I Lost My Job Can I Really Make Money on Ebay?

Written by: Skip McGrath January 2009
www.skipmcgrath.com




1. Lost My Job. Can Really I Make Money on eBay?



I used to get emails with that question once or twice a month. Now with thousands of people losing their jobs, I receive several of these a week.



Of course my answer to that question is yes -after all I make my living by selling on eBay and by teaching people how to do what I do. But a more honest answer to that question is "I don't really know." You see, it all comes down to how and what you actually do and if you are willing to put in the hard work. Also, I am always worried when desperate people ask that question. When your back is up against the wall so many people simply panic and try anything. They are desperate and worried that they often can't focus. They jump from one scheme to another looking for that quick fix.



There is no doubt that making money on eBay is more challenging and competitive than it was a few years ago, but thousands of people are still doing it -even in this tough economy. In the next story I point out that although eBay's sales are down, there are still going to be over $44 Billion worth of goods sold on eBay this year. That is a lot of money. So although the sales will be down from last year there is still a lot of money to be made if you do it right.



If you are an existing seller and your business is struggling then you need to look at what you are doing. I am not wedded to any product or product category. I have a few products that are doing well and some that are not. If a product isn't selling, I blow out and move on to something else. Successful selling on eBay is a mixture of constant research and experimentation. If something isn't working, make sure you have fully explored what you are doing to determine if you are making some mistakes. If the problem is you, then admit it and fix it. If the problem is the product, then get rid of it and move on to something else.



If you are a new seller just starting out, the best advice I can give you is to just take your time. Learn all you can about the eBay marketplace. Focus on the basics:



Finding good products
Taking good photos
Writing compelling, keyword rich titles
Writing complete descriptions that sell the benefits of your product
Providing a professional communications and shipping experience
As for being desperate, the only advice I can give you is that worry and self-doubt are destructive emotions that get in the way of success. If you have just lost your job and you have no idea where your next mortgage or rent payment will come from, you are probably thinking: "That's easy for you to say Skip. You have an income and I don't." What you don't know is that I have been there too. Believe me I learned the hard way that you can't undo the past, you can only move forward.



So I don't really know if "you" can be successful selling on eBay, but I do know that thousands of people are. In this economic environment many will try and many will fail, but many will succeed. If it works for you then you will never again have to rely on someone else for your income and security



Thank you, Skip.