Selling

[eternal_x]

Is there more profit in the home and garden category or the collectibles and arts category?

[rugerskick]

No personal experience, but a guess between the 2 broad categories is probably home and garden.

More needs in home and garden.

Lower prices probably in home and garden.

Bigger customer base for all kinds of items, in home and garden.

Probably less chance of scammers in home and garden.

Not as much high-dollar item insurance, mostly, in home and garden.

Pretty much no authentication needed in home and garden.

Can move volumes of the same item in home and garden.

[onefootflipper]

Given your current listings I think you have a huge misunderstanding of what Americans will buy, how much money we have, what we can buy in our own stores for $1 and the value of the US dollar in general. 

[dbfolks166mt]

     This is an impossible question to answer due to the number of variables involved when it comes to "profit". Your cost of goods sold is a primary factor. If you cannot cover all of your expenses and list at a competitive price the profit margin may be too small or insignificant to matter regardless of what category you are selling in. 

[ckimodog]

@eternal_x 

Given what you are selling and the prices you are asking, I don't think it's going to make much of a difference. The cheap plastic items you are selling, most likely are made in China and are offered in most stores for about 75% less than what you are asking, if even that much.  If I were you I would re consider my inventory and sell things that are not so random. No one is going to buy a plastic $6 soap dish and wait weeks/months to have it delivered from Sri Lanka. Most people don't buy the things what you have listed on Ebay.  Your prices are WAY too high.

You should also consider the Ebay Academy to give you some insight on selling and what sells.

https://academy.ebay.com/student/catalog/

Happy Selling. 

[downunder-61]

You should stand to make a pretty hefty profit on those sets of 3 plates for $149 and $120.........

[maxine*j]

Please go to this link and read important information from an eBay Community Manager:

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Clearing-up-misinformation-about-posting-on-the-Community-board...

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[onefootflipper]

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@downunder-61 wrote:

You should stand to make a pretty hefty profit on those sets of 3 plates for $149 and $120.........

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Americans love to buy unbranded plates with blurry photos that are smaller than dinner size for $50 each. 

[fashunu4eeuh]

Hi and welcome!

To answer your question, go to WatchCount.com where you can find information about  categories, and most popular products trending on eBay.

[onefootflipper]

You can also look at what other Sri Lankan sellers do and don't do any of that. At the moment there isn't really a successful seller in the entire country as they are all drop shipping or selling worthless things from their local shops, or splitting that $150 a day Ceylon tea market between 1000s of sellers. 

That doesn't work.

You have to have some sort of antique items in Sri Lanka, sell those, you would have zero competition.

[kensgiftshop]

It depends on what you're selling.

If no one wants what you're selling, it doesn't make any difference what category it's in.

The stuff you have listed can be picked up at any dollar store and we don't have to wait 12 days before you even ship it.

[inhawaii]

A very simple answer to your question.

PROFIT is not determined by CATEGORY.

[monroe67]

"Americans love to buy unbranded plates with blurry photos that are smaller than dinner size for $50 each."

Laughed Out Loud !!  

[ckimodog]

@monroe67 

We all did...lol

Happy Thanksgiving!

[sapphire_studio]

That is such great advice!

Like look at these Sold Listings OP:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?norover=1&mkrid=711-156598-665184-3&mkcid=2&mkscid=102&keyword=sri%2...

 Save up some money and hit up some local shops that sell antiques. Specialize in big ticket One of a Kind items.