How To Start a Business on eBay
The number of people running businesses off eBay is staggering. Whether they’re full-time or part-time gigs, people are making lots and lots of money on eBay.
Are they all entrepreneurs? Nope, of course not. Plenty of people are on eBay selling a few things here and there, or using it to junk excess stuff. Those aren’t entrepreneurs. But there’s plenty of people who take it to the next level, forming businesses and focusing mucho energy on selling on eBay.
Some of those people are definitely entrepreneurs. Ask Liz Strauss and she’d tell you some are freelancers and some are entrepreneurs, which is totally true.
Either way, what you’ll need to do if you want to do more than sell a couple pairs of dirty socks, is figure out how to sell on eBay.
Luckily there are plenty of resources.
Most recently, I came across a 4-part series titled How to Start an eBay Business. It’s a good primer for getting your hands dirty and taking a couple of initial steps into the vast, crazy and sometimes frightening world of eBay.
Whether you decide to start a business with eBay or not, what I find most fascinating about it (and other similar ventures online) is its ability to lower barriers of entry. It’s incredibly easy to sell something on eBay. And with a bit of research, effort and planning you can do more than sell that old Cabbage Patch doll for $5. By providing an easily accessible, online tool, eBay opened the door for massive business and wealth creation. And even though eBay is a tech-business, it minimizes the complexity of the technology so mom and dad can use it just as well as uber-geek.
Lowering barriers of entry is great from the perspective of making it easier to get into business, but it also means there’s going to be more competition. So there’s no slam dunk to starting an eBay business. There’s lots of competition and everyone is vying for more attention. Barriers drop, competition increases.
My feeling is that the most serious eBay sellers have done their homework far beyond what an average person would do. And that would hold true in any business; do more research, become more of an authority, experiment and validate your plans and you’ll have a better chance of success.
If you’re interested in starting an eBay business, check out these resources:
- How to Buy, Sell, and Profit on eBay: Kick-Start Your Home-Based Business in Just Thirty Days
- What to Sell on eBay and Where to Get It
- eBay Income: How Anyone of Any Age, Location, and/or Background Can Build a Highly Profitable Online Business with eBay
Hey Ben,
So this is why you asked the question. I like the idea! Great post. Great to see you here.
Thanks for noticing what I was talking about. I’m starting to draw the line around what it means to be an entrepreneur. When I get it figured out, I’ll send you the answer to your question. :)
Hey Liz – thanks for stopping by before the official “launch.” And yes, this is why I asked the question … and more questions to come.
I look forward to your answer!