How Do eBay Sellers Find New Store Merchandise?

The online auction site eBay has become a major online presence for numerous types of products, such as toys, clothing, sporting equipment and collectibles. EBay has become a place for entrepreneurs to sell their goods without the incurring the costs of an online or brick-and-mortar storefront.

Wholesale Companies

• A seller can sign up as a reseller with a wholesale company. Several wholesale companies can be found in online directories such as the Open Directory Project (DMOZ), Wholesaledir.com and The Wholesale Room.

Drop Ship Companies

• Drop Ship companies allow sellers to purchase individual items one at a time, and then those items are shipped directly from the drop ship company to the customer. Drop ship companies are also found in online directories such as the DMOZ, Dropshipsites.com and Wholesalecentral.com.

Department and Closeout Stores

• Sellers can also buy merchandise from department and closeout stores. Several times a year, department stores mark down their merchandise as much as 75 to 90 percent. For example, designer label clothing can be bought at 80 percent off and sold on eBay for more than the purchase price.