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versus a top rated seller
 

I've found a niche that id like to enter and have found a top rated seller within it. He must be making a fortune!

My plan is to see what items he is selling an then to find them and list them myself. My question is is this a losing battle because they are already a top rated seller?

Am i correct in thinking my sales are gonna be terribly slow to begin with?

How long would it take to become a top rated seller and how many sales etc to reach it?

Not enough specific info e.g. sale price etc and too many variables to take in to account to even guess an answer to any of your questions.

Having said that if there is only one other seller then it won't be too difficult to compete with them. Just hope that they are not the vindictive type though.

Would be quite the coincidence if that seller was noneOther

their is many sellers selling the same items. but this guy is my goal! ha

Can you offer the service they can?

Can you possibly buy the product at the best price you can and it wouldn't matter if you are undercut by other sellers that you mentioned?

If you can - go for it buddy.

Will your price be lower then the top rated seller or higher?

It all depends the price the quality of the item and of course description etc

You never know :pound:

But I'm not the vindictive type :smash:

Just be careful he/she dont realists that you are copying everything (stealing their ideas) from them and taking hes sales,making them loose money.

Why not find your own niche?

We all know how to sell...problem is with the restricted and limited accounts

Also depends on if its in the catalog. I sell items all day at higher price then those selling same thing that are not top rated... If I sell same item on account that is not top rated it takes 5x longer to sell. Yes I believe TR PS makes a huge difference.

What size body armour do you want? :amen:

Avoid being too naive with this idea :pound:

Would you really call it copying if the items are sold by many ppl on ebay and can be found by suppliers easily? Can they have my account restricted?

Also is it really possible to find my own niche? I'd imagine this is very unlikely these days.

I'm getting the impression that some of you guys think this is a bad idea. If selling branded goods is a bad idea and selling unbraded goods that is being sold on ebay already what am i supposed to do?

What you are supposed to do is search, look, investigate and ask the questions just like you are doing. :juggle:

Others have asked similar questions.

You say you have seen a specific item. Good.

Make it your business to know everything about that item.

Dont be swayed by what a power seller is doing but be guided.

Cost the item
Determine the profit(s)
Accesibiity and supply of item.
Does that item fit in with ebay rules ad worse paypal rules.

That's your mission.

Ask yourself can this item be my money making friend?

Appraise everything

(soz for spelling.washed my keyboard in coffee) :peace:

thanks GB.

ive been looking at these items just minutes ago. i see that the top rated sellers are selling at a fast rate as can be expected but the not top rated sellers are struggling to sell at that speed. looks like top rated selling is almost a must

There are many variables which determine how well an item will sell with TRS being only one of them.

It of course gives you a better placing in the best match system but this is also determined by the type of selling format and rate of sale, only e/b know exactly how it works.

To compete with an established TRS will take time and considerable effort in establishing a solid account that has the ability to do so. It won't happen in a few weeks and will probably take months to get even close.

As GB wisely says you need to learn why TRS's are successful and try to find something that is different that you can incorporate into your business model that will be your USP (unique selling point)

Emulating what they do will not work for you and will only p**s them off.

The secret is to do it better than they are.

that's why i thought you are copying ONE seller, what's work for other people doesn't mean will work for you.

what you need to become power seller?

100 transaction(12 months)
£2000 sales (12 months)
3 months on ebay
business account
and good TSR

ITS VERY EASY to become a power seller.

Yes it is but the hard part is becoming and remaining a TRS.

Success brings it's own problems and as we all know e/b buyers are fickle and have higher expectations from a TRS and are more than ready to knock you if the reality of your service falls short.

You can go from hero to zero very, very quickly as a TRS as many on here will testify.

IMO it's not all that being a TRS. I would rather have three accounts doing the same business as one TRS account.

Eggs/basket etc.............

Lot of folx around here do.

Myself? I could not rely entired on eb or az - can't rely on things for which I am not in full control.

yeah thats the best way to be. once i get my established selling on ebay with unbranded goods i will create a website and promote that.

Exactly - once you get it going, you cut out the middlemen and their hands in your pockets and up other holes in you.

I say take on the big players, If you feel your product is equal to theirs then take them on. There is no reason why you can't sell your item for same or less of your competition. I know were all suppose to tread with care but sometimes you gotta take that risk.

have you got your own site? if so do you make many sales from it? and did it take a while to see some sales come your way etc?

When you guys create the website. Do you continue to sell on eBay and just put a link to your site in the item description?

A carefully done HTML link is needed. :spy:

can you please tell us a bit more?

HTML link in the item description page?or about me page?

I'm going to bite the bullet and make this legit order tomorrow evening hopefully. I am going to buy 100 pieces but i need to decide how many different items to buy within that 100.

For the experienced sellers on here. If you was about to dip your toe into a niche how many different models would you start with to begin with? Would you start with 1 or 2 items or cast your net further?

I suppose it doesnt make much difference either way i am just wondering :)

It would depend on the actual product and what my research had shown to be the best seller/most popular in the range. Not something I would take pot luck with really.