Poppin Tags, How I Make $1000+ Monthly, on Ebay in My Spare Time! Part 11, FAQs for New Sellers, Part Two.

After yesterday's FAQ, a couple of new things cropped up in my Ebay business that I wasn't expecting, pointing out the fact that you can never learn it all. These platforms change regularly, and staying up to date on the rules and methods of running your business goes a long way to preventing problems in the future. So, here are the last five FAQs I promised yesterday. I hope these are helpful.

1. What do you sell?

For me, this is a big question. My current main sources of inventory are thrift stores and garage sales. So, my inventory is based on what's available for sale in my area for less than its actual value. I look for items I think I can make 3 to 5 times my money, or more.

Most of my inventory falls into three main categories: 1. Antiques/vintage/collectible. These items can be tricky, but have a built in demand that many other categories don't. Do your research. 2. Good used items, priced low. Things like tools, clothes and books are often worth much more than they go for at yard sales and junk stores. 3. New items, still in the package. I focus on items worth over $10, $30-50 when possible, and I'm very careful to check every detail I can to prevent having a lot of stock I have to sit on for a long time.

1. How do you find your customers?

People are often confused on this one. I use online platforms, like Ebay, they bring customers to me. I don't have to market directly to them. On platforms like Craigslist and Offer Up, the audience is readily available as well. The biggest key is finding and offering inventory they already want, or need.

You can also add Facebook garage sale groups, or your own facebook page to your marketing. It's a great way to sell locally. The more places you put your inventory, the more likely it will get seen and purchased. Keep careful track if you do multiple listings of the same item. You'll need to remove listings when the item sells, or mark it sold, depending on the platform.

1. How do you deliver the items?

When I sell locally, I have a drug store near my house, where I tell buyers to meet me. I've done many deals in their parking lot. I can wait until the scheduled time, let the buyer text me, then show up within a minute. It works well. Ask the customer to bring exact change so you don't get stiffed $5 because all they had was a $20.

Online sales, have to be shipped. I use USPS a lot, but UPS, Fedex and other shipping services can work as well. Most offer discounts if you sign up for an account, or use them a lot. This can really add up. Make sure you pack your items well, and double check your shipping labels to prevent confusion.

1. How hard is it to set up your business?

It took me about five minutes. The state of Oklahoma, doesn't require a business license for home businesses. Some states do. I'm not telling you you need to have one, but you should know the regulations and what the risks are, should you choose to fly under the radar in areas that require business registrations, or licenses.

I've set up several incorporated businesses before and the process is fairly simple. For a sole proprietorship in the US, an LLC is the easiest. You simply filly out the paperwork, turn in any additional documentation, pay a fee and, as long as your business checks out and you've filled out your paperwork correctly, you'll have your tax ID in a few days, if not sooner.

1. How much money do you make?

In the two months I've been at it this time,I've sold over $3000 in inventory, for a profit of about $2300. It's a nice side income that can be scaled up to provide even more income, if you have the time, the space and the capital. I'd like to get where I'm making around $3000 a month from it. That would pay my bills, without requiring a huge investment.

Sellers that make hundreds of thousands, also have a lot of added expense. Most purchase, or rent storage facilities to run their business from. You can quickly grow to the point you require employees as well, something I'm not interested in. I prefer it simple, where I can walk away from it for a month to travel, without it effecting anyone else.

If you've enjoyed the series so far, please feel free to share the links wherever you can. Also, if you enjoyed this article, upvote it, resteem it and leave me a comment. I'd love to get some new FAQs for another series, so, if you have one, please, don't hesitate to ask, if I don't know it, I can probably find the answer. Thanks again! Have a great day! What's the best that could happen?