Hi, I thought I would write a guide to help serve others in these tough times who are interested in reselling stuff online.  I am no expert, not yet anyway, but I might have a few tips that could be helpful in the least to get you on your way.  Even if you are already selling, maybe this guide will give you a few ideas that you didn't know of before that will help you bring in those customers!  Hey, it can't hurt, right?  Here are some research tips:

1. Look at prices people are asking for their items. Online auctions is what I'm talking about.  Try different keywords to find the same item(s) if you don't get a lot of results.  Also, before you buy, keep in mind the number of the same item you find.  If you can get a lot of the same thing for cheaper than they are going for on ebay, it may be worth investing in them, however if it cost you the same or more than what you find on ebay, chances are you will take a loss by attempting to market them online. 
   
2. Know the price if you can of the item(s) you are trying to sell-New & Used.  Look them up online. 
   
3. Get as much info about the item(s) you can, brand, color(s), texture, size, how much to ship it, dimensions, style, cut, design, material, etc...Learn proper names so when you write your auction, more people will be able to find exactly what they are looking for because you are detailed and specific(i.e. Coach Brand Hobo style bag Suede Leather w/ Zipper Closure). 
   
4. Stick to what you know, but don't be afraid to learn or try new things or ideas.  You can expand your customer base by staying open and flexible. 
   
5. People go for quality, but also what they can get for the least amount of money.  Selling item(s) in lots may work, but shipping can add up.  Individually you would rack up ebay fees for listing, etc. for each auction you post.   Depending on the number of item(s) you have to sell, purchasing an ebay store may be a good investment.  It gives you a longer period of time for your auctions to be active, 30 days as opposed to 1,3,5,7,or 10.  I cannot write much about ebay stores, as I haven't had enough time to write up enough auctions to invest in one. 
   
6. Check out other ebayers who sell item(s) similar to yours.  Look at how people word their auctions.  Check feedback ratings and about me pages.  Fill out your about me page!  Build up a feedback rating.  People want a high percentage of satisfied customers.  Go that extra mile to make your customers happy.  It will be worth it. 
   
7. Go to the library and check out books on selling on ebay.  There is an "Ebay Bible" and "Starting an Ebay Business for Dummies".   I own both of them, but haven't read all the way through yet, another time issue for me.  
8. Make sure you have time to invest in starting your own side job on Ebay.  To be successful at this, you have to put somewhat of an effort into it so that takes time!  When shopping on ebay, I tend to avoid auctions that have poor or no written descriptions.  If you don't care enough about
   your item(s) to accurately describe them for someone who possibly wants to buy it from you, then why should I buy it from you?  Do I really want your junk?   If you take the time to write a detailed and accurate description of the actual item you own, I think more people appreciate 
   that and are more likely to buy from you.
9. Look up free ebay software sites.  Anything that has to do with ebay.  Free image hosting, auction writing, templates, etc.  There are some good  ones out there.  They can help save you in ebay fees too!  Plus they make writing auctions fun!  You can pick out colors and templates to match your auction listings.
   

          Hopefully these help you a little and get your brain gears moving toward starting your own business!  With Ebay, new stuff is coming out all the time!  It is a never ending journey of learning and expanding your horizons!  I recommend starting slow so you can get a good hold on a few really good ideas and give them time to work for you.  You can always try several and see what works for your business.  That's how we learn, trial and error.  Research helps with less error though I hope.  Thanks for reading!