Hi everyone, I am about to start selling online and am completely overwhelmed. I will not be auctioning, just priced as is, and I am wondering if there is a specific website of articles for absolute novices. Books I think will be obselete by the time it goes in print and just dont know where to start. Advice?

It depends on what you're selling. Handmade items? Try Etsy. Run-of-the-mill new items? Try Ecrater or Blujay. Rare collectible items? Search for a niche site.

The members here will better able to help you if they have an idea of what your product and target market might be.

This also might not be the best time to jump feet-first into online selling--many professionals who have been doing this for years are currently struggling.

kckoala wrote (View Post): › Hi everyone, I am about to start selling online and am completely overwhelmed. I will not be auctioning, just priced as is, and I am wondering if there is a specific website of articles for absolute novices. Books I think will be obselete by the time it goes in print and just dont know where to start. Advice?

Articles pertaining to online selling are very plentiful, but you can't learn everything that you need to know from articles. The best thing to do is to start selling and learn as you go. You don't need to be an expert from day one. Start working, and ask questions as they come up. People here will help you, and sites have their own community forums for help and tips too. It's okay to feel overwhelmed. I think even most seasoned veterans of online selling feel overwhelmed right now. The important thing is to keep moving forward. Reading articles is not enough. You need to learn from experience and with ongoing interaction with fellow sellers.

Excellent post Angelsong!!
Learn as you go and you'll get the
hang of it soon enough.

Shieldr wrote (View Post): › This also might not be the best time to jump feet-first into online selling--many professionals who have been doing this for years are currently struggling.

Unfortunately, struggling is an understatement. I have seen and personally know quite a few who have quit online sales altogether, or are just Part-Timing it. You might want to also figure out some ways to profit off-line if you are totally dependant on your sales for a living. Yard sales, flea markets, trade shows, etc. Good Luck, you are going to need it in the current economic Environment.

I am having sales at most of the venues I use, but all combined still leave me at the Poverty Level.

Thanks all. I will be selling a baby swaddling blanket (oh no they all groan, ANOTHER baby item...) but I know it has a very unique pitch .
Agree I will just have to bite the bullet when the shopfront is ready. Is everything I read about PayPal really as bad as it sounds?

kckoala wrote (View Post): › Thanks all. I will be selling a baby swaddling blanket (oh no they all groan, ANOTHER baby item...) but I know it has a very unique pitch . Agree I will just have to bite the bullet when the shopfront is ready. Is everything I read about PayPal really as bad as it sounds?

Nothing wrong with that! If you're willing to dropship them, I wouldn't mind adding swaddling blankets to my baby website.

Thanks angelsong777, what is dropshipping?

kckoala wrote (View Post): › Thanks angelsong777, what is dropshipping?

Dropshipping would be if I advertise your items on my website, my customers make purchases, they pay me, I buy the items from you at an agreed-upon discount, then you ship the items directly to my customers. That is what dropshipping is.

Thanks angelsong777! So, do we take this offline and start to communicate directly? How does this work?

Start here:

http://onlinebusiness.about.com/

WRITE A BUSINESS PLAN - It is critical to your success.

http://www.myownbusiness.org/s2/

kckoala wrote (View Post): › Thanks angelsong777! So, do we take this offline and start to communicate directly? How does this work?

I will send you a private message here soon. I will just need a few details to be able to put the products on the website and see how they do.

"" Is everything I read about PayPal really as bad as it sounds?""

Unless you have a merchant CC account you have two choices, PayPal or Google Checkout.

Both have limitations and positive sides.

CS

cohibastore.com wrote (View Post): › "" Is everything I read about PayPal really as bad as it sounds?"" Unless you have a merchant CC account you have two choices, PayPal or Google Checkout. Both have limitations and positive sides. CS

On feebay I am pretty sure all rumors and testimonies are true. It Sucks!!!! Off of feebay, I have not had one single issue, NONE, with fraudpal at all. Coincidence?

So far, GCO has worked great. I have heard of some horror stories on their side as well. Of course, you must take into consideration the 'Messenger'.