If you are an eBay seller, store owner, flea market vendor or even an exporter, yous should be on the look out for new sources for inventory. I am certain that you spend countless hours searching the net looking for new suppliers to buy from.
Have you tried wholesale trade magazines or better know as trade publications? I subscribe to several full color magazines which are mailed to my office once a month, free of charge.
Most of the magazines not only offer tons of new wholesale sources, but also current marketing and retail advice. One magazine in particular, WebWholesaler, is by far the best trade publication out there. Each issue is packed with a variety of wholesale sources for clothing, accessories, jewelry, general merchandise, tools, electronics and more!
I would personally recommend you sign up for a FREE subscription to WebWholesaler. There is no obligation what so ever. Fill out a simple form and you should receive the next issue hot off the press!
Over the last ten years I have purchased hundreds of customer returned pallets and at least 60-70 truckloads of wholesale liquidation merchandise. It all started was back when my wife and I started a small business at home selling on eBay. Selling from our kitchen table we were able to turn a part time income into a large successful retail business!
The first small loads of wholesale merchandise we purchased were 100-300 piece Shelf pull apparel lots. Often known or referred to as New With Tags. I have to admit that clothing was not my first choice, but my wife had a passion for clothing and this is where we started.
Our first purchase was a 110 piece lot of Macy’s womens apparel and we bought it from a liquidator here in California. Being new at that time we really did not know what to expect. We paid for the lot and it was to be shipped by UPS. A few days later my wife called me at work to advise the shipment had arrived. She was excited to say the least.
By the time I got home that night she had already sorted all the apparel looking for damages and even photographed a few of the items to prepare for eBay listing. Within two to three days she had all of the clothing listed on eBay and low and behold we were off on a great adventure from there.
I think if I recall we ended up selling 42 of the 100 pieces on the first go round of auctions and then re-listed the remaining. After about a week and a half we had enough money in our Paypal account to re-purchase another load of clothing. This time we purchased fro ma different liquidator and must say that when this apparel arrived we were not very happy as roughly 20-25% of the load was damaged.
I placed a call to the company we bought from and no one would return my call. Message after message was left, but it seemed as though this particular company did not care to make us a repeat customer. After days of researching the company we bought from and researching shelf pull apparel in general I came to the conclusion that each and every load would probably be different. Kind of a “craps” shoot, if you will.
Back in that first year of getting our feet wet we ended up trying 4-5 different sources for shelf pull apparel and found two reliable suppliers that consistently provided excellent service and loads which were reasonably priced.
How did you get started buying and selling shelf pull apparel?
I am sharing a secret today, a closeout deal I found over the weekend. It will involve a little web research on your part, but if you are looking for boots on a wholesale liquidation level I believe I found a gem. Go to Google and type in the following “Magnum Mirage” or “Magnum Mirage Desert Boots”.
The boots are retailing online between $35 and $40 per pair and with a quick check on eBay I noticed the same boots at a similar price being auctioned.
I found a small inventory of this particular boot being liquidated by a closeout company called NBC (Name Brand Closeouts). Take a look at the link, which has a few pictures and breakdown of sizes available. It would not surprise me if you could negotiate better pricing on a “Take all Deal”.
Give NBC a call at 512-452-8815. Ask for Stan, Pete or Cody. Remember, with liquidations you must act fast as once this inventory is gone…it is gone for good!
Who does not love playing with remote control toys? As technology advances we are seeing a myriad of new RC cars, trucks, helicopters, airplanes, tanks, hovercrafts and even UFO’s! Whether you sell online through an ecommerce store or list items on eBay, remote control toys command huge profits!
I know of several Kiosk sellers who set up displays in large malls and sell these toys daily. They simply sit around and play with the toys causing children, as well as adults, to come over and “play” before buying. What better way to sell then to let someone take a test drive! In my area the RC helicopters are selling really well, in fact I spoke with a kiosk seller who told me they are having a hard time keeping the little “mini” helicopters in stock.
I have found a few RC wholesalers who offer great pricing and depending on how you intend to resell, some of the prices I found are low enough to resell on eBay!
Small Case RC Wholesalers:
HobbyTron.com offers excellent small case pricing for a range of wholesale RC cars, trucks, airplanes and more. They also offer wholesale Airsoft guns. I cross refernced HobbyTrons pricing with eBay closing auctions and it looks as though you should be able to make a nice profit buying from this supplier!
Valorsinc.com – Another great source for wholesale RC products based out of Texas. You will need to register as a wholesale buyer before you can view pricing. One downside to this website, in my opinion, is the black background.
Emirimage.com – Great selection of the latest RC toys; direct import pricing allows the reseller to buy at a deep discount. Buy low, sell high!
Just what is liquidation merchandise anyway?
When I use the term liquidation merchandise I am referring to one of the following categories or descriptions wholesale merchandise:
Retail Returns
Just as the name implies, retail returns are items that have been purchased by an end user and then returned to the original store for refund or exchange. Returned items usually will have some issues ranging from damage to missing pieces. Incidentally, some items are returned to the original store after an impulse purchases and/or a “changed mind”. In the liquidation industry a returned item that shows little to no damage is considered a “Cherry”. This is where the phrase “Cherry Picked” comes from.
