Drop Shipping For eBay Sellers - 5 Things You Should Know

Do you sell stuff on eBay to bring in some extra cash? If you sell on eBay as a hobby or to just help pay the bills, you may be ready to expand your hobby into a part time business. The number one issue for all sellers wanting to be successful on eBay is this: Where do I find products to sell? One method that a lot of eBay sellers use is drop shipping. You sell the item using the manufacturer's photos and description, then order the product and have it shipped to your customer after they pay. If you want to drop ship products to your buyers, there are some things you need to know.

1. Find a wholesaler that works with eBay sellers. There are thousands of wholesalers and manufacturers that will drop ship. You can use a service that finds these suppliers or do it yourself. One idea is to decide on a product you want to sell, and do a google search for wholesale (product).
2. Do your research on eBay and make sure there is a demand for the product and that you can sell it for a profit. You can do a completed listings search on eBay to see what things have been selling for.
3. Make sure the supplier has good photos and a good description of the item. Since you don't have physical access to the products, you want to make sure that there are plenty of detailed pictures and a good description of the product that you can download and use in your own auction listings. There are some drop ship services that provide a one click link that uploads the photo and description to your listing, but I have found that these are just not detailed enough. You will also want to make your listing stands out from all the others.
4. Buy a product yourself and have it shipped to a friend. This will give you idea of how quick they ship the product and what the package and the contents look like. It is a good way to evaluate the supplier. I have actually worked with a manufacturer that required a sample purchase before I could offer the items for sale.
5. Make sure you know that the wholesaler will have plenty of the items in stock. There is nothing worse than selling an item on eBay only to find out it is out of stock. When you list a drop ship item, it is a good idea to explain in your listing that the item is shipped from the manufacturer or supplier. State how long you expect before the customer can expect delivery. I also include a note that says that there is a rare chance that the item may be out of stock.

Whether you sell on eBay for fun or profit, drop shipping is a great way to add a variety of items to your listings. Just use caution and follow the steps above and you should do just fine.

Steve Nichols is a successful eBay powerseller who has been selling on eBay for more than 10 years.