You HAVE to try this!! EBAY your way to DISNEY!!

[eeyorefanatic]

I am getting ready to sell a bunch of scrapbooking supplies and rubber stamps. What's the best day to list items for auction?

Also do any of you use a 3rd party lister like andale or auction watch? Any recommendations?

 

[dturner]

Scrapbooking supplies are good to list, I should know I look on Ebay all the time for Disney scrapbooking supplies. Not sure if there is a good day to list or not, I've listed on all kinds of days and times and it seems to not matter.

Hope everyone is on track with Ebaying their way to Disney World - I've made more than enough for a trip in just 1 month of Ebaying, WOO HOO!!

 

[tymegjus3]

What are the items that you guys are selling that you are making so much money on?? I've sold about $150 last week, but I don't know what to sell next?? I just would like to get some ideas

 

[DMRick]

auction watch

I use Auction Watch and love it..but I often have the same item on over and over (it's a craft item I make), so it's nice to park it there and easy to put it up. It does a lot of my work too, such as sending out eoa notices, etc.

For items I only have one of, I often use eBay straight up..less expensive and does the job.

 

[dturner]

I have to say this fast, my husband thinks I'm stupid for posting what I make on Ebay on here but I sold a lot of vintage Barbies and clothes and have made like $1,500.00 in a month, more than I ever imagined I could make.

 

[Cinders]

What's the best day to list items for auction?

Calendar

 

[cindala]

dturner,
Any information you post here is appreciated by all of us I'm sure, as a guidepost to what we can achieve!!

I've started out slowly, listing 6-7 items a week since I work everyday and I don't want to make myself crazy. Still, whatever I've made is much more than I ever would have received at a garage sale, and I still haven't listed my dolls yet!

It's once I run out of things from around the house, that I wonder what I am going to sell!

 

[summerrluvv]

I don't know if this has been posted in the thread (didn't read the whole thing LOL), but OfficeMax has a coupon in their flyer for a free ground shipment via Airborne up to $10.00 this week. It ends tomorrow, but if you have a package that needs to go out, it's worth it. I have went a few times this week (can only use the coupon once per visit) and shipped a few things for free. Definately helps with the profits!

 

[DMRick]

I have to say this fast, my husband thinks I'm stupid for posting what I make on Ebay on here but I sold a lot of vintage

Please don't take this to mean I agree with your hubby..but I suggest, unless you plan on paying income taxes (yes, you owe taxes, and that is an amount the IRS would prob not consider garage sale amounts since the items you are selling, you are selling for more than you bought them for, and you admit freely, they are vintage) you go back and revise your note, leaving out the amount. You could end up paying a large sum (I'm not putting the sum in, becasue then it's easy to figure out how much you made) in taxes on the amount you posted. You never know who might be reading this board, and what they can do with the info. Don't draw attention to yourself, even if you do plan on paying income tax. I'm on several eBay boards, and totals are generally agreed to be a no-no.

I run a business, so I do pay income tax on my eBay items, but I would still never post what I make on a public board. Just my own opinion.
Doris

 

[Robinrs]

dturner:

This is a website and it is public but your identity is private to all but the owner and administrators of this board. If you give out information elsewhere that connects your true identity with your posts then I'd be concerned but normally that is not the case.

Several companies do monitor the DIS but I doubt if the IRS is one of them. I have several very close relatives that work there and I think they'd agree...

This thread is for information and incentive. I think the amounts, roundabout or otherwise, give us a goal or a dream. Two weeks ago I thought the people posting about their successes were something unapproachable to me. Now I see it can happen! It's wonderful!

Do what you feel is right, but I know you've given me hope!

 

[dturner]

Thanks for the nice words RobinRS!! Now, I'm going back into hibernation and just lurk around without posting.

Good luck to everyone!!!

 

[DMRick]

This is a website and it is public but your identity is private to all but the owner and administrators of this board.

As soon as I read that, I realized that others DO have her identity. Plus, if she has ever given out her ebay sellers name, her contact info can be pulled. By mentioning what she sold and for how much, doing a simple search will bring her right up on eBay....especially when some are posting what days their aucitons ended..and other info. I have found several people that way from this board myself. While you may not think the IRS would monitor this board, you really don't know that for a fact. We really don't know who is here. Giving out income (especially unreported income if it is..not that I'm saying it is, believe me) on a thread that is being read by so many is never a good idea, even if it is just meant to encourage others.
Unless we actually have an IRS person that can attest to the advice you have given, I would still recommend that people not give income.
Some of my tax clients have been reported by neighbors and friends, and ended up with a very close scrutiny of their taxes. Working with enrolled agents, that have defended my clients, I'm never surprised anymore how the IRS gets private info. If your relatives that work for the IRS were to agree to come on the thread and guarantee that giving out income on a public board is a fine and a good idea, and that no one could ever get her identity, then I would be very surprised. eBay itself says they are just a venue and their records are wide open to the IRS.
It's one thing to say you could make enough money to go to Disney..it's quite another to give figures. Not only should that IMO be personal info, but not everyone has vintage Barbie Dolls to sell, and it actually may make some people decide that they could never meet their goal by selling "stuff around the house".

As an aside..I gave out my eBay name on this very board, and had to go back to erase it from all the messages, because of something that happened to me, as a direct result of posting on this board. So you just never know who is here reading.

