Mom Works at Home

Selling On Ebay

I took the leap and started selling on ebay and have sold a few things. I can already see that you have to have a really unique item to sell to get any bids. There are a lot of sellers on ebay and you have a ton of competition. One good way to do good is to charge actual shipping. There are so many sellers on ebay that charge way too much for shipping. Like , $30.00 for shipping a handbag!! Come on! I also noticed that there are a ton of sellers on ebay who are saturating ebay with a ton of cheap items that are worth nothing. I am just trying to clean out of storage and maybe make some extra money. You could make some really good money on ebay if you treated it like a full time job. You have to have a great camera too. I have had a couple of things listed that did not sell and I know that it is because of the pictures. I just do not have a good camera right now and will relist the items when I can take better pictures.
If you have the time and patience than ebay might be a good home based business for you. I am just doing it part-time right now and hope to do it full-time soon.

Share This

Busy Bee At Home

I have been so busy!! I have been doing some sewing for myself for a change!! You can see some of the things that I have been sewing recently on Cloth Diapers Blog and I have been getting stuff ready to join this great direct selling party plan called FLIP — You can make a ton of money with this home / catalog party plan. It has a very low start up cost and is full of the best adult toys on the market. You will have no problem selling this stuff. It will sell itself. Go to Fun Lovin Parties for more information about this fun way to make money!! It is adult toys and such. I really like the different ways that you can make money with this. They even drop ship so I can sell on ebay to make even more money!!

Share This

Selling On Ebay

I took the leap and started selling on ebay and have sold a few things. I can already see that you have to have a really unique item to sell to get any bids. There are a lot of sellers on ebay and you have a ton of competition. One good way to do good is to charge actual shipping. There are so many sellers on ebay that charge way too much for shipping. Like , $30.00 for shipping a handbag!! Come on! I also noticed that there are a ton of sellers on ebay who are saturating ebay with a ton of cheap items that are worth nothing. I am just trying to clean out of storage and maybe make some extra money. You could make some really good money on ebay if you treated it like a full time job. You have to have a great camera too. I have had a couple of things listed that did not sell and I know that it is because of the pictures. I just do not have a good camera right now and will relist the items when I can take better pictures.
If you have the time and patience than ebay might be a good home based business for you. I am just doing it part-time right now and hope to do it full-time soon.

Share This

Online Sales Success With eBay

To get online sales you need to increase your traffic to your site or auctions.
You HAVE to create a personal page or about me page. Let your potential customers get to know you. They will feel more comfortable buying from you if they feel that they have connected with you. If they contact you , respond very quickly!! No matter the question reply to it.
If you are on ebay - charge the lowest shipping you can get away with. Bidders are smart and they know what shipping costs. You will turn them off right away if they see a huge amount being charged for shipping.
Include as much detail about an item as you can! The more the better. Always include every little detail. Use high quality photos of the item from different angles and show every detail.
Promote your link to your site or auctions everywhere. Use it as your signature in your email. Have business cards printed up.
Explain all of your policies up front. Make sure your return and or refund policy is easy to read and find.
If you make your customers feel comfortable than they will feel better about buying from you. You are basically building a relationship with them and if they feel cared for and well taken care of they will most likely return or at least spread the word about how great of a seller you are.

Share This

Boost Your Home Based Ebay Business

Some sell on eBay to clean out their garage or attic. Some sell to make a little extra money here and there. But for some, eBay represents a chance to create a second income or start a home business. Product choice is important. But to really increase profit you must know how to increase the number and amount of bids per item. An eBay seller must maximize each product’s profit margin. This article describes techniques to make as much profit as possible.

1. Sell like products at the same time. Bidders look to see what else you have for sale they might be interested in. Combined shipping saves postage for the buyer. Packing in the same box saves time and packing costs for the seller.

2. Bundle a less desirable item with a more desirable item increases sales. This is an old offline auction technique. If the bidder wants the better item he has to buy both. If two sellers offer the same item, the buyer bids on the two item auction. Bundling two low cost items together also increases bids. A buyer may not be willing to pay shipping for one item, but would for two.

3. Remember seasonal issues. Don’t sell snow skis in July, water skis in January. Be sure to offer seasonal items early enough to allow for shipping. Don’t expect to sell many Christmas items that must be shipped during the second week of December.

4. Understand profit margins. Don’t buy to resell for only a $5 profit when you can make $20 on a different item. Determine your desired monthly income and choose products appropriately. Want to make 1000 a month? That is $250 a week. That’s ten successful actions at $25.00 profit, or five items at $200 a month, or ten items at $100 each. Also packing 10 items takes less time than packing 20 items. Always consider time as a cost.

