The competition for work at home businesses that make money on eBay continues to grow and successful sellers don’t have the luxury of sitting back and simply enjoying their profits. There is a constant need to keep your product line fresh, viable and distinctive from what others in your category are selling.

Customers grow tired of things that have been on the market for a while and tend to seek change just for the sake of change. Additionally, since they are really looking for solutions to their problems, buyers are almost always willing to try something new just in case it is better than what they have now.

Knowing what to sell online, not just today, but for the months and years to come, involves keeping your pulse on the market. You must look outward, turn on your "receiver" and observe what is going on in the hearts and minds of consumers. Read what they read and listen to what's being said –- not just by individuals -- but on blogs, TV shows and your competitions’ websites.

Make it your business to know what trends are happening in your industry. If you sell lamps, track what people are buying now, what new styles are on the horizon and what design shows and magazines are featuring. Try to continually add newer versions of your existing products, even if it just involves offering color alternatives. If you skip this step you’re likely to go straight to the step of marking down products that didn't sell simply because they became old-hat when you weren’t paying attention.

Remember also that "new," "deluxe" and "upgrades now available" are great inducements for repeat purchases. Make sure you know enough about whose buying from you to identify other things they might be interested in and add them to your offerings.

Another important thing to remember is that everyone wants to market the latest "hot" product on line. Unless your business is large enough to buy Google Adwords, banners and the like, stop chasing mainstream products. It’s not worth fighting the competition when there are plenty of niche markets that can be conquered more easily.

Stay ahead of the pack through innovative product sourcing and watch your profits soar!