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New ideas for a UK/Europe market?
 

I do understand that most people would not give us the golden goose, but are there any ideas that you haven't progressed with for one reason or another that you don't mind sharing?

Ideally for me it would need minimum investment, 1-2k max, and as I only live in a small apartment, would prefer something small, and also 1kg max as well, so it fits nicely within UK small parcels rate. Pricewise, would prefer to deal in items, between £20 and £100. Gone are the days where I didn't mind posting 100 items a day, now I'm getting too old for that lol.......

Most other times I've been looking around I have always found something, but this time I am really struggling......

Just FYI, sourcing products is not a problem with us as I have some great European/Asian contacts, it is more ideas I'm after......

Re: New ideas for a UK/Europe market?
 

This is asked time and time again on the forum (search function...)

People are not going to tell you which products to invest in and sell - why would they create competition for themselves.

Start on Alibaba is my advice, I spend days and days researching products. If you can't source products to sell, you are not cut out for this online trading IMO.

Re: New ideas for a UK/Europe market?
 

Try to find something you are comfortable with.... something you know and you can promote and sell well.

Re: New ideas for a UK/Europe market?
 

You mention being older and I too am a "senior" lady so mine is a lifestyle business rather than one where I want to make a million. Being "older" you will have some experiences to fall back upon.

I would choose an area in which you have a natural or existing interest as one of the previous posters suggested. The vintage items I trade in I already had an interest in the area as a collector so I had a pile of reference books on them. Then I inherited a huge collection of them. I have branched into other areas but they are associated with my main interest and also with my interests in travel and culture.

I always find that when someone talks about the items they trade in you can tell if they have a genuine passion for it rather than just regarding it as a a source of income.

Certainly in terms of vintage there are items which are easily available here in UK which sell well (and for higher prices) in various parts of Europe and vice versa. You just need to pick your area and do the research.

Re: New ideas for a UK/Europe market?
 

For most people it takes years and years of trial and failure. I am in my mid 20's now. I remember when early on when I started on eBay about 17-18. I got scammed for $800. Today that would be a horrible loss. But at the time it was absolutely devastating. Like I lost all the money I had in the world.

If you want to be successful in life you have to do your own work. Make your own connections and deal with the failures and successes. I am 100% sure everyone one here has gotten punched in the face by eBay/PayPal. Most the highly active and senior members are here to help give you advice on how to handle eBay and what to look out for. We all extend the knowledge and share our experiences.

But why in the world would anyone just give you their golden goose? It takes years to establish these connections. Sometimes you have to pay royalties, you have make lump sum payments just have a contact get you in the room with them.

I have no clue what world you live in where people just tell you how to make money and find products and become successful. If life was that easy everyone would do it.

Re: New ideas for a UK/Europe market?
 

While the above remarks are completely true I have to acknowledge that when I began in dealing there were older and more experienced merchants who helped me out. Not by telling me where to get items or what to trade in. I already knew that. But they helped me out with advice relevent to my specialism - like how to test and identify various materials and pitfalls to watch out for. The British antiques trade is like that.

Even if dealers are competitors they like to keep relationships civil. You never know when you may have the opportunity to buy stuff that may not be your exact field but you can turn a quick profit by selling it on to another dealer. This happens all the time in auctions when you buy mixed lots where you may get stuck with items that you dont want or need. So if Fred Smith trades in them you may contact him and give him first refusal. By the same token, Fred may get back to you if he gets hold of some of the widgets you trade in.

This is how you build up a network of contacts which are like gold dust in the trade.

Re: New ideas for a UK/Europe market?
 

Experienced and trusted sellers are key

Re: New ideas for a UK/Europe market?
 

ok hands up I dont sell on ebay at the moment, too many pitfalls over the years and I find the web easier plus facebook marketing

One constant source of great profits year after year was the champions league final shirts, I sourced them for about 40GBP and best prices I was getting was 140 GBP at the time of the final.

Last couple of years the German market has been huge and they spend well over 100 euro a shirt so each unit can make a good profit