5. Don’t forget back end sales and secondary products. Offer similar products during the payment process or on your auction store/web site. If you sell underground fences for dogs, an up-sell item is a customized collar. A secondary product could be a pet door. Another secondary product could be a ebook on “Travel Safely With Your Pet”. A back-end sale to the ebook could be a item that helps your family travel safely with your pet.

6. The List - For many successful online sellers the mailing list is where their money is made. Using a autoresponder, sellers automatically email customers on their list at regular intervals. Including content with announcements of upcoming sales increases back end sales. Once a customer buys, they are more likely to buy again from same person or company.

7. Customer demographics should be considered. Collectors have expectations non-collectors don’t. Example, some book buyers that are allergic like to see “book from non-smoking home” in ad. This would earn you a higher bid. What does the customer expect to see in a description?

8. Auction terms and conditions should be included with each auction. What shipping options are available? Do you take questions? Do you ship only certain days? What kind of payments do you take? Type whatever standard terms you offer in a word processor and cut and paste into your auctions. This saves time. For some sellers, typing the content for each auction is one of the most time consuming tasks.

Profit involves keeping costs reasonably low and creating higher bids. We’ve described some techniques for increasing profit. Sit down and mentally run through the process of auction selling and come up with some of your own ideas. EBay is a great business opportunity but like any business, sellers must be wise in their product choice and sales techniques.

Share This

Toys Made in The USA - Work at Home Idea!

With all of the recent toy recalls ,it got me to thinking about finding toys for my son that are made in the USA. If you have looked for any yourself ,then you know how expensive they can be. So then of course my entrepreneurial mind started scheming and thinking that this would be a great idea for a home based business.
You could make your own wooden toys and than sell them. You could sell them at craft fairs, flea markets, ebay, on your website, in consignment shops, or wherever else that you can think of.
This would be a great business to start now with Christmas just around the corner. There are a ton of different sites that have free patterns that you can get to use. If you already have the tools than you will not have to spend hardly any money to start this.

Here are a few free pattern links for you to get you started:

Free wooden toy patterns

Free wooden patterns for all kinds of wood projects like dollhouses, benches, doghouses, birdhouses, puzzles, and more

Free woodworking projects

Free woodworking patterns

You can start out with the free patterns that you find online and then eventually you can buy more elaborate toy patterns to use. So hurry up to your work shop and get to creating some awesome toys for someone to give their child for Christmas.

Share This

Start An Ebay Consignment Business - Some Rules

EBay Consignment Business 10 Practical Rules

You can start your own eBay Consignment Business and earn a great living selling other peoples unwanted items. This is one of the easiest, lo-cost ways to start your own business on the internet.

A few simple rules to follow are:

Have a contract - This would list the items you are selling, the fees you charge your client, whether they pay a flat fee or percentage of selling price of the items or a combination of the two, etc
Take possession of items - Under no circumstances should you allow the client to keep the items that you are selling for them. They may decide they don%u2019t want to sell them for the successful bid price or may just change their mind about selling the item.
Promote your services using brochures, flyers, business cards, etc
Have adequate storage space for the items so they don%u2019t get damaged, lost or stolen.
Insure the items you are holding for the client.
Specialize in selling a particular type of item, eg. I sell antiques and collectibles specializing in rare and collectible books.
Don%u2019t waste your time handling junk - Many people will want you to sell all of their cheap items. Don%u2019t waste your time. Set a minimum value for items you will handle. It takes as long to list a ten dollar item as it does to list a one hundred dollar item.
Give your client a reasonable estimate of what their items will sell for. You can check on eBay and see what similar items have sold for in the past. Don%u2019t tell them you can sell something for $100 when you know this item has never sold for more than $25.00.
Protect your reputation in dealing with your client and your eBay customers. The success of your business will depend on your reputation.
Have fun. It is very important that you enjoy what you do or you will not succeed and will tire of it quickly.

Follow these simple rules and your eBay consignment business will be enjoyable and successful. Happy eBaying!

Visit http://runningaprofitableebaybusiness.blogspot.com for more great articles on operating your own profitable eBay business.

Share This

12 Ways To Make Money With Niches

A Niche is something that sets your business apart from others. To compete with others ,especially online, you need to create a unique niche.
Here are 12 ideas for creating niches~~

1. Your niche could be that you offer free shipping. To begin it might seem like you are not making any money this way ,but you will soon see that you have alot of repeat customers and new ones coming in everyday.

2. Your niche could be that your prices are always the lowest. Check out your competition and then always be a few cents lower.

