To help set you straight, I’ve listed the top 4 myths about wholesale buying that seem to derail new sellers every day of the week:

Myth #1: Buying products in wholesale quantities means buying them at at least 50% less than the retail price.

Sorry to start out on a bad note, guys, but this is seriously incorrect! In reality, the wholesale cost of an item is usually 5-35% below the retail cost. Some big-time sellers with massive buying power might be able to get better discounts when they are in a position to buy in big bulk. Wholesale buying is a volume game: the more you buy, the less you pay per unit. But, if you are thinking you can buy a container load of jeans for a just a few hundred dollars, you would be wrong.

Myth #2: Wholesale suppliers won’t want to deal with me; I’m just an eBay seller making 30 sales per month.

Wrong! The truth is plenty of suppliers are more than happy to deal with the likes of eBay sellers. While you might only make smaller orders through them, it’s all the smaller businesses that are often the backbone of a supplier’s business. After all, a supplier who relies on the success of 3 or 4 major buyers is not really safe-guarding their business!

When checking out new suppliers to deal with, you might find that they have a very high minimum order which you cannot meet. However, I suggest that you email the supplier anyway and see if they will make an exception: suppliers know that they need to support new and small sellers in order to help them grow their business and stat placing those big orders.

Myth #3: You can buy designer branded goods like clothing, sunglasses, and jewelry for next to nothing, and resell them for enormous profits.

This is a particularly popular one. If you think you can buy an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag wholesale for less than $100, and resell it for $500, you are sadly mistaken. While it is possible to buy the latest designer handbags, the sad truth is, unless you are buying them from an authorized distributor, hey are highly likely to be fake.

While there is a consumer demand for fakes, selling them is 100% illegal. eBay has a whole division dedicated to checking that all designer and branded goods sold on their site are the real deal. If they cotton on to you selling anything less, you will have your account closed pronto. Worse still, if Customs catches you importing fake items, you could face heavy fines and imprisonment.

To sell most designer branded goods legally, you need to become an authorized reseller. This means jumping through some very high hoops. For example, some brand owners require you to have a brick and mortar retail store and a very high sales turnover (think $100,000 per year).

You are much more likely to be successful when selling non-branded everyday items like sporting or hobby equipment.

Myth #4: The best wholesalers can only be found online

While the internet certainly makes it easier for us to find new suppliers, and instantly price-up potential items, it would be a mistake to overlook the many other product-sourcing avenues available.

So what other options do you have?

• Trade Shows:

Tradeshows are exhibitions organized by industry leaders to showcase new products. They are a great way to stay ahead of trends and find new niche items to sell. Tradeshows are also a great way to build relationships with big suppliers. This can go a long way in getting you better deals and greater access to new, hot products. To find tradeshows in your area, you can simply search Google for the keywords “trade show” + the name of your area, or visit BizTradeShows.com.

• Trade Magazines:

Trade magazines such as The Closeout News are a great way of finding new suppliers and hot deals on wholesaler items. This is how the wholesale industry used to operate – before the days of the internet!

What makes trade magazines so valuable is that very few online/eBay sellers use them as a product sourcing method, but plenty of suppliers continue to list their there (and some only list in print publications), so the prices get driven down in your favor.

So which of these myths did you fall for? Let me know the biggest lesson that you’ve learned about wholesale sourcing!

About the Author: Alice Delore is a copywriter for SaleHoo wholesale directory (http://www.salehoo.com). She also regularly publishes work on the SaleHoo blog (http://www.salehoo.com/blog).

Getting the click – Our first goal was to increase the amount of clicks we were getting, based on the same number of listings.

1. Work on the product image – The product preview image which buyers see in their search result can really make a difference. It will help your listing stand out in the sea of listings and you can use it to communicate a marketing message, such as ‘same day dispatch’ at the bottom of the image.

