Author Topic: Need some ideas for quick side business  (Read 6755 times)

greenmimama

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Need some ideas for quick side business
« on: October 25, 2014, 08:28:03 AM »
Hey guys, I cam upon a lady in my town who has thousands of Tablet covers, new in plastic, name brand, from a company that is local to us, but sells them all online.

She is willing to sell them to me for about 50cents a piece, then I could turn around and sell them for a tidy little profit.

I would rather sell them all to a wholesaler and just make a quick small sum, rather than take the time needed to sell them all individually, even though I could make quite a bit more.

I am a stay at home homeschooling mom to 3 young boys, my time is limited, I do have some time to devote to it, but not a ton.

I was wondering if you all had any great ideas on where I could unload these. Brainstorm with me.

(these didn't fall off a truck, they are not damaged, they are about 6mo old and are plain solid colors, non of the current prints, like Chevrons or flowers or anything.

GizmoTX

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Re: Need some ideas for quick side business
« Reply #1 on: October 25, 2014, 09:13:05 AM »
Are you sure that a wholesaler would buy them from you for a profit? Why wouldn't the seller do that herself? Selling them one at a time means you need thousands of buyers wanting covers in whatever model these were made for, which may be or soon become obsolete.

DocCyane

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Re: Need some ideas for quick side business
« Reply #2 on: October 25, 2014, 09:26:19 AM »
I wouldn't do this flip. Phone and tablet covers are crowded space to begin with and the model these fit may already be obsolete. The only way to make money would be to patiently sell them individually on eBay, and even then you'll likely get stuck with half or more.

If the person you're buying from could sell them for more money, she would be. Don't be the next greater fool.

If you want to get into flipping, read up on it and find your niche, whether it be clothes or collectibles or cars or what have you. Learn that area like a champ, find a source for cheap goods, try to add value if you can (clean it, repair it, bundle it) and then flip it on eBay or Amazon.

greenmimama

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Re: Need some ideas for quick side business
« Reply #3 on: October 25, 2014, 11:02:19 AM »
Are you sure that a wholesaler would buy them from you for a profit? Why wouldn't the seller do that herself? Selling them one at a time means you need thousands of buyers wanting covers in whatever model these were made for, which may be or soon become obsolete.

I am not sure, I am trying to line up buyers before I purchase them, I think a wholesaler might buy them from me because I am getting them for so cheap, that I can make a small profit on them.

I am hoping to talk to some people this week and then I will know more, I haven't already purchased them, but they are available for me to purchase, if that makes sense.

I am looking into selling them individually on ebay or such, but if I do that, I will only purchase a few hundred, not the thousands that are available.

The company that I thought might buy a bunch is only interested in 500, but it's better than nothing.

lakemom

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Re: Need some ideas for quick side business
« Reply #4 on: October 25, 2014, 12:01:43 PM »
I know you don't want to do this yourself but what about crafters?  Someone could buy a bunch, punch them up a bit with various types of enhancements then resell on ebay or etsy.  What types of tablets are these sized to fit?

VirginiaBob

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Re: Need some ideas for quick side business
« Reply #5 on: October 25, 2014, 12:12:31 PM »
These sell really well for newly released phones, but very slow for old phones.  That, and the fact that thousands of sellers are buying these in bulk on alibaba from china for pennies.  A lot of competition.  Been there, done that.

hodedofome

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Re: Need some ideas for quick side business
« Reply #6 on: October 25, 2014, 12:57:59 PM »
I'm not trying to talk my book, but my wife and her friends are stay at home moms and they all got into a direct sales/multi level marketing business this past year. They sell it over Facebook for the most part, not many home parties. They've done really well with it. I figured if she could make $300-500 a month that would be fantastic. But they are making 10-20 times that amount now.