3. Your niche could be that your products achieve results faster than others.

4. Your niche could be that you have been in business for a longer time. This gives you more credibility and your customers will trust you more.

5. Your niche could be that your item taste, smells,looks or feels better. This is really important if you are in a food business.

6. Your niche could be that your item is smaller and is lighter. People going on trips would like to take your item because it is easy to pack and tote.

7. Your niche could be that your business or product has won awards! Make sure you tell others about it and place it on your webpage.

8. Your niche could be that your item will last longer and is better made.

9. Your niche could be that your product is easier to use or your webpage is easier to use and quicker.

10. Your niche could be your products safety features.

11. Your niche could be that your product is hand made.

12. Your niche could be that you stand behind your products and offer guarantees, warranties, and / or free replacements.

Share This

Online Sales Success

To get online sales you need to increase your traffic to your site or auctions.
You HAVE to create a personal page or about me page. Let your potential customers get to know you. They will feel more comfortable buying from you if they feel that they have connected with you. If they contact you , respond very quickly!! No matter the question reply to it.
If you are on ebay - charge the lowest shipping you can get away with. Bidders are smart and they know what shipping costs. You will turn them off right away if they see a huge amount being charged for shipping.
Include as much detail about an item as you can! The more the better. Always include every little detail. Use high quality photos of the item from different angles and show every detail.
Promote your link to your site or auctions everywhere. Use it as your signature in your email. Have business cards printed up.
Explain all of your policies up front. Make sure your return and or refund policy is easy to read and find.
If you make your customers feel comfortable than they will feel better about buying from you. You are basically building a relationship with them and if they feel cared for and well taken care of they will most likely return or at least spread the word about how great of a seller you are.

Share This

Make Money With Gift Baskets

Gift baskets are a great way to make a personal gift for family or friends. This article includes many ideas of containers and themes to help you get started on a gift basket for everyone on your list. Gift baskets can be a lot of fun for you and the recipient and don’t have to cost a lot of money.

The Recipient

The first thing to consider is who you are giving the basket to:

- What do they like?
- What are their hobbies?
- What do they need?
- What do they like to eat?

Containers

The container or “basket” doesn’t have to be expensive. Pick a theme (some are listed below) and find a container that goes with the theme that can hold some items or have items attached to it. You want the container and the items to go together and for everything to be usable and practical. (This is not to say that a few fun things can’t be thrown in too.) Below are some of my ideas for containers but there certainly are many more possibilities.

- Baskets of all shapes and sizes
- Bowls
- Flower pots
- Watering can
- Fishing creel
- Canvas bag
- Day pack
- Waste basket
- Bucket - ice, plastic or garden
- Colander
- Plastic container
- Storage box
- Platter
- Tin

Ideas for Themes

The items that go within the gift basket should be tied together by a common theme. The themes below are gift basket recipes that can be modified to fit your needs or to get you started on developing your own themed gift basket.

College Student Gift Basket

Use a basket or usable container
- Pens and Pencils
- Printer paper and supplies
- Mouse pad
- Washcloth and hand towel
- Yummy healthy snacks
- Phone Card
- Gift certificate for a CD
- Nail Clippers
- Book light

Bath Gift Basket

Use a nice basket
- Gel eye-pack
- Epsom salts or bubble bath
- Aroma therapy oils
- Scented candles and holders
- Pumice stone
- Washcloths, scrubber or loofa sponge
- Back cleaning brush
- Relaxing music on CD or cassette
- Rubber ducky

Kids Coloring Gift Basket

Use a rubber/plastic storage box
- Assorted papers, coloring books
- Crayons or colored pencils
- Nontoxic markers
- Assorted stickers
- Paint box and brushes
- Safe scissors

Photographer’s Gift Basket

Use a basket or a camera bag
- Film
- Coupons for picture developing
- Camera Filters
- Lens cleaner
- Lens cloth
- Photo print paper
- Picture frame and matte
- Picture Album

Letter Writer’s Gift Basket

Use a square basket or plastic box
- Note paper or cards
- Envelopes (choose a variety of sizes)
- Letter opener
- Pen or pencil
- Personalized seal
- Sealing wax
- Return address labels
- Rubber stamps to decorate envelopes
- Stamps

Crafters Gift Basket

Use a rubber storage container
- Glue gun and glue sticks
- Acrylic paints
- Assorted brushes
- Craft knife
- Craft supplies (this will depend on the craft they do.)
- Craft patterns or how-to books
- Craft papers
- Scissors

