I have been selling on ebay for over five years. I started out selling just things we didn't need anymore and then graduated to other items. At first, it was a way for me to get something I wanted for less or even for free at times. When my daughter was young and Beanie Babies were in, we would stand in line and buy two sets of everything; one set for her to keep and another to sell as a way of cutting the cost of ours. That brings me to rule number one, "if it is something you want really bad, chances are somewhere, someone else wants it too."

  Next comes the fad, trend, & holiday "hot" items. These are the items that you hear the buzz about before they hit the shelves, sometimes months in advance. Case-in-point, the Xbox 360, that of course was released just in time for Christmas last year. I even had my 65-year-old mother in line with me to get them. We ended up with an unbelieveable 12! I couldn't believe it myself. Of course, they sold like crazy! The one for my kids cost me nothing and I had plenty of cash left over for Christmas shopping. That brings me to my next rule: Rule number two, "Supply and Demand" The more hype there is about an item and the closer it is to a holiday, the better. Some past items I had luck with were Furby's (I can't believe I kept one) and Playstation 2. At first I felt bad about this, but then I realized that some people would pay more just so they don't have to wait in line all night in freezing temperatures. And it is for those people that I give the gift of my time and shivering.

 My next rule involves all items vintage & nostalgic. These are the things people can't wait to get their hands on. For example, a toy that has always been lurking in their memory. It was their favorite and who knows what happened to it: Was it broken, given away to charity, or lost forever in some dark attic never to be seen again? For me, this was a talking Viewmaster projector made by Gaff that I had missed dearly since childhood until one day...there it was on ebay just waiting for me. This brings me to rule number three, "if someone cared enough for the vintage item you have found to keep it in good condition, more than likely there is someone else who has been looking for it."

  Next up, are vintage electronics. These were the items that were expensive in their day, but worth every penny. Their time has come and gone, but now they are wanted for the shear joy of having something no one else has anymore. These include CED players, Laser Disc players, and my personal favorite, vintage video games. Also included in this category are the items that are needed to keep a memory from fading into nothing more than a figment. These are the film projectors, slide projectors, & 8 track tape players. These are all grounds for rule number four, "if it's electronic, very old, and still works, someone somewhere wants or needs it."

Last but not least, we come to the just plain weird and bizzare items. These are the sock monkeys, portraits made from thousands of Legos, hats made from Pepsi cans, etc. If it is just plain, "way out in left field all by itself", someone wants it. If you walk by it in a thrift shop, flea market, yard sale, or open it on Christmas morning and have to stop and ask yourself, "what in the world were they thinking?!" Then that is the reason for rule number five: If you think, "who in the world would want something like this?", they do and they are looking for it on ebay right now.

 This last thing is not a rule, but a suggestion. Have fun with what you sell. Anyone can sell mass quanities of the same thing, so try to be unique. Pick items that speak to you. Look for the "out of the ordinary" and the extrodinary! Things that make you smile, or just stop and think. If you truly love it, chances are someone else will too.