Other People`s 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.
4. Finders` Fees
Did you know that you can earn fees simply by introducing
buyers and sellers?
For example, a mining company may need to buy certain
hard-to-obtain equipment for their operations. You could
negotiate a percentage finder`s fee for finding this equipment
for them.
Conversely, you could also obtain a finder`s fee from a company
that is trying to sell off their excess machinery but is having
difficulty finding a buyer.
5. Joint Ventures
Joint venture arrangements can be profitable. As an example,
you could arrange to feature someone else`s product in your
e-zine or newsletter in return for a commission, even if they
don`t presently have an affiliate program.
The above list of low-cost ways to make a profit from other
people`s products and services is by no means exhaustive.
However, it certainly illustrates that, with some effort, other
people`s products could make you rich.
About The Author: J. Stephen Pope, President of Pope Consulting
Inc., has been helping clients to earn maximum business profits
for over twenty-five years. For profitable Work at Home Small
Business Ideas, visit www.yenommarketinginc.com/
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