Making your first ebay million

[MarillionFan]

I've sold about £150K worth of stuff on Ebay over the last 5 years. But the margin is tulipe and time is high. So I reckon that's equated to about £35k profit. Margins are lower on Ebay that's why people buy from you.

You need to do it big (ie big turnover) to make any real money.

[PAH]

I used to do a bit of trading when on the bench as a way of getting away from IT to recharge my batteries. Found it more profitable to do car boot sales and local markets than via ebay. Depends on the products of course.

Benefits of car booting:

a. cash in hand
b. less competition (check out what others are selling before deciding on stock lines)
c. less hassle with returns, if you don't go back to the same place too regularly

At the peak I was doing 4 or 5 car boots or market stalls a week and turning over almost as much as contracting, though obviously net profit was somewhat lower.

I almost felt like Scarface as I walked into my bank to deposit the cash every other day.

Not done it for about 5 years so no idea if the opportunity is the same.

[gingerjedi]

One of my mates spent a year just outside of Boston in the USA, his wife was working on a green card but he wasn't allowed so he sold stuff on eBay to pass the time.

He used to buy clothing from local factory outlet stores and sell for a healthy profit, I guess it helps if your average citizen is even thicker than our own indigenous population.

[eek]

A few years back, my sister in law paid for her wedding by buying suitable oversize lady clothing and sell it to transvestites. I believe an MF of Hampshire was a regular customer.

[PAH]

A few years back, my sister in law paid for her wedding by buying suitable oversize lady clothing and sell it to transvestites. I believe an MF of Hampshire was a regular customer.

With the ongoing obesity problem, oversized clothing will soon become classed as normal sized and those of us able to stop stuffing our face all day will soon have to shop online for specialist 'skinny freak' clothing.

A plan B in a few years may be to sell all those clothes that no longer fit to the skinny freaks at an inflated price.

[SneakySimon]

eBay Money

I had an ex who used to make easily £1000 per month on eBay.

She was into old toys, especially My Little Pony and would religously go to all the local car boots buying the Ponys and also various other toys such as Action Man etc. She them cleaned them up, popped them on eBay and made her money. Some of the Ponies could sell for £150 each if she got the right ones.

She reckoned eventually she could quit her normal job and do that soley - not sure if she ever did.

I used to make a few quid by selling DVD box sets. I would check the price on Amazon and then stick in a price a bit more on eBay, do a 'buy it now' price and wait for the bids. When I got them, I would order the DVD's from Amazon and get them to send it as a gift. Maybe made £5 per box-set but risky as the price at Amazon may go up!!

[eek]

Maybe made £5 per box-set but risky as the price at Amazon may go up!!

Just refund them with an apology that it was a stock issue.

[SneakySimon]

Ebay

True - though got to be a hassle as when I sent it direct from Amazon, people realised where it was from and realised they had paid £10 too much - not my problem but did give my feedback score a hammering!!

But I don't know how you make loads of ££££££ from eBay - you see some guys with massive feedback scores but always seems like too much hassle to me what with the dumb ass questions, the fees etc.

[Spacecadet]

True - though got to be a hassle as when I sent it direct from Amazon, people realised where it was from and realised they had paid £10 too much - not my problem but did give my feedback score a hammering!!

They don't call you SneakySimon for nothing!

[eek]

True - though got to be a hassle as when I sent it direct from Amazon, people realised where it was from and realised they had paid £10 too much - not my problem but did give my feedback score a hammering!!

But I don't know how you make loads of ££££££ from eBay - you see some guys with massive feedback scores but always seems like too much hassle to me what with the dumb ass questions, the fees etc.

My guess is automating is the key. And then throw what's left of support to somewhere cheap abroad or students at £3 an hour.