Wallet Relief Blog

Knowledge is Wealth

Selling products or services isn’t the only way to make money online.  What you know can earn you a nice income.  People are always looking for information to help with a problem, to educate them, or to entertain them.  There is big money in information products on the Internet.  The potential for huge profits are great because you have low startup costs and no inventory. 

The most common information product is an eBook.  An eBook is simply information in an electronic rather than paper format.  Other information products include:

streaming video viewed on a web page
audio files on tape or CD
pod casts
access to web pages where info is stored
printed books, CDs, DVDs sent to buyers.

Computer + Topic = Information Product

Big money in information products happens because the process is very easy to create.  Choose an interesting topic, put fingers to keyboard and in a little while you’ve created an info product.  If the topic is really hot, you may start earning income hours later.  Internet technology provides 24/7 sales and delivery of product.  Automate your site so you can sell the product, process the payment, deliver the item via email, and follow up with the buyer later to check on customer satisfaction (and sell more stuff!).

What makes a good information product?

Practically any subject can net big money in information products.  How to start a business, self-improvement techniques, career advice - if you can think of a topic, there are probably people willing to buy the information product you put together.

Use your interests and expertise for subject ideas.  Search online forums to locate people who might be interested in your information product.  Offer to send them a free copy of your info product. This will spark sales and lead to referrals for you.

No writing experience needed.

You don’t have to be Pulitzer Prize material to create information products.  There are millions of works in the public domain that you can republish and sell.  These include non written items such as art, photos, old films, and historical speeches.  You can even hook up with a talented writer to help you create an information product and pay him a flat fee or percentage of the profits.

You could make a video of yourself or another person demonstrating a skill (cooking, crafts).  Budding musicians can record their songs and sell them as an mp3 download.  There’s even a guy who records himself reading nursery rhymes and sells the CD to parents with small children.

Product Promotion

A lot of fledgling book authors and musicians sell their books and CDs from the back of their car trunk.  For online information products, your web site is your car trunk.  Create a site specifically for selling your information products.  Participate in affiliate programs to increase site traffic and sales for your items.

Sources

“The Best Product to Sell Online,” (entrepreneur.com)

“Selling a Product on the Internet,” (2createawebsite.com)

“What is The Perfect eBay Product???,” (skipmcgrath.com)

Check out the wholesale market for low prices and great deals.

Own a business?  Buy for large groups (scouts, students, family)?  Allergic to paying retail?  Any of these reasons is good enough for you to explore the world of buying wholesale.

Hard Core Buyer or Casual Shopper?

If you always buy large quantities of merchandise, it would be a good idea to obtain a business license and reseller’s license.  Some wholesalers will not sell to you without these permits.

In addition, the licenses are your ticket to trade shows that are not open to the public.  Here, you can find a multitude of items priced below retail.  You can also get on the mailing list for major trade shows.  These events sell everything from furniture to the latest fashions at wholesale prices.

When applying for a business or reseller’s license, make sure you understand what fees, taxes, and bureaucratic red tape are required to keep you out of trouble.  Depending on the state, you may be able to get a reseller’s license for free.  However, you are responsible for collecting sales tax on products sold within the state.  Assess the cost verse expected savings from buying wholesale to determine if it’s worth the trouble to obtain licenses.

To get a business license, you must be in business or planning to start one.  You can legitimize your business status by turning a hobby or talent into a business venture.  For example, a weekend furniture maker sells a few pieces to friends and a business is born.

Even the casual shopper may benefit from obtaining business and reseller’s licenses.  You get access to non-public wholesale events and wholesalers that don’t sell to the general public.  In addition, you can make a little money off the deals you find.  Buying wholesale usually means purchasing large quantities.  While you don’t need three dozen cashmere sweaters, you can keep a few and sell the rest to friends, or, via online auctions and at flea markets.

No License, No Problem

Although business permits give you more access to buying wholesale, you don’t have to have a license to get wholesale prices.  Wholesale businesses often have special times they open to the public.  Prices will be a little more, but you still pay less than retail.  Check the Yellow Pages to find local wholesalers and ask if they have public sale hours.

Consider buying wholesale from liquidators.  Liquidators buy huge quantities of product from manufacturers and retailers.  These items are usually discontinued, damaged, or from a previous season and prices are often below wholesale.  You can find liquidators in the phone book or on the Internet.

