Author Topic: Advice for eBay newbie  (Read 3081 times)

ObviouslyNotAGolfer

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Advice for eBay newbie
« on: January 15, 2018, 02:42:07 PM »
I have avoided eBay (and PayPal) for years, but I do want to sell a few unwanted items from time to time, and possibly also sell some prints of my photographs. Any advice would be appreciated.

What I have picked up from various sources I trust is:

- eBay is great for one-of-a-kind, unique items, and getting good deals on used merchandise, but not great for buying new (not much of a discount, so why not just buy it online from Amazon, BandHPhoto, or wherever)? I do not plan to buy new items from eBay in general in any case.

- The best way to wade in is to buy a few items and ask the sellers to give you the highest rating when you pay promptly. Otherwise, it will be difficult to sell anything with no user feedback rating.

- eBay sucks, and is not worth the trouble. (Same for PayPal).

- A GOOD rating is 100%. A BAD rating is 99.9999999999999999999% (Not sure I'm on board with this one!)

The first thing I would like to get rid of is a Nakamichi CR7a cassette deck. This was one of the best cassette decks ever produced (about $2000 new in the late 80s). I bought it used in impeccable condition and used it to make tapes of hundreds of LPs. I then replaced it with a CD-recorder, and more recently an Analog to Digital Converter and Audacity. In any case, the transport does not work (nothing happens when you press play). However, this happened in the past and it was a 100$ repair. Otherwise, it is very clean, turns on (lights up), and I also have the remote and instructions. I figure I can set a reserve around $30-50 and see what happens. Cassette nostalgia is evidently a thing, and small indie bands like to hand out their music on this format. Anyway, it would be great for someone to tinker around with or use for parts. Mostly I just want it to go to someone who can use it and have no delusions about it being worth a lot of money. I can take some good photos and post it and see what happens. (Currently there is one listed as working for over $900, and cosmetically at least it looks worse than mine.)

Also, I may sell prints of some of my photos at a later date, but I would like to create a different username/account for this store, so as to separate my photos from old random stuff I'm getting rid of--However, I would like to retain my good user rating if possible--not sure how/if this would work. Any advice on setting up a store?

« Last Edit: January 15, 2018, 02:47:46 PM by ObviouslyNotAGolfer »

eaknet

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Advice for eBay newbie
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2018, 05:51:41 PM »
eBay is a solid way to sell used stuff. You’re right that building up a reputation is incredibly important. I have a power seller account with around 1800 feedback at 100%, and as long as you provide prompt service and are honest about what you are selling it becomes very easy to sell things at a reasonable price. Our account can fetch top dollar because of the ratings and such, but you have to start somewhere.

Regarding setting the price, run a search for recent items that have sold and look at the sale price. Ignore what people have things listed for, only go with the price at which things have actually sold.

For your specific deck, take a look at recent sales of the same item (again sales, not listed price), and go from there. That will tell you more what the TMV is for a given item. If that specific deck is actually selling for a price anywhere near what that me seller you mentioned is asking, I would get yours fixed and then offer it at a similar (or reasonably discounted) price and see what happens. You’re right that you should probably buy a few small items and get at least some feedback first, since a lot of people won’t even consider buying from someone with zero feedback.

When you’re determining your price, take into account that eBay and PayPal fees will take 13% of your sale price. Also factor in realistic postage prices; for an item like that it’s very likely going to cost much more to ship than you think it will.

Don’t even consider setting up a store until you have a good handle of the reins. It’s not as easy as it sounds.

Good luck.

PS. If you’d like more info/advice on the topic, feel free to PM me. I’ve been doing this for close to 20 years and have made tens of thousands at least.


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« Last Edit: January 15, 2018, 06:48:55 PM by eaknet »

aperture

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Re: Advice for eBay newbie
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2018, 06:48:17 PM »
eaknet is dead on.  I would add that as a novice seller you are likely to make rookie mistakes.  Make your mistakes with inexpensive easy to ship items.

What you want to do is learn the ins and outs of writing a listing, setting a price and getting the shipping right.  You will want to successfully ship some items using the eBay interface.  Get all that going then move on to selling your expensive items. 

Also, auctions are for suckers.  Even among the highest trafficked items (e.g. tools and photographic equipment) there are auction sales that are fails for the seller. A fail is when your sale discounts the price by 10% or more.  Set a price for your item, list it and forget it.  When someone wants the item, they will pay for it or email you to make an offer. 

eaknet

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Advice for eBay newbie
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2018, 06:54:26 PM »
Aperture knows what they are talking about. Avoid auctions like the plague. Theoretically eBay is an “auction” site, and that’s the way it started, but you’ll never make money that way. Like they said, put up your Buy It Now listing with the price you’ve determined is fair, and the market will tell you what you need to know. Set it and forget it.

Also, when you set your price make sure to go into the sub-menu which allows you to force immediate payment when someone hits Buy It Now. By default eBay has this turned off, so someone can hit Buy It Now and all you get is a promise from them that they’ll actually go through and pay for it. That’s not always the case as there are deadbeat bidders out there, and once they make that “promise,” your item is off the market.

