Wheelin’ and Dealin’ Part 1

This article is going to cover some theories behind buying and selling on the internet and how best to portray yourself as a small ‘garage’ business using sites such as Amazon and eBay as shop fronts.

I think the most fascinating thing about buying and selling on the internet is watching the patterns which emerge from people’s buying habits, and seeing how different little tricks can change what people buy.

The first issue everyone has to overcome when selling stuff on the internet is competition. I would say this is probably the biggest hurdle. And it is such a big issue because there are so many people doing the same thing. I am currently reading Alan sugar’s book, where he talks about going into the Hardware shops as a Salesman and offers his products. There isn’t the same way of working on the internet as there is in the real world. There is no human contact or traditional persuasive selling patter which can be used.

The internet has its own selling system and it mainly involves the user coming to find you, not the other way around which is the more difficult bit. What you also have to consider is not only is there lots and lots of things which people are selling but also lots and lots of things which people are buying. The range of stuff which you can find is so much more expansive than any shop you may find, no matter how big or small.

So we are in a situation with so much to choose from to start selling, limited funds, and so much competition. I know what you will be thinking now. How do I even start. My top tip here would be to clear out your loft, or under your bed. Have a good old sort through your junk and find a few items to sell. Maybe 4 or 5. Advertise them on eBay. I am not going to tell you how to sell on eBay, that is for other blogs or maybe a later post, but I will tell you the first items you sell will be the best indicator of where your selling path may go. You can really get a feel for what people snap up, what sells and what doesn’t, how the system of eBay works and also how best to market items.

You will find many extra tools on eBay, most of them designed to squeeze every last penny out of the profits you make so you have to be careful with this. Do the maths and make sure you aren’t making a loss. Work out what is effective and what isn’t. Also by selling a few items you will build up some reputation on eBay and people will be more inclined to buy from you.

Let’s all take our parents for example. I know mine are certainly the ones who won’t buy anything of Amazon unless it is fulfilled by Amazon and take extreme care on eBay. They may really want that china teapot somebody bought you for your birthday 6 years ago because it has a tiger on it, but if you don’t have a very good ‘reputation’ they will stay well clear. I could make or break most of your sales.

Even the tech savvy look at this when purchasing. I can’t stress to you the importance of it. And it is built up with you being reliable and professional from the very start.

Don’t miss part 2 of this article where we look at moving you little endeavour on from just clearing out the junk under your bad or in the top of your wardrobe.

Please follow me on twitter: @peachy146

Be Imaginative and Grown Up

One of the hardest things to do as a teenager is to get a job. Trust me. I have been there and done that. Living in a village I was at a disadvantage already with not many jobs going and a lot of people wanting them. The main thing these days is the issue of the law. Anyway, I won't bore you with it, that is for another post, but shopkeepers and employers can't be bothered with the hassle. if you want a paper round before you have finished compulsory education you have to get a working permit, which requires all sorts of stuff from a shopkeeper. Blah blah blah. However there are still lots of jobs which people will employ people from the age of 13 to do little things for them.

For example you may find a gardener who needs a hand on a Saturday or the milkman or whatever. What I am trying to say is don't be closed minded about what you are going to do. It doesn't pay. Trust me.

The other point I wanted to mention was that you need to persevere with your job. For example helping out with pot washer at you local pub could eventually lead to you being a waiter or waitress or even a bar steward. There is a natural progression with every job which moves through the ranks as you become older and more experienced and more trusted by your employer. Let me explain to you my path through my teenager career if you like:

I started as a Sunday Paperboy, earning just £4 a week. After 2 months I had been moved onto a Monday to Saturday round which was £16. I was progressing slowly and surely. After about 6 months of doing that I was asked to help out on a Saturday morning putting the papers up for the paperboys. This was 2 hours work at £3.50 an hour. Rubbish, I know, but from there I got to know how the shop worked. How to work the tills, how to put out the papers etc etc. I kept asking the boss, not so I annoyed him but so I was persistent and keen, if there was a job going in the shop.

Until one day, at the glamorous age of 17, he offered me a job part-time working behind the counter. So there was £23 from my paper round and early Saturday morning, plus 8 hours a week at £5 and I was making £63 a week from my part time job. Not bad eh?

That was just with a little bit of persistence and good hard work that got me to a stage where I could earn enough money to fund a car and a girlfriend. What I am trying to say is approach any job, no matter how boring it may be to start off with, in a mature and proffesional and also positive manner. Don't be the lad that does 3 Sunday rounds and then doesn't bother turning up again. Follow that path.

How to Make money from Article Writing

There are many ways to make money online. Many you can learn all about from websites and articles online, but there are some, the very best, which aren’t covered. Article writing falls into this. There are many people who make a fantastic living off article writing. Take me for example. I provide article writing services and such like, and make a perfectly comfortable living off it. I don’t need any other jobs to live the life I want to live. I also have an incredible passion for article writing and this makes my job even more worthwhile and enjoyable.

Many platforms allow you to start out article writing, some where you publish articles, others where you can submit proposals for people looking for something specific writing, whether that be for a website or a magazine or something. One of these very portals, where I started article writing, is squidoo.com. On this platform, you set up an account, and create a lens, which is essentially a page on which you place your article writing on. You can then choose if you want to put extra widgets and things on, including ad sense advertisings and affiliate links to Amazon and eBay, which sell products linked to your article.

The most important thing to remember when doing this is to have an interesting and creative style of article writing, yet also make sure your article writing is informative and flows well. For example, if you are writing a music review or instructions on how to take a photo, they both require a different style of article writing, so make sure that they suit the style you choose to use. To publicise your article, post a link on facebook or twitter, and be active on some forums which link to your niche, and publicise that way. Another really good way to get public notice for your article, is a free service called amplify, or you could even use Google Ad Words to get hits to your article.

If you would prefer to work on a more couture and bespoke environment, the best place for freelance writers to get work is eLance.com. This provides a service which connects clients and writers together and because of the volume of people using this site, there is always somebody for you. There is a great workroom interface and it is a really powerful tool to make money in article writing.