Starting ebay store give me ideas for common items to stock for DIYers

[Undrgrnd Armory]

I currently have an ebay business acount and I plan on opening a store to sell both hydroponic/mj and mushroom growing supplies. I want to start small with some common items that this group of people would need and work my way up to more pricey items and greater selection. Any input on items to stock would be greatly appreciated.



So far:

Various books on mj/mushroom growing

Mj/ hydro
-----------
Hydroton
Rockwool plugs
Plastic buckets
netpots
perlite
vermiculite
rubbermaids (various sizes)
large glass cylinders for use in making cool tubes
hvac fittings/ ducting
spray bottles

Mushroom growing
-----------------
glass jars
rice flour
vermiculite
perlite
rubbermaid (various sizes)
tyvek sheets
glad ovenware
spray bottles




Most of these items I will break up and sell in small quantities to start. Any thoughts are most welcome.

 

[clowntown]

Not sure on the legality of it, but I would stay away from MJ books as a seller of hydroponic equipment. This kinda implies that you're aware that you're selling the equipment for MJ cultivation, and that's a big no-no. I'm sure the same applies for 'shrooms.

 

[Undrgrnd Armory]

Not sure on the legality of it, but I would stay away from MJ books as a seller of hydroponic equipment. This kinda implies that you're aware that you're selling the equipment for MJ cultivation, and that's a big no-no. I'm sure the same applies for 'shrooms.

Good point.

 

[clowntown]

Secondly, I don't really see the need to stock things like vermiculite and perlite, unless you have a special type or variety or a great deal on them. They're typically going to be fairly expensive to ship relative to their value, and not a whole lot of people are going to be interested in buying them online from eBay when they can simply go to their local nursery to pick it up in person. One small exception might be Fox Farm Big and Chunky perlite, which can be difficult to find, but I'm not sure how much business you're going to get from that... and you'll likely have to be a reseller through Fox Farm to get any decent pricing to make profit.

Same goes with Rubbermaids... not sure how many people are willing to buy that online and pay hefty shipping, when they can go to their local Wal-Mart, Target, etc.

Look at what the other shops are selling, look at their prices, and meet or beat it. Give people a reason to buy from you. eBay people, if anything, are frugal types. Offer a unique product that no one else offers, and/or offer it at a price that no one else does.

Then you have to factor in eBay's cut, operating costs, etc and see if the projected volume / profits will be worth it. Pretty simple business stuff, I guess.

 

[rastamonunika]

for the mushies id think latex gloves would be a good tihng to stock if u can get them cheap enough. . .

i agree wtih clown about the rubbermaids and verm/perlte. . . the hard stuff to find is fox farms chunky stuff, so id look into the "special" items i suppose. . .

 

[Sauce]

Agreed with the people above. Don't sell books that imply what you're selling the equipment for.

Things like rubbermaids and ducting are not a good idea imo because Wal Mart or Home Depot will be far cheaper. Why would some one order basic goods like that online when they could just drive to the store and buy them for cheaper?

Stuff like perlite is also too large to ship when some one could just buy it at the store. The profit margin on things like this is probably pretty small.

I would try more to specialize in growing related stuff. People are not going to order basic things online when they could just buy it for cheaper at a store nearby. Nutes would be a good idea imo, they are somewhat small and aren't sold many places other than grow shops.

 

[BACKCOUNTRY]

Air pumps, activated carbon, water pumps, hoses/tubing, air stones, thermometers, ppm testers, ph testers, inline fans, case fans, parts for building fluorecent fixtures, ballasts for fluoros and HID??, materials for wicks, foggers, etc etc

 

[Guest]

not really a growing material but bubble bags would be sweet

 

[clowntown]

not really a growing material but bubble bags would be sweet

Sure it is... it's a harvest tool. Good suggestion!

It can supposedly be used on other herbs like mint, or ... umm, I forgot but there's a list of unimportant herbs that no one would ever pay $200 for a bag set for... :wink:

 

[bounty29]

Pressure cookers for sterilization when dealing with shrooms? Although I guess that might fall under the "just buy it at Wal Mart" category.