology to source products.

Scouting Tools – You can do this without a smart phone!

Pricing Strategies – How to deal with competitors (Amazon isn’t eBay and you don’t have to be the lowest priced seller to get sales).

Amazon Minefields – Tips for staying out of trouble.

FBA Scout – Tips and tricks for using the FBA Scout App.

Damage Control – Who to contact or what to do when there is a problem with your FBA shipment, damaged products, or returns.

FAQs – Answers to questions we have seen repeated on seller boards and groups.

Complete Table of Contents can be viewed here

Assignments are included after each chapter so you can practice what you’ve learned before you spend money on inventory. These are some of the same assignments Suzanne Wells uses with her private coaching clients. (She has coached over 300 clients worldwide helping them grow their eCommerce businesses.) So roll up your sleeves and let’s get started making money on Amazon!

100% satisfaction guarantee, money back if not completely satisfied.

This product is sold through Clickbank with immediate electronic delivery.

Click here to purchase and receive the instant download now.

If you have a blog about ecommerce, home business, work at home moms, or being an entrepreneur, our Clickbank product may be a good fit to promote on your site or blog. (Link to affiliate program info is at the very bottom of the purchase page).

Update on eBay Outright Accounting Software

2011-08-04T08:23:00.000-07:00

Many eBay sellers and Outright users are about to be positively affected by a big change. Beginning later this week, Outright sellers will be able to automatically integrate transactions from PayPal AND eBay, meaning that Outright will import your eBay transaction details AND shipping costs automatically for the first time ever.

A survey we conducted in April showed that Outright users were saving an average of 5 hours per month on bookkeeping. This change will help users save even more time as now they don't have to manually enter shipping costs!

Historically, customers had to choose between importing from eBay or PayPal, because using both would have created duplicate transactions. Some users chose to only use PayPal, and for them, everything should remain fine. For those importing only from eBay, you will be presented with a choice to add PayPal as a source of data.

Here's what it means when you add PayPal:

1. You will now get shipping costs to go along with your sales and shipping collected information, giving you a more complete picture of your business without the extra data entry. This will only apply to sales that occur going forward - we won't be importing historical shipping costs, for fear of creating duplicates. Click here to learn more.

2. You will also see the outstanding fee balance in your eBay account (it will be listed under "Money I Owe" on the Overview screen,) and be able to drill in to view the fees there. More information can be found here.

3. Going forward, in addition to the individual eBay fees, you will also see the total monthly amount paid to eBay. Those transactions will show up with the category "Transfer", which means it's just movement of money between accounts, and does not impact your profit and loss. Your individual eBay fees will continue to show up as business expenses.

4. From the day you choose to add PayPal going forward, your shipping costs will show up under a new category called, surprise, "shipping costs." If you have been tracking shipping costs manually, and have another category name, you can choose to merge the two using a simple process outlined here.

5. If you use your PayPal account for non-business related expenses, those transactions will also be imported. To quickly and easily remove them, use our "multi-edit" feature described here: and change the category to "personal expense."

Party City Clearance – Stock up on Halloween Costumes to Sell on eBay

2011-08-02T06:21:00.000-07:00

Party City wants to clean out their clearance shelves completely! All clearance items (excluding seasonal) are now just 50¢. With more than 1,000 items available, you’re sure to find something for a birthday or office party…or any party, for that matter. Of course, the selection varies widely by store. They’re also cleaning out their costume closet with some of their clearance costumes are as low as $5. With Halloween just three months away, now is a good time to stock up on costumes to sell on eBay. The shelves should clear out quickly, so you want to get there as soon as possible.

If you order online, you can get free shipping on August 2nd and 3rd only. Use promo code PC92NB for free shipping when you order online.

Baby Frog Costume - $5

Lederhosen Costume - $5

Tin Man Wizard of Oz Costume - $5

Visit my Facebook group for more tips on where to get eBay and Amazon inventory.

Don’t Panic! It is Just the July Slump!

2011-07-26T13:53:00.000-07:00

Have your sales been slow this month? Excruciatingly slow? If the answer is yes, you are not alone. July is notoriously the slowest month for online sales. It is important to understand that sales occur in cycles. Right now we are in a valley. Everything comes to a screeching halt in July – home sales, car sale, and retail sales. It is the nature of the beast. Understand that this too shall pass and avoid going into panic mode.

