Wallet Relief Blog

Do you want to start a home based business?  Is it your dream to run your own show so that you never again have to listen to your boss?  If this sounds like you, you are in a group of thousands of other people.  It is safe to say that in some point in everyone’s life they dream of running their own business.  The benefits and advantages of having a home based business are many.  If you are lucky enough to ever have this chance you should really revel in it.  Remember, not everybody can be so lucky.

But you are probably asking yourself if you can really have success with a home business.  The answer to this question is simple, yes.  If you know what you are doing and take your time, you can have success running a home business.  Unfortunately, it is not always as easy as it may seem.  You are going to run into problems from the very beginning, and there are going to be times when you think about giving up.

The first thing that you need to do when setting up a home business is to make a decision on what you want to concentrate on.  In other words, WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS GOING TO DO?  This is a question that can sometimes be hard to answer.  The majority of people want to do something that they like, but at the same time they do not know how to get started.  You need to remember that in order for your home business to be a success YOU HAVE TO LIKE WHAT YOU ARE DOING.  If you don’t like your home business idea, why move forward in the process?  You will simply end up in the same situation that you are in with your current job.

Also, a successful home business needs time to grow.  You should never think that you are going to take off within a couple days of opening up shop.  It is going to take you a bit of time to get your bearings and take off.  For this reason, patience is very important to the success of your home business.  With patience you will be able to wait out the rough times that are bound to show up time and time again.  No home business starts making big time money in the first day.  But if you take your time you will get to where you want to be.

Overall, you can have a lot of success with a home business.  It may not be easy at first, but as time goes by you will become comfortable with what you are doing.  Sooner or later you will be making profits on your own. 

From the Money and Markets newsletter, October 5, 2006 edition:

At the height of the U.S. Civil War, the combined military expenditures of the North and South were running at an estimated $2.5 million per day – $29.5 billion a day in today’s dollars.

By the end of the war in 1865, $8 billion had been spent, the equivalent of $944 billion today.

To cover the staggering costs, taxes, tariffs and duties were raised to new highs. Tidal waves of government bonds were issued. Interest rates soared. Money was printed with reckless abandon, and inflation took off like a bat out of hell.

The result: By the end of the Civil War, both the Confederate and Union currencies had lost so much value that a pair of boots cost $2,361 in today’s dollars. Butter was the equivalent of $177 per pound.

No one wanted to hold paper currency, period. But the stock market, viewed as an inflation hedge, soared during much of the war, with some issues, especially railroads, rising 50%, 60%, 70%, or more.

Even so, some of the biggest gains were being made in the gold trading pit in New York: Between 1861 and 1863, the price of gold shot up from $20.67 to over $35 an ounce, a 75% gain.

In 1864, gold exploded to $53.35, or $800 in today’s dollars. It then went even higher, nearly tripling to $162.50 on September 24, 1869. That’s $2,252 an ounce in today’s dollars!

Prices finally retreated when President Grant broke the back of the bull market and the U.S. Treasury dumped more than $4 million of gold on the market. Still, the price of gold never fell below its pre-Civil War level of $20.67.

Jim Fisk and Jay Gould, who led the gold rally in the 1860s, are history. Twenty-four U.S. presidents have come and gone. The characters have changed, but the song remains the same …

Why Circumstances Today Are Eerily Similar to the Forces Behind the Civil War Gold Boom

The war on terror is costing the U.S. $200 million every 24 hours. To date, the war has cost $332 billion.

Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz estimates the total cost of the war will end up north of $1 trillion, including up to $300 billion in future health costs for wounded troops. That’s nearly 20% of our country’s current gross domestic product.

And in terms of expenditures per soldier, the war on terror is the most expensive war in the history of the U.S.

As in the 1860s, the national debt is now mushrooming out of control. Including government agencies and government-sponsored enterprises, it stands at $11.3 trillion today.

That’s more than $37,000 of debt for every man, woman, and child in the U.S.

The total IOUs the government is now liable for — including unfunded Social Security, Medicare, government pensions, military benefits, and more — is an estimated $54 trillion.

Meanwhile, much like during the Civil War, the U.S. dollar is coming under pressure, creating the equivalent of a financial black hole. In the past four years alone, the dollar has lost an average of 30% of its value against a basket of the world’s currencies.

As you can see from the chart, the U.S. dollar stands on the edge of a precipice, and it looks like it’s about to start plunging anew. This is why I think …

Gold Remains Your Single Best Protection

To be sure, there are huge differences between the 19th century Civil War and the 21st century War on Terror. But the parallels in the economic environments are not to be underestimated, in my view.

