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

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

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.





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It Takes Money to Make Money

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.


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eBay Apps for the iPhone

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.

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Photo Placement is Important on eBay

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.


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Niche Product – Personal Care Wipes

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.

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Does Your Home-Based eBay Business Need a License?

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.


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