Earlier this year when I published my 40 Businesses You Can Start From Home post and follow-up survey, there was an unexpected amount of interest in learning more about the eBay business model. This isn’t my area of expertise. I think I have only sold on eBay twice. But, after many months of searching, I have found someone willing to share their experience. Welcome to my blog, Linsey Knerl.
Why did you decide to get into selling on eBay?
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My husband and I really appreciate vintage collectibles, and after finding a few at a sale for pennies, we wondered if they would go for anything on Ebay. We sold them as a “test run” and were amazed that even those that were nothing of great value sold well. We decided to open up a store with less than 25 items to get a feel for the business, and then go from there.
Your eBay store appears to be rather “niched.” Do you feel this is a better eBay model than selling a variety of unrelated items?
We have actually started to add some items that don’t fall into our category, because they were too good to pass up, but in the beginning the niche approach was the best. It allowed us time to really get to know a certain category of items (in our case, used replacement dinnerware and china, as well as pottery) and really know what would be worthwhile to invest in. It limited our risk to only sell those items we could really get to know well.
Then, as new items came our way outside of that category (recently we sold some new western riding gear and lawn tractor parts), it was hard to say “no.” There are really two kinds of buyers on Ebay: those that follow your store and keep checking back for new offerings, and those who stumble upon you through search, just looking for the best price. By expanding our store, we were able to take advantage of both groups.
What startup costs were involved?
At first, there was just the cost of getting our items. Since we were collectors who needed to scale back some things to fit into our small home, we didn’t have to buy much. Then, as we sold out of inventory, we would scout sales and auction for more inventory. Shipping was low for us, because I have a separate business where I get quite a bit of packages sent to my door (we recycle these.) We didn’t pay for Ebay store fees at first (we sold auction-style), but now we do.
How does marketing your eBay store differ from your freelance business?
Marketing for us involves making sure our listings stand out on Ebay, providing good customer service for our buyers, and being active in the collector community and on Facebook. It is different in the details, but overall, providing a great experience is key — and this is the same no matter what industry you are in.
What are your biggest challenges?
Our biggest challenge is finding the time to list new inventory. Getting new items is easy, but the photography, measuring, research, pricing, and input process is tedious. We have days where we see we are getting low on inventory, and we scramble to list 20-30 items at a time. It’s hard to keep things listed, even when you have them on hand.
Do you have any recommended resources for those looking to get into eBay?
One of the best free resources that I like is the Dummies.com site. It has a section just on Ebay, along with a very useful newsletter. It has just about everything you need to get your tough questions answered — for free!
Where Can We Find You Online?
I blog at 1099mom.com, and you can find me on Twitter at @LKnerl and @1099Mom. My Ebay store Facebook page (which just got up and running) is: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Knerls-Nostalgia-and-Vintage-Collectibles/215811575118806
About Angie
Huh, interesting! There was a time I was obsessed with eBay and actually wanted to go full force with it. This post kind of gives me that inspiration again, but I feel like there is much to it! I didn’t even think about that dummies website, thanks!
Katie Jones recently posted ..Working at Home: Realistic Goals & Outcomes
Twitter: WAHMRevolution
says:
It’s been a long time since I sold on eBay, and so much has changed. From time to time, I think about sticking my toe in again. We’ll see.
Lisa recently posted ..Work-at-Home: Nickelodeon Hiring Site Monitor for Virtual Worlds
ebay is still an excellent business to start from home and can earn you a decent supplementary income which always helps in this current climate. You do need to watch out for slightly higher fees and new rules for certain selling niches though.
With its popularity and sheer number of people using it now, they have revamped their selling process so it can be a little tricky setting up auctions and online stores but don’t let it put you off – it’s still one of the easiest and cheapest ways of selling stuff to a potential worldwide audience. Some of the power sellers are selling wholesale stuff on a full-time basis.
Definitely one to look into to……
Kaye recently posted ..Wholesale Watches