Treasure Hunt Hit the mark when you're hunting for products to sell.

Q: How do I findproducts to carry in a catalog?.

A: There are manyways to find products to sell in direct-mail catalogs and on Websites. But first you need to identify the specific types ofcustomers who will be apt to buy from you. They'll be themarket segment for whom you select products. With your customersfirmly in mind, your search will be much easier.

The following Web sites can help you identify various suppliersand their products:

• The Industrial Resource Network (http://powersourcing.com) is a service for contacting suppliers of productsand services. The service is free to buyers and sellers alike.

• Thomas Register, a top resource for finding manufacturers, isnow available at www.thomasregister.com as well as in book form at yourlocal library. Another product from Thomas Publishing Co. isProduct News Network (www.productnews.com), which provides information onnew industrial products.

• Worldbid.com supplies trade leads from companies andgovernment organizations around the world in 1,100 industrycategories.

To locate smaller companies that produce products but may nothave made it onto sites like those above, use search engines likeGoogle and Yahoo! Also, check eBay and other auction sitesregularly for closeouts of products that suit your customers.

Offline searching can be productive as well. New products oftenget their first public exposure at invention shows, craft fairs andswap meets. Sometimes, product producers are testing publicreaction and will incorporate changes based on feedback andrequests as they roll into production. You can find shows in yourarea by searching the Web. For example, for arts and crafts shows,check out http://artsandcrafts.about.com/cs/tradeshows.Enjoy your treasure hunt!

Paul and Sarah Edwards are co-authors of 15 books,including The Entrepreneurial Parent. Send them yourstart-up questions at www.workingfromhome.com or incare of Entrepreneur.