Did you Miss the Missoni Mania?

eBayers are scrambling and hitting Target like its Black Friday. Missoni, the famous Italian fashion house has partnered with Target department stores for a short-term offering of a few products. According to an article by seattle.cbslocal.com, the limited edition Missoni stock will only be available from September 13 - October 22.

Fashionistas and resellers have hit the stores hard and cleaned out everything Missoni including women's apparel, accessories, baby items, bedding, luggage, dinnerware, and even coffee mugs. This is huge! The demand was so out of control on Tuesday, Sept 13 that the Target website crashed and during that few hours, prices sky rocketed on eBay. Look at these completed listings:

Set of 4 Missoni Mugs sold for $137.50:


These mugs sold for $19.99 in the store. Out of stock online at Target.com:


This lingerie set sold for $85.81:



In the store and online, it sells for $29.99:


I went to a few Target stores today, and here is what I saw:

No shoes.


No handbags or tote bags.


No home goods, dinnerware, mugs, linen, or bedding.


I think these insane prices are a result of being in the right place, at the right time, with the right information. Will we continue to see such high profit margins on these products? Some things to consider:

1) Target.com is back up and running. People will try to pay regular retail before they will pay inflated prices on eBay. I think the insane prices yesterday were a result of the Target website crashing. (Although many of the items are out of stock on Target.com already!)

2) eBay sellers who purchased Missoni for resale (or maybe even over-bought) are going to undercut each other and this will become a race to the bottom. The examples above show what people will pay. Many eBay sellers are going to start to panic when they realize that they aren't getting 3 times the retail price for this stuff within 24 hours, and they have spent hundreds or thousands of dollars on Missoni merchandise. Impatience and inexperience will cause them to drop their prices quickly.

3) Supply with catch up with demand. Even though the word on the street is that Missoni for Target is a limited deal, it is getting people in the Target stores,and during this economy, Target must like that side effect. Nothing is written in stone between Missoni and Target - for all we know this could become a seasonal or even permanent arrangement.

This will be a "wait and see" situation. I was able to find about 20 items and will be watching Target.com very closely and see how prices on eBay fluctuate as items become more scarce and show up as "out of stock online." We can't be sure that more Missoni isn't on the way to Target - could this be a ploy to cause a shopping frenzy and help Target's numbers during the 4th quarter? A pre-holiday selling blitz?

What is your Missoni Madness story? Did you hit Target stores, battle the crowds, or find anything at all?

Brand to Sell on eBay - Joseph and Feiss

You may not have heard of this brand, but it is a good one to look for at thrift stores. Joseph and Feiss. This brand is sold by Men's Wearhouse and they make dress shirts, polo shirts, blazers, slacks, and suits.

I often see these dress shirts in thrift stores in what look like donation "dumps" from dry cleaners. You may not realize that dry cleaners need to do something with their unclaimed clothing, and many will donate the items to a thrift store to take the tax deduction for a charitable donation.

I had a great sale this week on a lot of Joseph and Feiss shirts. Below is my listing:


Click here to see the completed listing. These shirts cost me $2 each and the lot of 3 sold for $32.97. After fees, I realized a profit of $21.50. (You can figure out your profit using this handy ebay fee calculator.)

On a side note, although I have moved into selling on Amazon, I am still an active seller on eBay. My eBay sales have definitely decreased over the past 2 years with much of my time spent on private coaching, learning to sell on Amazon, writing information products, and collaborating with other eCommerce experts to create trainings. I still have my finger on the pulse of eBay, although not to the extent it has been in the past.

Also, I had somewhat of an incident this week with another blogger who took the liberty of plagiarizing material from my blog, eBooks, and Examiner column and passing it off as his own original work. Although legal action for intellectual property theft was avoided in this case, because of the nature of the internet, it is disturbing that anyone can set up a blog and post information and advice about selling on eBay. For those of us who make eBay (or online) selling a source of income, we know how much work is involved in this business. It is offensive when someone with very little (or no) eBay experience poses as an eBay seller with the objective of making money by pirating someone else's experiences and presenting them as their own.

