Since one of the relationships that we offer at Superb Internet is our reseller program, I thought it might make sense to take a look at reselling Internet-wide. By Internet-wide, I mean the part of the Web commonly considered its business side: I will skip over popular reseller programs such as Justin Bieber fan pages, which resell the awesomeness of the pop star.

First, let’s take a look at reselling as a point of focus and how to prepare for it. What does it take to establish a plan, figure out what your needs are, and conduct appropriate research? Well, for one, it takes forethought, which we will elaborate. The other thing it takes, though, is gumption: talk to your grandparents if you don’t know what that is. They have some, and they might be willing to let you borrow some to start your business.

Second, though reselling for us and many companies can certainly be one piece of a larger business, let’s take a look at how an entire business can be focused on reselling. We will go through how to establish a business that sells products through wholesalers and distributors. Of course, you can also sell services virtually, but it’s good to get a sense of that broad picture.

Finally, we will look at a couple of excerpts from my forthcoming book Kids Resell the Darndest Things, because they really, really do.

Reselling Preparations

Here is a step-to-step guide for preparing to resell:

1. The Plan – Do you want reselling to be the entire focus of your business (or your income, if your website is entrepreneurial), or do you want it to be a side project? Figure out how much time will need to be devoted. Knowing what the outlook is on time will give you a better sense of how to choose resellers that fit your time needs. Make sure you account for “me time” as well, which should never go over 2 minutes and 15 seconds per day. Finally, determine the investment – how much financing you need to put in to get the site operative and successful. Strong reseller programs like ours make the process simple and fast.
2. The Needs – Figure out exactly what you’re going to need to get the reseller program up and running. Will you need to buy new software, for instance, to make the process more efficient? Reselling obviously get significantly more complicated when you are dealing in products, because then you’ll need a scale, packing supplies, and a large stuffed moose to watch over you and keep you motivated.
3. The Research – Determine the demand: you want a product or service that sells well so you know income will be coming in. Researching the market can give you a sense of what is ideal to sell. As we know, Internet hosting is a massive industry, so you could do that with us. You can also sell gumballs one at a time – very popular, because no one ever wants more than one. They’re just too sweet.

Kids Resell the Darndest Things – Excerpt #1

Four-year-old Russell Mills of Bismarck, North Dakota, started a reseller program selling sticks. His only sale so far has been to his mommy, who bought four. Please don’t tell him.

Using Wholesalers & Distributors

Let’s now look at what it specifically takes to get a reseller business started buying products from wholesalers and distributors:

1. The Niche – When you’re looking at reselling, it is often wise to choose a specific niche. Rather than selling many different types of items on your site, you may want to focus on one specific type of product or service. Furthermore, you want to make sure that the market is not oversaturated, or it will get your hands wet when you touch it, and you’ll ruin your computer.
2. The Application – Go straight to the company you are considering and ask them about wholesale pricing, because this information is generally not posted online. You will typically be able to find contact information and a form or application to get started. For wholesale, expect about a 40 percent reduction from retail price and an infinity percent reduction from pricelessness.
3. The Shipping – Find out about drop shipping, which will mean you don’t need to store the products. Drop shipping also means that you only have to pay once the customer has paid you, a process typically conducted at a distance but that you can also conduct on a street corner while wearing a disguise. You can also make a web search with key phrases like – how to start a dropshipping business or how to make money dropshipping, etc. to understand it in detail.
4. The Content – Consider informational articles that you’ll want to have on the site. This content will vastly increase your likelihood of making sales. The search engines like information. So does the CIA. Kill two birds with one stone, and make everybody like you for your information.

Kids Resell the Darndest Things – Excerpt #2

Three-year-old Nancy Jones of Providence, Rhode Island, started a reseller program selling ice cubes. No one has bought any of Nancy’s ice cubes yet, because she is an orphan. Please don’t tell her.

Conclusion

That’s a quick look at reselling. Obviously it’s a much broader subject than this. If you think you might want to resell with us, check out our program, and let us know if you have any questions.

by Kent Roberts and Richard Norwood