Maybelline Ultra Big Ultra Lash Mascara has been discontinued. This item sells for around $8 in drug stores, grocery stores, Walmart, and cosmetic stores. Completed listings on eBay are going for around $75! Talk about a return on your investment – 900%? Try to find that kind of return anywhere these days! Warning – this one is difficult to find. You might also check Big Lots, flea markets, and closeout centers. You may not find it at all – but it is another item you can add to your list to look for when you are out on your daily travels.

Click here for eBay completed listings (30 day history).

Click here for current eBay listings.

For more hot eBay tips, join the SAHMs eBay Seller Group on Facebook.

[Image Source: eBay Coach Blog]

Post from: EveryJoe

Hot Item to Sell on eBay – Discontinued Mascara

Today contraceptive sponges. On the market. Off the market. On the market again. Off the market again, as of June 2008. No one is exactly sure why the sponges are off the market this time.

Today Sponges are selling for 3 times the retail price on eBay, but are very hard to find. Women around the world love the Today Sponge and will pay big money for them – since they offer hormone-free, convenient birth control. Click here for some completed listings on eBay.

You may find the Today Sponges at Rite Aid, Walgreens, Flea Markets, and small local drug stores. If you don’t see them, ask. Sometimes they are held behind the pharmacy counter. The sponges cost about $10 for a box of 3, or $19.95 for a box of six. If you can find any, buy them and sell in a lot. Offer international shipping on these – they are very popular with Europeans. You will triple your investment in less than a week if you find any of these!

If you do decide to sell Today Sponges, list them as a private listing. You will get more bids and buyers if the buyer’s privacy is respected, because of the nature of the product. Click here for instructions on creating a private listing.

The sponges are really in short supply, so keep that in mind while you are on the hunt. For more hot tips like this emailed directly to you, join my eBay Sellers Group on Facebook.

Post from: EveryJoe

Hot Item to Sell on eBay – Today Contraceptive Sponges

Are you a fan of the upscale home store, Crate & Barrel? If you have a coupon lying around, now is the time to list it on eBay. According to completed listings, the 15% off coupons are selling for around $50 on eBay. Not a bad profit for a piece of paper you got free. Click here to see completed eBay listings for Crate & Barrel 15% off coupons.

You might be thinking, “Why would someone buy a 15% off coupon?” Hey, the stuff in that store is expensive. 15% off a $2,000 worth of furniture equals $300. Net savings after someone buys the 15% off coupon is $250. (Note: According to eBay policy, you are not actually selling the physical coupon, but your time to sort and mail the coupons to the buyer. Please read the coupon and if it states anything about “non-transferrable” or any other legal jargon regarding sale of the coupon, don’t sell it.)

You can also look at this scenario in reverse. If you are looking to make a major purchase from Crate & Barrel, look on eBay for coupons. Many of the coupons are a percentage off your entire purchase – which could mean some big savings.

[Image Source: Flickr]

Post from: EveryJoe

Crate & Barrel Coupons on eBay Mean BIG Profit!

The average cost of a wedding gown in America is $1,500, according to the Bridal Association of America. Why not help brides save money on their wedding, and make a profit at the same time?

I was in the Goodwill Store a few weeks ago shopping for a formal dress. The customer next to me was piling wedding gowns in her cart. I had to ask why she was buying so many – I thought maybe she was taking them apart to make a craft item or to make a new dress. She told me that she has a wedding gown rental business. She visits thrift stores and Craigslist and buys wedding gowns cheap, has them cleaned, makes repairs if necessary, and has a store in her basement. She has the merchandise rack, 3 way mirror, a dressing room, and a platform for taking measurements for alterations. Brides can rent the gowns for pennies on the dollar for what it costs to buy a new one.

I thought this was the most clever idea for a home business for someone who sews. There are pros and cons for this idea:

Advantages
Brides can wear and be photographed in a dress they can’t afford to buy.

Maintenance. Just return the dress when you are done – no worries about having it dry cleaned or stored.

Destination weddings. If the wedding takes place in a location away from home, just rent the dress there- no worries about traveling with it.

Disadvantages:

Selection will be limited.

The dress won’t be uniquely yours – you won’t have it as a keepsake.

Extra charges for damages. The renter may charge more if the dress is returned in damaged condition.

This idea does not lend itself to e-Commerce, however, it could work as a home business alongside eBay or Amazon selling. With a recession looming above us, multiple streams of income are becoming more and more necessary.

[Image Source: Flickr]

Post from: EveryJoe

Interesting Home Business Idea – Wedding Gown Rentals

It seems that everything ends up on eBay. The latest hot item are tickets to Obama’s inauguration in January. In a report by Fox News, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif, is creating a bill that would make it a federal crime to sell tickets to Obama’s inauguration. As of this writing, numerous inauguration items are for sale on eBay, including “Rent my apartment for Obama’s inauguration,” hotel rooms, and memorabilia.

