While eBay is a very user friendly vessel to sell your items, not everything sells. To avoid wasting your time and money, take the time to research what’s hot and what’s not.

There are a number of options available to find information on hot items. If you would like to pay for a service that is loaded with market research analyses, consider using eBay’s Market Research  http://pages.ebay.com/marketplace_research/index.html.

You can pay for a one-time usage or subscribe by the month.

At Boutique Bargains we specialize in children’s boutique clothing, but you can sell just about ANYTHING on eBay! This week I’m going to cover some of the basics, in case you’re new to this or have never actually sold anything on eBay before.

How YOU Can Get Started Selling on eBay…

On any given day, there are millions of items on eBay available through auction-style and fixed-price trading. There is no time like the present to jump on the eBay bandwagon!

It’s not nuclear science – anyone can learn easily how to start selling on eBay. There are only a few essentials needed, including a computer, internet access, a digital camera and some space to put your stuff. You’ll also need shipping and packing supplies, which I’ll talk more about later, but know that Priority mail boxes and envelopes are free through USPS. ;0)

Next you’ll need to learn how to list auctions. Rather than using this space to tell you all the mechanics, just go here: http://pages.ebay.com/sell/tools/list/. Don’t be overwhelmed; just take it one step at a time. Listing is quite simple through the use of templates. You literally just fill in the blanks. There are some tips and tricks you can learn along the way about listing but for starters, just follow the logistics of how to put a listing onto eBay.

To get your feet wet, look around your house for items you may want to sell. You should eventually find a niche to sell as you get more experienced, but for now you simply want to gain experience and build your feedback. You’d be amazed at what people will buy!

Online payments such as PayPal www.paypal.com are very convenient. You may also want to accept money orders or personal checks. The more options you leave your buyers, the more likelihood you’ll get more bids; although most buyers prefer the ease of online payments.

A large amount of people ship their items using USPS. You can print postage online and mail the items from your home. There are of course other vendors – UPS, FedEx, DHL you can use. The size and weight of the items may help you make a decision.

Remember this is a learning process. eBay, Yahoo, MSN & of course Boutique Bargains – have wonderful message boards and networks to help you along the way. In summary, if you want to just “start pushing buttons” and learn on your own, you can do it! If you do better chatting with others, those resources are available too.  :0)

Until next time…

We have this information on the BB Members Site & it comes in VERY useful when you’re trying to figure out what to sell & when.Each season can vary, but this should give you a very good idea as to what you should be doing throughout the year.

January:
Come mid-January you should begin selling Spring merchandise & Valentine’s themed clothing. Shop CLEARANCE Sales for remaining Fall & Winter clothing.
 
February:
February should be jam packed with Spring Sales! Get rid of all of your Spring merchandise. You should also be pushing Easter outfits at this time as they will sell well.
 
March:
Get rid of any late Spring & Easter wear and list Summer clothing!
 
April:
Sell Summer and as much as you possibly can
 
May:
Selling season is dying down and quickly! Take a much needed break. Recoup for fall sales and start shopping the SALES! This is also a great time to try other items you may not normally specialize in. Maternity is ALWAYS a great one!
 
June:
If you have any 4th of July merchandise, now is the time to list it. Other than that, sip on some more tea and relax!
 
July:
Mid-July start selling Fall & Back-to-School merchandise such as; clothing, backpacks, & shoes!
 
August:
Sell Back-to-school & Fall!
 
September:
Sell Fall & Halloween merchandise!
 
October:
Start selling Winter Merchandise & Holiday Clothing. People are going to be getting their holiday photos taken early, so be ready!
 
November:
Push out all of your remaining Fall Clothing, Winter & Holiday! Get rid of it all. You can also sell TOYS!
 
December:
STOP SELLING! This is the SLOWEST month of the year. If you MUST, try and stick with toys. Take a break and get ready for the CLEARANCE SALES!
 
Whenever you are in doubt of what to sell, take a trip to your local mall. Whatever they are selling, make sure you are selling or have already been selling! When they start to mark their prices down, take that as your cue to move on to the next season & pick up some bargains yourself.

If you MUST sell all year round, good items to include in your mix that will still hit your “specialty” are maternity & toys.

If you’re interested in selling toys, you’ll want to check out our toy membership site at www.toyauctionprofits.com because Christmas is just around the corner!