2. Experiment with product titles – After optimising your image, look at the product title with the aim of making it more appealing to buyers. By all means do experiment, but don’t forget to keep the product keywords in the title. My suggestion is to use the matrix of [product title - Unique Selling Proposition], for example [ipod leather holder in black - cheapest on eBay], [ipod leather holder in black - get free gift], [ipod leather holder in black - free delivery] etc

3. Make the title stand out – After experimenting and based on the clicks and sales that each title received, pick one and make it stand out. To achieve this, you can try to place uncommon characters in the title (those which eBay permits such as <>,# etc), use upper case for the first letter of each word in the title, place your phone number, use symbols and so on. The important step is to keep your keywords in the title and just experiment.

4. Use enhanced listing wisely – eBay’s own tools to enhance your listings are great, but come at a price. For some products it’s worth using the bold and sub-title option in particular. Use the sub-title field to provide further product description and include a call to action.

Convincing the unconvinced – Our second goal was to reduce the amount of pre-sale inquires we received because they highlight buyer’s question marks. If listings are unclear then potential buyers will simply move onto another seller.

5. Write your own product description – Great product copy is essential for getting the sale. It should address all the concerns buyers have before buying the product and provide an accurate description of what they’re buying. We found it useful to include answers to questions buyers were asking and to show why we’re different from our competing sellers within the copy. If your idea of a product description is to copy and paste the manufacturer’s description, it might not be enough. Write your own.

6. Work on product offers – If you also sell away from eBay, for example in your standalone store, you know the value of product merchandising and offers. The same should be applied to your eBay store to make your offer more convincing. Consider offers such as free gifts, upgraded delivery methods, discount on future orders and more.

7. Pay attention to feedback – Many buyers scan through your feedback before buying. Try to follow up with buyers to get as much feedback as you can and in particular ask buyers to rate you. If negative feedback was left, take the time to publicly respond to the feedback and accept the blame (if that is, it’s your blame).

Closing and getting the sale – Our third goal and the holy grail for any eBay seller was to get our figures up.

8. List your call to action – The same with any type of advertising, you want to direct buyers to take an action. If your listing page is long, place several calls to action across the page.

9. Offer alternative payment options – The vast majority of eBay buyers are likely to use PayPal as their payment means. Some however might want to pay by credit card or cheque and some by telephone order. By offering those options you’re creating a competitive advantage over your competitors.

10. Prioritise eBay customer service – eBay buyers are expecting high levels of customer service from your part, but most will look for it after the sale. If however you offer exceptional service before the sale takes place, you might capture the buyer while they’re still signed in on eBay and it reinforces your credibility.

I hope you found my selling tips useful.

Avril Harper, author of “Make Money Tearing Up Old Books and Magazines and Selling Them on eBay” writes a guest post for Mark-Kenny.com on UK Fast Start eBay Business Ideas.

Readers often ask for ideas for starting a really unusual business or unique line of products on eBay, hence the reason this month I’ve compiled a selection of those ideas I really do think have huge potential for new and experienced eBay sellers.

None of these ideas look to be over-used on eBay and I’m quite certain anyone can profit from them. As always do your due diligence before spending time, money and effort on any business. Select one or more of these ideas, research other eBayers selling similar items in the UK and other eBay sites, learn what you can from people already making money in these areas.

Two important warnings:

• Just because no one is running similar ventures does not mean this is a market wide open for you to profit from fast. It could be someone has already tried and abandoned similar ventures as unprofitable or because they involve a dirty four letter word spelled ‘W – O – R – K’. Test before spending too much time or money on the venture and if it’s unprofitable, look to tweek it a bit, test ways to increase unit profits by even a tiny amount which overall may add many pounds to your bottom line. (Oh No, She’s Back On The Numbers Games Spot: bear in mind anything that makes you just £3 extra each day increases your annual turnover by a staggering £1095, more on a Leap Year!). If the idea has already been tried and abandoned on grounds of hard work, at least check it out, see what’s involved, act like a true entrepreneur and work to get the idea up and running, then delegate the task and move onto another idea.