I want to caution you when reading eCommerce blogs and advice on the internet. Consider the source before following advice. Who is this person? What is their experience selling online, and can it be confirmed? I would be wary of anyone who claims to be an eBay seller who does not openly share his store or user ID with his reading audience on a blog, Facebook Group, or other venue. This seems to be a problem with people thinking they can sell information about eBay and not have the experience or knowledge required to create or disperse correct information.

Related articles:

Need Inventory to Sell on eBay? Ask Your Local Dry Cleaner

Brand to Sell on eBay - Façonnable Shirts

List of Thrift Store Items to Sell on eBay

eBay Coach Top 5 – Kitchen Items

I am starting something new and different on my blog – Top 5 lists. These lists are my top 5 picks for items to sell in a category. Some of these items I have sold myself in the past, some items I have researched to help you save time and money when sourcing inventory. These items can be sourced at thrift stores, garage sales, flea markets, or estate sales, and are in used or vintage condition. Today we will start off with my top 5 picks for kitchen items.

Vintage Pyrex Bowls. I have talked about this one before, but they are still great sellers. The sets will be your best bet here, such as sets of mixing bowls, nesting bowls, and chip and dip sets. Complete sets can sell for $75 - $100. Patterned bowls are highly collectible. Some common patterns include Cinderella, Amish butter print, Autumn wheat, Sunflower, and Early American. (Check this book for a complete list and explanation of all vintage pyrex patterns.) Click here to see completed listings for vintage Pyrex bowls.

Dutch Ovens. Sometimes when selling cookware, bigger is better! You can often find Dutch ovens in great condition for around $5. Brands to look for include Calphalon, Le Creuset, Griswold cast iron, Lodge cast iron, Cutco, Saladmaster, and Revereware. You will get the highest price if the lids are included. Some of these Dutch ovens can sell for over $150. Tip – look on Craigslist for cookware sets. You can often find the entire set for a low price and sell the individual pots and pans separately for a very good profit. Click here to see completed listings on eBay.

Littonware Microwave Cookware. This item is often overlooked. I have sold this item myself and twice it shipped internationally. This type of cookware was introduced in the late 1970's – early 1980's when the popularity of the microwave oven was increasing. This product was created for use specifically in microwave ovens. The sets will sell for the most – but don’t pass up single units. Littonware made all sorts of different products including casserole dishes, cake pans (including a Bundt cake pan), muffin pans, and Dutch ovens. Click here to see completed listings.

Martha Stewart cookie cutters. Here is a product that has increased in value over the years. Some of these can sell for over $80 – for one cookie cutter!. If the item has been retired, it will definitely be worth more. If you have not sold these before, do your homework before hitting estate sales or thrift stores. These cookie cutters are usually made of copper or metal, are solid (closed) on one side, and have a little handle on the top. Used Martha Stewart cookie cutters have a very high sell through rate. Click here to see completed listings.

Fireking Mugs. These are the heavy milky-white mugs that were made in the 1950’s, 1960’s, and 1970s. Restaurants often used these mugs for advertising so you might find logos on them such as Dunkin Donuts, McDonald’s, Burger King, and Sambos. The famous and valuable Snoopy mugs were made by Fireking. Even if the mugs don’t have advertising on them, they are still good sellers on eBay. Fireking comes in a variety of colors other than white including green, blue, red, orange, and yellow. Click here to see completed listings on eBay.

Do you have a Top 5 kitchen item to share? If so, please leave a comment below and feel free to link to a listing in your eBay store if you like!

Related articles:

Vintage Pyrex Bowls

Vintage Measuring Cups

Squeezo Food Strainers

The Early Bird Gets the Niche Product on eBay

One common question I receive each day from readers and clients is, "I need a niche product. How do I find one?"

First of all, I want to state that the term "niche product" is overused and over rated. What does it mean anyway, and does everyone REALLY need one? Many new and seasoned sellers are convinced that they can't be successful on eBay without a niche product. This simply is NOT true.