There are plenty of MLM companies that are ridiculous, but there are some that have good products, are cheap to start up and are new enough that the market isn't saturated.

jday

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Re: Need some ideas for quick side business
« Reply #7 on: October 25, 2014, 02:03:56 PM »
So you have a company that would buy 500? Can you at least break even selling 500? Considering shipping and everything? Start selling them on ebay and put in there 3-4 weeks for deliver. Have a few orders in hand then buy them. You could probably sell most of them before you even have them.

greenmimama

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Re: Need some ideas for quick side business
« Reply #8 on: October 25, 2014, 02:08:34 PM »
I am buying from someone local, so no shipping, and I am selling the 500 to someone local, it wouldn't  cover my whole cost, but I would net about $750 on that sale.

I'm to trying to make money in general, this just sort of fell in my lap and I'm trying to figure out if it is worth it, the great thing is, I can buy a few or thousands at this point, I can pre sell them before buying. Just from asking some friends and putting an ad on CL and seeking out Amazon stuff, I am thinking I only want to sell them to wholesalers, or rather sell them at wholesale to a store that can resell them. Doing them one at a time is crazy at this point.

YoungInvestor

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Re: Need some ideas for quick side business
« Reply #9 on: October 25, 2014, 02:12:31 PM »
Do you have to buy it all? Buy 500 from that lady and sell that.

Seņora Savings

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Re: Need some ideas for quick side business
« Reply #10 on: October 25, 2014, 06:23:16 PM »
I am a stay at home homeschooling mom to 3 young boys, my time is limited, I do have some time to devote to it, but not a ton.

Have you thought about child labor?  It might be educational (depending on age) for your sons to give this a try to learn a bit about business.

10dollarsatatime

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Re: Need some ideas for quick side business
« Reply #11 on: October 25, 2014, 07:46:52 PM »
IF. They are for a fairly recent model of tablet and you can charge 10-15 bucks for them, you might sell them on Amazon FBA.  You prep, list, send them to Amazon, and they'll take care of the rest.  But this only works if they'll sell relatively quick, as Amazon does charge storage fees for FBA. 

greenmimama

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Re: Need some ideas for quick side business
« Reply #12 on: October 28, 2014, 12:13:07 PM »
IF. They are for a fairly recent model of tablet and you can charge 10-15 bucks for them, you might sell them on Amazon FBA.  You prep, list, send them to Amazon, and they'll take care of the rest.  But this only works if they'll sell relatively quick, as Amazon does charge storage fees for FBA.

Sorry what is FBA?

VirginiaBob

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Re: Need some ideas for quick side business
« Reply #13 on: October 28, 2014, 12:17:48 PM »
IF. They are for a fairly recent model of tablet and you can charge 10-15 bucks for them, you might sell them on Amazon FBA.  You prep, list, send them to Amazon, and they'll take care of the rest.  But this only works if they'll sell relatively quick, as Amazon does charge storage fees for FBA.

Sorry what is FBA?

It is Fullfillment by Amazon.  It is Amazon's method for shutting out all of the small sellers from thier marketplace.

MgoSam

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Re: Need some ideas for quick side business
« Reply #14 on: October 28, 2014, 12:19:40 PM »
OP I am sending you a PM, I am a wholesaler. This isn't a product that I normally don't carry, but I don't mind seeing if it will be worthwhile for us to pick up, or if I have someone that would be interested.

MustacheCowboy

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Re: Need some ideas for quick side business
« Reply #15 on: October 28, 2014, 12:29:57 PM »
OP I am sending you a PM, I am a wholesaler. This isn't a product that I normally don't carry, but I don't mind seeing if it will be worthwhile for us to pick up, or if I have someone that would be interested.

@MgoSam - what kind of products do you carry and sell wholesale? I'm trying to start a side gig online. I could be your next customer!

MgoSam

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Re: Need some ideas for quick side business
« Reply #16 on: October 28, 2014, 12:31:25 PM »
OP I am sending you a PM, I am a wholesaler. This isn't a product that I normally don't carry, but I don't mind seeing if it will be worthwhile for us to pick up, or if I have someone that would be interested.

@MgoSam - what kind of products do you carry and sell wholesale? I'm trying to start a side gig online. I could be your next customer!

I carry a ton of different products, but right now we specialize in poly figurines and smoking accessories. I'll send you a PM with my company's website.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!