i would like to sell some products on ebay.  i found a couple of good
wholesale sites but in order to purchase products i nedd to enter my
reseller id, or tax id.  what is this ,where can i get one , how much
does it cost, what does the process involve, do i need to own my own
business to get one? thanks

Hello rodeovoss-ga:

It is a pleasure to answer your question. I am answering your question
because I have myself applied for a reseller ID in the past to sell
products on eBay.

A genuine wholesaler will require a reseller or tax ID. A reseller ID
is needed so that you can identify yourself as exempt for the sales
tax (in your case) or to report sales tax on the items you sell (in
the case of the wholesalers).

Yes, you have to be a business entity in order to get a reseller ID.
It is far easier than it looks. You just have to go to a district
attorney office of your local area and register yourself as a sole
proprietorship. You just have to fill a couple of forms and pay a fee
of around $50 (Fee varies state to state). The officials at the office
should tell you where to get the forms and get them notarized.
Usually, there are many offices near the district attorney office that
will provide you those forms and get you notarized. You will just need
your social security card and a Photo ID. When you are done with the
process of registering your business, the district attorney office
will provide you a reseller ID (Tax exempt certificate) with a
reseller ID number on it.

Don?t worry; it is one of the easiest things to do. Let me know if you
get stuck or still feel confused. I will help you until you get your
reseller ID and begin selling on the eBay.

NOTE! There are lots of wholesalers on the internet who won?t ask you
for a reseller ID. These are not genuine wholesalers. They are people
who are themselves resellers. They buy products from the wholesalers
and charge you an extra amount.

So, the easiest thing to do here is go to the District Attorney Office
of your area (or the area where you want your business to be
registered) and ask them to provide you with the forms of establishing
a business as sole proprietorship.

I will wait for your response. 

Here is a similar question by someone else.

http://www.geekvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=18940

Sincerely,
Leader-ga.

very helpful...thank you

Dear rodeovoss,

Depending upon where you live, the place you would go to register your
business entity may vary. The state and county government websites for
the place where you live are highly likely to provide details on
registering a business, although it can at times be difficult to find.
(As you may have alreadly seen, many governmental entities have poorly
organized websites.)