I see many sellers panicking right now. They are drastically marking down their inventory as if buyers will never come back. They have stopped shopping for inventory. Some have even contemplated quitting their online business altogether. This is not necessary! Take a deep breath and repeat, “This too shall pass.”

Your panic is understandable if you rely on eBay and Amazon to earn your living. The best course of action right now is to regroup and get ready for fall and holiday sales. Also, remember this time so that next July you will be prepared and know that the slowdown in sales is only temporary. There is really nothing we can do to make buyers purchase our items. But, we can use this time wisely to grow our businesses and prepare for the busy fall season. Here are some suggestions on how to pass the time while you are waiting for those “Your item has sold!” emails:

1. Organize your inventory. Are your shelves and bins a mess? Use this time to get organized so that when you start shipping 10-20 packages a day, everything will be in order.

2. Stock up on supplies. Go to USPS.com and order free Priority supplies, look on Craigslist for ads for free bubble wrap and boxes, make sure you have plenty of shipping labels and printer ink. Take an inventory of your supplies and restock for the busy months ahead.

3. Investigate or read about something new you have wanted to try. Maybe you have been thinking about selling on Amazon but don’t know where to start. (Now is a great time to learn about selling on Amazon – come join my Facebook group and chat with us!) Maybe you have wanted to try international shipping but need to learn how it works. Expand your horizons. Take this slow time to learn and grow, rather than waste energy worrying and fretting about not getting sales.

4. Explore consignment arrangements. There are many benefits to selling on consignment. The most appealing (to me) is the fact that you don’t have to buy inventory. You sell things for other people for a commission. You put in the time and work, but it doesn’t cost money out of your pocket. Click here for a complete course on how to expand your online business to include consignment clients.

5. Shop for inventory. Stock up on items to sell whether you are selling on eBay or Amazon. Regardless of if people are buying now, you are going to need inventory to sell in the coming months.

6. Read books that will improve your business skills. I recommend:

Keep yourself busy doing productive tasks over the next 2-3 weeks and don’t worry! Back to school and holiday shopping time is just around the corner.

Beware of eBay Trading Assistant Scam

2011-07-22T10:28:00.000-07:00

I’ve seen this scam several times with my clients, and last week, they hit me. The scam goes as follows:

You will receive an email like this, usually from a web based email account like Yahoo, Hotmail, or Gmail. It is usually in broken English with incorrect grammar. Below is the exact email I received:

I found your profile using eBay Trading Assistant Program and I'm offering a long term cooperation to you. I've agreements with different outlet stores in different states, that allows to get the brand new products for a much lower price. I've many business partners in different states, they help me to buy / ship off stuffs and they check its condition for some % from my profit that I get when I sell all this stuff using Ebay service. We ship completely different types of products (from ice skates to binoculars), the average price of the items is $300-$600. We usually use FedEx delivery service to ship off the packages and USPS (rarely). I'd like to know what is your fees structure. I usually choose money transactions through MoneyGram or Western Union as a payment method, because it's the most effective way for me and it's easy to send. It would be great, if you could provide this money-sending service for me. I'm really interested in cooperation with you. Let me know, if we can start immediately.

Sincerely,

Basically this person wants YOU to list items, send them money for the inventory, and then they will ship the items when sold. What’s really going to happen is that unsuspecting sellers will send them money and list items, then when a sale is made, there is no item shipped. Sellers will have to refund money to the eBay buyers. Another red flag is the use of Western Union or Money Gram. Never ever transact business with someone you don’t know using this service.

I knew what was going on here, so I sent the following reply, not expecting an answer:

Dear Sir,

Wow, this sounds like a fantastic business opportunity! I just need a few things from you before we go any further.

Your full name, address (street address, no PO boxes), and social security number or EIN, which ever you do business under.

A copy of your current driver's license.

A landline phone number where you can be reached.

We run a background check on all consignment clients and must be able to verify your identity, business address, and telephone number.

The business name you operate under, what city and state you are registered in, and a copy of your current business license.

We charge 25% of the sale price, and your eBay fees and Paypal fees will be deducted separately. The fee structure differs based on the sale price of the item. This usually comes out to about 60% of the sale price.

As soon as I get the requested documents from you, (you can just scan and email them, or fax to XXX), I will have my attorney draw up the paperwork / agreement and have it Fed Ex'd to the address you provide.

