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

[PRINCESS VIJA]

Question on packaging items. I have a huge roll of brown paper. I have used that for packaging items that I send out (gifts I have sent). IS there a reason not to use that and boxes I have collected over the time that are at home... ie shoe boxes etc?

If not, where is a good place to get boxes and shipping stuff? I understand that some of you are going to stores and asking for them to save their stuff. How do you ask them, and what are my other options.

I haven't been able to get through this huge thread yet, and I apologize because I bet this has already been brought up. Just haven't come across it yet.

 

[C.Ann]

While I don't think the PO is "thrilled" with packages wrapped in brown paper, I don't think there are any "rules" against it.. (Someone please correct me if I'm wrong..) If I were to do that though, I would use tons and tons of tape.. But then again, I use tons and tons of tape anyhow!!! LOL

A couple of months ago I ordered some boxes on-line (can't remember where) but then when everyone saw that I was SERIOUS about doing this they started saving boxes for me left and right! My stepdaughter is a Home Interior Party Consultant so she saves me loads of boxes and I just turn them inside out and tape them up again! Get the word out to everyone you know and pretty soon you'll need an addition on your house JUST for the boxes!! LOL

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

OK, silly question. How do you turn the boxes inside out? Do you cut down on one side?

 

[cinlee3]

The brown paper is not a good idea. It can get caught in the automatic sorting equipment and rip off. Your addresses can get torn off with it so it is not a good idea. I had a package sent to me from an Ebay purchase and is was simply wrapped in brown paper - no box at all and the package was torn even though she had taped it well.

DMrick - thanks for the heads up about getting my money back on the DC - I will try getting my money back when I go back to the P.O.

 

[C.Ann]

Originally posted by PRINCESS VIJA
OK, silly question. How do you turn the boxes inside out? Do you cut down on one side?

-------------------

There is usually only one side where the seam is glued. Pull that apart, turn the box inside out, and then re-glue and/or tape that seam again.. I don't fuss with glue - I just use loads and loads of tape.. Try it on a small box you have lying around and you'll see what I mean..

There are NOOOOOOO silly questions here!! We're all on this thread to help one another..

 

[Cara]

I have been thinking of selling Ebay for quite some time (I do buy from Ebay!), and I decided to start out "slowly" by listing quite a few books on half.com yesterday. Well, I am shocked to say that I have already sold SEVEN books in less than 24 hours.

Now I am motivated to think a bit more seriously about Ebay! My problem is that I periodically cull through things and get rid of them, so I don't have tons and tons of things to sell. I do have some games, computer games, and a Pentax K-1000 camera. I may start with just a few things and see how it goes.

Thanks all!

Cara

 

[Mrs. Snowgod]

Hi Cara,

Congratulations on selling all of those books. I can sympathize on lack of stuff to sell. We moved 4 years ago, out of the house we'd been in for 15 years. All of my kids' outgrown clothes were in boxes in our attic, and I ended up taking trunk-loads full to the local goodwill box. I now think about how much of that stuff I could have sold on ebay instead of giving it away. But hopefully it has helped some needy families, so that's water under the bridge.

What I have found is that I still had boxes of things I haven't yet unpacked after 4 years. If I can live without this stuff for 4 years, I might as well part with it.

In addition to recent good results on ebay, I had a yard sale on Saturday. I probably put as much time and effort (and a lot more muscle) into the yard sale as I did listing 30 auctions on ebay, and I made $65 from the yard sale, and $200 from the ebay auctions. I'm a believer!

 

[nuke]

My bargain Quill bubble mailers just came via UPS.
They are very nice and they sent a welcome kit with paper clips, tape, post it notes,white out, a pen and a pad of phone messages notes.

My only problem is finding space to put the HUGE box of envelopes. I think I can't sell anything unless it fits in one of these for a while.

 

[kaf7878]

What do you guys think of the stamps.com deal...you get a free digital scale and $20 in free postage to sign up for their $15.95/month service. You have to keep the service for one month before canceling. I was thinking of signing up to get the free goodies, paying my one month, and cancelling. Any feedback on this??

 

[bafmrf]

Well I went to begin my first listing after I got my new checking account. I read that you should use a different user name than you normally would use elsewhere, so I began to register a new account with Ebay. I just realized that if I use a name other than the name I use for everything else, I will lose any positive feedback I received as a buyer. Is this correct? If so, can I cancel the registration I just finished? Is there a way to link the two accounts? HELP....It figures I didn't get very far.

Thanks in advance. I need to go out for a little while and will check replies later.

Martha

 

[DMRick]

Is there a way to link the two accounts? HELP....It figures I didn't get very far.

you can link them..but they then become one..not too. When you have two names, you have to start over with feedback: (

 

[cinlee3]

I have a question about the free DC with Priority Mail if you print the label online. Do you have to use special labels to print or can I just use regular printer paper and tape over it? Sorry if this has been asked before but I couldn't find the answer if it has.