The Internet is also a good source for buying wholesale merchandise
especially for those who don’t want to bother with permits and buying in bulk.  Many Internet wholesalers don’t require a minimum purchase.

Another option is to join an association that buys in bulk.  The combined purchasing power of a large group lowers the cost of merchandise.  Warehouse clubs such as Sam’s Club and Costco are another good source for prices that are close to wholesale.

Wholesale Grapevine

Use your network of friends, associates, and family to find wholesale buying opportunities.  Your interior decorator neighbor may grant you access to her wholesale contacts.  The local florist may be willing to let you in on a sweet deal on dried flowers.  Beware though - these folks may require you to engage their professional services in exchange for buying wholesale through them.  Weigh the cost of doing business with them against potential savings from buying wholesale.

Sources

“How to Buy Wholesale,” (ehow.com)
“Five Secrets to Buying Wholesale,” (majon.com)

There’s money to be made on eBay

Garage sales and flea markets are so 20th century.  Today, if you have stuff to peddle, sell it on eBay.  You’ll be joining thousands of other like-minded citizens who seek to make money selling their wares on the popular web site.  Since everyone is hip to the online selling gravy train, you’ll need to make your items stand out in order to make more money on eBay.

Size up the Competition

Before listing your items for auction, check out eBay’s Completed Items listings.  Here, you’ll see what products are up for sale, their prices, and how they are presented.  You might also get a better idea on how to title your product to produce a higher price.

Don’t overload the auction site with items.  You will make more money on eBay auctions if you sell a few items at the same time rather than overload the auction site. 

Describe Your Wares

You have limited space for product information so make your words count. In the auction title, avoid words such as “Look,” or “Wow.”  No one types in these words to do a search; use words that potential buyers will likely use do search for your product.

Be generous with information in the auction description.  Include any product details that buyers will find helpful.  Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words (or maybe  a thousand dollars!). A good, color picture is essential to catch the eye of a buyer.

Shipping News

Don’t tack on too high shipping/handling costs for your auctions.  While your aim is to make more money on eBay, sky high shipping fees may turn off buyers.  There’s always another seller who will give them a better deal.

Promote Your Wares

To help make more money on eBay, it helps to advertise your auctions on a personal web page.  Or, run an online store with links to your eBay auctions.  Send emails to subscribers notifying them of upcoming auctions. 

eBay Auction Support

eBay provides sellers with several tools to help them navigate the auction process.  Automated listing tools allows sellers to post additional listings without going through the “Sell Your Item” process every time.  With eBay’s Turbo Lister, you can sell your wares without having to visit the web site - and it’s free. 

If you are selling a very expensive item, it may be beneficial to purchase an auction upgrade from eBay.  These upgrades generate more potential buyers.  However, the cost of auction upgrades will eat up the profit on lower priced items.

The Right Stuff

Having unique, high quality items is another way to make more money on eBay.  Estate sales are great places to find specialty items such as antiques, vintage clothing, and jewelry.  You may also find a few nuggets from liquidators who purchase discontinued or last season’s merchandise from manufacturers and retailers. 

Sources

“Tips for Ebay Sellers:  How to Make More Money Off of Your Auctions,” (associatedcontent.com)

“How to Make Money on eBay,” (submityourarticle.com)

“How to Make More Money With Ebay’s Affiliate Program,” (bharatbhasha.com)

Billions of dollars worth of products are sold on eBay and other online merchants every year.  Where are people getting all these items to sell?  Surely, they’ve emptied their closets and garages by now.  Even if they have, finding stuff to sell online is still relatively easy.  Several sources are available for those who want to make a little or a lot of cash selling online.

Home Stuff

Not all garages have been cleared of junk.  Weekend garage sales are still popular places to find items to sell.  Sales in higher income areas tend to net more quality items like designer clothes, high end furniture, and antiques.  However, don’t neglect an average Joe garage sale; one never knows what unique items will be unearthed regardless of the neighborhood.  Go to these sales toward the end of the day.  Homeowners will be more inclined to sell you merchandise at rock bottom prices rather than having to pack up unsold items.

