Top Work At Home Moms
    How to make money from home.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Every state has wholesale shows where you can visit manufacturers and place orders for products to sell in your store. To attend these shows, you typically need a Resale Certificate and a business license. This will allow you to place orders with the vendors at the show.

2. Before you attend one of these shows, have a clear idea of what you want to sell. It can be a bit overwhelming when you attend one for the first time. There is a dizzying array of products and everything looks good. Be selective. When dealing with a vendor representative, be sure you find out the dollar amount of the minimum order, shipping terms and how reorders are handled. A lot of companies require a minimum purchase of $150 to $300 the first time you order.

3. Walk through an entire show before you buy anything. Many manufacturers will have similar products and widely different price points. Make notes as you go and be sure to write down the aisle number or booth space number so you can find your way back. Collect vendor business cards so you can remember who you talked to. Some of these shows take up entire convention centers.

4. If you see something new that you like from a vendor but are unsure how it will sell, add it into your order for the stuff you know will sell well. It’s always good to experiment with new products and ideas. You never know what will sell. Just don’t buy $300 of something you think may sell.

5. When looking at products, make sure you know what the pricing is. Many vendor catalogs show the retail price as opposed to the wholesale price. Be sure you know what the wholesale price is. Also, ask if there are quantity discounts. If you can afford it, buy to the quantity break. For instance, if there is a price break at 24 items, don’t bother ordering 18 of them at the higher price. You want to keep your per item price as low as possible so you make the most amount of money on each sale.

6. Always keep the retail price in mind. A quick rule of thumb: retail price is usually double the wholesale price. So if something is $10 wholesale, it will sell well in the $18 to $22 range. Don’t forget to factor in the cost of shipping per item. Now for the hard part. Think for a moment like a customer of yours would. Ask yourself if your customer would pay $XX for the item. Does it have a perceived value that will garner the retail price? This can be hard to do, particularly if you’ve fallen in love with the item. It can be hard to be objective.

7. Before you buy, think about the space you have to warehouse your products. Unlike affiliate programs, network marketing or direct sales, you will need to stock your own merchandise, pack it and ship it. Therefore, you will need to make sure you have enough space to store the items until someone buys them. For smaller goods such as jewelry, this is relatively easy. However, if you’re selling yard décor or cedar chests, space can become a premium very quickly.