I’ve long thought that gold could easily hit $1,000 an ounce. Today, I’m more certain than ever. Indeed, by the time this gold bull market ends, I’m quite confident we’ll see the yellow metal at more than $2,000.

Food for thought: Gold’s 1980 high of $850 an ounce would be the equivalent of $2,150 in today’s dollars if adjusted for inflation over the last 26 years. That’s unusually close to its peak in 1864.

Strange coincidence? I don’t think so. It’s just another indication that the $2,000 level is not an unrealistic target.

By far, the most important thing to realize is this: Gold is the single best protection against the scenario we see unfolding. And, as an investment to hold for the next several years, I think it’s better than bonds, better than Dow stocks, and better than tech stocks. In fact, gold is a better long-term investment than any other asset out there, in my opinion.

Reason: Gold should hold its value more firmly than nearly all other assets during broad declines, and it should substantially outperform during major advances.

I believe that, long term, it has more upside potential than silver, oil, or copper. Gold is money … real money … real wealth. It has stood the test of time, like no other asset in the world. Its history goes back over 5,000 years. And its history should go on for another 5,000.

That doesn’t mean you should run out and put 100% of your money into gold. Far from it! Keep no more than 10% of your net worth in physical gold or the equivalent, using today’s gold bullion Exchange-Traded Funds, like the StreetTracks Gold Fund (GLD).

You might also consider putting another 10% into gold mining shares, where you get upside leverage on the price of precious yellow metal.

A few rules though …

Rule #1: Never invest in just one mining company. Rather, invest in a minimum of three at a time for diversification.

Rule #2: Stay away from mining companies that hedge more than 50% of their in-ground gold reserves, or their annual gold production. In a rising gold market, those so-called “hedges” could cause serious losses.

Rule #3: For gold mining shares, I like to use a trailing 10% stop loss to help reduce risk. Don’t lower the stop when the market moves against you. But raise it each time the stock gains 3% from your entry price on a closing basis. If you’re stopped out, don’t fret. Assuming there hasn’t been any serious adverse fundamental change in the company, there should be ample opportunity to get back in — either on the next dip, or when the stock shows renewed strength.

Rule #4: Always keep the big picture in view. The gold strategies I’m talking about here are designed for your core, long-term portfolio. What the price of gold does from one day to the next should not be an issue for you.

You’re riding a major trend. Let it do most of the work for you.

Larry

This investment news is brought to you by Money and Markets. Money and Markets is a free daily investment newsletter from Martin D. Weiss and Weiss Research analysts offering the latest investing news and financial insights for the stock market, including tips and advice on investing in gold, energy and oil. Dr. Weiss is a leader in the fields of investing, interest rates, financial safety and economic forecasting. To view archives or subscribe, visit http://www.MoneyandMarkets.com

More people leave the office grind behind to work at home.

Whether downsized, outsourced, or sick and tired of cubicle hell, more people are earning their living by working at home.  The work at home industry is booming with a diverse lot of income earning opportunities.  People of all skill and education levels can find a niche in this market.

Telecommuters

Technology has enabled former office rats to do their work at home.  Armed with a computer, fax, and telephone, employees from back office data entry to management staff are able to perform part or all of their jobs at home.  The telecommuting option is appreciated by workers as it allows them more freedom and control over the work day and more time to spend with families.  Companies find that this set up often improves employee morale and productivity.

Net Work

Earning money via the Internet has become an increasingly popular option in the work at home industry.  Chances are you know someone who sells merchandise on eBay.  Many online merchants are working out of their homes.  The Internet offers a wealth of opportunities for writers to earn a living at the keyboard.  People with an Internet-based career often start on a part-time basis while working their regular office gig.  Once their “web job” takes off, they escape the office grind for full-time work at home.

Home Base versus Home Work

Another option in the work at home industry is a home-based business where you go out in the field to provide services for customers.  This is a wide open opportunity - think of any product or service that people need and, viola, you have a business.  The senior population is exploding.  Start an elder service that helps seniors with light housekeeping, grooming, and transportation.  Two career families and busy folks in general equal a business for you running errands such as shopping, chauffeuring kids, and picking up dry cleaning. 

You can strike out on your own with these home-based businesses or buy a franchise.  Franchises offer a brand name people know and trust along with marketing support from the headquarters office.  Start up costs can be out of reach for a lot of people, however, there are hundreds of franchise options in the work at home industry that will fit with small budgets.

Scam Alert

The Internet and print and broadcast media are full of ads for great-sounding work at home opportunities.  Sadly, the work at home industry is full of scam companies that advertise high income home-based jobs.  Some ads are specific while others are vague and keep you in the dark about the exact nature of the pie in the sky venture. 

Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.  Do your research before you plunge into any work at home opportunity.  Talk with others who are working at home.  Check out franchises or Internet opportunities with the Better Business Bureau.  Despite the scam artists, there are thousands of options in the work at home industry and one of them will suit you.

Sources
funcareers, (funcareers.com)

How many times have you heard about a great home business opportunity?  Probably more than you care to remember.  But to go along with this how many of these home business opportunities ended up being a scam?  Again, probably quite a few.  Hopefully, you were never the victim of any of these scams.  But unfortunately there are others who probably fell for these “opportunities.”  The fact of the matter is that these scammers would not be wasting their time if they were not making any money.  And as long as people continue to get mixed up in this business, these scammers are going to stick around to trick more and more people.

The best way to avoid a home business scam is to thoroughly research each opportunity before you move forward with it.  This means doing much more than simply reading a bit about it online.  You may get lucky and end up with a good home business opportunity, but chances are that you will not.  Not only will you want to read what is available on the site itself, but you will also want to search for other information as well.  Check with third party review sites and on message boards and forums.  You may find out soon enough that a certain company has been reported as being nothing more than a scam.

You may also want to check with the Better Business Bureau if you are thinking about getting involved with a home business opportunity that you are not sure of.  They will be able to tell you if they have any complaints on file.  If they do, you will want to avoid the opportunity at all costs.  But if it appears that a company is doing business the right way, you can continue your research.

Before you decide to do anything, attempt to get in touch with the company that you are interested in.  Can you get them on the phone?  Do they respond to your emails?  If you cannot even talk to a company before you start, there is no chance that they will be around when you need them.  This is one test that you can run early on in order to ensure that you are dealing with a reputable company.  If you do happen to get an employee on the phone ask them questions in order to get some feedback on the company.  Anything that will give you better insight into the home business opportunity is a good question.

Overall, home business scams are all over the place.  Do your part in putting them out on the street by not falling prey.  The best way to do this is through extensive research and questioning. 

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)

If you are retired you have a great opportunity to make money online.  After all, you will have as much time as you need in order to make sure that you are a success.  Unlike other people that try to make money online, you will not have to work another job in order to stay afloat financially.  You can make this work to your advantage, and be making money online before you ever thought possible.

Listed below are a few tips that you should follow if you are retired and looking to make money online.

1. The first thing that you will need to do is make sure that you have enough knowledge of the internet to be successful.  Some retirees never used the internet in the past.  If you do not have experience online there is no reason to give up on your goal.  Simply get connected and start dabbling.  For assistance you may want to purchase a book or two on getting started online.  These will give you basic information on the internet, and what you need to know to get started.  You may also want to take a course at a local community college.  This is a great way of getting first hand instructions from a professional.

2. When you are ready to go, the next thing that you must do is make a decision as to how you want to make money.  Do you want to start an online business?  Or do you want to use affiliate programs to make money?  Some retirees find that the easiest way to make money online is to bring their past work knowledge into their venture.  This way they already have knowledge on the industry.  This is a great option that you should consider. 

3. After getting your business idea in line, you will need to set up a business and marketing plan.  This will help to keep you on track during your quest to make money online.  By having a business plan in place you will be able to stay on track no matter what is thrown at you.  And a marketing plan is very important so that people know you exist.

4. Stay patient when trying to make money online.  Just like anything else you are going to run into problems along the way, and you will probably feel like giving up.  But by staying with your plan, you will reach your goals soon enough.

Overall, retired people can make a lot of money online.  If you are in this situation, you will want to follow the tips above in order to get started.  By doing so you will be on track to making money online, and supplementing your income. 

Do your homework to determine the best affiliate programs for your web site.

Affiliate (aka Associate) programs are a win-win situation for everyone involved.  Internet-based merchants hook up with affiliates to generate traffic to their web sites.  Affiliates get paid if the traffic from their site visits the merchant web page.  The smart Internet entrepreneur does some research to determine the best affiliate programs for her business.

Where to Look

Affiliate networks are the middle man between affiliates and web sites with affiliate programs.  Look for affiliate networks that provide all the tools needed to set up and maintain an affiliate program.  AssociatePrograms.com is a popular directory with information about merchants that pay you to sell their wares.

Commission Junction is a free network that offers access to thousands of the best affiliate programs.  Commission Junction combines all your affiliate earnings (product sales, on-line ads, links) into one monthly check.  One caveat, however, is not to sign up before you are ready to start promoting products, because some programs will disenroll you if you wait six months after sign up to actually get  your sites and promotions up and running (networks do not want to have hundreds or thousands of inactive members cluttering up their affiliate program software and complicating their statistics).

