Product Sourcing – ARGH!

Well, I used the drop shipper I had selected and their tool that moves the product to my eBay store. I did not like the results. Plus, the products I was finding were not the products I wanted to sell. They were the “type” of products, but not the specific models/makes of products. More research is underway.

Getting Started in eCommerce

To get started with my business, I’m going through this training program from Power Seller College (PSC). I’ve been going through the topical lessons since the first week of January. I have to admit, I’ve learned tons of information a lot of which is repeated. I do believe the “repetition is the mother of invention” as Tony Robbins says. However, some of these lessons are painstakingly repetitive. But finally, yesterday…a somewhat unique topic.

As a business that will sell on eBay as well as my own web sites, one of the keys to being successful is finding the products… aka product sourcing. There are lots of options. Yesterday’s lessons were about sourcing from China. I believe this is a great idea… after I’ve established a somewhat successful business selling on-line. Unless you have capital and storage space set aside, don’t start with sourcing from China. I will be utilizing drop-shipping services located here in the US. Yes, this drastically cuts down on my profit margin. So, my goal will be to sell, sell, and sell some more. I need to increase my sales volume.

Today, I talk with my coach/instructor from PSC. He’s a great guy that has Powerseller status with eBay and worked for eBay before becoming an instructor for PSC. This is our last formal phone call, but for as long as I remain with PSC, I can call/email him anytime with questions. I am sure I will have plenty.

Well, that’s all for now. Make it a great day!

~ Michelle

The Start of a New Day

I am starting an online business. I want to chronicle everything I do… leaving bread crumbs to success (or what I plan to be success). Actually, I’ve been working on starting a business for quite sometime. First it was Capital Consulting Firm. It’s not completely formed. After doing some online searching and reading “The 4-Hour Workweek” by Tim Ferris, I bought a little informational book/program called Automated Wealth Package (AWP). So, it took me two weeks to make it through everything in AWP. It was all very good information pertaining to selling on eBay and utilizing Google Adwords. That led me to something called the VIP Success Team. I’m still not sure who/what they are other than they did get me to enroll into Power Seller College (PSC). I forked out quite a bit of money with the idea that I would receive the training and tools necessary to be successful on eBay and eventually open my own online store.

Like most people I was extremely skeptical of everything. The money I paid was substantial, especially considering I am unemployed. But, I took a step of faith. I then invested in a service from My Success Planning which helps form my business, puts together a professional business plan, and provides some additional coaching. Again, a substantial investment that I felt was worth the risk.

The my business… the idea is that I get started as a successfully selling on eBay and then open my own online store. I will start by utilizing drop-shipping companies that provide the products I want to sell. I become a middleman. I market and sell the item, customers pay me, I take my cut, place the order with the drop-shipper and they ship the product with my company’s invoice and information.

I’m still in the training phase. I’ve been going through the PSC training materials since the first week of January. There is a lot of information. I have a coach/instructor that I talk with each week. There are assignments due and tests for each topic discussed. I hope to start selling with a drop-shipper next week. I’ll let you know how it goes.

To date, this is what I have accomplished:

• Bought into Power Seller College program
• Bought My Success Planning services
• Formed Harper Global Enterprises, LLC with the state of Ohio
• Obtained my Tax ID number
• Set-up business checking account
• Secured a business credit card
• Purchased a box at a UPS store to use as the business mailing address
• Registered with a Drop Shipping service
• Registered 8 or so domain names for Harper Global Enterprises as well as my store… wait for it… you ready… I’m excited about the name… “That One Store.”
• Completed a little more than half of the training provided by PSC.

I’d say my biggest obstacles thus far have been fear and anxiety. Fear of failure is the biggie. I’ve told friends and family what I’m doing. I’ve invested around $10,000 thus far in training programs, a new lap top, and all the other miscellaneous start-up costs. Basically, I’m in this too far to stop now. You can read about my daily adventures here on my blog which will eventually be moved to my own domain.

~ Michelle    –> By the way, “Happy Groundhog’s Day!!!”

Possible Logo

So, what do you think about this as a logo. I’ve been playing with it for several weeks now through Logo Maker. I’m not quite sure about it.