Learn more
2nd Hand Can Be New Again
Most Recent Posts
2 comments

Things to keep in mind when buying and selling

Posted Apr-24-07 05:56:34 PDT

Ebay is a great way to shop for those things you would not find where you live, shop for someone special and then not see it til it is time, or just shop for a great buy. Selling on ebay is also a lot of fun. I love to get rid of those "unwanted gifts" that everyone gets. I don’t like to regift them just in case. I also love the thrill of the hunt when it comes to looking in thrift shops, yard sales or just my own little house. I love the idea of watching to see what happens, how many people look at my auction, and the pure fun of earning my own money while staying at home with my kids.

There are, of course, a few things to remember. When buying something from ebay look at the seller. Look at their feedback, is it above 98%? How many feedbacks do they have, how long ago was their last feedback? Look at the auction terms closely. Are they charging more for shipping then it will cost and if so is it a lot? It is a photo of the item for bid or a stock photo? Is the selling price high, and if so, have you looked at their other auctions, do they have another one? Look at the item, is it a average price, meaning what is other sellers selling them for? Buying on ebay is just like buying in the store. You look around for the best deal, sometimes you will find a killer one, sometimes you pay more then you needed or want simply because you get caught up in the moment. Look at it this way, their feedback is the condition of a store you walk into. If it is clean and well kept you will come back, you will buy more, and you will tells others about it. If the store is dirty and disorganized, you wont buy anything, wont come back and you will tell twice as many people about it. Look and see if they have another item just like it. Lets think about it, you only look everywhere and will fight  another person at Christmas time when they have the item your child wants and it is the last one. If there is another one you simply grab it and smile as you walk past them.

I would tell you that if possible always buy using paypal. I say this because you are protected if you don’t receive the item. Now if you don’t insure your item you buy and it is lost in the mail and the seller has proof they shipped it, so sorry. If you don’t want to insure the item cus of the cost, look at the other side, you may not see the item or it is broken when you get it. Here is my rule, if the seller prints their lables with paypal ( I mean why not it is free) , they will get a confirmation number that is scanned when delivered to the buyer. Now if it is a top or something less then 10 bucks, I don’t insure. If the item is breakable or over 10 bucks, I spend the xtra buck 30 to insure. Now if the seller does not print with paypal, almost all the time I will insure. I will insure ALWAYS if the item is breakable or it is part of my collection and I want it really bad. I collect anything beauty and the beast, love that story (sigh). I could go on about what I have, what I want, and who will get it for me..lol..but nevermind.

So back on track. Selling on ebay is a little bit harder but just as much fun. Selling is a bit more involved then buying. With selling a few points to keep in mind is paypal does cost money now. Paypal is a great way to print labels as well as get a debit card so if you need money fast you can get it. To me paypal is a must have for both buyers and sellers. If you plan to sell on ebay remember a few things. First, remember that you want to sell what you would buy. You want to ship as soon as you want to receive. Treat people as you would want to be treated. . You are now a business owner. Remember that selling is all about how you present it.

 
Comment|Report this post
2 comments

YOU GET WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT, I don't want to be a power seller, but I do want to make a profit.

Posted Apr-24-07 05:42:59 PDT
Ebay is hard, you never know what people are looking for when and why. Some items are a given, depending on the season. Make sure you are researching your items, what they sell for when they sell. Most people just list when they do an auction. Keep in mind the DAY you are listing THE TIME you are listing. I never sell well when I do a listing where an auction ends mid day or morning, I sell best at night, the later the better. I sell better on weekends and Monday and Thursday. I get higher ending price, more bidder wars, and more exposer. Most people search ebay at night, and most are on the west coast. So if I want to hit them, I have to list late and on chosen days. I found my days by listing on each day and keeping track of when they sell best. I put in hours a week  can make the money I do. I don't want to be a power seller, but I do want to make a profit. My ebay is not a hobby so much as a part time job so I can make some money to play with. I don't depend on it for bills therefor I don't stress when I am having a bad day, week or month. I buy items I can afford to lose on if I am not sure it will sell. I buy what I know, kids clothing, toys, plus size women's clothing, etc. I started out small, 20 auctions a week til I learned the in's and out's of selling.    
 
I use marketplace Research and LOVE it. I am no longer spending hours searching for items or guessing the best day time etc to list. I pay 10 bucks a month and this place will do all the research for me. I can search anything, a number of different ways until I find the best way. I can look up items to see what is hot, what colors sell better, what sizes, what day , what time. It has really helped. My sales in the last 2 months have doubled. Partly this and partly because I am ALWAYS changing things around, always making things new and look new. I am advertising my sales with business cards and posting in ebay groups and boards. I put my listings out there for people to see and look at. I am always looking for ways to improve. I use myspace as a way to advertise. I can style it any way I want. I am NOT saying any of this is easy, most of what I learned I learned by reading and trial and error. I have had a little help here and there, but I have worked hours on getting something just right. My current store decor took me 3 days to tweek to the way I like it, and yet everyday I look for something I can improve. It is a running joke in my house that ebay is my life. I go out and I think if something will sell on ebay, but it has taken YEARS to get where I am. Hours and hours of research and learning. IT is like any job, you know  your job because you do it 40+ hours a week. You make it a point to get to know your job so you can keep it. The thing to keep in mind, and I say this every time someone asks about ebay and how successful you can really be, YOU GET WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT. 
 
 
 
Ebay workshops, great way to learn how to improve you listings... http://pages.ebay.com/community/workshopcalendar/current.html
 
Ebay pulse, this is great daily snapshot of what people are searching for, the latest "IN" items, what name brands to look for and more... http://pulse.ebay.com/
 
Comment|Report this post

About eBay | Announcements | Security Center | eBay Toolbar | Policies | Government Relations | Site Map | Help
Copyright © 1995-2008 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the eBay User Agreement and Privacy Policy.
eBay official time