eBay FAQ #1 – What Should I Sell?

“What should I sell” is by far the number one most asked question from my clients, members on forums, and those who email me for advice. I usually answer back with another question, “What is your objective?” It is important to ask yourself why you want to sell online and formulate a plan before you begin.

Are you looking to sell on eBay as a hobby, just for fun? Do you want to supplement your income with eBay sales? Do you want to become a full-time seller and earn your living selling online? Let’s look at each of these scenarios and answer the question, “What should I sell?”

If you want to sell on eBay as a hobby, you will want to work with a product that you enjoy, are knowledgeable about, and have access to. For example, I know a fellow seller who is a cookbook fanatic. She has collected cookbooks for years and knows where to find vintage cookbooks, how much they are worth, and the history of different kinds of cookbooks. She naturally fell into eBay selling to expand her cookbook collecting habit. She loves her eBay business because she is passionate about the product she works with.

I have another eBay friend whose “real” job is repairing and servicing computers. His evening and weekend hobby is building computers. He frequents garage sales, thrift stores, and junk shops to find computer parts and collectible computer “stuff” from the 1980s. He sells computer parts and collectibles on eBay. He found his eBay niche as his computer hobby evolved.

Another friend collects everything frogs. Frog salt and pepper shakers, frog toothpick holders, frog pillows, frog dishes, you name it. She has a blast with her frog store on eBay. Now you are thinking, “How can anyone make money selling a bunch of frog stuff on eBay?” My frog friend is a brilliant marketer. Other frog enthusiasts find her store and usually buy more than one item at a time. The magic is in the way her items are pulled together in one place on eBay.

Now, if you want to get into eBay as a serious business, you will have to do a little more homework than the collectors and hobby sellers. First, you will need to determine what you have access to that also is a good seller on eBay. That is the key, what do you have access to that others may not? Are you near an outlet? Do you have connections where you can get a product at a discount or wholesale cost? Do you make an item or a craft that you can sell? Are you in a unique location?

I started out selling gently used clothing from thrift stores. Because I am located in a big city with numerous thrift stores full of barely worn expensive clothing, my business is successful. I have a never-ending source for inventory. In fact, the options are overwhelming at times. But selling thrift store items doesn’t work for everyone.

So, to answer the question, there is no magic product to sell on eBay that brings a huge profit all the time, every time. In fact, as eBay guru Skip McGrath says, “Clever sellers are always looking for angles and often come up with new techniques, but once they use them, pretty much everyone else can use them. Secrets don’t last very long on eBay. If you really want to be successful on eBay, there is no substitute for learning the basics, doing the work, and then staying on top of your business.” In other words, you have to experiment, try new things, stay informed, and evolve with the market.