Selling on eBay: How to Help Local Business Sell Their Products on eBay

If you’ve been selling on eBay as a hobby but are ready to turn your eBay hobby into a real business, you’ve probably already given a lot of thought about what to sell.

Many would-be eBay sellers start looking for wholesale merchandise. Some pursue selling unique one-of-a-kind collectibles.

But there’s a very lucrative business model that many eBay entrepreneurs overlook. Creating a thriving business on eBay as a “Business Trading Assistant”.

A Business Trading Assistant is someone who works with local businesses to help them sell their inventory on eBay. Opportunities in this arena have exploded over the past few years.

Many small businesses would love the exposure and income generated by selling on eBay, but they don’t have the knowledge or the staff to carry out the plan.

There are many advantages to becoming a business trading assistant. Right now there are millions of dollars in unsold inventory sitting in the warehouses of your local stores. From the glassware shop that imports unique pieces from Europe to the large multi-location company that recycles computer equipment.

These companies have inventory to sell that they can’t always sell offline. For them, having a presence on eBay represents the opportunity to reach a global customer base.

To become a business trading assistant, you need to have experience selling on eBay. This will be your selling point. You must know how to successfully sell your customers inventory and market their eBay store.

Here are three tips for starting a home-based business as a Business Trading Assistant:

1. Contract with a local company to set up their eBay store and listings, then handle their eBay sales and customer service. You make money on a commission basis or by charging your customer a flat rate fee for your services.

2. Purchase their overstock inventory outright for a flat fee. Negotiate a bulk discount. In this model you’re acting as a close-out company for the local business.

3. Charge a flat fee to teach a company's employees how to set up an eBay ID and eBay store, as well as how to sell the company's products on eBay.

With only a few clients you can create a steady stream of income and as word of mouth spreads expand your business.