I hate to say it, but OneMore Thing - (See, I could go on for hours).....Never allow “Best Offers” to be sent. If you do, you’re telling buyers you’re not serious about your price and practically nobody will pay your asking price. Like aperture said, if they’re serious about making an offer they’ll send it via email.

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« Last Edit: January 15, 2018, 06:57:46 PM by eaknet »

eaknet

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Re: Advice for eBay newbie
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2018, 12:57:43 AM »
I have avoided eBay (and PayPal) for years, but I do want to sell a few unwanted items from time to time, and possibly also sell some prints of my photographs. Any advice would be appreciated.

What I have picked up from various sources I trust is:

- eBay is great for one-of-a-kind, unique items, and getting good deals on used merchandise, but not great for buying new (not much of a discount, so why not just buy it online from Amazon, BandHPhoto, or wherever)? I do not plan to buy new items from eBay in general in any case.

- The best way to wade in is to buy a few items and ask the sellers to give you the highest rating when you pay promptly. Otherwise, it will be difficult to sell anything with no user feedback rating.

- eBay sucks, and is not worth the trouble. (Same for PayPal).

- A GOOD rating is 100%. A BAD rating is 99.9999999999999999999% (Not sure I'm on board with this one!)

The first thing I would like to get rid of is a Nakamichi CR7a cassette deck. This was one of the best cassette decks ever produced (about $2000 new in the late 80s). I bought it used in impeccable condition and used it to make tapes of hundreds of LPs. I then replaced it with a CD-recorder, and more recently an Analog to Digital Converter and Audacity. In any case, the transport does not work (nothing happens when you press play). However, this happened in the past and it was a 100$ repair. Otherwise, it is very clean, turns on (lights up), and I also have the remote and instructions. I figure I can set a reserve around $30-50 and see what happens. Cassette nostalgia is evidently a thing, and small indie bands like to hand out their music on this format. Anyway, it would be great for someone to tinker around with or use for parts. Mostly I just want it to go to someone who can use it and have no delusions about it being worth a lot of money. I can take some good photos and post it and see what happens. (Currently there is one listed as working for over $900, and cosmetically at least it looks worse than mine.)

Also, I may sell prints of some of my photos at a later date, but I would like to create a different username/account for this store, so as to separate my photos from old random stuff I'm getting rid of--However, I would like to retain my good user rating if possible--not sure how/if this would work. Any advice on setting up a store?
I just looked up your cassette deck, and if you want to unload it for $30-50, I’ll take it off your hands. It’s worth around $800-1,200; and a non-working one sold for $700. So there’s your TMV. As an aside, it’ll cost somewhere in the ballpark of $70 to pack securely and ship.

Those prices are impressive (to me), but they’ve been fetched by experienced sellers. My recommendations still stand. Get some feedback for your profile, fix the deck, take aperture’s advice to sell a few inexpensive items, and then go for it.

Or sell it to me. Send me a PM if you want, I’m serious about taking it off your hands.

chemistk

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Re: Advice for eBay newbie
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2018, 05:51:18 AM »
Agree with what others have said. I'll add a few points here. My parents stumbled into a side-hustle of selling on eBay that has ended up being 20% of their annual income, and their eBay work nets them 5 figures in profit easily. They go to estate auctions, garage sales, etc., and scoop up collectibles, trinkets, nostalgia, and other collectible stuff. They have a super super highly rated seller account and basically can sell anything they post.

-Be thorough in your description and add as much information as you can.
-Take high-quality, well-lit pictures of your item, showing as much of it as possible.
-Openly disclose any known defects and/or recent repairs.
-Be prompt when asked questions from potential buyers.
-Use extreme care when packing and shipping. Make sure nothing's going to happen on the way there. My parents have bought custom shipping materials on more than one occasion for delicate things.
-Be prompt and courteous when following up with buyers, especially if they feel they have an issue with your item.

You have to remember that with stuff like this, your prospective buyers usually know exactly what they are looking for and will scrutinize your post. You can set yourself apart from all the other eBay sellers by offering an enjoyable buying experience.

Roadrunner53

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Re: Advice for eBay newbie
« Reply #6 on: January 16, 2018, 06:21:46 AM »
Get free shipping supplies from USPS. Helpful supplies are bubble mailers, Priority mail legal and regular flat rate mailers and Regional A & B boxes. There is a regional C box but they don't seem to be as helpful. The regional boxes can save you a lot of money. Also invest in Tyvek mailers. I bought some on ebay. You might visit some local businesses and ask for their bubble wrap or peanuts. I hate the peanuts but sometimes they come in handy. Costco has some good clear packing tape that is strong and not thin like some I have purchased. I recently started using my Smart Phone to take pictures and send to my ebay advertisement. That is the coolest thing ever! I hate the picture process but now with the smart phone it makes it painless and less time consuming!

I have sold tools that weigh a lot and vacuum packed them on my vac sealer. Then placed them in a flat rate mailer. Put newspaper around it for padding. It was the cheapest way to ship and they claim you can ship 70 lbs in the envelope. Can't imagine how! I usually tape the envelope at all seals/edges to prevent it from busting open in transit. I haves shipped clothing in these flat rate mailers too. If the item is thick and if it is possible, I sometimes will vac seal them too, to squish it to be as small as possible. Shipping can be a nightmare sometimes if the item is oddball. Good luck!