The definition of a niche product is, "a small, well-defined portion of a market where there is demand for a product but not much competition." Some examples of niche products that were once good sellers include Red Bull soda, Crocs shoes, The Snuggie, and Silly Bandz. These products were unique. Red Bull was the first carbonated energy drink, aggressively marketed to extreme sport enthusiasts. Now, there are at least 25 brands of carbonated energy drinks in the grocery store, and if you try to sell Red Bull today you will fail miserably because there is just too much competition.

The same with Crocs shoes - a foam resin clog shoe with ventilation holes designed for comfort and easy cleaning. If you got in on the Crocs craze back in 2004 (which I did) and sold them on eBay, you made good money. I bought Crocs at regular retail and sold them for a nice markup to both domestic and international customers.

The point I am making here is that finding a so-called niche product is all about keeping your eyes and ears open, and paying attention to what is going on around you. There really isn't a sophisticated research tool that's going to help you identify these products. Terapeak can help you see trends, the most successful sellers are those who are paying attention to what they buy as a consumer, what their kids want, what is being advertised in mass media, and what is new on the market.

Don't assume you have to find a magical wholesaler or supplier for these products. The biggest point sellers miss about selling online:

Making a profit on eBay is about supply and demand. You may have access to something that others don't. Do not assume that because you walk by a product in a Walmart or grocery store every day that everyone else in the world sees that product every day, too. My successful clients (and myself) source products at places like Costco, Sam's, Walmart, Big Lots, TJ Maxx, grocery stores, drug stores, and other retail stores.

And don't expect to find a product that you sell sell from now on, for the rest of your life. It won't happen. Successful niche products have a short life span. Either the market is going to become saturated, too many imitations will be made, the product will be discontinued, or eBay will prohibit it (all of these things have happened to me).

Researching products for sale on or offline is an ongoing process - FOREVER. Most of my clients spend 5-8 hours a week searching for product ideas. Because if you've got a good one going now, rest assured, it won't last forever. You must constantly be mining for product ideas.

I am reading a great book about this topic right now called "Different, Escaping the Competitive Herd." This book is described as a book for people who don't read business books. The author explains that what you want to look for as a seller is a "unique product category." For example, the TV dinner was a unique product. It changed the course of history. The TV dinner was a new way to serve food that saved time and money. That's how you've got to think - what is out there that's new and different, that is not represented on eBay? Granted, truly innovative products like TV dinners and sliced bread are rare these days, but you get the point. eBay does not need more designer handbags, cell phones, or Wii games. Those categories are completely over saturated.

A niche product may not be an innovation, but the manner in which a current product is presented - like dishwasher tablets, yogurt in tubes, coffee that comes in small single servings for individual brewing, or breath freshener strips. Innovation is what people want. Don't follow the herd - you can't even be sure the herd knows what it is doing! Don't assume you have to be competitive - in fact, trying to beat the competition just makes you more like them. Aspire to be different. It's pretty easy to make money when you don't have any competitors.

(Oh, and if you are reading about niche products online, remember that thousands of other people are reading about them too, so you are aleady too late. Pay attention to what is going on around you and think for yourself.)

Related articles:

Finding Niche Products to Sell on eBay

The Ideal Niche Product to Sell on eBay

Online Selling Coach

Tom's eBay Success Story

Tom sent in his seller success story last week. Wow, he has been busy! Tom writes,

“I just want to say a BIG THANKS for the advice you have given as far as what to buy and sell from thrift stores and garage sales! I have been doing this for a few months and have made good money so far and a sell through rate of over 90%.

The items I have been focusing on are:
Harris Tweed
Revere Ware
Born
Cashmere
Coffee Mugs
Glassware

My most recent big sale was a collection of Ed Gein newspaper clippings that I bought for .25 and sold for $127.50! Here is a screen shot of Tom’s listing:

Also, an official 1956 Kentucky Derby Julep Glass, purchased at a Goodwill for .49 and sold for $95

Yellow Pyrex butter print 4 bowl set, purchased for $18 and sold for $125

I am addicted now that I am getting the eye for what will sell.”

Thank you, Tom, for sending in these finds. Newspaper clippings are true collector’s items! You definitely are getting an eye for what to buy for resale. Keep up the great work!

You see Tom’s other finds here on eBay.

