Starting Your Own Home Business - EBay Start Up Supplies

I also give a brief explanation of how the item can be used to make your work easier. The following is a list of items that I have found to be most useful for being prepared and organized as an eBay seller.

After all selling on eBay is a business venture and should have proper record keeping. When it is completely filled out it will contain important information that you will want to keep for future reference. The Inventory Sheet is my own creation.

Use only one Inventory Sheet per item being put up for auction on eBay. They also can tell you how much of a profit or loss you made from your item. Inventory Sheets are also good for keeping a permanent record of all your eBay transactions. Inventory Sheets help keep track of items and the information related to your eBay Auction. Inventory Sheets are the most important item in this kit.

A Master Log sheet for keeping track of Inventory Numbers and descriptions.

The log also let's you know the next available inventory number when you are ready to add another item and start another Inventory Sheet. This comes in handy for when you have a lot of items up for auction and need a quick reference to find an item number without thumbing thought all the Inventory Sheets.

A Binder to keep your Inventory Sheets in order.

You will want to know the expenses involved with all transactions for income tax purposes. You should also file the Inventory Sheet Items that have failed to sell. You will need to have 12 file folders so you can label them by the month. File folders to store completed Inventory Sheets.

A small tape measure for taking measurement of boxes and items.

A roll of clear packaging tape good for sealing packages and attaching shipping labels.

A tape gun for quick and easy package sealing.

A calculator for totaling dollar amounts on your Inventory Sheet.

Each card has space for you to include your e-mail and eBay My World address. I use business cards for thank you cards. Thank you cards to include with your auction item.

A small pair of scissors good for cutting tape and shipping labels.

Some packages may need to be marked FRAGILE. A Sharpie good for marking packages.

A yellow highlighter for marking important information on Inventory Sheets.

I always highlight them for quick reference, if a buyer has special handling requirements.

And calculator, markers, pens, i put my tape gun in the main compartment and I use the pockets for my scissors. I have noticed that my supplies were getting lost so I started using a tote bag to store my stuff. A handy tote bag with pockets to hold your eBay supplies.

Priority Mail Shipping cartons available for free at your local post office.

A digital postal scale is good for determining shipping charges.

The ink is very messy to work with and you don't want to leave black fingerprints on your nice white Priority Mail boxes. They are good to use because there is not ink on the paper. An end roll has blank paper left on the end of the roll. In my town we have a newspaper print shop that sells their end rolls. Bubble wrap and/or packing peanuts, this can be crumpled up newspaper. Packing material needed to help your item to be delivered safely.

I hang the clipboard on a hook so I can see at a glance what needs to be paid. I take out the Inventory Sheet and place it on a clipboard, if an item sells. A clipboard for holding Inventory sheets awaiting payment.

I turn the sheet side ways on the clipboard to indicate the item is ready for shipping. Print a packing list and package the item for shipping, i can finish filling out the Inventory Sheet, after the item has been paid.

Then they get filed by the month shipped. When I get back from the post office I take the Inventory Sheets off the clipboard and match them up with receipt from the post office.

A stapler for attaching Inventory Sheets to shipping receipt.

This will give the buyer a reminder of what they bought and from whom. Always include a packing list or a copy of the invoice with all items being shipped. A printer for printing invoices or packing lists.

A digital camera for taking pictures of your eBay item.

They are also good for keeping small items in inventory and you can mark the item number on the plastic bag. I always package my items in bags just in case if the package gets damaged during shipping. Clear plastic bags to protect the item from any dirt and odors.

I have seen sellers get negative feedback because the item had a bad smoky odor. A garage might have gasoline odors and a dining room might have cooking odors. Make sure that your inventory is stored in a smoke-free area and is protected from other odors that will devalue your inventory. There is a line on the Inventory Sheet to record the item location. Mark each box or tote with a number. This can range from a simple cardboard box to many plastic totes stored on a shelving system. A place to store your eBay inventory items.