• Be aware that, any time someone comes up with a good business idea that’s not been tried before, the lazy amongst us will jump on the bandwagon and copy the idea completely unchanged. Days afterwards hundreds of people could be running the exact same business, sharing the profits, and not making money. You must be different, you must rise above the crowd. Give these ideas a try:

Target a different customer base from that featured in the idea. So, for example, the first idea you’ll listed below, about selling baby equipment and toys located at Mother and Toddler’s Groups, could be targeted instead at gardeners’ allotment groups (plants and garden ornaments), neighbours (unwanted household and personal goods), and so on.

Target a different eBay country site. ‘Free Stuff to Sell’, mentioned later, could involve collecting free guides and maps for places in the UK which have similar place names in the USA and would interest buyers on eBay.com. For starters try Washington, York, Norfolk, Birmingham, Dover, and many more. I keyed ‘places + with + same + names + in + uk + and + america’ into Google this morning and found hundreds of sites containing all the information you need to copy this idea.

So here we go with ideas for you to emulate (not copy):

CHILDREN’S CAST OFFS. Children grow quickly and discarded toys, clothing and hardware are sometimes in near perfect condition and worth up to fifty per cent their original value. Most parents are too tired, too busy, lack time and commitment to turn their discarded kiddieware into cash. But most will pay someone else to sell it for them. A one-off client is hard work, so look for a captive audience, and offer your service as consignment seller (trading assistant) to the largest Mother and Toddler groups you can find preferably close by. Most groups have a leader – official or unofficial – and this is the person to approach with offers to sell other members’ goods on eBay. Talk to the leader, make the offer, get that person to handle all communications with fellow members and also distribute money to members after the sale. This saves time and hassle for you and members are more likely to trust their leader with goods and money than an unknown agent. Have an agreement drawn up with the leader who must accept responsibility for collecting and holding all goods and all monies which absolves you from any wrongdoing that might ensue. With the exception of all but very small items it’s best to sell locally on eBay and have buyers pick up and pay for items while the group is in session. Either be there personally to claim the cash and pay the group leader once your commission is deducted or get the leader to hand over goods and take payment and you call every few days for your cut.

FACTORY OUTLETS: Most factory outlets deal in perfect and slightly imperfect goods and there are eBayers making thousands of sales every week of items picked up inexpensively at factory outlets. I personally know some who act as trading assistants for numerous factory outlets. Those people buy just one item to illustrate, describe and test resale potential and profits. From there most factory outlet managers are happy to put similar stock to one side for future sales. You’re spoiled for choice of products to sell from manufacturers of thousands of different product types, from clothing to tableware, cosmetics to socks, cutlery to most things you care to imagine. You must choose items with potential for unlimited sales via one standard listing template that does not require extensive changes between listings. Be careful picking goods and look for slight seconds as opposed to seriously flawed items. Faults vary and you’ll have difficulty using the same listing template for items ranging from slightly to seriously flawed. Look for near perfect items or perfect overstocks and you can use the same description for all similar items with specific add-ons like: ‘perfect overstock’, ‘cancelled order’, ‘button missing’, ‘light stain easily cleaned’, ‘broken zip’, ‘light chip on spout’, ‘cooking instructions missing’, etc.

Further Information

You’ll find a comprehensive listing of factory shops at: www.shoppingvillages.com

Top guide to factory shops and other discount sources is: The Official Great British Factory Shop Guide by Gillian Cutress and Rolf Stricker published by Anthony Peters Product Development Ltd. (ISBN – 10: 0955065208)

FREE STUFF TO SELL: Just because it’s free doesn’t mean an item is worthless, especially on eBay, where really weird and commonplace free items can attract incredible prices. Newspapers and magazines published in one country and not available elsewhere is an obvious example, but FREE gifts given with publications are also potentially very profitable domestically and in overseas markets. Things that sell well include discount vouchers and money off tokens, bonus CDs and wallcharts and other items from newspapers and magazines, maps and travel guides from visitor centres and tourist attractions. Money Off vouchers sell particularly well on eBay, mainly cut from newspapers and magazines and product packaging. For example, just recently: £50 worth of coupons and vouchers for various foods and household cleaning items fetched £22, £48 Of Eukanuba (Pet Food) Money Off Coupons made £20, £20 worth of Pampers Nappies Money Off Vouchers went for £13.00.