Looking forward to doing business,
Suzanne Wells

Of course, by adding words like “background check, business license, and attorney” you won’t hear from them again. Maybe if these crooks get enough of these types of emails they will go away. And in the event you get a response with any information you can verify, contact the authorities who handle fraud.

2011 Fall Seller Update

2011-07-21T07:33:00.000-07:00

Did you receive your eBay seller update via email? If not, here are the highlights:

Get 25 extra characters in your title. The number of characters will be increased from 55 to 80. Remember, keywords in titles are how buyers find your listings. You will still need to follow the rules about keyword spamming, but a little extra room will allow for more descriptive words and hopefully, more visibility.

Return policy guidelines will be changing. Starting in 2012, you won’t be able to use the words “merchandise credit” or “exchange.” The verbiage will be changed to “money back, exchange, or no returns offered.”

Buyer Protection Cases will be handled differently. Beginning in August, if a buyer does not contact the seller before filing a claim, the case won’t be included in your performance rating. This is great news. How many times has a buyer filed a claim against you, and you didn’t even know there was a problem and could have quickly resolved it?

Click here to see the full 2011 Fall Seller Update.

Related Articles:

Keyword Spamming on eBay

Optimize Keywords for Search Engines

Make More Money on Amazon – Stop Undercutting the Competition!

2011-07-19T08:24:00.000-07:00

Attn FBA Sellers: In case you were not aware, you do NOT have to be the lowest price to get the sale. (Kim and I will be going into detail on this in our book coming out in a few weeks.) We can all make money and share the sales at a higher price. Here is how.

Look at this product listing.

On the landing page it says, "Sold by Pillypaloo and Fulfilled by Amazon." Customers can buy the item directly from this page - it is called the page with the "buy box" - because you can buy it from here. Pillypaloo will get those sales. BUT......

What many Amazon sellers don't realize is that the seller featured on this page ROTATES. It isn't always going to be "Pillypaloo." It will rotate between however many FBA sellers have this item and are within 9 cents of each other. Even if it is 10 sellers all within 9 cents of each other. Any FBA seller will get a shot at being on the "buy box page" if they are within 9 cents of the lowest price.

Click here to look at how many FBA sellers have this product, and how they keep undercutting each other by a few cents. Undercutting by pennies is a silly marketing strategy and not necessary to get sales on Amazon. This thinking causes a race to the bottom and eventually, nobody wins.

If you are selling on Amazon, please stop playing "the penny game." You don't have to! I am selling a product right now with an $18 profit, and thankfully, I am assuming, my competitors know about the buy box. We are all holding firm at the same price. I am getting sales every few hours and so are my competitors. We all win.

Amazon is NOT eBay. You don't have to be the lowest price. This is especially true if Amazon does not have the product. Slow and steady wins the race - don't be in such a hurry to sell something!

If you don't understand, please ask questions on my Facebook group. This is really great information to help you make more money - to help us ALL make more money.

I am working on a new information product that will explain these types of issues about selling on Amazon in great detail. Make sure you are subscribed to my blog or a member of my Facebook group so that you can be notified when the information product is released.

Big Lots is celebrating Friends and Family this weekend

2011-07-14T08:48:00.000-07:00

Big Lots is celebrating Friends and Family this weekend, Saturday July 16 and Sunday July 17. On Saturday, 5pm-9pm, Buzz Club Rewards members will receive 20% off their purchase by scanning their Buzz Club Rewards Card. On Sunday, just present this printable coupon to receive 20% off your entire purchase.

Now, if you really want to "work the deal," hit multiple Big Lots in your area. The coupon can be printed multiple times as it is not tied to your specific Buzz Club card, it is just a generic printable coupon. Here is how I make the most of these coupon deals:

If you are unfamiliar with the locations of the Big Lots in your area, go to the website and enter your zip code to see the locations.

Create your battle plan. Make a route using the store addresses and Yahoo or Google Maps. I usually design my route in a big circle and hit about 4 Big Lots in one day.

If you go on Sunday, make sure you have printed multiple coupons so you have enough to use at each store you visit.

This is a great opportunity to stock up on items for your eBay and Amazon stores. Many Amazon FBA sellers rely heavily on Big Lots for inventory. Remember that Big Lots will accept returns within 30 days with the original receipt, as long as the item is in original condition. So if you over-buy, you can return some of your items. Also remember that if you are selling on Amazon FBA, you don’t have to send in all of your inventory at once. You can send in a few items, see how they perform, and decide if you want to send in the rest or return them.

