Great recession news: an eBay business is a recession proof business IF you know what to sell. It's true that sales of expensive luxury items aren't going too well right now, but there are always goodies that sell well, regardless of the state of the economy. Here are 11 examples to get your creative juices going.



1. Children's little bodies don't know or care that there is a recession. Their little bodies are going to grow no matter how inconvenient it is for the family budget. And since parents want to save money, their thoughts naturally focus on finding a bargain - and eBay has a reputation as the ultimate bargain site on the Net. This means if you're selling kids clothing at a good price you can be assured of sales.

2. I am a wild eyed Starbucks fanatic and as long as I can afford their luscious beverages I'm going to keep going. But there is no doubt that gourmet coffee is an example of an item that is a "luxury". Therefore, many people are bypassing Starbucks these days. What an opportunity for someone who sells cappuccino machines, espresso machines and gourmet coffee! This is only an example of an eBay selling principle ... find a luxury market and offer products that people can use at home. They save money and you make sales.

3. The real estate market is in terrible trouble. The chances of it recovering any time soon are slim which means that people cannot sell their homes and buy new ones. But just like kids, houses don't care that there is a recession. They need maintenance and tender loving care. So homeowners who used to call their friendly local repair service are reluctantly handling their own carpentry, repairs, refinishing, etc. That's where you, the eBay seller, can make sales. Currently our biggest eBay moneymaker is in the area of home repair: tools, 'how to' instruction, supplies. This market is huge!

4. There are luxury services that many middle-class people are accustomed to using. Two examples are lawn services and gutter cleaning. Our neighbor across the street spends $80 per week to have his lawn manicured. But many folks don't want to spend that money in this time of economic crisis and therefore they are taking over those chores for themselves. Just like the home repairs above, they need lawnmowers and other equipment, supplies and sometimes 'how to' instruction.

5. Another "extra" that can be dispensed with is a membership to a gym or workout facility. The market for home exercise equipment and videos is very strong because those of us who are accustomed to being in shape want to stay that way, even if we're no longer going to spend the money on expensive memberships.

6. In spite of this recession, life goes on and babies are born every day. If you've ever been around an infant you know that they need an enormous amount of "stuff". If you can supply this at a reasonable cost, you are guaranteed customers.

7. If a family of four goes to a movie and buys popcorn with a drink, the bill can easily total $75-$100. This is a huge expenditure on a tight budget and so the entertainment electronics business is booming. In spite of economic troubles, Christmas of 2008 was a boom time for this industry and sales were up, up, up. It is much cheaper to stay home and play a game than to go to an expensive movie and many families are opting to do just that.

8. Sales of games of every kind are strong. Although we tend to think of this time in history as being very electronic, even the sales of the "old fashioned" board games are up and families are electing to spend time together playing games [proving that there is a silver lining to every cloud].

9. It's no secret that the restaurant industry is in Big Trouble. It might be convenient and fun and easy to go out to eat but when money is tight restaurant meals are an easy way to cut back. This means that more people are cooking at home and sales of cooking gadgets, utensils, recipes and other kitchen paraphernalia is strong.

10. Unemployment is high and will grow for years to come. In addition, many people have already lost their jobs and are in a panic about money. The obvious place to generate more income is with a home business. Income-producing opportunities are selling strongly and business is booming for home business plans.

11. Those folks mentioned above who want to make money from home will need equipment for their new home business: furniture, phones, software, computers and more.

Want more ideas? They're everywhere! Start paying attention to what's going on in the world; ask family and friends for ideas of what they are going to buy, regardless of price; spend some time on forums and discussion boards; check out news sites and see what folks are talking about. Oh, and by the way, have paper and pen or a small tape recorder handy at all times. Soon you will have tons of ideas for your very own recession proof business on eBay.