4 Ways to Find Products to Sell on eBay

How do you do this? Go to the source, the product manufacturer. Few manufacturers will sell directly to eBay sellers, so some other options include purchasing from wholesalers, liquidation companies or product sourcing networks.

Manufacturers

You may be able to get the lowest price from manufacturers, but many of them already have distribution channels in place and don't carry on transactions with individuals. If you decide to contact some manufacturers to see if you can arrange a deal, be prepared with your own business name and website that you can sell through. 

For obvious reasons, most manufacturers do not want to see items discounted on eBay, so if have a website that you can sell through, they may be more likely to sell to you. Search internet trading directories like Alibaba, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council or Thomas Net for industrial products that you can resell.

Wholesalers

The Go Wholesale search engine is an easy way to shop multiple wholesalers and suppliers at once. It is free to use.

A drawback to dealing with wholesalers is that you are required to buy large lots of products. When buying in big quantities, you need to figure out what your costs for shipping and storage will be and incorporate them into your profit margin. Will the transaction be aprofitable for you? 

Start by getting a tax identification number from the IRS. It may take several weeks to receive your number, so request your tax ID number prior to contacting wholesalers.

Liquidation Companies

Unlike liquidation sales, which happen once when a company goes out of business, liquidation companies sell off the inventories of other businesses, and this is ongoing. If you live close to liquidation companies, you can inspect products and avoid shipping costs when purchasing through them.

Some liquidation companies sell online, but be prepared, as you cannot physically inspect products before you agree to buy them. It is a good idea to assume that you will get a minor amount of goods that are damaged. This is common and expected, as liquidation items include customer returns and products that may be in need of repair. By planning for these damages in advance, you can factor that cost into your purchase price and make sure that the deal will still be profitable for you.

Two websites, Liquidation and Speedy Liquidators, are popular online sources for liquidation items. Look out for shipping prices, since you do not want your profit margin to disappear due to extreme shipping expenses.

Drop Shipping Product Sourcing Networks

In the last few years, drop shipping networks like World Wide Brands have become popular among eBay sellers because of their convenience and ease-of-use. Through these networks, you can buy products from hundreds of different wholesalers through one website. The wholesalers will drop ship products directly to your customers, so you do not have to buy any products up front.

This option is especially convenient if you are working on a small budget, have limited storage space or want to sell a wide variety of products. However, the downside is that you will have lots of competition, since many other eBay sellers like this platform.

Pick which product sourcing option you like the best - whether it be for convenience, ease, price or product type. Next, take a look at your purchase price versus the amount you will re-sell items for to make sure that you allow yourself plenty of room for profit. There are many people making good money on eBay, and you can too as long as you do your homework first.

Visit HomeBusinessCenter.com to get the How to Make Money on eBay start up guide and a list of manufacturer, wholesaler and liquidation company websites.