eBaying has enabled millions of moms the world over to be self-employed. All you need to start is a computer and a digital camera. Your first step is to register at eBay. Many sellers prefer to keep their buying and selling profiles separate… so if you already have a profile that you use for buying, decide if you’d like to have a separate profile for selling.

Start by going through your own home and finding things you no longer want or need. Take photos, upload them to eBay, and you’re in business, mama! The most important thing to remember when selling on eBay: you need to be as descriptive as possible. Even your title should be descriptive. Rather than writing “blue jeans,” choose “ladies DKNY stretch jeans, dark wash, size 14.”Some eBayers get inventory by scouring yard sales and Goodwill. Know your brands, and you could make HUGE profits (I once bought a pair of kids’ pants for 33-cents, and sold them for over $30.).If you have a LOT of items to sell, or if you make items to sell, you should considering opening an eBay store. Stores give the seller a little more flexibility, more visibility in search engines, and lower listing fees. Click here for more information about eBay stores.

HCTS is run by a stay at home mom who made eBay her full-time at-home job. After learning the ropes, and becoming very successful, she put together HCTS, which is an online resource guide/forum for other moms who want to learn tricks of the trade (without having to learn with costly mistakes). I highly recommend checking it out and becoming a member, because it could help you make more money (and avoid wasting money) in the long run.

If you have a great imagination and/or sense of humor, you can almost ANYthing on eBay. Check out FunnyBidness.com as proof that people can and do make money selling the strangest things.

If you’re REALLY serious about your eBay business, consider looking into a drop-shipping company. Drop shippers allow you to sell items that you don’t keep as inventory. You sell the item and collect the money from the buyer, then turn around and pay the drop shipper… and the drop shipper ships the product to the buyer. Doba is a company, that connects you to 75 wholesale distributors, manufacturers, and craftsmen in one place. When you sign up, you gain full access to all the drop ship wholesalers and their wholesale product catalogs. Doba is offering a free 7-day trial period.

Click here to see my page of suggested basic business supplies (along with discounts & freebies, so you can save some money purchasing them).