ebay shop owners/sellers help/input required please

[munz]

just wondering how you go about:

a) start up costs etc.
b) does it actually pay to do this?
c) how much time etc does it take up?
d) do you have to declare being SE?
e) how do you know which is the right market to pick?

I know theirs lots of questions there, we've looked into drop shipping, but DH wasn't keen on the start up costs for some places, and also didn't seem to think we'd recoup much money if anything at all.

any thoughts?

[archiesmummy]

a) start up costs etc. depends on what you will be selling, the shop costs £6/months for a basic one. It is obviously A LOT cheaper than starting a "real" business.

b) does it actually pay to do this? again, depends on what you are selling and how much time you spend doing it

c) how much time etc does it take up? see above

d) do you have to declare being SE? you have to pay tax if you are selling new items or 2nd hand items that wasn't owned by you previously

e) how do you know which is the right market to pick? you can hava a look at ebay and see what other poeple are selling/ how many other poeple are selling them and what the prises are. Remember that people look to ebay for bargains!

Sorry if this wasn't very helpful. I started my own ebay shop and it is great, but it does take a lot of time, not just listing all the items, but packing them and going to the post office all the time

[sixlostmonkeys]

Drop shipping is apparently the quickest way to get a whole load of negs.
Of course there will be some good drop shippers but you are relying on them posting the goods promptly etc, and if they don't you take the stick.

Do some research as archiesmummy says - or maybe pick something that you know about. I sell books because its the thing I know about, feel comfortable in dealing with etc. If you have a hobby or interest maybe go along that route. Fishing, golf etc all do well on ebay and if you already know about the stuff you have a head start.

Yes, declare as SE - and claim stuff back on taxes

Yes it takes up time loads and loads and loads and loads and loads of time