Thanks

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

Another question. what happens if you get suspended? Are you then done? can you resign up with a different name? Just curious. Because of the one listing I had taken off, it said any other infractions and you could be suspended. I am not by any means putting up something that I know would go against their rules, but if I put up something in good faith, and then it is removed, am I done for? Am I making sense?

 

[wdwpluto]

Ok, about a month ago, I got and deposited a m/o from a Canadian buyer. Today I get a letter from my bank charging me a $5 fee. They're calling it a "processing fee of a Canadian drawn check". What's that about? Grrr... I've never had that happen before. I bank at Fleet if that matters. Is there a certain type of m/o that I should/shouldn't accept from International buyers? Or do I just need to have International folks pay via PayPal only?

Thanks!

RE: Suspension
I believe you can get suspended for 30 days then your account can be re-activated. There might be different lengths of suspension for different things though, not sure.

RE: Free DC
You can print on regular paper and tape over I belive - just make sure all is smooth - no bubbles in the tape

 

[erinch]

Originally posted by cinlee3
I have a question about the free DC with Priority Mail if you print the label online. Do you have to use special labels to print or can I just use regular printer paper and tape over it? Sorry if this has been asked before but I couldn't find the answer if it has.

I print the label on my printer, then tape it with clear package tape to the box--which I have, in at least 25 cases, wrapped in brown paper, with no squawks from our post office.

After 2 instances where my scale was a little inaccurate, and I ended up printed more postage than I needed, I now print w/out postage and let the PO weigh them and bill me--which I pay for with my paypal debit card, which gives me a 15% rebate on the fees.

 

[twinklingstars4u]

wdw

Yes, my bank also charges a fee. I very rarely get anything but Paypal and Bidpay MO's for International purchases. I've heard you can cash it at the post office.

They do not charge a fee, but you do have to spend ?10%? of it at the post office. I'm not sure the exact amount.

Mary Beth

 

[DMRick]

They're calling it a "processing fee of a Canadian drawn check". What's that about?

That's very common..you got away cheap..unless it said US funds..then there should not have been a charge. I like it when they send postal money orders..then I cash them at my post office.

You are correct..suspensions are most often 30 days for a first offense..unless you really do something terrible. If I remember right, that note you got said you couldn't put this item back up..but each item stands on it's own. If you continue to get items pulled though, you may be indefinately suspended. If you are caught with another name ot avoid suspension you will again be permantly suspended.

For DC's it says right on the fomr that you are not to tape it over..I always do and so far they have not had a problem scanning it..I make sure it's nice and smooth like pluto said.

I assume you forgot the . in the 1.5% rebate? If not I"m getting cheated LOL.

 

[robinb]

Is Quill really that cheap? They didn't look so to me. My book-selling parter and I (we sell on Amazon) buy from www.bubblefast.com. We buy big boxes of 250 number 0's (6 x 9, perfect for a paperback) for only $46.61 delivered. That's $0.186 per envelope. We pay about $0.25 per envelope for a box of 100 #1's which are great for smaller hardcovers.

 

[robinb]

For DC's it says right on the fomr that you are not to tape it over..I always do and so far they have not had a problem scanning it..I make sure it's nice and smooth like pluto said.

I tape around the bar code on the DC. I'll use 5 pieces of tape, two for the sides, one for the top, one for the bottom and one over the address. I leave the top blank section and the bar code untaped so the postal clerk can stamp if they wish to and so the bar code can be read. I almost always tape over my addresses, even on regular labels, because ink jet ink runs at the hint of moisture! I also bought a return address stamp which is great! I paid extra for the x-stamper brand which is very, very easy to use.

 

[DMRick]

I leave the top blank section and the bar code untaped so the postal clerk can stamp if they wish to and so the bar code can be read.

That is their preferred way (to not tape on the barcode) and would work if I used my laser printer..but I don't, and if a drop gets on the barcode, or a sweaty hand, it's smeared..so ever since day one I've used tape..over the entire label. So far no problems with it.

As far as Quill being cheap..they had a great clearance and I posted it (you can go back and look at the prices..and they are still on special) and they were very very cheap. They didn't have the smaller sizes you use on sale (I wait til Viking has the two for one sale for those), but many people bought the largest size on sale, and cut in half was just perfect for their uses. I used to use Bubblefast, but these deals have been much better for the sizes I use (and even Viking's sales have beaten them..the shipping at Bubblefast used to kill me) )..and no shipping, just a very small handling. The smallest size ended up about .10 each inside measurements about 8 X 9. The largest about 12 X 14 and is .17. I think the handling fee was under $2.00..and I think that was just if you had a small order..but I"m sure someone can say for sure...I didn't order this time, since Viking had recently had their 2 for one. I wish I had waited for this one.