Look through your own garage and closets to find items to sell online.  You may be harboring old clothes, books, Cds, and toys that will bring in a few bucks online.  Offer to rid your friends and family of their unwanted junk by selling on consignment.  You sell their stuff and keep %25 of the profits.  Local retailers may also agree to let you sell their overstocks and returned merchandise on consignment as well.

Buy Online, Sell Online

Finding stuff to sell online is as easy as buying it from the same online source. eBay is an excellent place to find everything from antiques to huge lots of merchandise that you can buy and resell at a profit.

Locate other online sources by using search terms such as wholesale liquidators, closeout dealers, and drop-ship services.  These same sources can also be found in print media including the Yellow Pages and classified ads in newspapers, trade magazines, and free weeklies.

Auction Action

Unclaimed, slightly damaged, and repossessed merchandise can be purchased at freight claims and government auctions.  Check the Yellow Pages for contact information and newspaper classified section for upcoming sales. 

There’s a storage unit operation on every corner these days.  The storage company auctions off the contents of unpaid rental units.  Although the contents are sold sight unseen, there’s probably enough sale worthy items inside to let you break even.

Estate auctions are another great source for finding stuff to sell online.  Like garage sales, high income estates yield the greatest finds, but gems can be found regardless of the estate’s net worth.  These sales are advertised in the newspaper. 

Drop Shipping

Drop shipping is an easy, hands off way to sell online.  You send the order to the manufacturer or distributor and they ship the product to the customer.  No inventory or shipping hassles to worry about.

Local Events

Bazaars, flea markets, and festivals are good sources for everything from unique handmade crafts to valuable collectibles.  Like garage sales, stop by near closing time for deep discounted deals.

Check with the local convention and visitors’ bureau to find out about upcoming trade shows that are open to the public.  You’ll be able to buy from manufacturers and sale reps selling the latest products on the market.

Offshore Action

Asia is a good source for finding stuff to sell online.  However, the red tape and cost of contacting sources there can be a hassle.  Your best bet is to hook up with a manufacturer’s rep who has overseas connections.  There’s enough available home grown sources for locating products to sell to make this option unnecessary.

Sources

“Finding Stuff to Sell,” (alsnetbiz.com)
11 Of The Best Places to Find Items to Sell on Ebay,” (ezinearticles.com)
“Finding Product Sources for Your Business,” (entrepreneur.com)

If you are a stay at home mom you may be getting the urge to do something more with yourself.  You may want to make a bit of money while staying at home with the kids all day.  One of the best ways for any stay at home mom to make money is by using eBay.  This may sound a bit far fetched, but the fact of the matter is that thousands of people have turned eBay into a full-time job.  And to take this a step further, there are many people who have become millionaires by using eBay to buy and sell items.  If you work hard at it, you can be next in line for the profits that are being made on eBay everyday of the week.

At this point you may be wondering how eBay can make you money.  This is something that a lot of people have on their mind.  Using eBay to make money is quite simple.  You will list items for sale, and then wait for other people to bid on them, or purchase at a predetermined price.

But in order to get started with this you will need to have items that you can place for sale on eBay.  There are a few ways that you can go about getting these items.

1. To find items to sell on eBay you may want to become a regular at garage sales and flea markets in your area.  At these events you can buy items for cheap, and then turn around and sell them for a large profit on eBay.  This is one option that a lot of stay at home moms opt for when looking for items that they can sell on eBay.

2. Another option to consider is making your own products, and then listing them on eBay.  For instance, some people make crafts such as candles and then list them for sale.  You may not think that there is a large audience for this type of thing, but there are many people that make a lot of money doing just that.

3. Stay at home moms can get their start on eBay by selling items that they have laying around the house.  Chances are that your garage or attic is full of junk that you no longer use.  But just because you think that the items you have are junk does not mean that somebody else will. By just selling items that you have in your home you may be able to get your start on eBay.  And with the money that you initially make, you can then in turn buy more items.  Pretty soon you will notice that your profits are growing. 

Have you ever dreamed of running your own business, being your boss, setting your own hours, and doing something that you actually enjoy? Do you like shopping, and do you ever wonder what it would be like to run your own store? If you have your own computer, then your home business opportunity might be knocking loud and clear!

