If you are looking to start an online business selling items on eBay your first task will be to figure out what you are going to sell. You want to sell items that have relatively low competition but are in high demand. Basically you want to sell hot items that will sell out fast. The only problem is, how the heck do you figure out what is hot and how long will the trend last?

Ebay makes finding out the top selling items easy with their feature called "eBay Pulse." Pulse allows you to select from a drop-down menu of categories and displays a listing of the hottest selling items at the moment. One problem that comes into play is that you cannot predict when these hot items will lose their momentum. Trends change on a regular basis so it it is not wise to stock up on a specific item because it is currently a top seller. A month later and the item may not sell as effectively as it once did and you have an inventory of items that no longer have a demand.

The key is to stick to categories that never get old. Think weight loss, beauty, and clothing. Yes, certain items in these categories are considered trendy but for the most part, you can find items that sell on a consistent basis. You will run into a lot of competition this way so choose wisely. If you pick a highly competitive item you will have to lower your prices and in turn you will not make as much profit. There are some health related products that are always in demand such as protein powders and shakes. You may also be surprised to know that coupons for various items are also huge sellers. Particularly coupons for baby formula and sports drinks.

Antiques and rare, hard to find items are always consistent sellers but may be difficult for you to find. One way to keep up with trends without having to stock up on inventory is by opening accounts with various drop shippers. This way, you can meet the demand of those hot selling items without coming out of pocket to purchase inventory up front. It helps to have more than one drop shipper so that if one wholesaler no longer has the items, you can have another supplier available.

Drop shipping also allows you to experiment more with various types of items. You don't always have to follow the trends. You may experiment and come across your own trend and cash-in before other sellers begin to saturate your niche. You just never know what can be a hot selling item until you try. One thing to keep in mind are items you see on late night television. Many times, people turn to eBay when they want to buy items they have seen on television. Finding suppliers for "as seen on tv" items may take a little more research but any legitimate wholesale directory should help you locate them.