Can I Make Money Online on eBay

There are many eBay business success stories published on the internet. You may have read some of them. But for every success story, there are actually thousand failures. People use their selling ideas and list all kinds of items on eBay for sales. But, the sad news is not many of them sell their items well. So, you may want to know can I really make money selling on eBay. The answer is yes, you can.

eBay isn't a marketplace that can help people get rich quick. You will be disappointed if you jump on to eBay and expect fast profit. Building a successful eBay business needs three ingredients: time, money and hard effort. With these ingredients, you can make good money.

Three Important Questions You Have to Ask Yourself
You need to ask yourself these questions before getting into eBay selling. How much capital do I have for inventory investment, eBay fees, and unforeseen expenses? How much time do I need to put into this eBay business? Do I possess the necessary energy and drive to build up this business? Once you have answered these questions, you will know exactly what course of action to take. If you have limited time and energy, you can begin by selling part-time on eBay. This is ok; many people who own a day job is doing fine in their part-time selling on eBay. There are monthly bills you have to pay; a new eBay business can't replace your income right away. It may take years of time.

Money can be a Problem
Money is another thing you have to think about. Do you have sufficient capital to build your business? If you have saved money for years, then money shouldn't be a problem that will obstruct you from building and growing your eBay business. But, if you don't have the available start-up fund, you can try to sell unwanted items from your home. This is a way to obtain some capital.

What You are Going to Sell
The three issues: money, time and energy have all been discussed, now it is time to find out what products to sell on eBay. You can sell almost anything on eBay but not everything sells well on eBay. Some items never sell because there are 100 other eBay sellers are listing the very same thing. Before you start an auction to list your item, do some market research. eBay offers a number of free resources for eBay sellers. Take advantage of all of them before listing your first item. Effective use of these free marketing tools and resources will give you an edge that others did not bother to look at. The information you obtain from your research will give you clear insight of what items to list in the eBay marketplace.

Know Your Competition
Competition is another thing you need to study. Avoid selling items that are in direct competition with those eBay power sellers. eBay power sellers generally have good feedback rating, probably people will prefer to buy from them. Also you will not want to become a rival of Wal-Mart as it is just too hard to profit with items that are selling on Wal-Mart. As a new eBay seller, you should sell something that has demand and the competition isn’t that tough. There is a good e-book that can help you find profitable items to list on eBay. The e-book is called overlooked treasure. It let you know 91 high demand every day items that you can sell for good profit. And the good news is many of these hot every day items aren’t in tough competition condition in eBay.

eBay Reputation
Your reputation and feedback ratings are very important for your eBay business success. Good customer service and fast delivery service will help you build your positive image on eBay. Your product description should always exactly describe the condition of your product. Be honest to the buyers, if the item is worn in any part; write it in the description to the let buyers know. Try your best to make your buyers satisfy on every purchase. If the transaction goes smoothly and the buyer satisfies with your product, then he/she will leave you a positive feedback. Your reputation will grow when you get positive feedbacks often. Good reputation will mean more people want to do business with you.

When your business started to generate consistent sales every month, it is time to expand. You can sell more categories of products to grow your customer base and business profit. When you eBay business grow from time to time and the profit it generates can cover your monthly living expenses, it is time to leave your day job and focus on your eBay business full-time.

Conclusion
Can I make money selling on eBay? Yes, you can with a good business planning and right selling strategies. Every business has to be run using proven business tactics. The same holds true for eBay. Take the time to study eBay selling techniques, read often to keep yourself up-to-date, make use of all of the free tools and resources provided by eBay and you can make money on eBay.