Most of what I spotted on eBay were clipped from magazines and newspapers with the majority fetching around half their full discount value. That suggests you could even buy newspapers and magazines specifically for their vouchers, free gifts and other potentially resaleable items. A friend who did this, very effectively, was an avid competition enthusiast who gave up a full time job as a teacher to enter competitions that won her many thousands of pounds each year in cash and consumables. She bought newspapers and magazines for the entry forms and sold the discount vouchers to friends and neighbours to fund her hobby.

Newspapers and magazines with free bonus gifts might also yield a profit from selling gifts and coupons on eBay but you’ll need to take a risk sometimes and buy multiple copies or risk newsagents’ stock selling out fast.

Further Information

Be careful, check the wording, a minority of companies prohibit you from reselling their products and vouchers.

Only lasting for ten minutes or so, there are no excuses for not listening. It’s main question is whether to start your auctions at a high or low starting price – With the advantages of both explained, you can download it at The Times Online.

1. Buyer Confidence.

If you are selling goldfish bowls for example, which username do you think will give abuyer more confidence – “dave1234″ or “goldfishsupplies”? When selling in more than one category on a regular basis, having multiple accounts will allow you to target your audience with a higher precision.

2. Ebay Features.

The ability to open more than one eBay Store. eBay only allows one store (or shop) per account. This is easily solved by having multiple accounts.

3. Feedback.

Protect your feedback, if one transaction as a seller goes bad and you get negative feedback, it will not affect your sales as a whole as you’ll still have excellent feedback on your other accounts.

4. Cross-Promotion Connections.

eBay allows you to cross-promote other sellers’ items within your listings. By using this feature, you can cross-promote your other accounts within your eBay listings to bring some much valued visibility.

5. eBay Arbitrage.

Many sellers buy off eBay in order to resell the item almost immediately. Having an account for selling only, will allow you to hide the items you’ve purchased with a separate account.

Now over to you, what’s your biggest reason for having multiple accounts?

- Be courteous to your customers. Remember, the customer is always right. Whether your buyer has a complaint, concern or just needs to express their feelings on a certain subject, listen to what they have to say. By being courteous through your communication, you can help to ensure that others see you as a professional who cares about customer satisfaction. If correspondence happens to become harassing, you can always report it to eBay.

- Answer e-mails promptly. From time to time, buyers have questions about an item. Whether it pertains to condition, size or quality, it may be necessary for you to answer questions both before and after the auction closes. In either instance, it’s important to answer e-mails and/or questions promptly to ensure that your customer remains happy and is impressed by your prompt attention.

- Follow through with your promises. If you state that shipping will occur in a certain amount of days following payment, make sure that you adhere to your promise. Customers will appreciate honesty and reliability, especially when they are awaiting a purchase. You can set yourself apart from many simply by sticking to your word.

- Surprise your buyers. A surprise is something that’s unexpected, and you can capture the heart of your customers by including a free gift, discount coupon for future purchases or even a personalized ‘thank you’ card with their purchase.

- Package your auction items carefully. Make sure that you send the item in a way that you, yourself, would want to receive it if you were the customer. Fragile and/or breakable items should be shipped in a box with bubble wrap, packing peanuts or other cushioning to prevent breakage. Flat items, such as trading cards, jewelry in boxes and other similar shipments can often be sent in a bubble or padded envelope mailer.

Take a Vacation.

The extra money that you earn from eBay sales could very possibly help to pay for your next vacation. Whether you are starting a new business venture or simply uncluttering your home by selling a few things that no longer fit into your lifestyle, you could possibly earn enough to pay for a relaxing getaway for yourself and those that you love.

Pay Off Your Bills.

Nobody likes to be in debt, but it’s often a part of life. Whether it’s credit card debt, car repairs, medical bills or even a payday loan, you may be able to use the extra money that you earn on eBay to help get your bills paid. Many people live from one paycheck to the next, which often makes it nearly impossible to pay off those unwanted bills. Depending on the amount of time
and effort that you put forth into your eBay listings, the extra cash could help to reduce or even completely eliminate your debt.

