Beyond her own designs
and dreams...

Part 3:
The Earring Angel
Seller Secrets

© by Lynn Williams; all rights reserved

Lynn Williams

(Catch the beginning of Lynn's story:

Part 1: The Earring Angel

Part 2: Earring Angel Business Expansion.)

If I see a product that I love and it would be difficult to improve upon the design or quality within the categories of Home Organization or Jewelry Organization, I always consider buying it wholesale and then selling it in addition to my own products.

Before I buy wholesale, I always buy at retail first to test the market and the interest. Here's how I do that.

How I Test
Whether a Product Will Sell

If I truly believe in a product I will list it for sale on eBay for 99 cents with NO reserve, even if it cost me $25.00. I list it low and long, for 10 days.

What does that accomplish? TRAFFIC!

And it's a good test before I commit into buying items by the case.

You have to have the "Proper Category Traffic" though. If you sell handbags, you don't want traffic from people looking to buy auto parts or electronics, because you will sell little if anything at all. Stay within your categories and sub-categories that are all related if you can.

I try to buy only items that are made in the USA. However, sometimes I do purchase items from France and other places because they are the only supplier that wholesale what I want to sell - and yes I do research all of this first.

How Do I Find What I Want to Sell?

If an item makes me do a double-take on the look, function or quality, I consider it.

I may buy one at retail and do my 99 cent/day test to see what kind of traffic it will pull and what the final price will be.

Many times one item can draw over 1600 unique visitors into my eBay store. Even if they don't buy at that moment, perhaps they'll remember me and will buy at a later date.

I don't buy an item thinking of MONEY first. I buy an item asking "would I buy it?" and "what would I pay?". Then I look at the money I could make based upon keystone selling.

Keystone Pricing: The retail price is double the wholesale price. For example, if the wholesale price is $10, then the retail price is $20.00.

So I just figured reverse keystoning to determine profit levels for me. Like if I bought an item for $20.00 retail, then the wholesale would probably be around $10.00 if I bought in bulk at wholesale.

How Buying and Reselling
Worked for Me

I would test an item by buying it at the full retail price - let's say $20.00. Then I'd begin the eBay auction for 99 cents/10 days (yes, I take chances).

In most cases it would sell for above the retail price - often for 4 times or even 10 times the retail price - for hard-to-find or discontinued items.

So then I would buy another to test whether it was a fluke. If I got good results anywhere between 6 to12 times, I would then search out the wholesaler or the manufacturer and buy the item by the dozens at wholesale pricing.

If an item is not readily available and almost impossible to find, then supply and demand can come into play - and that is where great profits can lie.

What have YOU been trying to find? Something that YOU want to buy but you can't find a local or even internet seller? There's no reason why that person who fills that void can't be YOU! An unfilled demand means opportunity.

I began selling my Earring Angel Pierced Earring Organizers (my invention), and then branched out.

I tried home decor items, designer ladies' handbags, candles, jewelry boxes and travel gear. I even bought and sold silver, gold and fashion pierced earrings that I bought at the end of the season, saving 70% at Kohl's along with my "Spend $50 and get $10 Coupon". I really made out and went back the next week and bought more with the coupons. Then whatever I didn't sell within 30 days I just returned.

Focusing on a Market Niche

I had great success with it all, but I was going in too many different directions.

So I had to give up selling those other items. In a way it's a shame, because I was making money selling the handbags, etc.

But I needed to focus, so I limited my product line to my Earring Angels, my necklace tree stands and a few other items.

At this time I was also buying and selling Necklace Organizer Holders / Jewelry Tree Display Stands that I bought at retail or wholesale. While I was doing that I was also dreaming and designing my own that I now have and sell.

I now re-focused my business on "organizational products".

Adding Clear Acrylic Cosmetic Organizers

Then one day I needed something for myself, something I couldn't find anywhere that was affordable and good quality - a clear acrylic cosmetic organizer.

