Tony Scorch asked:


Do you like to spend your free time making something? Does your hobby include woodworking, or scrap booking? These are things that you can turn into an Ebay business. Here are some examples of hobbies that would make great Ebay businesses.

Woodworking

Woodworking can be a highly profitable Ebay business. If you make holiday decorations, or items for the front yard these can be a great way of making some money with your hobby. There are all types of woodworking crafts that can be made to sell through an Ebay business. Maybe you can draw plans for woodworking projects, this could be another idea for starting your own Ebay business. Take a few good pictures of the woodworking crafts you make and then put some up for auction on Ebay. See what type of response you get to your items. If you have a lot of people bidding on your crafts you know you found a winner. If not try another project.

Scrap booking
Scrap booking is a huge business right now. If you know have scrap booking supplies you are not using Ebay would be a great way to get rid of them. If you know how to make digital scrap booking kits you could start your own Ebay business. There are so many different types of digital scrap booking items that you could sell. Do you know how to make embellishments, or different types of text? Maybe you can put together an E-book teaching others how to use the different types of software for scrap booking. Any business to do with scrap booking would be a good idea to consider right now.

Jewelry

Jewelry can be a great Ebay business to consider. Homemade jewelry has a big following. If you know how to make jewelry you could give this a try. Take some pictures of the items you make and post them on Ebay. See if you get a big response. If you can make customized jewelry this would be a good thing. Someone might see a necklace you made and think how great it would be if it was made in their favorite colors.

Knitting, Quilting, or other type of Sewing

Do you like to knit baby blankets, or make baby clothes? Maybe you enjoy cross-stitching. These could all be turned into an Ebay business. There are many people that do not have the know how or they simply do not have the time to sew. They are willing to pay others for their hard work and time. Making customized quilts and blankets could be a very profitable Ebay business for you to consider. Take pictures of some of the items you have made and then see what type of response you get on Ebay. Maybe you know how to make cross-stitch patterns, or quilting patterns. Do you like to make quilting squares? Use your hobby to start you own Ebay business.

Stating an Ebay business from a hobby can seem like a scary thing, but take a shot. Take pictures of the things you make and post a few on Ebay. See if the item would get enough attention to be worth making more. You will soon be on your way to having your hobby become an Ebay business.



EVERETT

Sue Quillen asked:


Quilters absolutely love having a variety of fabrics on hand for those special quilting projects. However, it can be expensive if you have to buy yards of fabric just to get that one special piece.  Did you know that you can find a great variety of discount quilting fabric squares on ebay?  Buying pre-shrunk, precision cut cotton fabric squares online can not only save you money, but is a great way to accumulate a nice selection of fabrics without having to buy in bulk.

Here are 5 useful tips for buying discount quilting fabric on eBay:

You Get What You Pay For
You should always look for brand name fabrics.  If you are going to spend countless hours, creating a quilt, you only want to use quality fabric.  Alot of eBay sellers will feature cheap, chain store fabric that is poor quality.  Look for names like Timeless Treasures, Alexander Henry, Kona Bay, and Michael Miller, just to name a few.

Read The Item Description

Be sure to read the quilting fabric description carefully.  Oftentimes, a seller will not feature a picture of the fabric they are selling.  Some sellers don’t own high-quality cameras or scanners. If you don’t take this into consideration, you may be disappointed when the fabric will turn out to be a completely different shade or color than the picture that was featured in the auction. An honest, experienced seller will disclose this in the description but some do not.

Beware Of Stinky Fabric

The smell of the fabric is just as important as the appearance.  If you have allergies or are sensitive to odors, you should ask if the quilting fabric came from a smoke-free home.  Most sellers will disclose this information but as is the case with fabric descriptions, some do not.  There is nothing worse than opening up a package of quilting fabric and smelling stale cigarette smoke, mold, or other weird scents!

Check Quantity As Well As Quality

Be sure to check the quantity of the quilting fabric being offered for sale in the description.  If you’re searching for fat quarters and aren’t careful, you may end up bidding for yardage of fabric you don’t need! Fat quarters, btw, are the smaller ’sampler size pieces’ of fabric. They are generally around 18″ by 22″ in size.  Fat quarters are a nice size for smaller projects or for larger quilts that feature smaller pieces of fabric.

Shipping Costs Can Add Up

Always remember to figure shipping costs when calculating the price of the fabric.  Don’t forget that fabric shipped via Priority mail, international, as well as special shipping requests will all add to the shipping cost.  Not every seller charges ‘actual’ shipping costs, either.  Special ‘handling’ costs can include such items as tape, packing envelopes, time spent packing the quilting fabric, etc.

If you follow these five tips, buying discount quilting fabric on eBay will be a pleasant and rewarding experience!



AARON

Sue Quillen asked:


Quilters can find a huge selection of discount quilting books on eBay.  In addition to the rock-bottom prices, there are many other advantages for buying quilting books on eBay.

New quilting book titles can often be purchased before they are released to the brick and mortar stores.

Quilters who enjoy collecting books written by a particular author can often find a seller listing their entire collection on eBay.

Rare, out-of-print, and otherwise hard-to-find quilting books can often be found for sale on eBay.

Before purchasing any quilting books on eBay there are several important things to be aware of.  Here are five useful tips for buying discount quilting books on eBay:



Pay Attention to the Advertised Condition

Be sure to carefully read the description of the quilting book offered for sale.  If a book is advertised as being ’second hand,’ or ‘used condition’ be aware that the book may contain flaws such as page discoloration, and scratches, bends, and folds on the cover.

Be Aware of The Book’s History

Many quilting books offered for sale on eBay are acquired from estate sales.  That means that the buyer does not know the history of the book being offered for sale.  The book may have been in storage for months and could have a musty odor or smell faintly of mothballs.

This is important to be aware of if you have allergies or are sensitive to odors.  If the book actually belonged to the seller, they will often disclose if the book came from a smoke-free or pet-free home in the description.  Some sellers, however, do not provide this information. When in doubt, always ask!

Watch Those Shipping Costs

Most sellers will ship quilting books via US Postal Service Media Mail or Parcel Post.  The shipping cost, therefore, is generally not that great, unless the book being sold is oversized or a large lot is purchased.  However it is important to note that not every seller will charge ‘actual’ shipping costs. 

Those special ‘handling’ costs that are often tacked on can include such items as tape, packing envelopes, time spent packing the books, etc.  Many sellers offer to consolidate orders, for multiple wins.  This can save greatly on shipping costs.  Some sellers even offer free pickup for local buyers.

Read The Return Policy

Always read the return policy. Be aware that a seller will not offer a refund just because a buyer changed their mind about purchasing the quilting book.  Some will refund the purchase cost if the item is not as described.  Normally, however, the buyer is responsible for the cost of the return shipping.  If the item is damaged during transit, a seller will not offer a refund unless insurance was purchased. 

If you follow these four buying tips, buying discount quilting books on eBay will be a rewarding, profitable, and pleasant experience.



BILL