Pay For College.

Higher learning doesn’t come cheap, which is why earning extra money to help cover the costs can greatly ease the stress of tuition. Whether you need money for specific tuition costs, including courses, books, study materials, student housing, or you just need some extra spending cash, listing some items for sale on eBay may be the answer that you’re looking for. Depending
on the amount of time and effort that you put forth into your eBay listings, you could possibly earn enough money to help with or even cover the cost of college tuition.

Save Some Cash For a Rainy Day.

In addition to everyday expenses, life’s unexpected events have a way of making it more difficult to save money. If you can earn an additional $20.00 per day by listing items on eBay, that’s a total of $600.00 per month. If you were able to put this cash into savings, such as a savings account or savings bonds, you could begin to earn interest on the money right away.
Depending on the amount of time and effort that you put forth into your eBay listings, you could possibly find yourself with a comfortable cushion of cash for emergencies or just for a rainy day.

Earn a Full-Time Income.

While not everyone has the desire to be their own boss, many are looking toward self-employment as an adventure worth taking. The hours are great, the cost of commuting is non-existent, and the pay can be very rewarding. If you choose to work toward a full-time income on eBay, you won’t be alone. In fact, many people are already earning a living by working at home.
Depending on the amount of time and effort that you put forth into your eBay listings, you could possibly earn a full-time income.

Purchase a Car.

If you are in need of a new or used vehicle, you may be a lot closer than you think. Depending on the amount of time and effort that you put forth into your eBay listings, you could possibly earn enough money for a down payment or, in some cases, even the purchase price of the vehicle. Of course, you will also need to have the right type of product at the right price, but it is
a real possibility for some eBay sellers who are willing to work toward their goal.

Purchase a Home.

A home is the largest investment that most people will ever make, which is why it can also be one of the most difficult. Everyone dreams of owning their own home, but it takes a significant amount of time and money to earn the title of ‘homeowner.’ Depending on the amount of time and effort put forth toward your eBay listings, if you were to conceivably earn $20.00 per day, which equals $600.00 per month, you could possibly save $7,200.00 in one year. Some first-time homebuyers qualify for a mortgage with 5% down, which means this amount could possibly be enough to cover the down payment on a $145,000.00 home.

Written by guest blogger, Cynthia Mattison for Mark-Kenny.com

If your business is like every other one in existence, you need customers.  Most new companies struggle with this as some areas are small and lacking in the type of economical growth that is required for success.  With eBay, you will literally have a world of customers at your fingertips.  When you list an item for auction, you will have the option of shipping only in certain countries or shipping worldwide.  The number of potential customers that you reach is really up to you, which makes a broad customer base one of the best features of starting an eBay home business.

Do you currently work a 9 to 5 job?  Are you tired of having your income decided by someone else, along with your hours?  If so, an eBay home business may be for you.  When you work for yourself, you set the hours and have greater control over your income.  Quite simply, the more auctions you list, the more money you make.  The truth is that you can even make money while you sleep, which is probably the easiest job you will ever have.  Enjoying more control over your schedule and income is one of the most popular reasons for choosing to start an eBay home business.

When you start a business, you may or may not have a lot of managerial experience.  Although helpful, your experience in running a business will not dictate whether or not you will be successful.  You can learn as you go and, with an eBay home business, you will learn quickly.  As you begin to list auctions, communicate with customers, invoice buyers and ship items, just think about all of the experience you will be gaining.  You will build experience in buying as you purchase inventory, selling and marketing as you list auctions and customer service as you communicate with buyers and send invoices.  You will also develop efficient skills in each of these areas as your business continues to grow.  If you continue to operate your eBay home business, this experience will be very beneficial.  If you later decide to return to the traditional workforce, you will have a lot of valuable skills and the ability to show leadership characteristics to any potential employer.

When it comes to starting your own eBay business, there are plenty of reasons to say ‘yes’ to your future and do so in a way that will not break your budget.  Many businesses fail because the expenses are so outrageous that they cannot earn a profit.  When you work at home as an eBay seller, you have very little overhead and can quickly increase sales, customer awareness and reputation within a matter of months.  Afterall, you are most likely be the best boss that you will ever find.