Closeouts
This category of merchandise is comprised of items that are being “closed” out and no longer sold. Can also represent items which are no longer be produced and/or manufactured therefor remaining stock is sold just above cost or in some cases below cost to make room for new inventory.
Salvage Merchandise
Refers to merchandise that is in a form of distress. Salvage merchandise can refer to items that have been damaged in transit, such as an overturned truck or possibly been exposed to flood or suffered smoke damage. Often salvage merchandise is liquidated by insurance companies who are trying to recoup dollars from an insurance claim that has been settled.
Canceled Orders
Large chain stores will set specific requirements for vendors who supply merchandise. For example, a large big box chain store might cancel an order from a particular vendor who cannot meet contract delivery deadlines. Rather than warehouse a large canceled order, a manufacturer might liquidate stock to recover costs.
Overstock
Items which are being liquidated due to a surplus quantity, which cannot be sold or moved quick enough. Retailers will liquidate overstock to make room for new merchandise.
The above categories of merchandise can be purchased well below wholesale pricing and represent an excellent way for store owners, flea market vendors and eBay auction sellers to stock name brand items. They key to success in purchasing liquidation merchandise is finding reliables sources.
If you can buy below wholesale you will be able to offer name brand merchandise at competitive pricing. Liquidation merchandise can prove to be very profitable for anyone engaged in retailing.
I was reading the latest copy of Cover magazine and I stumbled upon a wholesale company called Trademarkcommerce.com. This wholesale company has an interesting marketing pitch as they show you what the products they distribute sell for on eBay and Amazon.com.
I was intrigued to say the least, so I thought I would complete my own research and see if I could come up with the same final selling prices (on eBay) for some of the products they are wholesaling. The products I will be researching today are found on the flyer they are advertising.
You can research an items’ profitability on eBay!
Lets get started……
First of all, if you do not know how to research an item on eBay make sure you take some notes on the following steps:
- Obviously, you will need to go to http://ebay.com
- In the search field enter the item you are interested in researching, press search
- Once the following page loads look to the right of the ‘search” button for the link “Advanced”
- Once you have clicked the Advanced link you will be taken to a page where if you scroll down you will notice criteria stating ‘Search Including” – Check this box
- Scroll down and click “Search”
- Results that are displayed in GREEN closed with a winning bid
- You can take those results and average the totals to get a good idea about whether the item in question will sell and how much you can expect to receive as a auction seller
The first product I researched on eBay was the Black iRobot. The advertised wholesale price from Trade Mark Commerce is $101.33. They advertise this product selling on eBay for $179.99.
When I searched eBay I found one iRobot had sold on eBay in the last two weeks and the final auction price was $149.99 with FREE Shipping. I would imagine that the seller paid at least $10 to ship this to the winning bidder, so profit looks to be $149.99 – $10 (Shipping) – $101.33 (Cost) = $38.66 before eBay listing and final value fees.
The second product I researched was the Advent GPS. The advertised wholesale price from Trade Mark Commerce is $99.99. They advertise this product selling on eBay for $229.99.
When I searched eBay I found one Advent GPS unit that had sold on eBay in the last two weeks and the final auction price was $140.24 with FREE Shipping. I would imagine that the seller paid at least $8 to ship this to the winning bidder, so profit looks to be $140.24 – $8 (Shipping) – $99.99 (Cost) = $32.25 before eBay listing and final value fees.
I should mention that while the above two items did sell on eBay, there were dozens of the same item that did not close with a winning bid. Using the ‘Completed” auction search feature on eBay is a great way to evaluate the profitability of an item you are thinking of reselling.
In my opinion, TradeMark Commerce might be a viable option for inventory. They certainly have a diverse product selection. You will need to sign up as a registered buyer before you will be able to view their entire online catalog. Once you are registered you can then check their pricing with the “Completed” item search feature found on eBay.
I would love to hear from anyone who has purchased from this company…any thoughts?
Have you heard of the acronym “NWTS”? This stands for “new with tags” or simply put…having the original retail price tags still attached. If you are an eBay seller or own a clothing store you can buy this apparel at rock-bottom liquidation pricing. How easy would it be to resale an item for $20 that still had the original retail tags still attached reading $134? How do you make a profit selling an item at $20? Buy that item in a liquidation pallet for $2-$2.50! Sometimes even lower!
Did you know that you can buy apparel in mixed assorted pallets filled with jeans, T-Shirts, blouses, dresses, evening dresses, sweaters, slacks, business wear, casual pants, skirts, cardigans, pajamas, camisoles, sweaters, sheer sweaters, jackets, coats and more way below the original wholesale pricing!
I am talking about big name brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, Union Bay, Mudd Jeans, Levis, Liz Claiborne, Columbia, L.E.I, BCBG, XOXO, Charter Club, My Michelle, Alfred Dunner, AGB, Say What, Guess and hundreds of other well-known brands.
