eBay Product Sourcing - Where And How

As a eBay Consultant one of the main questions I am asked time after time is how and where can I source new products for my online business. Product Sourcing is one of those areas that can be as simple as you like or as complex as you make it. But for this article we are going to keep it nice and simple and then in other articles we will look at different other "Hows" of product sourcing.

You need to make product sourcing for your eBay business something that you do 24 hours a day (Ok not in your sleep.............but you will be amazed the thoughts and ideas you do get when you are a sleep and it is a good idea to make a note of these as soon as you wake up because they will soon go).

To start with you need a product sourcing notebook and pen (or you can keep this on your smartphone using something like Evernote as this will sync with your computer). What ever means you will be using needs to be something that you carry around with you all the time, for you will never know the time or place when you will see that hot product. With this notebook you need to write down what the product is, the price, the manufacturer, and any other detail to help you do the sourcing later on.

But product sourcing is far more than spotting that hot product, you need to be aware of product trends, the latest music scene (but music can be hard has this can change almost over night so be careful). A good example of product sourcing trends is to know what the latest movies are - and not just the ones out at the cinema now, but ones due to be released in the next year or so and even look to see what ones are going to be made.

If we take the Movie theme it could look like this :

Movie coming out in 2012 it is part of a series of films, and they have all been block busters.

What products can I source to be ready for the launch of this movie.................remember there is always a big build up to these movie launches and if you are ready you can be part of the wave, and at times can enjoy the ride from start to finish.

Another way to product source is to ask children and teenagers what the latest ideas are.

And lastly in this article if you see a need in an area think are there products I can source to help this need................(or if you want to go complex can I get made !!!)

Those were just a few simple hows of product sourcing

So we have covered the simple How of eBay Product Sourcing, let's take a quick look at the where of product sourcing :

Magazines - Take a trip to a newsagents or the place where you buy magazines from and just stand back and scan all the magazines. For some niches there may be just one magazine but as they get popular there will be more and more magazines for the niche. This will tell you how popular a niche is as magazines do not print for the fun of it. Once you know your niche buy some of the consumer magazines and scan the products on sale. Also apply for some trade magazines as well

TV - Yes adverts can give you ideas for product sourcing, but listen to news programs, chat shows, cookery programs, the list goes on and on, if you see or hear something jot it down in your notebook before you forget it.

Trade Shows - Visit a few a year, some in your own niche and a few outside your niche this will give you ideas to broaden your product range.

People - Watch and listen to people, what are they talking about, what are they complaining about is there a product that you can help them and others with ?

Retail Shops - When you are out and about and see a product you would like to sell note it down in your notebook, just because Wal-Mart sells it does not mean you cannot sell it.

The above was just a few examples of where you go can to do Product Sourcing for your eBay business.