Hand-painted Holiday Ornaments. If you have ever priced hand-painted ornaments, then you already know how expensive these can be.  As an eBay seller, you have the option of taking a simple package of ornaments and painting them yourself for a truly unique decoration. At a recent craft fair, crafters were displaying ornaments painted with snowflakes, snowmen, Christmas trees, Santa and other holiday-themed designs. If you are good with a paintbrush, try your hand at painting holiday ornaments and offering them for sale in sets.

Lighted Bottles & Glass Squares.  Another popular idea for the painter at heart is to decorate clear glass bottles or squares using decorative painting techniques taught by popular craft personalities.  Flowers, Christmas art and wildlife are all popular motifs and, once the paint is applied, a hole can be made into the bottom of the bottle or square for running Christmas lights up into the display.  When completed, you will have a beautifully painted glass bottle with an array of lights shimmering inside or a glass square with the same look in a different shape.  Always be sure to wear protective eye goggles and other necessary gear when working with glass.

Dog Neckerchiefs.  Many pet lovers around the world are always on the lookout for the next cute accent to make their precious pooch even prettier.  With a simple piece of fabric, you can create a dog neckerchief that is designed to slide over a dog’s collar.  For this type of product, it may be a good idea to accept custom orders with full payment upfront.  Once your eBay listing closes with a winning buyer, ask him/her for the neck measurements of the dog that will be wearing the neckerchief.  With this information, you can measure the perfect piece of fabric for sewing.  Your pattern for a dog neckerchief will be shaped like a ‘V’ at the bottom and straight across the top. To get the desired look, allow for extra fabric at the top, fold it over and sew to form a loop that will easily slide over a dog’s collar.  Sew every edge of the neckerchief for a finished look.  Dog lovers will find these cute little wearables to be tail wagging fun.

If these sound interesting, you can get even more ideas by stopping by a local holiday craft show at a nearby shopping mall or other outlet. Crafters are inspired by a variety of things and there’s no better inspiration for creating a beautiful project than the holidays.

If so many others offer gift towers, what will make yours stand out above the competition?  It’s simple.  Customization will make your product the best option for shoppers who want to personally choose exactly what’s included in their gift.  A tower gift is simply three or more treat-filled boxes that are stacked atop one another and sealed with a ribbon and bow.  Most specialty catalogs offer these towers with preselected goodies, but you can offer something different to your customers.  Perhaps your shoppers will want to give all milk chocolate treats or maybe they prefer a more personalized variety according to the recipient’s taste.  It’s important to note that individuals have different preferences when it comes to the food that they eat, which is why it is so important to offer customization.

The best way to advertise this type of product is to use the word ‘customized’ or ‘made to order’ in the item title.  Be sure to point out the size of each box and provide a quality photo of how the finished product will arrive.  To avoid having the chocolate melt, it’s a good idea to offer express shipping.  In the item description, provide a list of the available food selections and allow winning bidders to make their choice.  Do not include anything that will spoil, needs to be frozen or refrigerated or may otherwise have problems with shipping.

Does a gift tower have to include food?  Absolutely not.  You can offer a gift tower with toys, beauty items, fashion jewelry or any other small items that you can easily fit into a box and still offer a nice presentation.  By providing more options, your listing will attract new buyers and thereby earn even bigger profits.

When listing a ‘made to order’ item on eBay, it’s important to follow their terms of service in how you present your listing.  If you are providing a customized product, which is the case in this scenario, it’s essential to point this out as opposed to presenting the listing as a ‘choice of’ auction.  Customized products have and will always be a popular gift idea, especially as the holidays draw near, but they are also excellent products to offer throughout the year and for every holiday.

Current eBay policy recommends that sellers provide food in a sealed container, clearly indicate the ingredients and/or expiration date and also advises sellers to check with their home state regarding license requirements for the selling of food items, which may include a food-handlers card and/or other necessary licenses.