eBay must be trying hard to attract, keep and perhaps even re-attract sellers as they are also going to make auction style listings free of charge (for up to fifty items per month), as well as make the “BIN” or “Buy It Now” button/option free (initially) on those auctions. Sellers will be charged for the listing and BIN option ONLY if their auction is successful, so if you do not sell you do not get charged. Notably, while these changes are for sellers who do not have an eBay store, those who do have a store will still see reduce FVFs.

Sellers can look forward to seeing these changes implemented between April 19 and May 23. Furthermore, come July 6th, there will be a decrease in the final value fees for non-auctions, fixed priced listings.

eBay is also making changes to improve both the seller and buyer experience on the site, such as an updated shopping cart and continued discounts for sellers that eBay considers “top rated”. There are a few changes that sellers may not appreciate and one specifically that you should keep in mind if you are considering selling on eBay for the first time — sellers who are new to eBay or do not have much of a history on the site will see that buyer payments to them are delayed for a set time period to better ensure that the transaction is successful, and more so that the buyer actually receives the item. While this may help to cut down on fraud, it is an inconvenience to new sellers, and so if you cannot afford to wait for payment you will need to take this into consideration before listing on the site.

You can read more about these changes on the eBay announcement page here.

Many of you will immediately think of eBay when it comes to selling goods online, as it’s easy to use and it seems that just about everybody already has an eBay account. However, while eBay is a viable option, it’s certainly not the only venue where you can sell online. This is particularly true if you are frequently buying the same kind of wholesale closeouts, as it will ideally position you for establishing your own niche e-commerce store in which to sell your goods to consumers.

While there are some setup as well as ongoing costs associated with opening an e-commerce store, your benefits include having much more control than when you sell through eBay and you are, of course, spared from the large (and often growing) fees that eBay charges sellers. It’s also a lot easier to advertise your own store, which can be done both offline and online. An e-commerce store can also make a great addition to a brick and mortar store and will help you to keep customers that enjoyed your products but prefer to do at least some of their shopping online. You need not be a tech geek to do this, as there are many relatively easy to set up e-commerce solutions available from a variety of providers.

You may also want to consider becoming active in some of the major social media platforms, as consumers are seeking out retailers (and e-tailers!) through Facebook and Twitter. In fact, according to the Compete.com report referenced above, thirty one percent of online shoppers describe using the Facebook pages or Twitter feeds of retailers they’re interested in. This is almost double the amount of users who did so in late 2009. This is an obvious trend that shows continuing trends for growth.

So what kind of liquidation closeouts and wholesale products should you be seeking to get your hands on? Well, there are the obvious, long-established consumer favorites such as movies, music, video games and books. However the truth of the matter is that with more and more consumers turning to the internet, any item you are able to receive good margins on can, should and will be sold online.

You have heard of the phrase “follow the leader” right? Well, if someone is successful, you and I can learn from their success if that individual is willing to share a few secrets. Dianna is willing to help those who are looking to succeed on ebay and in her video below you will get a glimpse into her own eBay account!

Diana’s Video

Learn Diana’s Secret Here

If you want to get started buying smaller quantities of shelf pull apparel there are a few liquidators I might suggest including Via Trading, AML (American Merchandise Liquidators) & DLM Off-price. I have purchased from all three of these companies and each transaction was honestly described and I was happy when the clothing arrived at my door.

For larger pallet and truckloads purchases I would suggest buying direct from the prospective department store or their contracted third party liquidation partner.

Here is a sample shelf pull manifest for your review

For an in depth discussion of shelf pull apparel, please listen to the mp3 file below…..

There are several factors which will influence a buyer to bid on your ebay auctions. Before you even begin to source merchandise to sell on eBay, you must first become proficient in eBay marketing. If you have spent anytime researching a part or full time income selling on eBay you already know that inventory is just one part of the equation.

If you want to take your eBay business to the next level I encourage you to follow the expert advice of Skip McGrath. Skip is a well known eBay Powerseller (since 1999) who has authored seven books relating to eBay success. In his Complete eBay Marketing System, Skip coaches new and experienced eBay sellers showing various ways to build a profitable eBay business. “Working part-time you can earn extra income for yourself or your family,” McGrath goes on to say “Work full-time and you can build your business into a complete web-based enterprise with an above-average annual income.”