For more information on selling on Amazon FBA, check out the Proven Amazon Course below. Now go get that coupon before you forget!

Looking for Inventory? Check Out a Black Friday Sale…in July!

2011-07-13T15:20:00.000-07:00

Here is an event that will be a great way to stock up on inventory for eBay and Amazon stores!

During the summer, the “Back to School” sales are usually the ones to watch for. Target has decided to get a jump on the August/September sale season by adding a black Friday sale…in July! The “Back in Black Friday” is an online summer sale that will be held this week.

Beginning at 12 am PST Friday, Target will be marking down more than 1,500 items with discounts ranging up to 50% off. The sale ends at 11:59 pm Friday night. The online sale will have limited quantities of each sale item just like a Black Friday sale at an actual store. Like the traditional Black Friday sale, the early shopper gets the deal! You can preview some of the items that will be on sale by visiting Target.com/BlackFriday.

Since Target offers free shipping on more than 500,000 items with a $50 or more order, you can combine the great deals from the “Back in Black Friday” sale with the free shipping offer to save even more. For more details on this offer, visit the Target Free Shipping Offer page.

Niche Product - Zumba Dance Accessories

2011-07-12T09:53:00.000-07:00

One of the newest exercise fads is Zumba. It is a workout that combines a variety of music with dance steps that tone your body and provide a great cardio workout. Zumba targets your arms, legs, and abs while you burn fat. Plus, it’s easy and fun – always a plus for exercise!

Zumba uses mostly Latin music, similar to the type you would hear in a dance club. It also mixes Latin dancing such as Salsa and Flamenco with aerobic moves, making Zumba exercise more fun than just using weights and a treadmill. Zumba is low impact as well, which means it is great for beginners and people with a more advanced fitness level.

Although Zumba was only developed in 2001, Zumba’s website states that their program is not only the largest dance and fitness program around, but that it is also the most successful one. They have over 12 million people in weekly classes all around the world.

Zumba’s popularity has led to the creation of a large variety of products which are sold in brick and mortar stores and internet stores such as Amazon and eBay. There are Zumba books, toning sticks, clothes, CDs, DVDs, shirts, shoes, and even dumbbells designed specifically for Zumba exercise. The amazing popularity of Zumba means that these products are hot sellers right now.

According to Terapeak, the word “Zumba” results in a 69% sell through rate over a 30 day period. You will see Zumba items in the categories of clothing, sporting goods, video games, and DVDs. A 69% STR indicates an item is very popular and will sell quickly.

Related Articles:

Thrift Store Item to Sell on eBay - Gymnastics Leotards

Sublingual HCG Drops - Niche Product to Sell on eBay

eBay Seller Success Story - Weight Watcher's Slow Good Cookbook

It Takes Money to Make Money

2011-07-11T08:42:00.000-07:00

In order to succeed in online sales you have to spend money. While you can try to find free items to resell on sites such as Freecycle and Craigslist, it’s difficult and very time consuming. Unfortunately, there is no way to get around the need to purchase inventory in order to sell online. But, there are some guidelines that you can follow to save yourself money and still build a successful business.

Start by selling items that you have in your possession already. This lets you build up some cash to buy more inventory without creating debt. It can also motivate you because you won’t be able to keep any of your profits until your business grows. You’ll have a great reason to keep expenses low and stay focused.

Don’t quit your day job. By working during the day, you can pay your living expenses while building a replacement income on the side. This allows you to put all your initial profits back into your business. Be fair to your current employer though - don’t situate yourself as their competition and always make sure that your job performance isn’t affected.

While you may need cash to put into building your business, it’s always a good idea not to borrow from your friends and family. They may be happy to help, but getting money involved in your relationship can cause problems quickly.

If you are interested in a loan, the SBA’s Microloan Program can be a great option. The loan is administered through lenders in your local area. You will likely be required to put up collateral, and you will also need to make a personal guarantee. Most loans are for around $10,500; however, there are loans available for up to $35,000. If you are interested in finding a participating organization in your area, check out the Small Business Association’s website.

Related Articles:

Free and Confidential Mentoring for Your Small Business

Does Your Home Based Business Need a License?

Small Business Networking, What it Means and How to Do It

eBay Apps for the iPhone

2011-07-08T11:58:00.000-07:00

As iPhones become more and more popular, apps are being developed for just about everything. There are even apps that can help you with your online business.

