What To Sell On eBay

You've got your account. You're looking to get your foot into the eBay auction world. But what should you sell on eBay?

 

This is the make or break of your eBay business. You need to sell something that people will want. So, here are a few pointers to get you thinking about what you should sell.

 

The first thing to do is to look around your house. Do you have any antiques? They don't have to be one-of-a-kind antiquities that are 1000 years old and of great value. But if you have an old record player, or an antique chair or furniture that you no longer use, those will sell very well on eBay. Used and second hand furniture are always highly searched for on eBay and you can usually get a good price.

 

Don't have any antiques? Collectibles are just as good. Hot Wheels, old Barbie Dolls, vintage clothing, glassworks, vintage newspapers and posters, movie memorabilia, collectible books etc, all of these are good bets. Old toys in good condition in general are great to sell on eBay, especially those that are either rare (such as the old '70s Stretch Armstrong series of toys) or have a mass fan following (such as Star Wars action figures or original run Cabbage Patch Kids). They don't have to be "mint-in-box,".

 

If you have a stamp or coin collection that is valuable, consider selling that, either together or broken up, on eBay. Another good idea might be to watch a show like American Pickers, and ask yourself "do I have anything like that laying around in my house?"

 

Still having trouble with what to sell on eBay? Another resource to tap is garage sales and thrift stores. "Trash" just may be your treasure when it comes to eBay (not actual trash of course!). By going to garage and car boot sales, second hand markets and thrift stores you can find tons of hidden gems to sell on eBay. Ask your friends, families and co-workers if they have any items that they want to get rid of. Offer to take them off their hands for a small price of for a percentage of the income from the sale.

 

Even though you have the capability of selling almost anything on eBay, there are some things that just DO NOT sell well on eBay.

 

Beanie Babies, Princess Diana memorabilia and other fad items that had a "bubble" collectors market years ago have had their day. Every one and their mother bought them at the time thinking that there would be collectable value in the future, but this is the exact reason why there isn't.

 

They were mass produced and MADE to be collectable. Recent baseball and other sports cards (generally from 1980 on) are also a tough sell, with the exception of some well-known or intentionally rare cards. If you have a first issue of a comic book from the collector's boom of the early '90s (for instance, a first issue of 1993's X-Men or the Todd MacFarlane Spiderman), you won't get much money out of it - those issues were printed in the millions, and unlike a mint-condition Action Comics #1 from 1938 there are still millions in existence.

 

Also, common goods, such as most DVDs, books, and new clothing items can be a hard sell as people can get their hands on these from local retailers.

 

Are you a crafter? Do you handmake items that are unique or quirky? Items that you can't easily find anywhere else do well and you can get a good return on your time and effort.

 

The main thing to focus on when deciding what to sell on eBay is "do I have a niche I can fit in?". Aim to sell items that there aren't thousands of others eBayers selling the same thing. The key is research. Think about what you want to sell and search eBay. Look at what comes up for your search and how many sellers you find. If there isn't a huge amount of competition or you're selling something very unique it's a good indication that you're on to a winner.

 

Finally, carefully check the items that you're selling, especially if they are baby clothes or toys of any sort of vintage items. Make sure they are in good condition and free from any damage. Items under recall, or items that the Consumer Products Safety Commission have determined are no longer safe for commerce will not be able to be sold via eBay, even though possessing them is legal. Items in this category include things like lawn darts, old toys or household objects that contain lead paint or have been the subject of a safety recall, vintage baby clothes or blankets that are not fire-retardant, and drop-side cribs (recently banned by the CPSC). Also, certain vintage glazed dinnerware (such as the infamous red Fiestaware manufactured up until 1972) may be mildly radioactive due to the presence of uranium oxide in older glaze recipes.

 

Research the items you want to sell and then get listing!