hot item or good profit

austyn12x · #1 10-23-2015

whitch one is better? A hot item or just good profit? All i can find are items not too popular that will make a decent profit , all other ones make around 2$ profit. I dont know what im doing wrong im failing so bad.

Callidus · #2 10-23-2015

Hot items usually due to quantity BUT I always say, the less work for the same amount of money is usually a winner as you have more time to expand / diversify.

austyn12x · #3 10-23-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Callidus

Hot items usually due to quantity BUT I always say, the less work for the same amount of money is usually a winner as you have more time to expand / diversify.

thats true but i have tried not hot items before and a lot don't sell, whats a good way to tell if it will sell or not? I honestly wish i could have a good profit like a lot of people on here instead of making a small profit for awhile then the scammers come in with stolen stuff and the price drops.

yankee · #4 10-23-2015

I like both.

I suggest looking for products you are naturally interested in and go from there.

jeffweico · #5 10-23-2015

A great research tool is Terapeak. It will tell you how many of an item have sold in the last 30, 60, 90, etc. days and for what price.

The hotter the item, the more competition. The more competition, the lower the profit margin. Everybody and his brother has convinced themselves that there is a magical source of real iPhones for $100 somewhere out there that they can turn around and sell for $600. But that does not actually exist.

You have to find a niche. A product that sells, but is not so hot that everybody wants in on it. Once you find it, you probably have a couple of months before others start moving in on it. You cannot avoid that, eBay is the most competitive marketplace in the world.

And I have noticed that some people have unrealistic profit expectations. They think in terms of doubling or tripling their money. But that is only possible if you own the product and can control distribution, or if you are selling counterfeits. In retail, a 30% profit margin is considered excellent. A 60% profit margin is unheard of. You MIGHT get to 60% with some good closeouts if you can write a really good listing.

Many years ago, I bought an IBM product called Voice Pilot. It was an early voice recognition program. It wasn't the best, but a lot of people were fascinated by it. So, I bought 400 of them at $4 or $5 each and ended up selling them for $30 - $40 each. Their box looked cool, so that helped and then I created the title "You Talk, IT TYPES! - L@@K!" and they flew out the door. Of course, others started looking for these as well. I bought as many as I could and by the end, they were selling for maybe $15.

Monkey see, monkey do. There is no way to avoid it.

austyn12x · #6 10-23-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffweico

A great research tool is Terapeak. It will tell you how many of an item have sold in the last 30, 60, 90, etc. days and for what price.

The hotter the item, the more competition. The more competition, the lower the profit margin. Everybody and his brother has convinced themselves that there is a magical source of real iPhones for $100 somewhere out there that they can turn around and sell for $600. But that does not actually exist.

You have to find a niche. A product that sells, but is not so hot that everybody wants in on it. Once you find it, you probably have a couple of months before others start moving in on it. You cannot avoid that, eBay is the most competitive marketplace in the world.

And I have noticed that some people have unrealistic profit expectations. They think in terms of doubling or tripling their money. But that is only possible if you own the product and can control distribution, or if you are selling counterfeits. In retail, a 30% profit margin is considered excellent. A 60% profit margin is unheard of. You MIGHT get to 60% with some good closeouts if you can write a really good listing.

Many years ago, I bought an IBM product called Voice Pilot. It was an early voice recognition program. It wasn't the best, but a lot of people were fascinated by it. So, I bought 400 of them at $4 or $5 each and ended up selling them for $30 - $40 each. Their box looked cool, so that helped and then I created the title "You Talk, IT TYPES! - L@@K!" and they flew out the door. Of course, others started looking for these as well. I bought as many as I could and by the end, they were selling for maybe $15.

Monkey see, monkey do. There is no way to avoid it.

lol yeah people are newbies and mess up, alot of people here did that thinking it was real and not stolen.

ill try terapeak it looks good, i believe i used it then forgot about it a few months ago to be honest.

15$ is still not a bad profit but nice i need to find a product like that

you got aged accounts by the way?

austyn12x · #7 10-23-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffweico

A great research tool is Terapeak. It will tell you how many of an item have sold in the last 30, 60, 90, etc. days and for what price.

The hotter the item, the more competition. The more competition, the lower the profit margin. Everybody and his brother has convinced themselves that there is a magical source of real iPhones for $100 somewhere out there that they can turn around and sell for $600. But that does not actually exist.

You have to find a niche. A product that sells, but is not so hot that everybody wants in on it. Once you find it, you probably have a couple of months before others start moving in on it. You cannot avoid that, eBay is the most competitive marketplace in the world.

And I have noticed that some people have unrealistic profit expectations. They think in terms of doubling or tripling their money. But that is only possible if you own the product and can control distribution, or if you are selling counterfeits. In retail, a 30% profit margin is considered excellent. A 60% profit margin is unheard of. You MIGHT get to 60% with some good closeouts if you can write a really good listing.

Many years ago, I bought an IBM product called Voice Pilot. It was an early voice recognition program. It wasn't the best, but a lot of people were fascinated by it. So, I bought 400 of them at $4 or $5 each and ended up selling them for $30 - $40 each. Their box looked cool, so that helped and then I created the title "You Talk, IT TYPES! - L@@K!" and they flew out the door. Of course, others started looking for these as well. I bought as many as I could and by the end, they were selling for maybe $15.

