Ebay Question

[Leshaface]

How much work goes into selling your stuff through ebay?

I've always wanted to look in to it, but it honestly looks like I lot of work...I know just take a picture and post it, but don't you have to set up an account to receive payment and what about actually shipping the product? what if they buyer doesn't like it? How do you deal with returns/refunds? Or am I just looking too much into this?

Do you sell stuff through ebay?

Help please!

 

[mom2faith]

Well, You do have to have 2 accounts - a sellers account with Ebay and a Paypal account to accept payments.

I have had some success, but generally find Kijiji more worthwhile (Canada's version of Craigslist).

Basically you list your item with photo(s) and description and set a shipping price. DO NOT GUESS your shipping price, use your USPS website and set a price that will cover the actual costs of shipping.

Ship to Canada (yes, I am biased) and Europe, but stay away from 3rd world type countries - especially Nigeria. If you get a response from Nigeria - RUN!! DO NOT WALK!! RUN!!! Just do not repsond.

Do not gauge on shipping rpices, but add a little to cover your costs.

List as low as you are willing to go.

Paypal is secure, but beware - you must ship with a tracking number or you will be held liable if the customer does not get the item. Link Paypal to your chequing account to get your money once the sale is complete.

Just do not offer returns. Describe your item completly and correctly and youshould not have to worry about it. List any flaw - whether you think it is small or not, and be fair.

Have fun and good luck!!

Amy

 

[Darcy03231]

I've been selling on eBay on and off for years. It can be quite a bit of work. First you need to photograph your items and list them (creating the listing can be time consuming too). Next answer any questions. At the end of your auction you need to send an invoice and wait for payment. You then need to pack and ship your items. I try to combine my trips to the post office so I'm not going for just one package, but sometimes people don't pay right away. I try to ship within 24-48 hours of receiving payment. So far I haven't had any complaints, but I make sure I really describe everything in my listing, including any flaws.

 

[Ava]

One tip to cut down on trips to the post office - if the item is under 13oz, print your shipping label online through PayPal and then just put it in the mail box. You save yourself a post office trip, and you get free delivery confirmation.

 

[ZiPaD3doDAH]

It's really easy.

First register with ebay & then with paypal (to accept the payments).

Take a photo of the item, upload it, choose title, price, condition, description and price and click done!

Wait around, if someone bids on it. Send them an invoice (click on 'send invoice on top of the page you listed your item), recieve money, & ship out!

 

[a1tinkfans]

As a former seller
IT IS WORK,
and there are unfortunately more and more issues with fraud, look right here on the DIS for example threads.., fees, changes and if you have one or two things, okay, but as a business, it takes more than that, a lot more, especially if you're trying for repeat buyers.....
SO many people that are just plain not responsible, late payers, feedback issues (I was always at 100%, but that took WORK too).
I guess, I would say, it is important you go into it with an eye towards the "work" part, shipping, deliveries, $$ in/out, fees etc....I actually enjoyed it and made good $$ at it, but it does take work...strategy of when to list what, how often, deals, etc.....
Good luck in your decision.

 

[overlyspoiled4sure]

I started selling on ebay about 6 years ago when I quit working 9-5 & wanted to make extra money to fund my AG habit.

The friend who showed me the ropes first had me join ebay & paypal. It drove me absolutely nuts trying to come up with a user id that wasn't already in their system! Passwords drive me nuts too, only because it seems you need a stupid password for everything these days.

Next she said a good clear picture (or 2 or 3) is an absolute must so your prospective buyers can see what they're bidding on. I'm not fond of auctions where the seller uses stock photos unless it's for a book or DVD. So off we went to get me a digital camera which I'm still using although I think it's time to retire it; silly thing is getting tempermental in its old age.

Invest in a postal scale & print rate charts & zip code charts at USPS.com. It'll save you time & the charts are close to what you'll end up paying. If you print your own labels you get delivery confirmation free; if you go to your local USPS you'll need to add 70 cents to your shipping costs. You don't want to go overboard on your ship costs but you also don't want to short yourself. Most folks don't mind paying a dollar or two over actual but more than that, well, lets just say I don't order from sellers that charge $13 for an item that weighs under a pound. You can get free priority shipping boxes in a variety of sizes from the USPS website & they will be delivered right to you. I prefer to ship priority because it's faster. Books I'll mail media mail & I've received books sent that way too. It takes longer but cost is less. Buyers will need to be advised that media mail takes much longer. For post office trips, well, mostly I hand the packages to our mail carrier. If I have a lot to send out & other errands to do, then I go to the post office myself.

When starting your listing, choose the catagory closest to what your item is & title it so people searching for what you're selling will bring it up when they type the name in search. Just using AMERICAN GIRL DOLL for instance, brings up tons of things & who has the time to go through all that??? Describe the item clearly & mention any flaws the item may have.

Then invoice your winner, wait for the money to be in your account & send the item off. Paypal will email you when the buyer pays; ebay also will email you with buyer info when the item sells. Oh, & only ship to confirmed addresses. If no confirmed address from the winner, email to ask why & note to them you don't want their item to get misdelivered.

Pack your item well for shipping; you could start now saving packing material from any items you receive. We save all packing peanuts & packing paper & air pillows to use when we send things out. Our main expense (other than stupid fees from ebay & paypal) for shipping is tape & printer ink/paper. My daughter brought home labels her company was throwing out & they're perfect on 1/2 of an 8x11 sheet of paper so no expense there.

I guess you could say it's a lot of work but then I do have the time. No kids at home anymore & since I don't work outside the home it works well for me. I hate the fees but couldn't make the money we have made without ebay so I figure it's worth it & it works well for me. Good luck!