FiftyIsTheNewTwenty

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Re: Advice for eBay newbie
« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2018, 07:42:43 PM »
I'm not a big eBayer but I've done a bit over 100 transactions in 15-20 years.  I've sold a few things for other people too.

I've had pretty good luck. But there's always risk from buyers who push the limits of good faith, and I've had a couple of run-ins.  I've managed to smooth them over (phew!), and avoid any negative, or even neutral feedback.

I suggest starting with small, cheap, simple stuff that there's no way anyone could take issue with.

Free USPS packaging, especially Priiority Mail, is a great way to go.  People know it, know what to expect, and get it quickly, before they change their minds!


chemistk

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Re: Advice for eBay newbie
« Reply #8 on: January 17, 2018, 06:02:55 AM »
I sold a number of things on ebay and am curious what you all think the normal amount of losses should be.  Let's say for simple items.  How often should a buyer declare something lost, damaged, etc. given a normal shipping method (say USPS)? 

I was surprised that I had two end up that way relatively quickly.  I worked it out both times and had no bad feedback, but had to write it off.  I realized it would be annoying if I had much invested and/or were selling regularly.  What would you expect with things like non-electronics?

I got the sense that there are a few unscrupulous buyers out there, but it was difficult to discern them from normal ones with genuine issues.

(Also, those fees really eat into things.  And, I second everyone else's recommendations above!)

My parents don't lose much to shipping, but occasionally things get damaged en route or they arrive and wasn't what the buyer expects, it really depends on the size and fragility of your items. If you're meticulous and you're not constantly shipping porcelain, lost or damaged items are going to be a small, small fraction of your total sales.

If you're a seller, it's in your best interest to document everything clearly before it's shipped, in case a buyer has an issue. If you're a buyer, and you have a compliant, you should be confident that you're correct because there are some sellers who are reluctant to issue refunds.

eaknet

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Re: Advice for eBay newbie
« Reply #9 on: January 17, 2018, 07:11:06 AM »
I sold a number of things on ebay and am curious what you all think the normal amount of losses should be.  Let's say for simple items.  How often should a buyer declare something lost, damaged, etc. given a normal shipping method (say USPS)? 

I was surprised that I had two end up that way relatively quickly.  I worked it out both times and had no bad feedback, but had to write it off.  I realized it would be annoying if I had much invested and/or were selling regularly.  What would you expect with things like non-electronics?

I got the sense that there are a few unscrupulous buyers out there, but it was difficult to discern them from normal ones with genuine issues.

(Also, those fees really eat into things.  And, I second everyone else's recommendations above!)

In the thousands of items I've shipped, I've only had a couple issues.  If you're shipping high-value items, you should always use tracking.  If you don't, you have no recourse if someone claims they didn't receive something.  Same with damage.  I believe the USPS provides insurance up to a given amount (totally forget what it is, maybe $50?) on all shipments, assuming they're packed according to USPS guidelines.  Otherwise you should insure up to the market value of the item.  In both cases, the USPS may require the recipient to take the item and packaging to the USPS for inspection.  In the couple of cases where I've needed to make a claim to the USPS, it's never been an issue and they've provided a check.

There are unscrupulous buyers out there, but they're not quite as common as you might think.  It does depend on the value and/or how easily something could be resold for a profit.  That being said, if the buyer has a verified PayPal account you have "buyer protection" through eBay.  Be warned however, that you need to have your t's crossed and i's dotted to ever hope to be able to use that.  And even so in almost every instance, eBay will side with the buyer.

ObviouslyNotAGolfer

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Re: Advice for eBay newbie
« Reply #10 on: January 18, 2018, 08:28:38 PM »
Hey, thanks for all the helpful advice folks!

As for auctions, I do not plan to auction the prints of my photographs--the price is the price (not entirely sure eBay even the best choice for this in any case). However, I do think auctions make sense when I do not have the best idea of the value of some items. Of course, looking at past sale prices does give a good idea in some--but not all cases. I have a number of airplane display models (some diecast, others plastic or wood) that I will be selling. Some of these used to be worth several hundred dollars, but I have completely lost track of that market. Some of these items were made in very limited editions, and it might be hard to find sales data on these. (Personally I hate the idea of limited editions, and will not do these for my prints)

A couple other questions. Of course the people you buy/sell from will see your real name, but other than that, do you think it is a good idea to use your real name as your username, or something else?

Also, how is sales tax handled? Does eBay collect it, or are sellers obliged to collect it?

Thanks!
« Last Edit: January 18, 2018, 08:31:42 PM by ObviouslyNotAGolfer »

eaknet

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Re: Advice for eBay newbie
« Reply #11 on: January 19, 2018, 12:31:21 AM »
Some people use their real name, some use something catchy like ObviouslyNotAGolfer, some people use gibberish. :) If you’re looking to use it for a business, use the business name.


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