Being profitable on EBAY.

[on-ramp]

Is there any way to be profitable on EBAY and do it for a living besides picking other people's garbage off the street and putting it up for auction?

It seems that a lot of items dont even sell but EBAY still makes their fees.

any ideas? thanks.

[Zeke]

Do you want to run a business using ebay as your sales outlet? They have many ways to do this including providing new mechaancise of many varieties from their warehouse. Yes, they are in the wholesale distribution business on the side. (Big time.)

Or, if youa re willing to buy in quantity, you can buy lots of stuff wholesale and mark it up for resale on the bay.

All the info is on their website. They even have a whole section of software for seller's use.

[kumma]

just any idea for you. im self-employed screen printer/sporting goods dealer. i use ebay as a sales outlet for goods that are not first quality or items i cant return for various reasons. i have had decent luck listing close out goods from my suppliers. i usually set the listing price as my cost plus fees so i cant lose money when it sells. i always set the price low to encourage bidding, Its difficult for customers to balk at the price if theyre setting it themselves.

I do this as a side job/novelty. i dont think id want the hassle of doing it full time. i got out of retail because i didnt like dealing with all the walk in customer traffic. i have had the best luck with older sporting goods stock that has just been set aside and forgotten about.

[LeeH]

I know a guy who claims to make a living using ebay by buying poorly described computer items ON ebay and the reselling them on ebay after making better, more accurate auctions.

I've sold quite a few things on ebay, but still haven't figured out how to make real money... mostly I just dig through the closets and garage for inventory. Let's see - pay retail and sell at wholesale. I guess I'm mostly a salvage operation!