Monkey see, monkey do. There is no way to avoid it.

so if i say something like "look at this amazing product , you should buy it " obviously way better than that i could charge more for the same product that someone who just copy and pasted the description?

austyn12x · #8 10-23-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by yankee

I like both.

I suggest looking for products you are naturally interested in and go from there.

im looking into that right now

i hope i can find something i really want to make this my home job i really love doing it.

newjerseymax · #9 10-23-2015

Yes both as it will drive traffic to your other items. A "loss leader" is used even by Amazon. Even though they surprisingly made profit in 3qtr they almost always rely on 4qtr for profit. Read up on it its the truth. Its the long term strategy

jjohnson777 · #10 10-23-2015

I doing loss leader this month plus making it myself this month looks like I make more as selling more. I never thought that would happened I was ok having bad month during my sale. I even giving away samples and thats getting me people who later buy alot more. Now I know why stores have samples.

austyn12x · #11 10-24-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by newjerseymax

Yes both as it will drive traffic to your other items. A "loss leader" is used even by Amazon. Even though they surprisingly made profit in 3qtr they almost always rely on 4qtr for profit. Read up on it its the truth. Its the long term strategy

True amazon does have a lot of random stuff but of course the hot items.

austyn12x · #12 10-24-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjohnson777

I doing loss leader this month plus making it myself this month looks like I make more as selling more. I never thought that would happened I was ok having bad month during my sale. I even giving away samples and thats getting me people who later buy alot more. Now I know why stores have samples.

Makes since, thanks for the reply I'll list it seems that a mix is best.

epimetheus039 · #13 10-24-2015

Terapeak.com is your tool for these questions. This is the blueprint of what sells, when it sells and for how much. There will be nothing that can beat it, you just need to adapt your needs when you are searching within that tool and with experience you will understand how this is done. Also they post some videos on how to utilize their tools to the maximum.

hAve · #14 10-24-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffweico

...

100% True, once you find your niche you can enjoy it for 1-2 months, after this period there will be plenty of *******s not only trying to copy your idea but also stealing your listing (style,text,photos)...Have experienced this myself however they cannot beat me on my experience in my niche and it still gives me around $2k a month profit/income.

have got experience in visiting local department stores and looking for some cheap shoe racks or coffee tables, putting enough to make £10 on it after shipping with eBay postage labels which gives great discount on ParcelForce (UK) labels. - Was a nice experience through until you get better understanding and find a better niche.

ebaypdllc · #15 11-03-2015

I've been in the eBay/ecommerce business since I was 14 years old. I am now 31...

If you truly want to make a full time living using ebay you need to find a niche, and manufacture the products yourself....And once you figure out that niche or method you hold onto the secret and never tell anyone.

I work from home in my basement and earn about $300,000 a year income by myself, no employees. Products I make cost around $5.00 and I resell for $100 or so. Some products cost $100 to make that I sell for $700-900 each.

I also work my ass off and I am super motivated by money. It's 3:20 am right now and i've been working all day pretty much. But I like sleeping in til 1pm

ItzakJano · #16 11-03-2015

I think it depends on your account purpose.
If you are in the beggining of the account trying to raise your limits, offcourse you'll need the sales ammount.
If you are stable good account, Just trying to make money, i'd prefer the other side

GunBirz · #17 11-03-2015

Both, but for now x-mas is coming better is to search for something unique and hand made, so more profit...

james13v · #18 11-03-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffweico

And I have noticed that some people have unrealistic profit expectations. They think in terms of doubling or tripling their money. But that is only possible if you own the product and can control distribution, or if you are selling counterfeits. In retail, a 30% profit margin is considered excellent. A 60% profit margin is unheard of. You MIGHT get to 60% with some good closeouts if you can write a really good listing.

Then call me weird. I wouldn't touch something if it didn't have AT LEAST 60% profit. And even 60%, I would be reluctant about. I aim for 100% and have hit 1000%. Then again, I have experience that a lot of others don't.

luckoftheirish93 · #19 11-03-2015

no real "hot items" left anymore, there seems to be loads of people selling everything now, 2 dollars profit is ok on each item as long as you sell loads

dealagreeproceed · #20 11-03-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by luckoftheirish93

no real "hot items" left anymore, there seems to be loads of people selling everything now, 2 dollars profit is ok on each item as long as you sell loads

ebaypdllc · #21 11-03-2015

I agree, there is gold mines out there...

I'll give you one freebie, free of charge on the house...

Fantasy football/baseball/hockey/nba trophies.

You can buy these for under $35.00 from a wholesaler in china or have them manufactured exclusively for yourself for about $5.00 a piece. They sell anywhere from 89.99 to 149.99

And you'll sell 10+ a day.

I couldn't even imagine trying to make $2 profit on an item. For that, kinda money, i'd rather go get job at walmart. It's insulting to professional ecommerce guys.

GunBirz · #22 11-03-2015

Worth to think about your idea. Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebaypdllc

I agree, there is gold mines out there...

I'll give you one freebie, free of charge on the house...

Fantasy football/baseball/hockey/nba trophies.

You can buy these for under $35.00 from a wholesaler in china or have them manufactured exclusively for yourself for about $5.00 a piece. They sell anywhere from 89.99 to 149.99

And you'll sell 10+ a day.

I couldn't even imagine trying to make $2 profit on an item. For that, kinda money, i'd rather go get job at walmart. It's insulting to professional ecommerce guys.