1Getting Familiar with eBay

To begin with you should first know what eBay is all about. This will mean you navigating to www.ebay.com and browsing the site until you are familiar with all that it contains. The learning process is greatly eased thanks to the online guided tours and the eBay Learning Center. The latter provides non-paid audio tours and free online courses. More learning is availed via the eBay University and you can attend these sessions when they are being presented in an area in close proximity to where you live. There are two main courses offered here: ‘Selling Basics’ and ‘Beyond the Basics’. The former teaches selling basics to the eBay newbie while the latter describes the techniques that successful business owners have used to achieve success on eBay.

Of importance in starting an eBay empire is the need to register an effective user ID. It is advisable for you to choose a ‘business like’ identity that will be a reflection of what you deal in. This identity may end up being quite a popular term that will make you somewhat of an eBay star.

2Decide on How You Want to Operate Your eBay Business. What Will You Sell?

There are a couple of ways through which you can start building an eBay empire – it all depends on the goals you have set. Some people get into this with an ambition to establish a full-time occupation while others just want a part-time activity. You may want to be a Trading Assistant or a PowerSeller. Regardless of the operation format you have to decide what you will sell.

While you can sell virtually everything on eBay there are some restrictions that you have to abide by. You cannot sell harmful or illegal items here. Livestock is also a big no-no. A list of restricted items is provided. Whatever the item you have chosen be sure to have a good understanding of it - its acquisition, storage requirements, shipping aspects, etc. It is prudent to choose a product that you’ll enjoy offering.

To get ideas of what you can sell, you can base your thinking on a variety of schools of thought. Some people are motivated by their childhood hobbies and they end up selling items as diverse as vintage movie posters or even antique furniture, coins, model cars, etc. Some people base their businesses on the careers they have been involved in, for instance ex-librarians can base their eBay businesses on rare books and persons intrigued by music can start selling musical instruments, records, recording equipment, etc.

3Preparing to Purchase Your Stock in Wholesale

In making wholesale purchases you first have to complete some legal aspects. These include registering a fictitious name statement, filing a Federal Employee Identification Number and obtaining a Sales Permit. The said permit is the sole means by which you can get authentic wholesale rates. Establish the manufacturing wholesalers you will be dealing with and develop a healthy trading relationship with them. It is ill-advised to deal with drop-shippers as these are merely middlemen whose prices will erode your expected profit margins.

4Having Identified What to Sell and Where to Source It...

The next thing is to start on the listing process. You should have thoroughly understood what this procedure entails and what you require in terms of equipment. The tools of the trade here will mostly include a computer, a digital camera, packaging materials, etc. You need to gain skills in taking photos of the best quality, writing elegant and informative product descriptions, and the art of responding to prospective buyers’ inquiries as promptly as you can.

It is prudent to come up with an effective product mix that will not only present your business optimally to the eBay buying community but equally be in tandem with the website’s listing requirements. Before starting a possible eBay empire you should also know what operating format will be ideal for you; it may suit you to sell at fixed prices, do it the auction way, or even operate an eBay store. Each of these formats has its own advantages and disadvantages.

5Moving On...

The secret to starting an eBay empire and maintaining success is to always remain proactive. Always keep a constant eye on new eBay feature announcements. Don’t relent on customer service and don’t simply wish away your competitors. Do as much as you can to promote your business – creating an ‘About Me’ page is one way of doing this and has proven to be an effective marketing tool.