The primary challenge for many (if not most) PowerSellers is not selling and providing customer service. They’re naturally good at that. The problem is finding a steady and reliable supply of merchandise to sell at a reasonable price and that is not already being sold cut-rate by many other sellers. There’s no single magic solution for sourcing merchandise on eBay, but the resources listed in this section will get you started.
Alibaba
http://www.alibaba.com
Alibaba is a Chinese-based business-to-business marketplace.
Wholesalers from China and other locations place listings on the site for merchandise they want to sell; buyers around the world contact them and strike up deals. It’s an intriguing idea, one that cuts across many cultural and economic barriers. (The site is so intriguing that it was recently purchased by Yahoo!.) Normally, it’s difficult to find wholesale suppliers located in the Far East; you have to work with brokers or others who are familiar with the ins and outs of this particular marketplace. Alibaba opens the marketplace to you directly.
Association of Independent Information Professionals
http://www.aiip.org
When you’re looking for merchandise to sell, you can benefit greatly from hiring a professional, especially if you’ve never been through the process before. An Information Broker will charge you an hourly fee to prepare a detailed report on almost any subject, including researching wholesale sellers.
“How to Find Wholesalers” Workshop
http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=410484269
This eBay workshop, held in March 2005, provided some excellent tips on how to approach wholesalers and convince them that you should be a reseller.
Multistate Tax Commission
http://www.mtc.gov/TXPYRSVS/actualpage.htm
In order to resell items you buy wholesale, you’ll need a Tax ID number. Having a Tax ID, in fact, is one of the things that wholesalers are sure to ask you for when you contact them. The Multistate Tax Commission provides a set of links to the tax forms web pages in many states.
Alibaba
http://www.alibaba.com
Alibaba is a Chinese-based business-to-business marketplace.
Wholesalers from China and other locations place listings on the site for merchandise they want to sell; buyers around the world contact them and strike up deals. It’s an intriguing idea, one that cuts across many cultural and economic barriers. (The site is so intriguing that it was recently purchased by Yahoo!.) Normally, it’s difficult to find wholesale suppliers located in the Far East; you have to work with brokers or others who are familiar with the ins and outs of this particular marketplace. Alibaba opens the marketplace to you directly.
Association of Independent Information Professionals
http://www.aiip.org
When you’re looking for merchandise to sell, you can benefit greatly from hiring a professional, especially if you’ve never been through the process before. An Information Broker will charge you an hourly fee to prepare a detailed report on almost any subject, including researching wholesale sellers.
“How to Find Wholesalers” Workshop
http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=410484269
This eBay workshop, held in March 2005, provided some excellent tips on how to approach wholesalers and convince them that you should be a reseller.
Multistate Tax Commission
http://www.mtc.gov/TXPYRSVS/actualpage.htm
In order to resell items you buy wholesale, you’ll need a Tax ID number. Having a Tax ID, in fact, is one of the things that wholesalers are sure to ask you for when you contact them. The Multistate Tax Commission provides a set of links to the tax forms web pages in many states.
