People enter the eBay business marketplace for many reasons, but in general it is the allure of “easy money”. They see reports on the news of single eBay sales of items a person found in their attic making them rich and want to jump in themselves. Many of the work at home programs promise that they can make you an eBay millionaire overnight, with no prior experience needed of course. These crackpots are the same types that were pumping people to buy stocks right before the market collapsed in the late 90's. Success in an eBay business requires that you have the patience and the willingness to do the research that will give you an advantage over the other 99.9% of sellers in the marketplace.



The first step in starting any eBay business is to decide what to sell. While garage sales and thrift shops are an option, these sources do not provide the steady stream of items that are essential to being successful on eBay. Foreign importers are popular as well, but unless you are fluent in the given language this might not result in a viable opportunity either. These distributors can go out of business overnight and are frequently unreliable. Among the many options available, by far the most efficient is a dropshipping supplier.

Choosing a dropshipper for your eBay business comes with several important advantages. First and foremost you do not need to worry about the cost and stress of handling the large inventory required by many importers. While importers require you to purchase in large lots, drop shippers only require you to pay for the product after it has sold. Once the item sells on eBay, you simply go into the drop shipper's catalog and place your order. The product is shipped directly to the customer. No trips to the mailbox or calculating shipping required. Many drop shippers have special offers that allow you to try the service free for a limited number of days. This can be invaluable for a fledgling Ebay business, as this will give you the time to attempt to sell a product and see if the service will be profitable for you.

Perhaps the most important advantage is in the choosing of the products themselves. Most importers have a very specific line of products that may or may not be in demand on eBay. Drop shippers have upwards of 1,000,000 products for your eBay business. The key is to look for products that have a high demand on eBay, but not an oversupply of products. This can be done by checking completed auctions using the advanced search feature of eBay.

Even the process of choosing a dropshipper for your eBay business can be tedious and confusing. Each of the top dropshipping companies has its own advantages and disadvantages. The key is to look for a dropshipper that has products that you are knowledgeable about and can market effectively. You wouldn't expect someone who has never seen the ocean to be able to sell you a sailing yacht. The same is true for the newcomer to eBay selling. If you are a model car enthusiast, sell rare model cars, not silk drapes.

When setting up a new eBay business, time is your most important commodity. Trying to set up relationships with importers, especially those in other countries can be quite frustrating. Garage and yard sales, may have the occasional big find, but you will have to spend hours upon hours digging through trash to find even a few gems. Clearly, Drop shipping presents the most lucrative option to those starting an eBay business. Nowhere else will you find the wide array of product choices coupled with the safety of not paying for large orders of items upfront. Good luck and happy eBaying!