Pasta Lover Gift Basket

Use a colander or bowl
- Package of gourmet pasta
- Tongs or pasta grabber
- Package of sun-dried tomatoes
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Fancy olives
- Spices: oregano, basil, garlic powder
- Collection of your favorite pasta recipes hand-printed on recipe cards
- Pasta cookbook
- Jar of gourmet sauce

Gardener’s Gift Basket

Use a clay plant pot, bucket or watering can
- Gardening gloves
- Hand tools
- Vegetable, flower seeds
- Liquid fertilizer
- Kneeling pad
- Gardening book
- Subscription for a gardening magazine
- Plant markers
- Heavy Duty Hand Lotion

Cat Lover Gift Basket

Use a cat bowl or pet bed
- Catnip Mouse or other cat toy
- Hair ball paste
- Cat treats
- Cat Brush
- Scratching post
- Gourmet cat food

Dog Lover Gift Basket

Use a dog bowl or pet bed
- Rawhide bone
- Dog biscuits
- Squeaky toy
- Dog shampoo
- Brush
- Collar and/or leash

Dogs come in all sizes so make sure you are buying for the right size dog. Also if it is for a puppy, chewy stuff is the best.

New Home Owner Gift Basket

Use a tool box or tool tray
- Screw drivers - Slot and Phillips
- Wrench, Pliers or Vice Grip Pliers
- Hammer
- Assorted nails, tacks, screws, washers
- Gift certificate for the local hardware store
- Do-it-yourself Home Repair book
- Other assorted odds and ends like:
- super glue
- light switch covers
- light bulbs
- duct tape
- paint brushes
- knobs and handles

Guitar Player’s Gift Basket

Use a basket or gig bag
- Assorted guitar picks
- Tuning pipe or electronic tuner
- Sheet music
- CDs or cassettes of great guitar players
- Guitar strings
- Capo
- Polishing rag
- Guitar polish
- Chord or lesson books

Skier or Snowboarder’s Gift Basket

Use a small pack or canvas bag
- Gloves, mittens and/or warm hat
- Hot packs
- Sunscreen
- Lip balm
- Moisturizer
- Pass to the local ski hill
- Hot chocolate
- Ski, snowboard or sled waxes

Grandparent Gift Basket

Use a basket or reusable container
- Scrapbook
- Children’s artwork
- Gifts made by the kids
- Framed family pictures
- Videos of the family
- Long-distance calling card
- Candy, coffee, or tea
- Handmade Christmas ornaments
- Polar fleece lap blanket

Wine Lover’s Basket

Use a wine cooling bucket
- Wine Glasses
- Cheese and Crackers
- Cork screw
- Bottle of wine

Holiday Entertainment Basket

Use a nice holiday basket
- Holiday Napkins
- Holiday Plates
- Holiday Cups
- Whole Mixed Nuts
- Nutcracker
- Cookies or baked goods
- Holiday floral picks or ornaments for decorating
- Cheese ball or Sausage stick and crackers

Fillers

Once you have obtained your items here are some fillers to put around them.
- Piece of fabric
- Shredded paper, newspaper or colored paper
- Straw
- Easter basket grass
- Tissue paper or newspaper comics
- Raffia
- Colored towels or cloth napkins
- Cedar shavings

Extra Items

For Christmas Baskets add:
- Candy canes
- Candles - scented or unscented, votive, tea lights or tapers
- Pine cones
- Cinnamon sticks tied with red ribbon
- Greenery - spruce, pine, cedar, holly
- Christmas ornaments

For any occasion add:
- Potpourri
- Hot cider, special tea bags, special coffee or cocoa mixes
- Mandarin oranges, tangerines, oranges or apples
- Unshelled nuts or packets of roasted nuts
- Wrapped candy or baked goods
- Small toys or puzzles
- Sample hand creams
- Lip gloss or Chapstick

Finishing

If you buy colored cellophane you can cover the entire container with it disguising what is inside. Tie a ribbon around the whole thing or paste a ribbon on top. Have fun!

Be sure to let us know if you have more ideas for themes and items!

———————————
Your custom gift basket designs can be make for all occasions and themes, and can be a fabulous money-maker!

You’ll need a solid wholesale suppliers list, know about different types of materials and how to use them, and be very knowledgeable about good design techniques. Your creativity will be your main tool.

You will want to make certain to be organized from the start, keeping careful records of money spent on supplies, and keeping your supplies themselves placed safely where you can find what you need easily.

Advertising can be done in all the traditional methods, but visuals are everything. When you have photos of your work, samples of your work, or give your baskets as gifts, everyone will be able to see what a talented gift basket designer you are, and you will begin to see those same people ordering from you.

This is really something you can have fun doing, and others will appreciate your work!

Share This