One great option is the Terapeak app. Instead of buying inventory blindly, the Terapeak app will let you research the item to determine if it’s worth buying. You have the ability to search by time period, search by region, and even sort by price. Terapeak also lets you view similar items on eBay so you can easily tell which category you should list your item in. Click here for more information on Terapeak for eBay research.

eBay has also developed their own application for the iPhone. It lets you list and buy items directly from your phone. Plus, the app offers alerts so you know when an auction is about to end or someone has outbid you. You can also research items to find out the current selling price on eBay – this makes it easier to make purchases in stores and to buy inventory. You can even start your listing with information available online, and add pictures from your iPhone. Then you can share the completed listing on Twitter and Facebook.

Half.com has also developed an app that lets you scan a barcode to research prices on books, video games, DVDs, and other items. The majority of items that Half.com sells are textbooks, which makes the app especially useful for students and online book sellers. The Buying Wizard feature lets users sort their results by seller feedback and the condition of the item. It also offers the option to post items to Twitter and Facebook.

Related articles:

List of eBay Niche Products

5 Best iPad Accessories to Sell on eBay

What Opportunities are Available to You?

Photo Placement is Important on eBay

2011-07-01T07:41:00.000-07:00

If you are using a third party service to host your eBay photos, you may want to reconsider having eBay host your photos as well. When you upload your photos directly to eBay, they appear in the top left corner as one large photo and several small thumbnail photos underneath. What you may not realize is that if your photos are hosted on another site, they will not appear until lower in the page in the description area. Buyers may not scroll down to see photos, or even realize additional photos are present in the listing if they don’t see the thumbnails at the top. This is called placing your photos above the fold.

The term “above the fold” originated in the newspaper business. It was used to describe the section of the paper that everyone saw when it was on display. Newspapers designed their papers so that the most eye catching and important headlines were easily visible.

If you pay attention to the websites of big online stores, you’ll notice that the majority of them follow this principle. They place information about specials, marketing information, and any promotions currently available at the top of their webpage – above the fold. People have learned to look in this area for important information, and their reaction is no different when they’re shopping on eBay. If photos and other information aren’t immediately visible above the fold, many potential buyers may leave your listing and not bother to look any further. Making sure your listing has a good “headline” can entice potential customers to look further at your listing and ultimately make a purchase.

More eBay Optimization Tips:

Optimize Titles with Keywords

Naming Images

Using 30 Day and GTC Listings to Appear in Google Searches

If you are not already a member of Online Selling Coach, now is the time to join! We will offer webinars on these types of topics to help you succeed on eBay and have the competitive edge.

Niche Product – Personal Care Wipes

2011-06-29T09:09:00.000-07:00

One of the best ways to build an eBay business is to sell a consumable product. This helps keep your business consistent because the buyers will need to make regular purchases as their item runs out. There are many types of consumable products you can sell, but one slightly unusual one you should consider is personal care wipes.

There is a wide variety of personal care wipes available – baby wipes, of course, but there are also wipes designed to remove make up, wipes for bathing, sunscreen wipes, feminine wipes, and adult wipes. The market has expanded in an effort to make things easier for consumers – and it seems to have succeeded.

The success of personal care wipes has even led to new products. Manufacturers introduced children’s flushable wipes, which led to toiletries intended specifically for children. Existing products have also found new uses. Large pads that were designed to be used by medical professionals visiting patients at home are now being used by soldiers overseas who don’t have access to showers.

Personal care wipes are a growing field. Sales have grown around 6-7% in the US alone. Plus, personal care wipes have higher profit margins than many other products, including baby wipes. This makes them a great choice to sell online.

While selling personal care wipes may seem unusual, it is a field with healthy growth and frequent new additions. Because people are always looking for better ways to do things and ways to make their lives easier, the personal care wipes market is unlikely to go away.

Related Articles:

The Ideal Type of Product to Sell on eBay

List of Niche Product Ideas

Popular iPad Accessories to Sell on eBay

Does Your Home-Based eBay Business Need a License?

2011-06-28T09:46:00.000-07:00

As a business owner, it’s important to follow all laws and ordinances. But sometimes it can be difficult to know which laws apply to you. Determining if you need a business license is an important issue that can easily be confusing.
Start by researching the zoning laws in your area. Some cities or even apartment complexes prohibit home based businesses in certain areas.

One thing to keep in mind is the type of activities that take place for your business. If your business receives a lot of deliveries or you have customers come to you, there may be a problem if you rent.

