Hi Mike,
Reading through the website and brainstorming product ideas is a really good start.
Since you are leaning towards physical items, let me give you a few tips:
1. Unless you are selling accessories or smaller items, always sell name brand product. Accessories for phones, PDAs, camcorders, electronics, car audio, etc do not need to be name brand, as at that point, they are just looking for a good deal.
Regarding most all other product, though, name brand is the best avenue. Why? Because I have sold both name brand and non-brand and there is a big difference. Name brand is solid, in that it is always consistant in being proportional to the original price. Non-brand is like the waves of the sea and could be half the value in a couple months.
For example. Lets say a Sony PS2 costs
$250 originally in stores. Now, its a few years later, so the value is about $80 on ebay.
Basically, the first year, it cuts the price 40% to 50% on ebay. So, $200 in a store, a year later on ebay is about $120 for name brand item. And about 3 years is $80 on ebay.
It has a predictable scale. Also, you can easily do searches on ebay history to know its current value. Here is an example search:
This pretty much goes for most
name brand product.
AND, I can show you were to buy the name brand product for very cheap, where you generally atleast make double what you paid, sometimes triple.
My website discusses it alot here:
One of the main companies I bought from in the past when buying name brand product for around 25% of the retail price (75% off):
Unfortunately, you have to sign a contract & get a username and passowrd with them before you can even see the lists/manifests for the pallets they are auctioning on a daily basis.
If I were you, and you are serious about selling name brand items on ebay, I would sign the contract and get a username and password.
Here is an example manifest/list from one of the current pallets they are auctioning right now. The "Cost" shown on the list, is the original wholesale price. You will pay around 30% of this price, if you were to buy this pallet. So, you times the overall cost by 0.3 to get a ball park of what you would pay. Of course, it is an auction, so it could be lower or higher than 30%. This pallet list below, by the way, is an expensive one with TONS of stuff on
it. Imagine a pallet full of small expensive items like camcorders:
| BL#: | 4591536 | Facility: | Sears OH |
| Item ID | Description | Qty | Cost |
| 6228859 | MAYTAG OTR, 1.5 CU FT BLK | 1 | 178.25 |
| 6469906 | WATER FILTER,REPLACEMENT | 1 | 14.46 |
| 6469911 | WATER FILTER, REPLACEMENT | 1 | 25.30 |
| 6469990 | WATER, FILTER KN | 1 | 28.75 |
| 60322113 | ATT PHN 915,CORDED | 3 | 33.02 |
| 60322145 | ATT PHN 1738,DIG ANSWERER | 2 | 23.94 |
| 60322150 | ATT PHN265,CORDED CID WHT | 1 | 10.94 |
| 60322162 | ATT PHN855, CORDED W/ANS | 1 | 21.84 |
| 60324010 | HDSET, H200 ATT | 7 | 25.76 |
| 60324282 | PHBAT,TL26560,GE PHONE | 1 | 4.31 |
| 60324283 | PHBAT,TL26554,GE PHONE | 1 | 2.37 |
| 60324412 | ATT PHN 210W,BASIC CORDED | 2 | 12.58 |
| 60324612 | JAS PHN ACC, 86154 BATT | 1 | 2.37 |
| 60324646 | JAS PHN
ACC, 86671 EARSET | 1 | 7.72 |
| 60327175 | ATT PHN 2355, 2.4 CID | 1 | 46.00 |
| 60327176 | ATT PHNE2116,2.4 CID | 1 | 23.45 |
| 60327476 | GE PHN 27831,GE2 2.4CIDDU | 1 | 26.73 |
| 60329505 | PAN PHN 5439,5.8 COMBO | 1 | 123.61 |
| 60337790 | MSTICK,MSXM512S SONY | 1 | 39.10 |
| 60352162 | CAM KIT,RVK260 RAYOVAC | 2 | 85.10 |
