Here's a great sourcing tip for the coming winter/Christmas season that you can use now: While you're out at those yard sales this summer, look for "ugly sweaters" to sell in your eBay Store or auctions this fall and winter, and even beyond. Yard sales usually have piles of hot sweaters that no one buys during the summer, so this makes it a great time to find the perfect sweaters for winter selling!
What? Ugly sweaters! Why would I want to sell ugly sweaters? Because they're fun—plain and simple. I guess I should add that they are fun for people with a sense of humor. And they are becoming quite the rage with the increasing popularity of ugly sweater parties.
I did a Google search for the term "ugly sweater" and came back with 4,420,000 hits. Now I know that not all of those hits were for people who were looking for an ugly sweater of their own. I am sure that many of those search results were from people who were complaining about their own ugly sweater that Aunt So-and-So gave them for Christmas, and they can't wait to donate it to Goodwill.
But for all of those, there were many others who were actively trying to find the most horrendous sweater they could to wear to that ugly sweater party. It is a mark of distinction for them.
Give ugly sweaters their own distinct category and they will stand out and draw attention
How to cash in
The best way for you, as an eBay seller, to cash in on the ugly sweater craze is to create a category called, appropriately enough, "Ugly Sweaters." Don't call it "Christmas" and don't put these sweaters in a sub-category under "Christmas." Let it be a category all by itself. Just like a truly ugly sweater, your category will stand out and draw attention.
By giving ugly sweaters their own distinct category, you can continue to stock up all summer and fall, through the winter, and even into next year. Because the season will be here before you know it, you will want to start now with your new category.
The hot season for selling your ugly Christmas sweaters will begin in October, and continue through the first week of December. And even after that, there will be the inevitable last-minute ugly sweater shoppers looking for the perfect crazy office party gift.
It's not too soon, right now, to begin searching for your ugly sweater inventory. Summertime is really a great time to pick up last season's ugly sweaters at garage and yard sales, flea markets and thrift stores around your town, for next to nothing.
When the Christmas season comes to a close you won't have to stop selling ugly sweaters just because it's not Christmas anymore. Those of you who like to wear ugly sweaters and those of you who like to give ugly sweaters as gifts are not held back by a little thing like the end of the holiday season. You know that any time during the cold season is a good time for enjoying these treasures of bad clothing taste.
Be the life of the party this year. Give the gift of an ugly sweater.
Danna Crawford, CEO of
PowerSellingMom, Inc., has been a successful
eBay seller since 1997. In 2008, she received eBay's Community Hall of Fame award, as well as the Golden Ribbon Community Seller Award from eBay Giving Works. As an eBay Certified Education Specialist, she teaches at the community college and university levels, and frequently speaks on topics such as how to make money blogging, writing eBooks and more. Crawford can be heard every Friday night on her Internet radio show,
PowerSellingMomRadio, and in weekly webinars at
VirtualOnlineLearning.com.
Opinions expressed here may not be shared by Auctiva Corp. and/or its principals.
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