Tickets to the presidential inauguration are free, distributed through congressional offices, and given to the press. So what’s wrong with selling them? One issue is security. Tickets in the wrong hands could mean a problem. Also, the event is meant to be a civic event for the people. If the tickets are sold rather than given away, the inauguration becomes an event only available to the wealthy.

What do you think? Should presidential inauguration tickets be allowed on eBay?

[Image Source: Flickr]

Post from: EveryJoe

Dianne Feinstein Asks eBay Not to Allow Obama Inauguration Tickets

On October 11, I wrote a blog post about Elmo Live, as it was due to be released that week. It has been almost a month now, and eBay is absolutely flooded with listings for Elmo Live. A few observations:

As of today, there are 983 active listings for Elmo Live, 1,795 listings for Elmo Live or Elmo Live related items have been completed

According to Terapeak, from the period of October 29 – November 4, 823 listings sold for a sell through rate of 31.35%.

Average selling price is $73.09.

Average start price is $19.25

475 of these listings were bid auctions.

I am wondering if sellers feel that Elmo Live is worth the trouble. Most retail shops sell it for $59.99, with tax the cost is around $63. Add in the fees, and profit is less than $10 to ship a rather bulky item.

Are you selling Elmo Live, and what has been your experience?

[Image Source=Flickr, eBay Coach Photos]

Post from: EveryJoe

Elmo Live Update

Halloween has come and gone. I have been in Walmart, Target, and CVS this week, and the left over costumes are marked down to 75% off regular price. You may consider grabbing a few – costumes are good sellers on eBay year round.

Kids love to play dress up all year long. Moms are constantly looking for items to add to the dress-up collection for both girls and boys. New costumes make great holiday or birthday gifts. If you are buying to resell, look for princess costumes, anything by Disney, characters from popular TV shows and movies, action figures, professions (fireman, policeman), and accessories such as wigs and hats. If you wait a bit longer, you may see these items marked down to 90% off. The longer you wait, the better deal you will get, but the selection will become smaller and smaller.

I recommend buying these on clearance and listing them in store inventory with a best offer. You will be surprised at how well costumes sell after Halloween. You can even look on Walmart.com in the clearance center and find all kinds of deals – with only 97 cents shipping!

[Image Source: Flickr]

Post from: EveryJoe

Halloween Costume Clearance

We may be in a recession depending on who you listen to, but one thing is for sure, this year has presented some tough economic challenges. The holidays are coming, and people will be looking for ways to stretch the few dollars they have left for holiday gifts. If you are an eBay seller, check out The eBay Coach 2008 Holiday Hot List. This 27-page report explains in detail the top 20 toy and gift items for this holiday season.

The information used in this report was gathered from ecommerce blogs, online selling forums, eBay groups and forums, talk shows, national news, and satellite radio. This report also contains tips about holiday selling, how to increase your holiday sales, and how to survive this busy time selling on eBay.

Click here to get your copy of the 2008 Holiday Hot List and get busy listing on eBay! Shoppers will be coming to eBay for bargains, so why not be ready to sell to them?

[Image Source: eBay Coach Photos, Flickr]

Post from: EveryJoe

eBay Holiday Hot List 2008

Mary Janes for women are an established fashion trend. Some women ask, “What is it about Mary Janes that make you feel all cute when you wear them?” The comfort brands such as Merrell, Born, Keen, Ecco, Dansko, Doc Martens, Teva, and Crocs are good sellers on eBay. You can find these at thrift stores for $2-$3 a pair. The larger sizes such as 9 and 10 do exceptionally well on eBay. I’ve sold gently used Mary Janes for up to $30 a pair, depending on the condition and brand. Comfort is the key.

View some completed listings for Women’s Mary Janes.

[Image Source: Flickr]

Post from: EveryJoe

What to Sell on eBay – Women’s Mary Jane Shoes

The recently released eBay Coach Hot List paid off for this seller.

“Hi Suzanne, your Hot Tips book paid off for big me. I found 36 of the [ITEM FROM HOTLIST] at the first store I went to, and sold 3 lots of 12 for $99.99 each in within 10 days. That’s almost $300.00 for an $18.00 investment because I only paid .50 cents per item! You gave us excellent leads in your book and I’m looking forward to the next issue.”

Want to know what the item is? Visit the SAHMs eBay Seller Group on Facebook and look on the wall for the post by Linda on October 17. Then go out and find some and list it!

[Image Source=Flickr]

Post from: EveryJoe

eBay Hot List Pays off Big for One Seller – $300 Profit!