Traditional brick and mortar shops are slowly becoming a thing of the past. Now everyone is selling their products on various platforms, including Amazon, Etsy, and eBay. If you are still looking to learn how to set up a business by selling products on eBay, you can check out our other article. If you already know how to sell stuff on the site, we can move on to what you should be selling. So, what, exactly, are the easiest things to sell on eBay?
Characteristics to consider when selecting products to sell
The products you intend to sell on eBay must possess specific characteristics to ensure that you don’t lose money on your sales. Use these characteristics as a guideline to figure out what are the easiest things to sell on eBay.
Price (150-300 USD)
This price range offers you the best of both worlds. The profit margin isn’t too narrow, so you won’t have to sell many products to generate significant returns. Conversely, the profit margin isn’t too broad that you face substantial financial risk.
The amount of effort required to process a $1 order is the same for a $300 order. But you can make a lot more by selling a $300 product. Going by this logic, you stand to make a lot by selling $1000 items. However, this is where customer’s psychology comes into play- a customer is likely to make an impulse purchase within the $150-$300 price range. People rarely buy products above this range without due diligence.
Weight
Logically speaking, the heavier the product, the higher the shipping charges. So the higher you pay for shipping, the narrower your profit margin gets. Plus, this is just the cost of sending the product. There is also the matter of the customer having to send the product back if they don’t like it. They may be willing to pay for the return shipping (sending the product back to you), but you’ll once again have to pay for shipping to replace the product.
Overall, heavy products contribute to the detriment of the business.
Niche Markets
Stay away from niche products. They are very exclusive and extremely competitive. Niche markets require a hefty investment and can be very risky. Some of the more experienced sellers may even randomly drop their prices to crush their competitors.
Examples of products sold in niche markets include things like high-end cameras, flat screens, etc.
Simplicity
By selling a complex product, you risk higher customer dissatisfaction and increase the risk of returns, leading to bankruptcy for new and old sellers alike.
Expertise
Holding expertise in the product you are selling gives you a strong competitive edge in the market. If you are an expert in the product you are selling, simplicity or complexity will not be a problem. You should know enough about your product to ensure that there are no dissatisfied customers.
10 of the easiest things to sell on eBay
1. Vintage Items
eBay is one of the best places (except for thrift stores) to buy and sell vintage items. They all sell like crazy on the site- from vintage clothing to old but straightforward home decor items.
2. Phone accessories
While high-end electronics have a pretty niche audience, there are plenty of customers for phone accessories. Phone chargers, back covers, screen protectors, phone holders, pop sockets are used by members of nearly every single household across the United States. There is a mass appeal for these products regardless of whether they are cheap or expensive.
3.Tablets/ Smartphones
eBay is the best place to sell slightly used tech products such as smartphones and tablets. Brand new tablets and smartphones also sell well on the site.
4. Personalized/ Handmade Items
While Etsy is a platform dedicated to selling handmade products, you can sell handmade products on eBay too! Millennials and Gen Z alike love owning personalized, unique products. Since this is the primary demographic shopping on the website, there is a lot of demand for customized products. Examples of personalized items include custom-painted sneakers, handmade phone cases, etc.
5. Computer accessories
While selling high-end tech products like brand new laptops isn’t a good idea on eBay, there are plenty of buyers for computer accessories. Examples of computer accessories include keyboards, mice, mousepads, SD cards, pen drives, etc.
These products easily fall within the recommended $150-$300 range. They are mostly lightweight and are pretty self-explanatory.
6. Light accessories
Lampshades, bulb holders, colorful string lights, strip lights, neon lights are cheap and commonly available in most hardware stores. They sell very well on the website.
7. Fitness wristbands
Smart wristbands that track your steps and your heartbeat, such as a Fitbit, are trendy in the market today. With people becoming increasingly health-conscious, demand for such products continues to increase as well.
Most fitness wristbands are well within $150-$300 and are very lightweight and easy to ship. Because electronic products can be slightly temperamental, you may have to perform a few extra steps to ensure customer satisfaction.
8. Weight-loss equipment
As mentioned before, people are becoming increasingly health-consciousness these days. Quarantine has motivated many to exercise, and people often venture onto eBay looking for gym equipment. Therefore, there is a significant demand for weight loss support/ home gym equipment on the site. You can sell brand new or slightly used dumbells, barbells, weights, etc.
9. Curtains and sheets
Selling your typical everyday clothes on eBay isn’t a good idea. Sizing and quality can be a big issue with customers. However, you know what kind of clothes would be easy to sell on eBay? Curtains and sheets. They are lightweight, and customers can easily judge their quality online.
Moreover, if you happen to be an interior designer or have a keen eye for design, you can provide your customers expert advice on what to purchase and what not to purchase. The price range for them is usually between $50-$300. However, the only drawback is that it has a bit of a niche market.
10. Collectibles
eBay is hands down the ideal place to sell collectibles from Pokemon Cards to vintage comic books to basketball cards. Most collectibles are sold through auctions. Therefore there are a few extra steps that you must take to ensure you make good money.
Firstly, conduct thorough research to know exactly how much your product is worth. Many third-party companies offer to grade collectibles and provide you with a market price. This way, you can avoid over and undervaluing your products and set the perfect base price to start your auction.
What NOT TO sell on eBay?
On the eBay website, you will find an extensive list of banned products on the website. Violating any of these conditions may lead to the termination of your selling license on the website.
The list of prohibited items includes Wildlife, Drugs, Currency, and Fundraising.
Item to avoid selling on the site
Selling any of the items on the list of prohibited items will lead to the cancellation of your selling license. But selling certain products that are not up to eBay’seBay’s standards can also lead to your eBay account’s temporary suspension.
Here is a mainstream guideline on what to avoid selling on the site-
- Avoid selling expensive items before gaining a significant amount of selling experience. For example, once you have sold about 100 products over half a year, you can attempt to sell something a bit more expensive. Start relatively low on the expensive scale (about $20k), then go up from there as you continue to gain experience.
- Sell simple, accessible, and relatively new items that are easy to use, such as home and kitchen appliances, office supplies, etc. Such things are decently priced, readily available, and have a good demand for on the website.
- Listing and unauthenticated and prohibited items will lead to your account being suspended.
The bottom line
You can virtually sell anything on the site. Constantly checking Sold Listings on ebaysold.com is a great way to keep up with trends and figure out the easiest things to sell on eBay. The whole process of selling products on the site is a constant learning experience. There is always room for improvement, and the key to owning a successful eBay business is perseverance.