How to Make Money on eBay
(for beginners)

There's no need to explain why most people could use extra income. So, I'm going to get straight to the point...

I've been earning a side income by selling things on eBay for the past few years. I started off selling items that I already owned but didn't use anymore. However, I quickly ran out of items to sell. Next, I began buying things from friends and family, because I could get them at affordable prices, then reselling them. Eventually, I was buying items in bulk from China to resell. Now, I use a method that's so simple that anyone could do it.

"...so simple that anyone could do it."

You're probably wondering how much money I earn on eBay and more importantly, how much you could earn. Well, its not as simple as saying I make an extra $1,000 to $2,000 dollars per month, even though sometimes I do. The profit made from buying and selling on any platform depends on how much time you're willing to spend buying, selling and learning. The more time you spend, the more money you will typically make. Some people make an extra $10,000 a year and some have become millionaires. In all honesty, it's up to you how much income you will ultimately earn.

Here are the 6 simple steps I use to successfully earn extra income by selling items on eBay:

​Step 1 - Getting started

1. ​Set up an eBay account. eBay is the selling platform that allows you to sell items.
2. ​Set up a PayPal account. PayPal is the payment provider that links to your bank so you are able to receive payment.

​
​Step 2 - Find Things to Sell (understand step 3 before purchasing anything)

1. ​Items you already own.
2. Items purchased or gifted from friends/family
3. Items from Craigslist, Thrift Stores, Facebook Marketplace, Ali Express, etc. (anywhere that discount items are available)

​Step 3 -  Make sure the things you want to sell are selling on eBay. This is the most important step! Test the items you would like to sell by searching for them in the eBay search bar then filtering the search results by "SOLD ITEMS". This will tell you how much the items are selling for and how often they sell. If an item only sells one time a year then it might not be a good item to try and resell. You also NEED to make sure that the item you're trying to sell is profitable. If you can buy an item for $100 and the item typically sells on eBay for $90 then this is not an item you should try to resell. Be aware that eBay will take 5-10% of whatever you sell. So, If you can find an item for $50 that sells on eBay every day for $100 then you have the potential of making a $40 profit after eBay takes their 10%. Also, note that you will have to pay taxes on your profit. You will simply add the profit you made over the year to your income line on your tax form and be taxed accordingly. (I am not an accountant. This is not legal advice.)

Step 4 - When you find items that pass step 3, list them on eBay. In your eBay account, go to "Selling" then to "List an item". It is very simple to list an item. Make sure when filling out the "Shipping" information that you select "Buyer pays". This way the buyer pays for shipping and you don't get stuck with the cost. Unless however you want to offer free shipping. If so, just make sure you're accounting for this in the selling price. You will get an e-mail notification when an item is live and again when it sells.

Step 5 - Shipping

1. When an item sells and you have been paid, it is important that you ship the item the same or following day. If its going to take a couple days to ship the item, let the customer know. Do this in the "CONTACT BUYER" section. 
2. Print a packing slip and put it in the box/bag with the items and make sure there is enough padding so nothing will get damaged.
3. Print the USPS shipping label which you will purchase through eBay. (The customer should have already paid you for this if you completed step 4 correctly)
4. Drop off the package at the nearest USPS office.

Step 6 - Tracking

1. Keep a list of the items you have purchased and at what price. This is needed for tax purposes.
2. Keep track of everything you have used to sell items on eBay. This may include miles on your car, utilities, rent, packaging items and more. Talk to an accountant about what can be used as a deduction on your taxes. This is very important. You would be surprised how much money you can save here.
3. Keep track of how much time you're spending completing tasks. At the end of the year when I do taxes, I like to calculate how much profit I have made and divide it by how many hours I have spent over the year completing tasks. This will give you a dollar per hour amount that you are working and make it easy to decide if your new side business is worth it. This isn't necessary but I would recommend doing it. Also note that the time it takes to buy, list and sell decreases with experience.

Don't feel intimidated by the previous steps. It is much easier than it seems. eBay makes it VERY simple to sell items. I can typically list at item in less than 3 minutes, then package an item that is ready to ship in 5 minutes.

If you would like some extra help, please Contact Me. I can walk you through this process step by step either in person, on the phone or over a streaming platform. I've taught many people how to do this and they all pick it up easily.

Time is money. Use yours wisely.