Do you have a success story to share? Have you recently sold something odd, unusual, interesting, or even downright weird? Send in your story and let me know! We can all learn more by sharing our finds.

Related posts:

Thrift Store Items to Sell on eBay – Huge List

Vintage Items to Sell on eBay – Huge List

Join my Facebook Group - Network with over 2,500 other sellers

eBay Seller Success Story - Hot List Item

Ken sent in his success story:

"I just wanted to send you a quick note with a HUGE THANK YOU for your recent HOT LIST. You did it again, I only found one of the items on the list but found enough of it that it is going to pay my mortgage this month. I swear I am amazed how $200 worth of a discontinued drug store product can turn into over $1000. LOVE IT! Thank You."

This product was has also been mentioned in several national newspapers. There is a shortage in some areas. The company that makes the product claims that this is a "temporary supply interruption." Many stores are out of stock and consumers are turning to eBay and Amazon to purchase them. The product normally sells for around $9 in drug stores, Walmart, Target, and grocery stores, and is selling on eBay for up to $38 per item. The item sells on Amazon for $49 per item. The good news is that you may be able to find this item in your area and sell it on eBay for nice profit.

If you have not purchased your hot list yet, it is not too late!

Click here to get it now.

If you have purchased the hot list, the product Ken is referring to is #2 on the list. Good luck!

New eBay Coach Hot List - 14 Discontinued Products

The new Hot List (Issue #11) is now available. The last list was published in October, 2010, so it is time for a new, fresh list! This issue has information on 14 discontinued products you can sell on eBay (and Amazon) for profit. None of these 14 products have been mentioned on my blog, on my Facebook group, or in my articles, so everything here is new information!

Discontinued items can be found at dollar stores, Big Lots, WalMart, Target, drug stores, grocery stores, hair salons, Ulta, Sephora, and other locations where health and beauty products are sold. This list contains:

2 skin care products
1 men’s product
2 womens products
4 hair care products
2 cosmetic products
2 food products
1 over the counter medicine.

The Hot List provides:

* Screen shots of successful eBay listings
* Screen shots from Terapeak research and data
* Average selling price
* Highest selling price within 90 days
* Sell through rate on eBay
* Current number available on eBay

The list sells for $9.95 and is an automatic download. (That's only 71 cents per item!) You will receive your copy as soon as your Paypal payment has been verified.

Click here to get The Hot List now!

*Current and past coaching clients please contact me via email to receive your complimentary copy.

Sorry, Your Item Didn't Sell - Always Try Again!

Don't you love those emails you get when an item doesn't sell? I got the one below this morning:

Always, always, always try again - immediately! Here's why. Your item may have watchers who forgot to bid. When your item is relisted, watchers get an email that says, "An item you were watching has been reslisted." They may come back - QUICKLY - to buy it. Look at the time on the email I received about the boots not selling - the time is 5:53:45 PST. The original listing was an auction. I immediately relisted the boots on a good til cancelled listing.

Guess what? At 7:41:09 PST (less than 2 hours later) I got this email:


The boots sold right away, and my guess, is to someone who received the automated email about the item being relisted. Look at the completed listing on eBay below - the good til canceled listing only had 3 page views.


So when you get those emails that say, "Sorry your item didn't sell," don't despair. Relist it right away and you may get a quick sale!

For more eBay "how tos," check out my FREE eBay Coach Reference Guide



Download my FREE guide with all kinds of eBay how-tos

Make Money Selling Used Lego Minifigs on eBay

Today's post is contributed by Amanda Moak, an expert on finding and selling Legos and minifigs on eBay. Amanda is an active member of the eBay Stay at Home Mom's group on Facebook.

When it comes to selling Legos on eBay, minifigs are the cream of the crop. A minifig is the term used to describe the little Lego figures or people. Believe it or not minifigs are some of the most valuable and sought after Lego items. The most common minifig buyer is the collector. There are collectors all over the world that seek out and purchase particular minifigs for their collections. Lego sets are constantly being discontinued which makes some minifigs hard to find and extremely valuable.

Star Wars themed minifigs are the most valuable and sought after. The average price for a common Star Wars minifig ranges from $5.00-$15.00 each, while some of the rare ones fetch $60.00-$100.00 each.


