Last week, I picked up a copy of Entrepreneur's eBay Startup Guide magazine. It's filled with helpful articles for those interested in starting their own successful Ebay business. The guide gives great step-by-step advice for determining what to list, the right tools for the job, and the best way to sell your merchandise. eBay has created some incredible stories of entrepreneurs like Michael Lehman and Randy Smythe, who started selling DVDs exclusively on eBay. Last year, their revenue totaled $3.6 million and they expect to hit $7 million by the end of this year.

Nancy and Daren Baughman of Cary, North Carolina, decided to use eBay as a means of clearing out a few things in their attic. Those items sold at such a nice profit that they continued selling until they decided to start their own eBay business two years ago. They spend time hunting garage sales and auction houses for collectibles, art, antiques, and electronic equipment. They have also started helping others appraise and sell their items on eBay in exchange for a percentage of each deal. Their company, eBizAuctions, will exceed $100,000 in sales for this year alone. Other business owners have used eBay to help compensate for the loss of sales in their local brick and mortar stores. David Hardin, a shoe wholesaler in Mayfield, Kentucky, started listing his shoes on eBay in 2000 as a means to supplement his loss in local business. Four years later, his brick and mortar store is thriving again along with his five-eBay apparel businesses. His gross sales last year were about $750,000.

Currently, there are 430,000 full and part time entrepreneurs earning incomes on eBay. With some research and planning, anyone can create a profitable business with very little financial risk up front. I recommend picking up this eBay guide at your local bookstore. Even if you have no interest in building a full time business, it's a great way to get rid of a lot of old junk in the garage or attic.



About the Author
Jonathan Taylor, specializes in helping people in every stage of their lives to find more meaning and purpose in their work. He believes that to find that purpose and meaning, a person's interests, skills, passions, and goals must integrate seamlessly with their work. To get more great advice, subscribe to Jonathan's newsletter at www.careercalling.com!