There may still be restrictions if you own your home, depending on your area. The zoning restrictions may also depend on the type of business you’re running. If you work alone and don’t have any clients come to your home, you are less likely to have a problem.

Your business name also plays a role. If your work is considered to be “creative services”, you are not as likely to need a license because you are not required to prove your ability to practice (like a lawyer does). However, if you choose to name your business something other than your legal given name, you will likely be required to file paperwork with the county clerk.

Keep in mind that a business name will not protect you from liability. Unless you form a corporation or LLC, you will be personally liable. If you feel this will be a problem for your business, you should seek the advice of an accountant and a business attorney.

For more information on the nuts and bolts of setting up your home eBay business, check out Skip McGrath’s Complete eBay Marketing System. He covers these topics in great detail.

Related Articles:

Free and Confidential Mentoring for Your Small Business

Start a Business Journal

eBay Business Time Management Tip

The Basics of Selling Books on Amazon

2011-06-22T10:16:00.000-07:00

Last week I held a webinar about the basics of selling books on Amazon. The 1 hour webinar covered the following information:

Why Sell Books?
(Old fashioned books are still a viable part of the online market!)
Grading the Condition of a Book - The Rules
How to Price a Book on Amazon
Understanding Sales Rank - It is Like the Stock Market
Book Scanning Tools - Which Ones are Best?
Creative Strategies for Obtaining Book Inventory
(Not just garage sales, thrift stores, or library sales!)
Repricing Software
Bonus - A Fun Way to Re-purpose old Hardback Books and Sell on eBay

To access the webinar, you must be a member of Online Selling Coach. The membership fee is still $9.95 and you will have access to EVERYTHING on the site, not just this webinar.

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Is There Money Lying Around in Your Barn?

2011-06-17T09:51:00.000-07:00

All equine owners need more tack and clothing at some point. Items that are perfectly good - tack you decided you didn’t like (or were just ready to change), or clothing that no longer fits - sometimes need to be replaced. But instead of just getting rid of the items, why not make some money off of them and sell them on eBay? Plus, this can help pay for your new items!

There are a few keys to getting the most money for your item on eBay. One of the most important is to clearly identify exactly what item you’re selling. Items that seem similar (such as curb bits) can have big differences depending on the exact specifications. Include the brand if possible in addition to the type of item it is, plus any other details that may be helpful to buyers (model, color, etc.).

Keep in mind that vintage items aren’t always valuable. While some older pieces may be in high demand, some similar items may have little value. Do your research on eBay to determine exactly what is popular now. If you feel that you won’t get as much money as you should, you can always wait to list your item later. Demand for vintage items varies each year - items that aren’t wanted this year may be very popular next year.

No matter the age of the item you’re listing, it’s always important to do your homework. Be aware of what the current market value of your item is. Brand won’t always be a good indication because many companies have cheaper lines. However, some brand name pieces hold their value very well, and you may be able to sell used pieces for the original purchase price.

Silver items are always worth something, especially pieces from well-known shops. Sometimes silver items may take a little while to sell, so don’t get discouraged if your item doesn’t sell immediately. Just be aware of the value (this is especially necessary so you can choose a good opening bid and/or reserve) and wait for it to be found. Do make sure that you have a good title for your listing. Search for some of the keywords you used on eBay and check how easily your listing is found. If there aren’t many other listings using those keywords, revise it until it’s easy to find.

Make sure to use subtitles when you’re listing your items. They are an inexpensive way to increase the number of views your listing receives. Subtitles are a great place to include pertinent details and specifics about the piece, such as color or size.

Related articles:

Ariat Riding Boots - Thrift Store Find to Sell on eBay

Thrift Store Item to Sell on eBay - Ralph Lauren Equestrian Skirts

Counterfeit Items on eBay – What Every Seller Needs to Know

2011-06-14T08:32:00.000-07:00

Designer clothing and accessory sales have risen recently. Unfortunately, sales of knock offs have risen as well. It’s difficult to determine just how many fake items have been sold. Organizations such as the International Chamber of Commerce have made estimates, but are unable to calculate exact figures.

The president of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, Jean-Daniel Pasche, believes that each year more than forty million fake watches are sold. That’s more than one for each legitimate Swiss watch that is sold.

Replicas may seem harmless at first, but they take away from legitimate companies’ sales. Plus, many counterfeiters avoid taxes and are tied to organized crime. One attorney, Ted Max, says that counterfeit products even helped pay for the first bombing at the World Trade Centers.