Castle and Pirate minifigs, from the 1980’s and 1990’s, are also highly sought after and quite valuable. Minifigs from these themes sell for $4.00-$8.00 each.


Aside from Star Wars, Castle and Pirate minifigs there are various other minifigs you may come across. Such themes include Town, City, Islander, Western, Indian and many more. On average these minifigs sell for $1.00-$3.00 each and sometimes more based on the rarity.


Minifigs have an incredibly high profit margin and you can typically pick them up cheaply in lots at yard sales and thrift stores. Check out Amanda's ebook, Bricks to Riches, where she shares more of her expertise on selling in the Lego minifig niche.

Amanda Moak and her husband Nate live in Gastonia, NC and have been selling Legos on eBay since 2005. To date they have sold over 3,000 pounds and over 5,000 minifigs. In 2009 Amanda quit her job to sell Legos full time. They also run a website Bricks 2 Riches geared towards helping others sell Legos on eBay.

Flipping Craigslist Finds on eBay

I went over this with a few of my clients this week, and thought I would share.

Craigslist can be a gold mine for inventory if you check often, do your research, and act fast. People are desperate and are selling things cheap. Your eBay selling knowledge (at whatever level) will pay off here. Many people are intimidated by eBay, don't have time to learn how it works, and just settle for selling items on their local Craigslist. By snagging these items cheap, you can make much more selling them on eBay because your buying audience will be exponentially larger than the local Craigslist audience.

Here is how it works.

1. Visit Craigslist for your city or other surrounding cities.

2. Look under the FOR SALE section.

3. Browse through the categories. You will come across things you have never heard of. Do the research (Terapeak or eBay completed listings) to find out what items sell for on eBay.

A few things to look for:

Perfume, cologne, and fragrances

MLM Distributors going out of business (Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, Creative Memories, NuSkin, Silpada Jewlery, etc.)

Coats

Shoes and boots

Sporting goods such as ski equipment, little league football equipment, skates, hunting / camping / fishing supplies, equestrian supplies (saddles, tack, clothing), martial arts sparring gear and clothing

DVD collections

Move out of your comfort zone and try things unknown. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new. 95% of people will retreat to their comfort zone when what they try doesn't work the first time they try it. You have to explore new territory.

Key Points:

1. Check often and act fast.

2. Do the research.

3. Look in categories unfamiliar to you. Then refer to #2.

4. Focus on items that are easy to ship.

5. Be safe - only meet your Craigslist trading partner inside a public place, during daylight, and take another adult with you.

6. Click here for more information on flipping Craigslist finds on eBay.

Yes, Virginia, I Really Sell on eBay!

I found something rather comical the other day. I was reading some posts on an eBay discussion group, and someone named Teresa P. (who I have never even met), made this comment in reference to my eBay selling:

"I checked her Ebay Store. She is not making money from the ebay store. It's all the "other" stuff she sells or plugs." This sent me into hysterics - the best ab workout I have had in a while. Interesting that someone who has never met me, and has no clue how I spend my day, can sit on a message board and pass judgment. How would Teresa P. know what my sales are? Everyone knows that less than 50% of eBay buyers leave feedback, so all sales are not visible on the feedback page.

Anyway, Teresa P. and other disgruntled internet trolls, here are a few of my recent eBay sales to show that yes, I do walk the walk. I sell on eBay every day. All of these items are used from thrift stores and have sold on my eBay account within the last 30 days.

Laptop Projector - $30 at thrift store
Sold on Nov 12 for $99.97
(click here to see listing)

Harley Davidson Belt Buckle - $6 at thrift store
Sold for $45.97 on Oct 27
(click here to see listing)

Hooked on Phonics Set (1998) - $10 at thrift store
Sold for $45.97 on Oct 21
(click here to see listing)

Cole Haan Shoes - $5 at thrift store
Sold for $44.97 on Nov 14
(click here to see listing)

Reproduction Vintage Phone - $8 at thrift store
Sold for $34.97 on Oct 21
(click here to see the listing)

So, there you have it. I really sell on eBay. You can learn to do this, too, and make good money from home. Don't listen to the trolls. Here are some FREE resources to get you started:

eBay Coach Reference Guide (all kinds of eBay How-Tos)

Hot Brands to Sell on eBay (things to look for at thrift stores)

90 Days to $400 a Week on Amazon (how to get started selling books on Amazon)

Facebook Group (2,200 sellers networking, no drama or trolls allowed)

If you have a troll issue and need help, click here.