Sourcing Overstocks and Shelf Pull for your auctions

We have all searched through ebay and noticed that some ebay sellers seem to have an incredible inventory of new retail merchandise including BIG Name Brands. Where are the successful ebay sellers getting this merchandise to resell? Most, if not all, ebay powersellers are buying closeout merchandise including overstocks and shelf pulls. Selling on ebay is a competitive sport, if you want to be successful you must be able to buy merchandise far below traditional wholesale pricing. You can accomplish this buy looking for inventory deemed to be categorized as “Closeout Merchandise”.

Many of the suppliers found in this magazine are leaders in their prospective field. Over the years I have found distributors for high end apparel, cosmetics, shoes, home décor, furniture, jewelry, tools, general merchandise and many other categories.

The May issue offers an excellent article about improving order fulfillment, while lowering costs in the process. Each issue is packed with relevant articles that touch on several areas of retailing. I learn something new each month.

In addition Web Wholesaler writes about “Spotlight Suppliers” and offers extensive information about wholesale trade shows. If you are looking for new sources for inventory you should take up the offer for a FREE Subscription.

There are several liquidators who advertise on a regular basis in WebWholesaler offering subscriber only discounts…What are you waiting for!

How much money can you gamble with in your business? Are you just getting your business started on eBay or at the flea market? Do you have big hopes of turning a small, part-time venture into a large income?

“How the heck are you going to tie this into a blog post?”

Here we go: buying customer returns can be a large gamble; especially the next day when you wake up hung over from the glitz and glamor.

I had someone email and ask me why I recommended they stay away from buying customer returns. This particular individual is thinking of buying a load of liquidated merchandise from a high end department store, which offers below wholesale merchandise in two categories:

Shelf pulls- Merchandise that was pulled from the retailer’s shelf. Often considered new with tags (MWT). Great for eBay resellers with minimal damages.

Customer returns- Merchandise that was returned to the store for various reasons. Damages can range from a low of 8% to upwards of 30-40% of the pallet or truckload.

In this situation I explained that the difference in price between the shelf pulls versus returns does not equate to a very smart gamble for the new entrepreneur. This liquidation contact [she was asking about] sells several categories of merchandise including pallets separated by category:

Domestics
Children’s apparel & accessories
Women’s designer wear
Socks / Hosiery
Women’s Dresses suits and coats
Housewares
Table Top Gifts
Intimate apparel
Luggage
Men’s Dress apparel
Men’s Dresses and suits

For the most part each category available can be purchased with the designation of shelf pull or customer returned condition. The variance in pricing might be a few percentage points less for returns, but you must remember that with returns you will receive damaged items. How much damage / risk? This is like the walk up to the roulette or blackjack table…..you never know what you are going to walk away with.

I like buying returns, but I do not buy them when shelf pull and overstock is available from the liquidator. I pay a few extra dollars to insure the merchandise I receive is ready to resell. Some liquidators only offer returns and there are some stores that do not separate the raw returns from the shelf pull and overstock.

If you have the option, take the safe bet. If you are new to buying pallets and truckloads stick with shelf pulls and overstocks before you jump into the returns.

This is my opinion, but it comes from years of buying pallets and truckloads. Think of it this way: rather than jumping in the pool when you know it is cold…ease in. Eventually you will get used to the water.

The internet is filled with so called wholesale suppliers, but when you look at merchandise pricing and research closed auctions on eBay you will quickly see there is a slim chance to turn a profit. So, how do the successful eBay Power sellers find unique inventory to resell? They simply seek out little known sources for merchandise. By little known I mean suppliers who are almost invisible online.

There are tons of wholesale liquidation suppliers who have a website, but do little in the way of internet advertising. There are many wholesale suppliers who have long-standing accounts with customers and have no need to spend thousands of dollars in search engine marketing, pay per click advertising etc.

If you can find some of these liquidation wholesalers who are reliable and trustworthy you can score big selling on eBay!

I want to share a source that I have known about for almost ten years now. It is a company called Simon & Simon Offprice Apparel based out of San Francisco, Ca. Simon primarily supply’s wedding and formal gowns to small and large retail stores Nationwide, but always has a few “odd lots” of liquidation merchandise.

As of writing this post, I viewed some of the offers from Simon & Simon and found handbags, wallets, belts, home décor and other merchandise. Some brand names offered for sale are: Mudd, Perry Ellis, Sean John, Geoffrey Beene, XOXO, Gymboree and more!

If you are buying and reselling shelf pull apparel on eBay, suppliers like Simon & Simon can provide some additional unique items to round off your eBay inventory. I have purchased from this company and have had in-depth phone conversations with Gail, the owner. She has been in the off-price industry for years.

