The best bet is to go to your local Chamber of Commerce and start from there. Each US state has its own dos and don’ts – So I can’t really tell you what to do. The dept. of licensing’s advice is by-the-book one. That what you should do, IF you display the scooters. Since this is an online business, I assume that you are not building any inventory – I’m not sure zoning is an issue here.

Again, visit your local Chamber of Commerce to clear things (otherwise the IRS will eye on you…)

Cheers!

A lot of information going on here – Very, very useful information and about the salvage electronics you mentioned, I experience the ‘burned money’ you mentioned :D I agree – when it comes to electronics, forget second-hand and salvage ones, unless for some reasons you are really really, must, have to, couldn’t live with, the electronic stuff ;)

Nice video, btw…

Thanks for the detailed information, Robert!

Forgot to put in the link about the Video for Via Trading..

Via Trading – Overstock Clothing And Housewares For Sale..
http://www.ktla.com/video/?clipId=3306554&topVideoCatNo=undefined&c=&autoStart=true&activePane=info&LaunchPageAdTag=homepage&clipFormat=flv

Robert

Talk about your low hanging softball that I can hit out of the park, this is an easy one! (LOL!)..

Let me just say that before I suggest any surplus dealer resources that purchasing surplus and salvage product can be a risk.

Especially any electronic item. Most are broken, or need repair.

In addition, no matter what the product, expect to receive a certain amount of throw away with any order.

That is just the nature of the business. You should expect to have about 10 to 20 percent of the product you receive to be throw away.

Anymore then that, and you are getting more junk, then resalable product.

For a stark example of what can happen to you if you decide to purchase blindly, or based on the word of a particular dealer.

This is a post from the “The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly” section of Surplus.cc (a free forum anyone can join and learn about the surplus business) a surplus forum I am a member of – under the username: “Robitthehobit”.

This post (below – B&D Salvage) is what can go wrong if you are not careful. The GBU section of the Surplus.cc website is littered with information about bad sellers.

B&D Salvage
http://www.surplus.cc/Board/forum_posts.asp?TID=1631

If you are going to purchase anything from an independent surplus or salvage dealer in large quantities, then please, go and physically inspect the merchandise. Make sure you know what you are getting.

I still see too many horror stories about folks who just hand over their money blindly, on the basis of a telephone conversation and the promise of a great deal..

Also…
——————————————————————————–
Never wire transfer money to any independent dealer unless you know what you are buying..

Always use a credit card with buyers protection..
——————————————————————————-

Ok, with that being said, the following resources are for educational purposes only.

Please heed my warnings, and read my article entitled “The Ten Tenets Of The Surplus And Salvage Industry” also included in this post..

First..

Surplus.net
http://www.surplus.net/

Surplus.net lists all the surplus dealers around the country. You can also get on their mailing list and have deals sent to your e-mail box from various surplus dealers, via the Surplus-Liquidation Mailing List.

When you get to the homepage just go to the top right hand side
where it sez: “FREE product leads. Get on the MAILING LIST”.

Just put in your e-mail address and about every month you will get a listing of surplus products deals.

Once again – be careful here. This is surplus and salvage..

The Closeout News
http://www.thecloseoutnews.com/

The Closeout news is the leading publication for the surplus industry. It is basically a newspaper print publication that is littered with ad’s for surplus dealers. I don’t know of any other publication of it’s kind.

Subscription rates are as follows..
2 yr Closeout News – $104
1 yr Closeout News – $64
6 mos Closeout News – $45
3 mos Closeout News – $30

And again, be careful here, this is surplus and salvage..

If anyone has the means or the motivation, one of the best trade shows for surplus dealers and wholesalers is the Associated Surplus Dealers, and Associated Merchandise Dealers (ASD/AMD) show held in Vegas and New York.

Associated Surplus Dealers, and Associated
Merchandise Dealers (ASD/AMD) Trade Show
http://www.asdamd.com

ASD/AMD product portfolio connects sellers from manufacturing to wholesale distribution with Buyers from independent retailers to international chain stores. ASD/AMD – one smart choice, infinite business opportunities.

Here are some news stories about trading selling surplus from KTLA
in California..

Keep It Simple, Keep It Cheap: Trading and Selling Surplus
http://www.ktla.com/content_landing_page/?Keep-It-Simple-Keep-It-Cheap-Trading-and=1&blockID=176864&feedID=1395

Also – here is a video from the same news outlet that features Via Trading, a surplus and closeout dealer in Lynwood, California, in addition to quick mention about my guide – a very brief mention mind you..

Just remember folks – that when purchasing surplus, heed my warnings. Try to get first, or second quality overstock, closeouts, or shelf pulls. Stay away from customer returned goods at all cost.

Do not buy salvage electronics unless you are prepared to fix them, and have money to burn. There is more waste in surplus electronics then any other surplus product category, unless they are shelf- pulls, over first quality overstock.

Thats all I got for now..

Hope this helps..

Robert C – The Wholesale Products Guy

This might interest my readers and I: If I may asked you, how can you find such surplus dealers? From the media, word of mouth?

Thanks :)

Thanks, I appreciate it. ..

I have bought and sold scrap textile, truckline auction salvage, in addition to visiting more then a few surplus dealers to know that the “devil is always in the details”.

What people say, is not always what they will sell you. I want people to be profitable and find good sources, but I cannot overlook the realities of these types of purchasing.

Respectfully..

Robert C – The Wholesale Products Guy