Women's Hosiery, Stockings, and Pantyhose on eBay

During a coaching session last week, I was helping a client think through what types of items she had in her home that she could sell on eBay. (Shout out to Yvonne M.!) One category we focused on was "anything new in the package." She mentioned that she had quite a few packages of pantyhose that were unopened that had accumulated over years. But who would want to buy that?

We checked on eBay and sure enough, we found that pantyhose sold in a lot is a good seller. We found this lot of pantyhose that sold for $36:



This would be an easy sell if already have them in your home. Separate by size, take a photo of the lot, and list for a set price. Shipping is easy - you could either ship in a USPS Tyvek envelope or a box. No labor intensive packaging needed as this is not a fragile item.

I often see unopened packages of pantyhose, thigh highs, and other hosiery at thrift stores for 5o cents or less. Keep your eyes out for these, accumulate several packages, and sell as a lot.

This example just goes to show how EASY it is to sell an item you already have in your home on eBay. Download my FREE eBay Reference Guide for more ideas just like this!

Download my FREE guide with all kinds of eBay how-tos

Antiques and Collectibles Resource

If you are selling items from estate sales, live auctions, thrift stores, or garage sales, you will come across all sorts of items that may look valuable but you aren't sure about. On the other hand, you may have walked by items that have value, but you just don't know what can be resold for a profit online. The amount of "stuff" out there is overwhelming.

To be the most successful selling online, you must continually educate yourself on the types of items that have value. As I tell my clients, "This is like getting a college degree - but the work never ends. You have to study every day. Read, ask questions, talk to other sellers, and continue to expand your knowledge." Antiques and collectibles are a HUGE niche. One great resource is the Kovels guide and website.

Kovels Antiques, started by Ralph and Terry Kovel, has been the antiques and collectibles experts for over half a century. They have written over 100 books about antiques and collecting, have a weekly column that appears on over 150 newspapers, and have been on numerous television shows including two series - "Flea Market Finds with the Kovels" for HGTV", and "Collector's Journal with Ralph and Terry Kovel" on the Discovery Channel.

On the Kovels website, you will find a plethora of information about antiques and collecting. It is worth spending some time there every day if you really want to break into this niche. The site provides a price guide with hundreds (maybe thousands) of items, a section on identifying marks, directory for auctions and appraisal services, discussion forums, and a free weekly newsletter. If you find an item and don't know its value or just want to learn more about it, visit the Kovels website.

You can also order the 2011 Kovels' Price Guide on Amazon:


I have a Kovels' guide in my family room and pick it up a few times a week to flip through. The information is really endless and you will only learn by continuing to study.

Have a great day on eBay!

New eBay Coach Hot List - 15 Discontinued Products

The new Hot List (Issue #11) is now available. It has been 6 months since I have created an eBay Hot List. This issue has information on 15 discontinued products you can sell on eBay (and Amazon) for profit. None of these 15 products have been mentioned on my blog, on my Facebook group, or in my articles, so everything here is new information!

Discontinued items can be found at Big Lots, Walmart, Target, dollar stores, drug stores, grocery stores, and flea markets. This list contains:

1 Hair Care Product

1 Household Cleaning Product

1 Toy

4 Skin Care Products

3 Fragrances

3 Cosmetic products

2 Men's products

The Hot List explains:

* Where to find the products locally
* Examples of successful eBay listings
* Average selling price
* Highest selling price within 90 days
* Sell through rate on eBay
* Current number available on eBay

The list sells for $9.95 and is an automatic download. (That's only 66 cents per item!) You will receive your copy as soon as your Paypal payment has been verified.

Click here to get The Hot List now!

*Coaching clients please contact me via email to receive your complimentary copy.