Retail Without the Risk

Retail Without the Risk

This is an article I found while browsing through the CNN website. At this point in its evolution, I believe everyone has heard of Ebay and numerous stores that have sprouted up utilizing this ecommerce tool. This article describes a highly successful couple's Ebay store adventures from drop shipping TVs to a highly profitable product, atuo floor mats. The article contends that with the myriad of people/businesses trying to make money selling tech products through Ebay this approach no longer works; tech has been commoditized.

Opportunities are still available identifying niches that are underserved such as Floor Mats for pre 1999 Ford Automobiles, finding a supplier of these products and listing it on Ebay. The situation the Casper's have negotiated allows them to sell the mats while investing in and holding zero inventory which makes it a risk free business. With sales topping $1000 when their current auctions come through, this business is highly lucrative.

The message of the article is, of course, not to demonstrate how much money there is to be made in auto floor mats, likely within 3 months of this article's publication the mat market will be commoditized much like tech products. Rather, the article communicates the opportunities that are available serving niche markets on Ebay. Something to keep in mind.