I looked for over a year and didn't like any of the ones I found. They were cheap, thin acrylic, or too small, too large, or way too expensive.

One day at random I found one that I liked and bought two of them - one for me and one to sell. The more I used it the more I LOVED it. I listed the other one for .99 cents/10 days on EBay and it sold for double what I paid for it.

Lynn Williams' acrylic cosmetic organizer

So I went back and bought all they had - which was only 3 - and they all sold too.

I went back again and talked to the store manager to see if there were any more. The manager said "Yes, a whole case in the back." So she sold me all of them at retail pricing, but gave me a management discount of 10% and accepted my resale tax permit so I didn't have to pay sales tax.

After they all sold I found the wholesaler of this product, and have been buying and selling them ever since. I've even added other makeup caddies too.

My favorite is the Wall Mount Clear Acrylic Makeup Caddy that can be mounted on the wall or set on a vanity or table top. It's also a customer favorite like most of the products I sell.

Adding Vintage Earring Trees

I was at a hospital visiting someone in another state and I decided to go for a little walk.

I ended up in the lobby gift boutique that was also a small jewelry store. I spoke with a very nice man who sold vintage earrings, jewelry, watches, etc. - but he also sold vintage earring trees.

They were so beautiful and unique, but very expensive. I asked him how often he sold them, or were they primarily for displaying earrings?

He said he sold them for over $100.00 no problem, so I told him I had a store in another state which was true and would like to sell them too.

I asked for his contact and he said he was not sure but to call him when I got back to Texas. So I did, and after a few days he gave me the importer's name and phone number. I got a catalog and have been buying and selling them ever since.

Lynn Williams' silver vintage earring tree

Even these I started auction bidding at 99 cents/10 days, knowing they would sell for far more than that and somehow I would make a profit - and I did.

They aren't pewter or lead. They have genuine silver or 14K gold overlay. They're made from vintage original renderings and antique molds made the old world way.

Because of these features, I knew that I was the only one who found these treasures and was selling them on eBay.

These molds are from the early 1800's thru the early 1900's, and are beautiful works of art that happen to display pierced earrings. I absolutely love them all. What a perfect addition to my products!

Hard to find, unique, beautiful, and it organizes earrings! How great is that?

Go for It,
and Give It All You've Got

I may be giving out too many of my secrets. If so, what can I say?

Except, it's for a purpose: To help anyone who needs to add to their income either to survive, pay for college, build a retirement, pay for gasoline, or just get ahead - selling online can help.

But don't think it's easy or part time. Perhaps it may start that way or be that way for some, but not for me. Nothing is free or easy, and if it is it might not be worth having.

If you give it ALL you've got and work hard, it can work. I have worked and continue to work 7 days a week for the most part and anywhere up to 12+ hours a day since 2005, with breaks to spend time with my family, do laundry, make dinner and run my husband's electrian business.

Needless to say I am in need of a vacation! I see it coming! Maybe sometime in 2009.

My Dad used to say, "It's better to do nothing at all, than to do anything half-ass". I totally agree and this is why - the results! Working half-ass acheives nothing, and doing nothing also achieves nothing!

So why not save your energy and really go for it - and DO something else. For me, it's all out or not at all!

My Results May Not Be Typical

I began with eBay but have grown to my own website and Amazon.com too! Which really helps you get exposure in the major search engines.

YouTube is also a great way to show the world who you are and what you do, create, make and or sell - I've set up my own Angelynn's Channel for my videos on YouTube.

If you decide to try this, make a list of your interests and what things you love to window shop or shop for. Buy something you love and try selling it. You never know - it could set you on your way.

I am a Woman Christian Inventor and Entrepreneur, and I have to say I was led by the Lord Jesus every step of the way on this Journey.

Don't miss the next part of Lynn's success story:
Part 4 - The Earring Angel - Refocusing and Staying the Course.

You can start back at the beginning of Lynn's success story:

Part 1 - The Earring Angel

Part 2 - The Earring Angel Business Expansion.