You can buy this liquidation apparel, also known as shelf pulls, from wholesale liquidators. A liquidator is a company that buys truckloads of merchandise and resells in smaller lots and/or pallets to eBay sellers, flea market vendors and retail store owners.
Here are a few Liquidators who sell this apparel in small lots:
Amlinc.com Allprimeproducts.com Dlmoffprice.com
“A picture is worth a thousand words” is not just cheap talk, but smart thinking when it comes to taking pictures that will sell your eBay items. Taking quality photos for your auction items can either make or break your sale. Very little in the way of description is needed when you take a good picture, as the product will sell itself. The key to taking good quality pictures is focus. Focus on the item at hand. Blurry, distant photos are impossible to see and customers want to see what they are getting before spending their money. Due to the recent fall in economy people are trying to stretch their dollars. They are not making purchases unless they can clearly see what they are getting and if it is worth their money. They are looking for bargains.
You will want to have a clear, uncluttered background for your picture. The idea is to focus in on the item itself and not everything around it. Try to get a shot of your item as close up as you can without being too extreme. You will also want to have adequate lighting. If shooting a picture in the daytime, make sure that the light is behind you. You can take your picture near the window if you would like, but a filtered area, such as in front of sheer curtain or near it is best. It is best to use a digital camera if at all possible to shoot your pictures. Digital cameras are quick and easy, being able to download them on your computer. It is a great convenience. Cell phone cameras are a great invention and the convenience is incredible, but they do not always give the clearest of pictures. They will, however, suffice in a pinch.
Enhance your pictures today and make them clear and undeniably appealing to the buyer by using the right camera and the right techniques. Clear pictures will put you in the driver’s seat when it comes to being a top-notch seller as an eBay auctioneer. Load up your great pictures along with a detailed item description to make it clear about the item your customers are bidding on. Your success as an eBay seller is in the effort that you put into it.
As a new seller on Ebay the easiest and most preferred method of payment is through PayPal. If you are planning to do a lot of Ebaying you will want to set up an account on there. Setting up a PayPal account is both quick and easy. All you need to do is go to www.paypal.com and select the “Getting started” option. This section will give you answers to the most basic questions for signing up regarding verification and what it means, countries that PayPal is accepted in, the required information for opening a PayPal account, time zone, their security features and more.
On the left hand side of the page under “Getting started” you will see additional categories that will give you all of the details on fees, account types, sending and receiving money through PayPal, and PayPal’s usage policy on what is acceptable and what is not. Continuing on down the left hand side of the page are other categories as well that will completely outline and answer many other questions pertaining to bank cards, credit cards, account viewing, resolving account issues, filing disputes and claims, PayPal with Ebay linking, products, features, and merchant services.
There are three types of accounts to get you going on PayPal. For beginners, a personal account is fine and best of all, FREE! Once you plan to make this a business you will want to upgrade to a premier or even a business account. The fee is reasonable for either of these accounts and will not empty your wallet. Seller’s fees for all accounts are also a bargain and well worth it for fast and ready payment and convenience purposes. PayPal even has its own special section for its Ebay users.
PayPal a secure and safe method of payment and their customer service is top notch. They are readily available by e-mail or telephone whenever you need them. Sign up for a PayPal account today and begin selling your items on your Ebay auction account. The fastest, easiest, payment choice on the internet is hands down, Paypal!
Think back to your childhood. Do you remember your first business adventure of setting up your own lemonade stand? You would sell cups of lemonade for only cents, and life was good. Life was good up until that kid set up another lemonade stand right across the street from yours and stole your thunder, right? Unfortunately, that kid is back on the block. However, in this situation, the block is located on eBay. In order to prevent these types of kids from earning all the sales, you need to learn how to compete effectively.
Remember selling your lemonade for twenty five cents, only to realize that the other stand sold their lemonade for ten cents? Competitive prices can make all the difference in selling merchandise. Depending on what you are selling, you should search eBay for the same or similar products. Determine the average price for your product, among fellow eBay sellers. You will want to price your product in this bracket, or slightly below if you do not have much money invested in the item you are planning to sell.
Furthermore, the attractive signs advertising for the other lemonade stands really caught the attention of people. The same method works on eBay. Advertising for your eBay store or items is important. Make your existence known on eBay. This will result in an increase of traffic to your eBay store, which increases your chances of gaining sales. Advertise on the internet, such as social networking websites. You can also promote your eBay items or store in your community or through word of mouth. Advertise and promote your eBay store as much as possible through numerous methods.
Another way to direct prospective buyers to your eBay items is to list keywords for each item throughout the listing and the description. These keywords allow your item to be shown when a buyer searches that term on eBay. Make sure your keywords are relevant to your item and utilize the full amount allotted by eBay.
So when selling items on eBay, it is important to remember that an online business is still a business and requires good customer service. Good customer service is the reason all of those power sellers became power sellers. They’ve acquired their positive feedback for several reasons. Among these reasons may be things like prices, fast shipping, reliability, quick to answer questions and concerns, or the diversity of products they sell. Accumulating positive feedback is always a positive gain for your eBay business.
