1.      

Choose a product to sell.

The very first step in any sales process is deciding what product to sell. Many

factors should be considered before you make the decision, but for now, let's

say that you've decided to sell CD players on eBay.



2: Locate a

supplier who will drop-ship for you.

Using a research tool like Google, ThomasRegister.com or an industry-specific

resource like The Ultimate eBay Dropship Power Pak, you can search for and find

a company that will drop-ship CD players for you. If the company offers you a 35

percent markup over cost, which means that itu will supply the CD players to you

for $100 each, then you should be able to retail them for $135 apiece. Make sure

the drop-shipper has a good stock of CD players on hand so you don't end up

selling a product that must be back-ordered



3: Set up an

account with the drop-shipper.

Now it's time to set up a reseller account with the company that will supply the

CD players. This can often be done online or by phone, but some companies will

require that you complete and return a reseller application to open an account.

Some may also require a tax ID and a business license.



4: Advertise

the product for sale on eBay.

Now that you have your supplier lined up and you know that the product is in

stock, it's time to make a sale. That means it's time to advertise the product

using an eBay auction. Since you know what you must pay the drop-shipper for the

product, you also know what minimum amount you will take for the product. In

this case, you could start your auction at $100, since that is your cost. If you

are confident that you can get more than $100 for the product, you can start

with a lower price, but remember that if the product goes for less than what it

costs you to fill the order, you will lose money. Also remember that the

drop-shipper will charge shipping, so make sure to figure that into your sale.



5: The

product sells.

Great news-your CD player has sold for $135, and your customer pays you with a

PayPal instant payment. I highly recommend that entrepreneurs use PayPal or some

other online processor to accept instant payments. This allows the customer to

pay you faster, which lets you place the order with the drop-shipper faster,

which gets the product to your customer faster.



6: Place the

order with the drop-shipper.

Once your customer pays you, you should contact the drop-shipper immediately to

order the product on your customer's behalf. The drop-shipper then ships the

order to your customer under your company name and address.



7 : Follow

up after the sale.

This is where many new e-business entrepreneurs drop the ball. Just because your

customer has paid you and you've placed the order with the drop-shipper, does

not mean that you are out of the loop. Quite the contrary: If there are problems

with the order, you are the one that will be held responsible in the eyes of

your customer.

It's best to

be proactive in your customer relations. Follow up with customers to let them

know when a specific item has been shipped. Offer yourself as the personal

contact for any issues that may arise. This is also a great way to sell

customers more products. Invite them to check out your eBay store or Web site,

if you have one.