What to Sell on eBay

How do you decide what to sell on eBay? Just about everything you can think of is being bought and sold on eBay and other auction sites, from jewelry to clothing to furniture to information products to computer software. Some items such as electronic goods, cosmetics, computer hardware and software, e-books, perfumes, video games, cards, gifts, and flowers are perpetually in demand. How do you choose your path?

In order to decide what to sell on eBay, you need to find out what customers are actually looking for on eBay and other similar sites. Begin by exploring the section called “Seller Central” on eBay. There is a link to Seller Central at the bottom of the home page, or it can be accessed through eBay’s sitemap.

Included in Seller Central is a link called “What’s Hot”. This section is divided into five subsections.

The “Merchandising Calendar” gives advance notice of upcoming seasonal promotions. It also gives information about what items will be spotlighted on the home page.

The “Hot Items by Category” reveals what products and categories are “on fire”, meaning items where demand outpaces supply, and where there has been an increase in bid growth. A report is updated monthly which categorizes items as “super hot”, “very hot” and “hot”. This is a very helpful place to look when trying to decide what to sell on eBay.

If you are looking for the top ten searched categories or ten most viewed auctions, you need to check out eBay Pulse. You can go through this feature on a regular basis to find out what current eBay shopping trends and hot picks are and how you can match your business strategy to these trends.

“eBay pop” captures some of the buying buzz, popular trends and fun things happening on eBay.

Relatively new is the “eBay Summer Catalog” that includes images of products and their average price. This section is something you must look into if you are about to start selling on eBay.

For a more thorough analysis to help you decide what to sell on eBay, look into the “marketplace research” section. With marketplace research, you can access up to 90 days of historical information on completed items as well as active listings data, including average start prices, average sold prices, top keyword searches, and more. This is a very handy tool.

Be sure to check out “category tips” where you can find the most sold and most searched products on eBay. This section offers category-specific strategies and resources to help you become a savvy seller and shouldn’t be missed.

Take the time to research the wealth of information in Seller Central. Your research will make clear to you what the right path is for you, and by taking the time to learn the ropes, you will soon know what to sell on eBay.