| 60352293 | CAM KIT, RVK275 | 2 | 72.96 |
| 60352302 | BATRY,LISG160 LENMAR | 1 | 20.70 |
| 60352305 | BATRY,NMH2000 LENMAR | 1 | 19.44 |
| 60352323 | CAM BAT,NPQM71D SONY | 1 | 67.62 |
| 60353052 | DOCK,CSSPHA SONY PS100-50 | 5 | 270.48 |
| 60353059 | SNY DCAM,DSCS60 4MP | 1 | 183.95 |
| 60353410 | DCAM, 8861A001 REBEL | 1 | 787.77 |
| 60353758 | OLY DCAM,D435 5 MP | 1 | 132.81 |
| 60353819 | DIGACC,CPFXA10 DOCK FUJI | 3 | 103.40 |
| 60353820 | DIGACC,FPA3 KIT FUJI | 7 | 161.00 |
| 60353954 | DIGACC,
ACCCN3P SONY | 4 | 108.15 |
| 60354201 | SNY ACCESS,PAPER SVMF40P | 1 | 14.65 |
| 60356016 | SNY CAM,DCRDVD7 | 1 | 587.64 |
| 60356046 | SON CAM, DCRDVD105 DVD | 1 | 425.04 |
| 60356102 | JVC CAM,GRD270US MINIDV | 1 | 276.99 |
| 60393909 | SAFE CASE ,SAFE CASE (DS) | 1 | 12.42 |
| 62035969 | EU,409B SUPERLITE | 1 | 34.50 |
| 62051195 | VAC BAG,MAGIC BLUE | 1 | 2.04 |
| 62071273 | SHARP MICRO,MDSZE 1.O CFT | 1 | 84.34 |
| 62071479 | SHARP MICRO,CNTR TOP BLK | 3 | 267.24 |
| 62073112 | GE MWAVE, .7 CMO | 1 | 44.85 |
| 62073562 | MICROWAVE,GE 1.8.1100W. | 1 | 105.80 |
| 62073564 | MICROWAVE,GE 1.8/1100W. | 1 | 105.80 |
| 62084000 | BAG, E4 | 1 | 2.76 |
| 62280009 | MHC 1.4,GALAXY | 1 | 103.50 |
| 65723034 | RADIO,FR4004SP-GPX | 9 | 134.45 |
| 65723105 | GPX AUDIO,CDP1805-R/RW | 2 | 20.36 |
| 65724416 | RCA CLKRADIO, RP5430 | 1 | 16.10 |
| 65730303 | SATBMX,SA10001 DELPHI | 1 | 72.62 |
| 65730351 | SATCARKIT,SIR-CK1 AUDIO | 1 | 41.98 |
| 65740300 | ZLI SRT37W,TV STAND 32" | 1 | 57.11 |
| 65744436 | TOS,13"TV/DVD,MD13Q42 | 1 | 130.17 |
| 65744744 | TV 27",SREC427 SYLVANIA | 1 | 570.39 |
| 65747396 | MAG,27"TV,27MT5005D/37 | 1 | 235.75 |
| 65749346 | MAG,20"TV, 20MS2331/17 | 1 | 103.44 |
| 65749404 | TOSH19A25,19"TV | 1 | 103.29 |
| 65752416 | CAS,7" BAG PDVS-4 | 1 | 6.90 |
| 65754746 | HIT 51" PTV, 51F59 | 1 | 862.50 |
| 65757136 | GPX DVD,D1816 | 2 | 50.26 |
| 65757144 | DVD KS4110,KOSS | 3 | 94.88 |
| 65757145 | JSI DVDU,JS4127 HDMI UP | 1 | 69.00 |
| 65757164 | DVD KS4125,KOSS | 1 | 43.99 |
| 65757184 | DVD/VCR,SRD4900 SYLVANIA | 3 | 277.17 |
| 65757454 | DVD,DVPNC875VB,SONY | 1 | 41.96 |
| 65757677 | TOS DVDRTIVO,RSTX20 | 1 | 469.20 |
| 65757900 | REMOTE,RMV202-SON | 3 | 17.25 |
| 65757903 | REMOTE,RMEZ2-SON | 1 | 6.44 |
| 65765630 | TV WALL MT,PTW13-B VANTAG | 3 | 91.08 |
| 65765631 | TV WALL MT,PTW13-W VANTAG | 1 | 30.36 |
| 65765632 | TV WALL MT,PTW20-B VANTAG | 6 | 227.01 |
| 65765633 | TV WALL MT,PTW26-B VANTAG | 2 | 95.22 |
| 65768492 | ANT,TV630 JENSEN | 1 | 11.49 |
| 65782888 | TC30 2PK HGX, 203020 MAX | 1 | 3.86 |
| 65790934 | MINI
SYST,HXGD8-JVC | 2 | 598.23 |
| 65792035 | BEL ACC,F8Z0183-COLRD SLV | 1 | 16.38 |
| 65792096 | BEL ACC, F8Z061BLK | 1 | 36.50 |
| 65792215 | MON CARPLAY,125946-ADPTR | 1 | 12.39 |
| 65792275 | MON CHARGER,127033-IPOD | 1 | 24.81 |
| 65798125 | SON HTIB,DAVDX150-DREAM | 1 | 241.47 |
| 65798186 | SNY HTIB, DAVDX375 1000W | 1 | 308.19 |
| 65798656 | SAM HTQ40, 800W 5 DISC | 1 | 205.28 |
| 65798674 | HT SYSTEM,HTDB390-SAM | 1 | 385.25 |
| 65799004 | SPKR STAND,SSH40BB-VPP | 3 | 72.45 |
| 65799014 | SPKR STAND,SSH40SS-VPP | 3 | 72.45 |
| 65799034 | SPKR STAND,SSHC40BB-VPP | 1 | 35.08 |
| 65799044 | SPKR STAND,SSHC40SS-VPP | 4 | 140.30 |
| Total | 147 | 10,764.46 |
A less expensive pallet here below. Probably only about $600 in the end for this pallet below:
| BL#: | WP0024315 |
Facility: | 308 GENCO.com Regional OH |
| Item ID | Description | Qty | Cost |