I stand firmly by what I wrote earlier.

 

[eeyorefanatic]

I just created my first listing through andale which will launch this Sunday!

It's just for some rubber stamps I have never used but I am really excited at the prospect of getting some of my money back on all these craft/scrap/stamp supplies I bought and have NEVER used!

I wanted to thank everyone for all of the encouragement!

 

[DMRick]

dturner,
Please don't go into lurk. I did not mean to offend you, but to help you. You have given wonderful encouragement, and it's been appreciated. I just don't want to see you have your eBay fun turn out to not be fun. Please reconsider and continue posting.

 

[Nik's Mom]

O.k., I'm jumping on the bandwagon! You all have me motivated! I do have a question. Do you need a business license to do this and if so, what kind? Do we report this on our tax returns? What do you veteran's do? I mean, it seems like some of these expenses might be a tax write off (mileage to post office, monthly fee for internet service, etc.). Can anyone tell me what you do about these things?

 

[DMRick]

This is not meant as tax advice.

I file a schedule C, since this is a business for me. If you have a "real" job or file with your hubby, the income is actually taxed from your first dollar. If you put it on your taxes as misc income, you don't get the great tax deductions..you are suppose to pay tax on the total. However, the IRS has been (up til now) very tolerant of items you sell that appear to be garage sale items. They don't have to be. They have access to your bank accounts, and money put in your account from PayPal is reportable to the IRS..so if a large amount starts showing up, and it's not reported, and you are living above your means, and shown on your income taxes large deductions, but no apparent income ot match, you have left a paper trail. At this time, the small seller doesn't seem to be a problem with the IRS. The assumption is, if you are selling items from your filled closets, that you originally paid more for them than you are selling them for, hence no profit. Of course that doesn't hold true for old toys, etc, that have really become collectibles.
When filing a Sched C, you get all sorts of deductions..your mileage, your paypal and ebay fees, etc., and maybe even part of your home used to store ebay items (and even if some people believe this is a red flag..if you are being honest, go with all your deductions). Those are items you can't take unless you file a sched c. For instance, say you made $100..you paid $10 between PP and eBay and Auction Watch fees (round numbers for illustrations purposes). You can't put under misc income, $90..without the schedule C, you need to put the entire $100 and pay taxes on money you didn't even get to keep. That's why you want a schedule c. The list of deductions is long, and I always suggest the first year, you have your taxes done by a professional..who will set up your computer depreciation, etc. and you should be able to follow it other years.

While I didn't need my biz license for selling on eBay, I did need to get a sales tax certificate to collect sales tax on the items I ship within my state. I sell new items, as a business, so I must collect sales tax.

That's the short version.

 

[Robinrs]

Originally posted by dturner
Thanks for the nice words RobinRS!! Now, I'm going back into hibernation and just lurk around without posting.

Good luck to everyone!!!

I'm with you, dturner. As I learned the hard way on the Community Board, TMI is not appreciated!

Thanks for all the advice, everyone! I'm leaving for Orlando this afternoon and I'll be back in a week and a half!

 

[DMRick]

As I learned the hard way on the Community Board, TMI is not appreciated!

Since I don't know what TMI means, I don't know if I've been insulted. I realize you are a moderator..but you know what, if I want to comment on something someone said (her own husband didn't want her to post the info), to possibly save her from problems down the road..I believe I have that right..until a moderator actually tells me I don't, and erases my message.
As I posted to your privately..it took me less than 5 minutes to find her auctions (and contact info is easy to get from eBay)..when you post on a public board I don't think it's wrong to be careful. You even said, you would only be worried if her ID could be linked to real info..well most of our ID's can be linked when we post enough info about our auctions, and it's even easier when we have our city's and states in our sigs.
Doris

 

[Nik's Mom]

Thanks for the info, DMRick! I have doing research on this and just wasn't finding the answer to my questions, but I knew someone here would come through. At least I now have an idea of what to do. Maybe I'll call a tax person. I just want to make sure I do the right thing.
By the way, this tread has been a great motivation for many people. Please, everyone keep those positive comments coming!

 

[C.Ann]

Time to settle down again, class!!

Please remember that all of the information here has been posted so we can help one another achieve our goals.. There are many areas where there may be differing opinions (one that I can think of right off the top of my head is "when to post feedback") - and it's perfectly okay to post differing viewpoints - but no one should feel as if they have to go into a "lurking" mode simply because their thoughts about a particular issue is different than someone elses..

I've said this before and I'll say it again.. EVERYONE on this thread has something important to contribute - the veterans, the newbies, and even those just looking for advice on how to start out selling on ebay.. Please remember when reading a response to your post that the responder is not being critical, but rather pointing out an issue that may or may not become a trouble spot for you..

Personally, I have wrestled with this "tax" issue myself - as I am considering getting into selling bigger and better items - and I'm just SO glad that I have this thread and other posters to glean the necessary info from..

I don't want to see anyone leave this thread because I value all of the information here.. Soooooooo - can't we just agree to accept guidance and advice in the generous spirit in which it is given?????

Okay - the lecture is over.. Carry on!!!!

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P.S. I'm up here at the lake and I can't list on eBay from here.. WHAT DO I DO FOR THE WITHDRAWL SYMPTOMS ???????? HELP !!!!