Did you know that more and more computer users are actually selling goods online? You might have wondered in the past if they have a garage full of clutter, or if their second bedroom has become a storeroom, but the amazing truth is that neither is the case. As a matter of fact, these individuals have managed to hook up with huge warehouses that will store the merchandise they are selling online until their orders come in. Inventory control, reordering of stock and shipping is all done from the warehouse while the computer user is responsible for setting up, maintaining, and marketing a website that enumerates the wares which are available for sale. What could be easier?

While you may not get rich by starting this kind of business, your income level is not limited and instead your efforts will directly dictate your income levels. For example, if you build a professional looking website and are very diligent about listing it with as many search engines as possible, and if you are able to take hold of a corner of a certain niche market, you may indeed to very well. Depending which retailer you sign up with, you will also the chance to recruit affiliate sellers whose sales with net you a portion of their gross profit. By setting up such a network, you may see your sales growing exponentially in a rather short period of time.

The web expertise you will need for this venture is limited. Much can be done with just a few snippets of code that can easily be inserted into a website. As a matter of fact, website building can be so much fun that you might find yourself building two or three and setting up a number of storefronts, each with a slightly different feel.

The advantages of this home business opportunity are easy to see: no inventory, no sales tax figures to compute, straight forward selling, the ability to run your own online store, no cold calling or doors slammed into your face from face to face contacts, and no friends and neighbors who are hesitant to accept your invitations for dinner in fear that you will break out into a sales presentation or recruitment session. Instead, your computer is your business, and your store will run whether you are online or not. What a great home business opportunity!

There are many thriving home base businesses nowadays that give many people good income. Some of these home businesses are the usual brick and mortar things where you physically hold the goods and deliver them to the buyer while others are more abstract which involves selling goods and services as brokers over the Internet. For people who work online, there are possibilities for getting additional income. As long as you are willing to invest and work on your investment to grow, you can always make money online.

Online business can be very profitable if you put your heart into it. There are many areas from which to choose, ranging from freelance writing, designing, and selling commodities to network marketing. Selling commodities online and network marketing are one of the easier ways of earning online as these two don’t really need specific skills and talents. Anybody who can read, type and post messages can sell products on the Internet. You don’t even need to have your own website if you want to sell your wares through popular auctions sites. These auction sites would simply give you a space to post your commodities for sale and they take a portion of the sale as commissions. Many people have earned considerable income in this kind of home base business. In fact, many people would consider this as one of the top home base businesses online.

Aside from directly selling commodities to customers online, multi-level marketing is a thriving online business option. There are many sites featuring multi-level marketing on products sold either online or offline. Although you must have heard a lot of negative feedbacks regarding multi-level marketing be it online or offline, there are also a lot of success stories about multi-level marketing. Hundreds of people have grown rich because of this system and they swear that multi-level marketing is one of the top home base businesses around. Why do some people succeed in multi-level marketing while others don’t? Like any other businesses on the planet, not all people who tried it have succeeded. Just because you are engaged in a top home base business does not ensure that you will get rich because of it. The determining factor of your success still lies in the amount of time and effort you put into it. Take the example of having a website. Just because you put up a very nice professional looking website doesn’t mean a lot of people will visit your site and buy your goods and services. You need to work hard to advertise and to attract your customers.

People who work at home should always remember that engaging in a top home base business is just the beginning of the journey in the right direction. Once you are in the right direction, your chances of succeeding greatly increase. It is now up to you to turn that advantage into cash.

If you are getting ready to start a home business, first look into fields that interest you. You must enjoy what you are about to do because you will be spending a lot of time in this field. Just because you love something does not mean it will sell though. Make sure that what you select has a market. You want paying customers to come to your site and buy what you have to offer. So where can you go to find out some great business opportunities? Well, you can go into your browser and type in different subjects and see what other people are doing with them. You can also look on marketing sites for the hottest trends in business. Remember that these sites are also businesses and will offer you products as well as information. Make sure you know all the tools that are available to you before purchasing the first book or start up kit you see.

Most people want to see money and not to spend it, but you will have to do some investing if you really want to succeed. You do not have to spend thousands, however. Books can be a great tool and a very inexpensive way of learning how to run your own business. Not only will these books give you step-by-step instructions on how to start your business, they will give you ideas of what types of businesses you can have. You can get books cheap on Amazon. You can even use your local library but it would be better to have the books constantly at your disposal. You might even want to consider such markets like eBay. You can sell products there very easily and everyone can readily find you. There are many people making an nice living off of selling on eBay. Here are some quick tips for being a good eBay seller.