The internet has made cracking down on product counterfeiters much more difficult. However, new laws have helped somewhat. Bigger brands have been able to take legal action to seize websites that deliberately chose names similar to theirs. LVMH has also acted against eBay and Google to get them to crack down on sellers and sites offering fake merchandise. eBay especially has taken action to help prevent knock offs from being sold through their site.

My advice for selling designer brands on eBay? If you are not 100% sure of an item’s authenticity or you did not purchase it yourself from a reputable dealer and have a store receipt to prove it, do not risk selling the item on eBay. Not only can you be suspended from eBay, but you will be helping the counterfeit underground by perpetuating the sale of these items. Use common sense!

Coach and Gucci handbags found at garage sales and thrift stores are not going to be authentic. This issue comes up almost on a daily basis with my clients, readers, and members of my Facebook Group. Don’t believe everything you see. There are many, many other safer avenues to take when choosing merchandise to sell on eBay. Avoid items than can possibly be counterfeit.

Related articles:

Knockoff Designer Handbags - Don't Even Try it on eBay!

Watch Out for Fake Sunglasses on eBay

Coach Purse - Is it Fake?

3 Ways to Keep Inventory Moving During Slow Summer Months

2011-06-13T13:26:00.000-07:00

Summer can be slow for online (or offline) sales as consumers take a break from their normal routines or spend their disposable income on vacations and other seasonal items. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink – meaning you can’t make buyers do anything!. Here are a few ways to keep your inventory appealing to buyers during the notoriously slow summer months.

Consider adding Best Offer to your older listings (over 90 days old). This is especially effective for buyers who want to use combined shipping or who have just bought a different product from you. Even if you choose not to accept many of the offers, adding Best Offer can make a positive impact on potential buyers.

Markdown Manager can also be useful. It allows you to discount items by a percentage (10%, for example) or an amount (like $2). While the discounted price will appear as the normal Buy it Now price in the majority of eBay locations, it will show as a sale price in store search results, marketing emails that you send, your listing, other listings (where it is cross promoted), Watched Items, and in emails that buyers receive about their Watched Items. It will also be shown as a sale price in any promotional boxes in your store.

Markdown Manager can’t be used on auctions. However, any listing is eligible for a free shipping discount. The discount only applies to the shipping option that you added to your listing first. It doesn’t apply to any additional shipping options.

Reduce the fees you’ll be charged by taking advantage of Good Till Cancelled (GTC) listings. By using a longer listing, your items have the time they need to be indexed by search engines. 7 days isn’t long enough for this. Plus, your fees will add up quickly if you restart your unsold auctions every week.

Related articles:

Using eBay's Markdown Manager

Process for Listing, Relisting, and Marking Down eBay Items

Is Branding on eBay Important?

2011-06-10T06:27:00.000-07:00

Today’s post is contributed by Christ Taylor of Page Mage.

Do you want to stand out from the millions of other sellers you’re competing against? Have buyers trust you and purchase from you? And have customers come back to shop from you again? Branding helps provide all of those benefits.

What is a brand? It’s everything about your business and you as a seller. It’s your store name or Seller ID, the customer service you provide, how you pack your items, the policies you present and more. All of these talk to potential buyers. It helps them differentiate between you and your competition and quickly decide if they want to buy from you…and buy from you again.

What is your brand? Make a list of what you want buyers to think about your business. Why should they buy from you? Do you want them to think you’re credible? An expert in the products you sell? The best price? Great customer service? Attentive to detail? Then take a step back and evaluate. Even ask others – how do they think of your business? Is it what you want?

Your listings top the list. A potential buyer first experiences your brand when they look at your item listing. How do you look? There’s a new product called Billboards that lets you create more professional looking listings and also lets you make announcements across all your listings automatically.

How does it work? Simply you create a header and footer for your listings. You do this in their “builder”. It’s all drag and drop so you don’t have to use HTML. Choose from a library of templates and customize for a unique look. Include your logo (if you have one), images, text and design. When you’re done you push a “publish” button that automatically inserts them into all of your listings. The end result is a unique look that stands out from other listings.

What can you do with it?
- Brand your business; Promote special offers like free shipping or a sale; Drive sign-ups for your seller newsletter; Communicate policies; Cross-sell seasonal items or new hot items that you want to push; And more.

You can learn more at: http://pagemage.com.