| 01034385060 | Epson Multi Photo/Business Card Feeder | 1 | 167.65 |
| 01250260382 | Brother DCP-1000 3-in-1 Laser Printer, Scanner, Co | 1 | 180.58 |
| 03490927013 | RCA DISH Satellite TV System With 2 Receivers DP30 | 1 | 170.15 |
| 04683826074 | JVC Dual Cassette Deck, TD-W354BK | 1 | 192.50 |
| 08648305329 | Sanyo 20" True Flat-Screen Stereo TV | 3 | 385.91 |
| 09785502640 |
LOGITECH | 1 | 159.52 |
| 73464606960 | Lexmark Z735 Color Jetprinter | 7 | 718.20 |
| 73464639829 | Lexmark All-in-one printer | 1 | 47.31 |
| 73464685285 | Lexmark P3150 PrinTrio All-In-One Photo Printer, S | 1 | 94.62 |
| 87499500235 | IBM ThinkPad T22 Ref Notebook | 1 | 524.40 |
| 87499500332 | HP Deskjet 6540 | 1 | 123.48 |
| Total | 19 | 2,764.32 |
Regarding non-branded items. I have sold HUNDREDS of items, possibly several hundred of big non-branded, around $80 to $250 dollar items. Now, I can tell you, from all that experience, that they are predictable only for a short period of time.
For instance, I have a bunch of electric guitars I sell. The guitars I am selling right now on ebay, I am selling for about HALF what I used to sell them for about 2 years ago. This is no joke. Right now, I am selling them at cost, because of this slip in price.
So, before, when I could sell a guitar for $160, now, I am lucky if I can get $90 fo it. A very serious problem.
I believe I know why this occurred. I noticed all the name brand guitar companies are now shipping their production overseas and are changing their marketing strategy to sell their guitars
in stores like Best Buy and other chain stores. So, instead of charging $350 for a Fender in a small guitar shop, now, they charge $175 in Best Buy.
Its because they are using cheaper labor and need to increase their sales to make the same amount of profit.
Of course, I bought my guitars from China also, as they do, matter of fact, one of my suppliers makes them for Fender and other companies.. He he..
At any rate, now, I have no advantage, as now Fender is doing what I did, so now my guitars are also half the value they once were.
So, there is some predictability of the value, but the problem is it is unstable and general market flucuation can destroy the value.
Of course, if you sell an old Fender guitar, its still proportional to the old price, for the most part, as people still consider it of the
same value. The original retail price dictates its life value..
Sincerely
Tony
"ggoodhang@aaaa.net" <ggoodhang@aaaa.net> wrote:
I have been looking through your website and doing a lot of reading. There are a lot of good ideas. I want to start looking for a decent product that I can start selling on a consistent basis. But for right now, I am still reading through your website and getting more and more ideas. I am leaning towards selling products than selling the ebooks. Just trying to find and research a great product to sell.
Thanks,
Mike
<><><>
O'REILLY: All right, Lis
... I sell bibles in Tarzana, CA. Lenny comes in, & he's got a ... beard. He's wearing a dress ... I have to hire him?
LIS WIEHL: You can't not hire Lenny.
O'REILLY: Yes, but ... Don't you see my business point here? ... the state of Calif .. is forcing me to hire people that may be detrimental to my business.
LIS WIEHL: appearance shouldn't matter. When you're selling bibles.
O'REILLY: Ms. Rivers, you understand ... better than Lis because she went to Harvard Law School, and that disqualifies her from common sense.
<><><>