* Sell a product you know. You will not be able to answer questions if you have very limited knowledge about what you are trying to sell. This will also get you a bad name and no more bids. The more familiar you are with what you are selling and its potential uses, the better off you are. You are the one trying to get people to buy, so know your stuff.
* Use eBay as your purchasing guide for what you plan on selling. Look up what people are charging for similar items. Do not pay more than 65% of what the eBay sales history tells you. You want to buy in bulk and wholesale and know what you are being charged per item to see if any money will be made off of it.
* Ship your paid orders on the same day they buy. Buyers want fast shipping that does not take three weeks to get there. Companies like Fed Ex offer online shipping and will give you an immediate 10% discount. They will also increase your discount the more volume you get.
There are also many little tricks to selling on eBay. For example, listing your product for Auction on a Thursday for 10 days will close out all bidders on a Sunday. Sundays are great days because people are home. © 2006 Wallet Relief

It is easy to see why so many small business people are turning to eBay. It is a great way of getting your product out to the consumers. Building a successful, profitable business on the eBay site is not only rewarding but simple as well. Setting up a business on eBay is basically mapped out for you, and you will not get too stressed about it because it is very straightforward. By deciding to sell a product on the eBay auction block, you are making your first step towards a profitable career for yourself, without breaking your back.

The options for sellable items on eBay are virtually endless, from new to old, and big to small. It is available to the highest bidder. This is a great way to ensure that most of the time you will receive top dollar for your goods. Ebay is not only for the person that wishes to sell what they have dug up from that old collective box in the attic. It can also be a main stream for the small business owner, or even major corporation. Anyone who has not looked on eBay will be astonished to see exactly what can be sold from the eBay site. You can sell anything from an old lunch pale to a 375,000 dollar business venture. Everything in between is treasure for someone else. This makes for a very lucrative and sound career option. With all the handy tools that are available to eBay account holders, it is very easy to understand why people have made eBay the product-selling vessel of choice in the new millennium.

Selling on eBay can and usually does generate more traffic to a web site and or more interest in their product. With a very broad directory, it is easy to get to where you want to be in terms of profit margins. Many times eBay sellers have started out rather small. With some reservations about the whole online auctioning idea, they were not expecting to have great results initially. These people have in turn only found out that this can be the best marketing tool around to have traffic and sales increase to build a very profitable small business. Ebay can and usually does become an indispensable marketing tool for businesses. It will surely allow you to sell what you no longer use and generate money, while not fretting about the details. This is in every sense of the word a sensible and likely profitable decision. Take a chance and you may find your wealth as well.

Have you been eager to get into the business of online auctions? Maybe you want to sell, or maybe you are looking to buy. Either way, it does not have to cost you a fortune. Actually, it does not have to cost you anything. There are several free auction sites online from which to choose.

Almost everyone has heard of eBay, but there are alternative free auction sites online. For example, AuctionFire.com charges no listing fees and allows sellers to link to their auction page straight from their website for free. They have many item categories available, whether you are a seller or a buyer, and claim to be open to suggestions for new categories. Similar in its offering of item categories is Bid-Alot.com where buying and selling are free, though the site requires sellers who sign up for a free account to provide credit card information. They also offer a how-to-trade guide for their beginners. Baymore.com offers pictures of their featured items as well as message boards for both buyers and sellers.

Other free auction sites include BuySellTrades.com which offers free listings, classifieds and trading, secure shopping and bidding, free store setup, community forums for buyers and sellers and even a chat community. BidMonkey.com also offers communities and even ChatMonkey IM. Users have the opportunity to earn Monkey Bucks and purchase items without paying anything but shipping. Also, sellers have the chance to be featured on the main page—a guarantee that everyone who logs in will see your name!

Whether you want to buy or sell, there are free auction sites out there for you with extra bonuses such as free store setups and community forums and chats to help you along your way.

Sources/References:

http://www.auctionfire.com
http://www.bid-alot.com
http://www.baymore.com
http://www.buyselltrades.com/
http://www.bidmonkey.com