??For ebay sellers...

[poohandwendy]

I have been selling on ebay for a short time...to those who have more experience, how many days do you list your items?

I used 7 days in the past, but am thinking about 5 or 3 days. It seems like you get tons of 'hits' the first day and the last...but the middle days are kinda 'dead' (probably because of how the items end in the the middle pages)...so what works the best for you?

Also...do you offer 'buy it now'? Do you set a reserve price and why? Do you do a set shipping cost..or actual shipping?

Any helpful hints would be appreciated.

Thanks guys!!

 

[CourtasanSatine]

I sold a old cd for 3 days and that seemed to work

 

[TIGGERSMOM]

It does depend on what I am selling and when I want it to end. Usually 7 but never less than 5.

I do have set shipping & handling costs, & I offer to combine on multiple wins. I would advice however if you intend to sell internationally to advise buyers to contact for price before buying. The overseas costs can be quite prohibitive.

I usually do a BIN, unless it is an unusual or rare item. My buy it nows are the average of the highest price & lowest price paid for similar items.

I love Ebay and it has been very good to me. If you offer quality service you will find people looking for your auctions, makes it easier to get a little more milage from an auction.

Good Luck.

PS Try checking out this thread on the Budget Board:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=349235

 

[luvndisney358]

I usually list items for 7 days

I only use a reserve auction when I KNOW the item I am selling is very valuable and I definitely WANT to get at least a certain amount for it.

I don't use buy it now on my auctions when I do sell.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I usually try to get my auctions to end on Saturday evening or Sunday afternoon. You can now pay for this, but I'm too cheap for that. So I either list my auctions on Saturday or Sunday for 7 days, or if I'm too busy I'll list them on Monday or Tuesday for 5 days.

I hardly ever use Buy it Now. They few times that I have, the item has just gone through the regular bidding process anyway. I very rarely have anything to sell that is worth such a high dollar amount that I would consider using a Reserve. I usually just start my auctions at the lowest price I'd accept at a garage sale and then I let it go from there.

 

[Robinrs]

Check the auctionbytes calendar which gives you suggestions on when to start and end your auction ... http://www.auctionbytes.com/Email_Newsletter/calendar/calendar.html

I've used all lengths of auctions, 3, 5, 7 and 10. I've only used 10 to get around holidays and vacations. I use Buy It Now regularly for items specifically for mothers of young children because they don't have the time and inclination to snipe and sit around and auction. TIGGERSMOM's advice on how to price them makes sense.

Three day auctions turn over quickly, especially if they include a weekend and end on Sunday afternoon or evening. I only do Sunday to Sunday 7 day listings. Buy It Nows can start anyday.

I don't like reserves as a buyer but if you feel the need to make sure you don't get rooked, set one, especially for a valuable item you can't afford to let go for too little. I only used "reserve" once, for a lamp I REALLY didn't want to sell but would only do it if I could get MORE than I paid for it.

Good luck. The ebay thread on the Budget board is longer than anything but it has lots of great information. Don't be afraid to ask a question, there are experts there who can give you great advice.

Robinrs

 

[C.Ann]

Come on over to the Budget Board and check out my thread! You'll learn more about eBay than you ever wanted to know - LOL!

Seriously though, you will find answers to ALL of your questions there and you don't have to feel shy about asking for info or advice.. We've got a great group posting there on a regular basis - newbies; veterans; semi-newbies; you name it!!

As for auction lengths - I've done them all - I have listed daily and had auctions closing every day of the week - I have used Buy-it-Now and not used it - I have set a reserve and not set a reserve -and basically there has been no substantial difference that would cause me to change anything I do..

The only thing that made a significant difference is upgrading my personal Paypal account to the Premier Business account so I could accept credit cards.. A substantial increase in buyers and higher bids!!!

Come on over - we'd love to have you!

 

[Lynn CC]

Thanks for the advice C.Ann, I'm going to look at your thread now. I have some new small items to sell and DH has some Tuna Rods he wants to sell. We've never done anything like this, so we are going to give it a try.

 

[babslittleones]

Let's see, I've been selling on Ebay for over three years now. I used to sell baby clothes but now I mainly sell scrapbook supplies because the items are easier to ship. With the new priority mail postal rates based on location, I don't list a specific shipping price. I may loose a few bids this way but I don't loose a ton of money on shipping.

I also have a business account with paypal. I just listed about twenty auctions this past couple of weeks and they were all paid for by people using paypal. Actually, that is the only way I pay for auctions that I win also.

I normally use the three day auction feature. The first and last days of the auction are the busiest. I also know that when I am bidding on an auction, I don't like to wait days and days for the auction to end. I usually only bid on three day auctions myself.

I do ship all my larger items by priority mail. You can get free boxes, labels, and tape at the post office or on the postal web site. If you order in bulk on the web site, the post man will deliver the supplies right to your home. You can also canculate postage with the zip codes on the web site which is really nice also. It will give you the cost of sending priority mail and parcel post.

Good luck and enjoy ebay.
Beth

 

[HollyM]

Beth - I have been known to purchase scrapbooking supplies on eBay. What is your id? I'll watch for your stuff !