I have edited the email slightly changing its format. Text in italics are her words.

Hello,

I’m trying to start a new eBay business selling women’s high-end fashion. I am really interested in purchasing pallets and maybe in the future (truckloads) of Macy’s/Bloomingdale’s apparel. Can you point me in the right direction? Is there a certain company you highly recommend in Southern California that sells Bloomingdale’s lots/pallets/truckloads?

ANSWER: Yes, you can buy direct from Federated; check your email as I sent a link to get you started. As far as buying from a liquidator, there are three sources for you in Southern California who sell high end designer apparel in small lots.

SouthernTextile (Fullerton)

Via Trading (Lynwood)

DLM Offprice (Commerce)

I have purchased from all three sources above in small lots. DLM is a little pricey, but you can call them and order by brand and size range! So, for example, if you only want BCBG tops and bottoms…they can accommodate. As stated, you will pay for this kind of service, but if you have found your niche area of apparel it is great to be able to order liquidated clothing within specific categories & sizes.

I have bought from Via Trading without issue. I have also interviewed Alain Stambouli, of Via Trading for a piece I completed for TopTenWholesale.

QUESTION: Also, I was looking at All Prime Products website on purchasing truckloads. I don’t believe they’re based out in California, but would you recommend them for my business?

ANSWER: This company is owned by a guy named Rich, in fact he started wholesaling pallets and truckloads of liquidation merchandise back when I got started. AllPrimeProducts is located in Fairhope, AL and I know in the early days, Rich was working with AML Inc brokering their pallets and truckloads. I have heard good feedback from his customer base. I have never purchased from AllPrimeProducts, but I have purchased hundreds of thousands of dollars of apparel from AML Inc, located in Foley AL.

QUESTION: Do you know where Federated truckloads generally range in price?

ANSWER: Most shelf pull apparel lots will range in the area of 2-4 pallets from Federated. You will be buying based upon a percentage of original vendor cost so every 2-4 pallet load will be different. On average though expect a spend of $8,000 – $10,000 for a decent 3-4 pallet load. I have worked hand in hand with liquidators who were bringing full trailer loads  into their warehouse with an average spend of $50,000 – $70,000 in apparel. Now that is something to work up to!

QUESTION: Can you also answer questions about starting a business legally?

ANSWER: I am not an attorney or qualified tax advisor, however I will answer this question offering my opinion.

QUESTION: I primarily will be selling on eBay. I just filed a fictitious name with the County Clerk, opened up a business checking account at Bank of America, received an EIN, and just sent in an application for a Sellers Permit. Is there anything else you think I may be missing? I read so many different books and websites and I think I’m good to go, but there are other sites that say I should do more? Do you think a business license is required?

ANSWER: You are off to a great start! Yes, if you have gone so far as to get the above requirements done I would not hesitate in getting a business license from your local municipality. Fees are different from county to county, but I would guess a license would run about $50-$75

Here are a few more suggestions for you….

I have bookmarked and follow a fellow named Skip McGrath, he is a well known eBay Power seller, author and Certified eBay Training specialist. He has published several books about selling on eBay and he has two that I highly recommend. I have both sitting on my desk right now…they are:

77 Tips and Tools for Selling on The New eBay and the Wholesale Buying System. In addition, Skip routinely holds in-person eBay sellers Seminars in his home state of Washington. If you cannot attend in person he offers the complete workshop in DVD format. The eBay Boot Camp DVD set explains in detail how professionals sell on eBay with 5 DVDs covering over 16 hours of detailed eBay selling strategies, tips and techniques.

I am thinking based upon your email and the fact that you have taken the extra steps to get your eBay business off to the right start that you really want to turn this into a second income? If so, I would highly recommend that you plan on selling from a website as well. You should get your domain name as soon as possible and it would not be a bad idea to go ahead and purchase webhosting.

If you have a webhosting account you can store your eBay pictures and start working on your apparel website. Many successful eBay sellers will send a link to their website directly to their auction buyers!

I recommend hosting from a company called Hostgator, in fact this is where I host my websites. At Hostgator you can purchase your domain name and webhosting in one transaction.  Upon checkout at Hostgator, if you enter the coupon code “wordpress” your first month’s hosting will be reduced to one penny…yes, that is .01!

Here is a FREE tutorial I put together to get your domain name and website up and running………..