Other Peoples Products Can Make You Rich
Although there are advantages to selling your own proprietary products and
services, there are also drawbacks. For example, the time and investment
required to produce
your own book, invention, or other product could mean a long delay in receiving
profits and cashflow essential to your business survival.
For this reason, you may decide to sell other people`s products and services,
either exclusively, or to complement your own product line.
You could stock an entire retail store with products, buy a franchise or other
business, or obtain a distributorship or dealership. However, this could require
a substantial
financial investment.
Here, then, are just a few, low-cost ways to profit from selling other people`s
products and services.
1. Commission Sales
Act as a sales representative or agent of a company and sell their products or
services for a percentage commission of the sales price.
Many companies on the Internet offer associate or affiliate programs that you
can join to earn commissions selling their products and services. Sometimes you
can even make money from the efforts of other affiliates who sign up through
your website.
Thus, without having a product of their own, some persons are earning their sole
but substantial income from affiliate programs.
2. Consignment Sales
You can take other people`s products on a consignment basis, making your
commission when you sell the item. Many second-hand shops, arts and crafts
stores, and other retailers operate this way.
You can also sell products of others through Internet auction sites such as eBay
or Yahoo! Auctions.
3. Drop Shipping
You could buy inventory wholesale and try to sell it retail, but what if it
doesn`t sell? Even if you do sell, do you really want all that money tied up in
stock? For these reasons, many businesses use drop shipping as a method of doing
business.
Whether from your home, retail store, directly from your website or through an
online auction, you can arrange to sell an item before you purchase it. That way
you have nothing invested in inventory and won`t get stuck with stock that won`t
sell.
For example, let`s assume that you have just sold a product to a customer for
$100.00 plus shipping charges of $15.00. Having received the customer`s payment,
you now need to e-mail or fax your order to your drop ship supplier. You will
need to pay your supplier your cost of $50.00 plus $15.00 shipping, leaving you
a $50.00 gross profit.
Your supplier will now ship the product to your
customer.