What to Look for

The best affiliate programs will be those that target your customer base.  An on-line florist would get little traffic from a pet supply website.  You want an affiliate whose business is similar or comparable to your product.  Avoid affiliates with low quality products.  Ask to speak to existing affiliates to find out if a company is reputable.

Referral traffic may link to the merchant site and not buy initially but return to make a purchase weeks later.  Look for affiliate programs that remember your site was responsible for that customer.  The best affiliate programs remember you for 60 days by using cookies to tag the customer’s computer when he visits the merchant site.

The best affiliate programs offer reliable support such as ads, logos, and sales advice.  Good programs also provide timely updates on click through sales and earnings, and, respond to questions or problems within 24 hours.

Getting Paid

There are three common affiliate payment plans.  With pay per sale, the merchant pays when the affiliate sends a customer who buys from the merchant’s site.  The payment could be a set amount or a percentage of the sale.

In a pay per click set up, the affiliate is paid based on the number of people who visit the merchant’s web site regardless if a purchase was made.

With pay per lead programs, affiliates are paid based on the number of people who sign up as leads.  A lead would be a visitor who filled out an information page on the merchant web site thus becoming a potential customer.

Multi-level payment plans allow affiliates to earn commission on sales, clicks, or leads from their sites as well as commission based on activity generated by affiliate sites they refer to the merchant site.  Another form of payment is residual commission.  Affiliates continue earning money after the original sale has been made.  This is common in situations where customers pay monthly fees for merchant services.

The best affiliate programs pay at least 25% commission with some going as high as 50%.  Payments should be made at least once a month although some affiliate programs pay quarterly or twice a year.

Honorable Mentions

There are hundreds of good, reputable affiliate programs.  Three that stand out among the best are Neil Shearing’s affiliate program which pays some of the highest commissions and conversion rates; Ken Evoy’s 5 Pillar Program which offers excellent marketing and educational information; and My TemplatesStorage, a good site for web development merchants. Each of these, however, has its own plan details that may or may not be best for you and your situation, so be sure to read up on how any affiliate program works, and what is required for payment.

Sources

“How Affiliate Programs Work,” (howstuffworks.com)
“Best Affiliate Products for Maximum Profits,” (bestaffiliateproducts.com)
“Affiliate Programs,” (buildwebsite4u.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)

Affiliate programs are a great way to increase traffic to and sales for your web site. There are several affiliate tracking software solutions that keep track of sales, clicks, and commissions.

Affiliate tracking software solutions come in a variety of packages.  Software for a click-based program allows you to pay affiliates a set rate for each visitor to your web site.  Look for click-based software with helpful features including click-through tracking, link code generation (keep banners current and linked correctly), referral tracking, and detailed stats.

Other software lets you set up a commission or flat rate pay for each potential customer sent via your affiliate member.  You can also customize the commission schedule for individual affiliates.  Commission-based programs can be more economical because you only pay affiliates when their referrals generate sales.  

You don’t have to choose between click-based or commission affiliate tracking software.  Programs are available that let you use both pay arrangements.

Many affiliate tracking software solutions now have private affiliate network capability.  This feature is helpful for those with multiple web sites.  It lets you run one affiliate program for all your web sites on your own private network as opposed to setting up affiliate programs for each site.

How does it work?

The basic premise of affiliate programs is the same for all affiliate tracking software solutions.  An affiliate joins your program by logging into the member area on your web page.  There the affiliate can get the tools needed for linking to your site such as banner codes, text links, and product images. 

When a visitor clicks from the affiliate’s web page to yours, the tracking software places a cookie on the visitor’s computer to track him as he browses your web site.  If the visitor buys a product or service from your web site, the tracking software notes the affiliate responsible for said visitor and records the sale in a database.  The Administrator and the affiliate are both notified of the sale via email.

Affiliate software makes its easy to monitor the success of your affiliate programs by tracking the number of times banners or links are displayed, number of visitors who linked to your web site, and how many of these visits resulted in a sale.  In addition, the software keeps account of commissions earned by and payouts to affiliates.

Helpful Features

Software packages are easy to install and manage.  However, software companies will gladly lend a hand to technically challenged web entrepreneurs. Look for affiliate software tracking solutions that provide reliable tech support and don’t charge setup fees or monthly charges.  The software should be easy to customize for your specific needs.

Other helpful features include:

Unlimited affiliates categories
Automated fraud protection
Performance rewards for your best affiliates
Lifetime upgrades
Multi-level marketing (affiliate program promotes itself and your web site).

Sources

Cosmicperl (cosmicperl.com)
Affiliate Wiz (affiliatewiz.com)
Quality Unit (qualityunit.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)